Experts from Brussels keynote speakers at major Midlands event

Two leading Brussels-based experts on local Government and social enterprise will be the keynote speakers at a major two day conference for local policy makers in the midlands.

Luigi Martinetti and Erdmuthe Klaer-Morselli will deliver the two-day presentation in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone this Thursday and Friday, March 2 and 3. The event is aimed at policy makers such as local authorities, local enterprise offices, LEADER companies and Public Participation Networks (PPNs).

The Regional Social Enterprise Policy two-day conference is being organised by Social Enterprise Exchange (SEE), a local initiative connecting social enterprises across East Galway, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath and Laois.

Funded by the Just Transition Fund and the Carbon Tax Fund, the SEE project is supported by the Government and SEE’s regional partners, Roscommon Leader Partnership, Galway County Council, Laois County Council, Social & Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and the Athlone-based Cluster Centre.

At the two day event in Athlone this week, key areas such as EU funding channels for social enterprises and how they can be accessed by policy makers will be discussed. “Through important conferences like this, Social Enterprise Exchange (SEE) wants to assist in connecting social enterprises in the midlands region with regional, national, EU and best practice initiatives,” explained SEE project manager, Gabrielle McFadden.

Currently, there are almost three million social enterprises across the European Union, creating more than 13.6 million jobs and contributing 8% to the EU GDP.

“This two day conference is among a series of initiatives that SSE has devised with the aim of making policy-makers aware of the range of funding programmes that are out there in order that we can continue to strengthen and grow the social enterprise economy in the region,” said Ms McFadden. “We are delighted that two experts from Brussels are coming to Athlone this week to help stakeholders learn what is best practice at EU level in terms of how we can best promote social enterprise in the region.

“There are a growing number of social enterprises in this region that are offering services to people and creating jobs. What we want to do is to ensure that they are supported as much as possible in order to sustain a strong and vibrant social enterprise economy within the region of Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Roscommon and East Galway,” she said.

The ethos of social enterprises is ‘profit for a purpose’ aimed at making a social, societal or environmental impact and Ms McFadden explained that they work for the greater good. “They are usually profit for purpose organisations so whatever profit they make, it is reinvested back into the organisation for the benefit of the local community.

Conference speaker, Mr. Luigi Martignetti is Secretary General of REVES (European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy) while the other guest speaker is Ms. Klaer-Morselli is REVES Deputy Secretary General. Both will be providing a better understanding of current EU policies and funding programmes and the opportunities they can offer for the midlands.