Collaborating on a Shared Direction for Social Enterprises in Australia

We’re delighted to see the recent launch of Social Enterprise Australia – Australia’s new peak body for connecting the social enterprise sector in order to plan, act and learn together.

The launch of Social Enterprise Australia is an important milestone in the process of developing a national strategy for the sector. Since February this year, Day Four Projects has been supporting this national effort, particularly in these early stages of charting a shared vision and mission, collective principles of practice, and the beginnings of what the organisational infrastructure might look like for a new national peak.

Like all ‘sectors’ the social enterprise sector is a complicated one, which means the task of finding shared directions and aligning on important steps has been challenging (and fun).

There are thousands of social enterprises operating across Australia, a range of intermediary organisations (e.g. academic and research organisations), investors, philanthropic groups, government and NGOs, as well as important state and national networks – all with interests in what a national strategy might look like, and how it might be developed.

In supporting this national strategy development process, we experimented with a variety of options for engaging the broadest possible range of voices, and co-creating something that was meaningful and valuable for those in the sector.

Guiding our approach has been a commitment to core principles of good collaborative practice

These include valuing diversity; striving for open and honest communications; respecting the views and experiences of others; recognising the mutual benefits that come from working together; and being brave and courageous in our vision for the future.

These principles led us to explore some different approaches, including:

• A series of online workshops, with hundreds of voices to shape what a shared vision and mission might be for the sector
• Working groups charged with the responsibility of sense-making workshop findings, and making considered choices about what and how to feedback insights to the sector
• Online surveys to canvass reactions, suggestions and modifications for emerging directions
• Focus Groups with small and engaged individuals to deeply explore what it might mean to work together
• Regular and timely communications to all involved – keeping us all on the same page and updated as to our shared progress.

And while it’s terrific to see the launch of Social Enterprise Australia, perhaps as (or more) important is the sense of togetherness that the processes has helped to create. New voices have been heard, and new connections have been formed, which together, may provide valuable launching pads for future initiatives.

There is much more to come for social enterprises in Australia and the sector as a whole. As we write this, Social Enterprise Australia has commissioned research to develop an investment case for the social enterprise sector, which will be the means through which to mount an investment case to the Federal Government, securing their long-term support, and providing the framework for implementation. And toward the end of this year, Social Enterprise Australia will release a white paper that aims to estimate the size and contribution of the sector to the Australian economy – providing important new insights for the ongoing development and evolution of the sector.

We're proud to support the work of Social Enterprise Australia, and congratulate all involved for shaping a positive and powerful pathway forward.

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Day Four Projects is a social impact consulting agency connecting strategy, implementation and impact evaluation. Our local and global assignments focus on the theory and practice of collaborative action: the ways in which diverse people, perspectives, and resources are brought together to tackle complex problems.