Happy Anniversary QSEC

7 years ago today we launched Australia's first member driven peak for social enterprise, the Queensland Social Enterprise Council. It's been incredible to see so much growth in the Australian sector with many other states and territories now having representative bodies.

QSEC grew from the New Mutualism Group in the early 2000's which consisted of social and community workers who were working with people to enable economic and participatory empowerment through community and social enterprise. We were committed to the concepts of Reciprocity and Mutuality and inspired by the cooperative movement for a fairer economy. This I believe is why QSEC was the early leader in state peak development and has sustained momentum, simply it grew from collaborative roots where people were inspired to help each other help other people.

Just some of the people who were members of New Mutualism and drove the development of, and foundation of QSEC include Ingrid Burkett, Belinda Drew, Susan Black, Richard Warner, Amelia Salmon, Grant Williams, James Boreham, Saba Abraham, Aleem Ali, and Dave Langdon.

QSEC has grown to support regional networks from Logan, to Central and Western Queensland, and up to North Queensland with colleagues at SENT. The organisation is led by Executive Officer Elise Parups and Chair Emma-Kate Rose who have developed strong strategic directions and relationships with Government and philanthropy to see several exciting projects grow around the state, including the Reset and Recovery project in the Darling Downs, Central, and Far North Queensland, which I am working on with colleagues at the Office of Social Innovation at CQUniversity in the delivery of Design workshops.

Congratulations to everyone involved with QSEC past and present. Here's to the next 7 years of growth and development towards a fairer, more inclusive, and ecologically sustainable economy.