SSE Australia celebrates latest graduates in Sydney

School for Social Entrepreneurs Australia’s 2010 graduation ceremony was held in Sydney last week to celebrate the next generation of entrepreneurial individuals who are developing innovative social ventures to unmet needs in their communities. The 13 students graduating (click for more info on individual projects) from the year-long School for Social Entrepreneurs program are working on a range of social initiatives and enterprises including: a café for public housing tenants in Telopea to build a sense of community and generate training opportunities; an Indigenous employment program called Career Trackers; and a Sydney City Farm and Sustainable Living Centre. The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) Australia is based on the highly successful UK SSE which has been pioneering the development of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise for over 10 years. The Sydney SSE was opened in early 2009, and the Melbourne School was launched in April 2010. CEO of SSE Australia, Benny Callaghan, said that since launching the Sydney School, the graduating students had attracted 3 million in funding for their ventures and are responsible for creating 41 jobs and 256 volunteering positions. “We have seen amazing results from our students to date with many developing the confidence, networks and skills to make their social ventures more effective and sustainable,” said Benny. “Our students have not only secured funding but also developed strong partnerships and delivered significant social impact in their communities. We are delighted to be welcoming them as fellows of our growing network of social entrepreneurs in Australia,” said Benny. A number of awards were presented at the graduation including the “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” which was received by Shanil Samarakoon for his work in supporting rural villages in Malawi to access their own green energy, clean water, and microcredit. The School for Social Entrepreneurs runs a year-log program that gives social entrepreneurs the personal and business support they need to grow their venture to be more effective. Applications are open for the 2011 program and bursaries are available to cover the costs of the program. The SSE Australia is proudly supported by Social Ventures Australia, the School for Social Entrepreneurs UK, and Steve Lawrence (a social entrepreneur and Chief Executive of the Australian Social Innovation Exchange). http://www.sse.org.uk/news_article.php?artid=94

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