Lunchtime Learning – 22nd Feb Social Enterprise – Introduction and Insights
Lunchtime Learning sessions at CityHive are a simple affair, designed to give you an injection of inspiration mid-day, mid-week:
- We start at 12:35 and finish at 13:25 so it fits within your lunch hour,
- Our guest presents for 20 minutes, then it’s open for questions, discussion and more,
- BYO lunch, and you can use our kitchen for prep and clean-up,
- Participation is for Pollinators members (you can join on the day), and we appreciate gold coin donations to cover venue costs,
- We’ve got THE BEST views in town and this is the most inspiring lunch you can have in Geraldton.
This week, Darrell Robinson and Tom Tolchard are our guests, and will speak on
“Social Enterprises – what are they, how do they work, and how can they benefit our region?”
Darrell and Tom are amongst the best qualified people in Australia to speak on this topic, with long experience in successful social enterprises and current roles supporting the growth of social enterprise across Australia within two leading organisations.
Darrell is Team Leader of Social Trader‘s ‘Social Enterprise Sustainability Project’, and brings to that role a diverse background of work in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors. Most recently, he was managing a Victorian Australian Disability Enterprise in which he was instrumental in transforming the organisation from a ‘sheltered workshop’ culture to a vibrant and quality-focussed member of the business community.
Prior to that, he was General Manager of SpiritWest Services, the community services division of the Western Bulldogs Football Club which involved turning a broken-down organisation into a viable and dynamic social enterprise with significant inputs into the local community through a broad range of activities.
Tom is Project Director at Social Innovation in Western Australia having previously spent the past two years in the development and running of a Social Enterprises called STREAT. He is genuinely passionate about the role of social innovation in the modern world and continues to bore people who are prepared to listen.
Tom qualified in Business Strategy, Project Management and Developing World Economics and has forged an international career across England, India, and most recently Australia. Tom is well-known within the Australian retail market and has enjoyed his career in helping retailers offer the very best product, secure the very best available people and work closely to understand the core wants and needs of their customer.
REGISTER to attend here: http://lunchtime-learning-22-2-12.eventbrite.com.au/
Featured Member: Donna Heart creating change for love (and money)
We regularly interview, feature and promote Pollinators members. This time we’re learning more about Donna Heart
Donna is an artist, mother, teacher and active citizen. For her, being a ‘social entrepreneur’ means having an idea for change, and not waiting around for governments or local community shires/groups to take action.
“How does the saying go? We must be the change we wish to see in the world… It is having the seed of an idea, and the passion to see it come to fruition, and having that passion to then see it through because you believe in it with all your heart. It is being a catalyst for social change… It is seeing a problem, and taking the leap to see it resolved or fixed without waiting around for others to do it…” she said
Donna’s attitude shines through in her art and in the posts on her website and updates on Twitter, her love of ‘Brave Girl Boots‘ and her favourite quote:
“Creativity takes courage” (Henri Matisse)
Donna’s description of her launch into painting was an act of courage and should inspire anyone else who has doubts about following their passion: “After almost 20 years I had finally jumped over the hurdle of “I’ll-never-be-good-enough” and just thought “bugger it” this is something I need to do! The penny had dropped. I had worked it out. There actually was a ‘Donna-shaped’ hole in the universe, that only I could fill!“
Donna’s passion extends to ideas she’s pursuing, including creation of an alternative currency. Those of you who’ve been in the Mid West for a while may remember the ‘Cray’, and in recent times the local currency movement has begun to build again because of the social capital it builds and how it ‘plugs the leaks‘ from local economies.
More well-reported versions include the Totnes ’Pound’ (UK), Brixton ‘Pound’ (UK), Ithaca ‘Hours’ (USA), SaltSpring ‘Dollars’ (CDN) and numerous ‘LETS‘ schemes in Australia and around the world. You can find out more about alternative currencies and search a database of examples here.
Donna represents another one our passionate members – full of courage and creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and a passion for social change. If you want to connect with Donna, you can meet her at our events (like SWARM, coming up), or get in touch directly via her website.
Lunchtime Learning – 8th Feb Leadership: In regional WA
Lunchtime Learning sessions at CityHive are a simple affair, designed to give you an injection of inspiration mid-day, mid-week:
- We start at 12:35 and finish at 13:25 so it fits within your lunch hour,
- Our guest presents for 20 minutes, then it’s open for questions, discussion and more,
- BYO lunch, and you can use our kitchen for prep and clean-up,
- Participation is for Pollinators members (you can join on the day), and we appreciate gold coin donations to cover venue costs,
- We’ve got THE BEST views in town and this is the most inspiring lunch you can have in Geraldton.
This week, Tony McCann is our guest.
Since 2004 Leadership WA has offered Western Australia’s premier leadership program, enhancing community and personal capacity within the state. Recent graduate, Tony McCann will discuss how the program has prepared him to face major challenges in the region.
REGISTER to attend (free) here: http://lunchtime-learning-8-02-12.eventbrite.com.au
Featured Member: Janell Kopplhuber leading Geraldton to 2029 and Beyond
We regularly interview, feature and promote Pollinators members. This time we’re learning more about Janell Kopplhuber
Janell has lived and worked in communities in Canada and Europe and hopes to support professionals and small business through Pollinators.
Janell recently became a member and will work with the organisation in conjunction with her role as Coordinator of the 2029 & Beyond Project at the City of Greater Geraldton.
Many things drew Janell to the Pollinators concept particularly the prospect of working with people in a young organisation.
“I like the idea of supporting innovation in business and industry to try and grow human capital because there is a small professional base here in Geraldton,” she said.
Janell believes the CityHive, is a particularly important project for Pollinators.
“Office accommodation is a big problem in Geraldton and it seemed to me to be something that needed support to get it going and come up with alternatives for small business,”
CityHive is a collaborative space where professionals, community groups and entrepreneurs people can access a full -service office space, resources and support to achieve their goals.
Prior to coming to Geraldton in 2008 Janell, her partner and three sons lived in Austria. As part of a very small community of just 280 people, Janell taught English and further developed her social entrepreneurial spirit through lots of volunteer work.
“I am at a stage in my life that I want to use the skills I developed through my volunteer work and working life to help create positive change.”
Following extensive public consultation and input the 2029 and Beyond Designing Our City Preliminary Report has recently been released and can be viewed at www.2029andbeyond.com.au. The project is currently moving into an implementation phase.
You can become involved with the 2029 and Beyond Project by submitting your ideas for making Geraldton a better place to live to Civic Evolution at http://2029.civicevolution.org/.
Learning Needs Survey – invest in your future (and win great prizes)
Pollinators Inc want to offer appropriate and amazing training and support to social entrepreneurs and community leaders (like YOU).
This training and suport will be accessible to people and organisations from across the Mid West, even if not members of Pollinators Inc – some of our programs and events are open and free for anyone!
To ensure we’re attracting the right guests, presenting the right content, in the right structure of program, we need to know more about your needs.
So we created a Learning Needs Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PollinatorsLearning
Please complete this survey, in full, so we can help you be an even more brilliant contributor, leader, and entrepreneur.
In return for the 10 minutes you invest, we will put you in the draw for one of several prizes donated by our members:
A free House Energy Rating of an existing or planned dwelling worth more than $300 thanks to David O’Meara at DesignRate
A hamper of ‘green’ stationery and office products worth more than $100 from thanks to Carolyn Cassidy at Corporate Express
A voucher for $25 worth of food and coffee at the Lara and Heath Dalton’s SaltDish Cafe
We’re very much looking forward to your responses, and helping you to be more successful in 2012.
