2010 UK Conference: No More Business as Usual

Probably the only thing cooler than social enterprise is partying, so on the occasion that the two are combined into one memorable event – you will find me there. Our friends across the pond at Social Enterprise Coalition are hosting the sixth annual conference for social enterprise in the UK, known as Voice, in Cardiff,Wales on the 1^st and 2^nd of February 2010.

Under the theme “No More Business as Usual,” Voice10 will be a “party” in the strictly professional sense.  There will be high profile speakers, informative exhibitions, and lots of networking. Social entrepreneurs and others from all over the world will convene to discuss the questions critical to the future of social enterprise:

As we emerge from recession, how can social enterprises have a greater impact and help rebuild a better, more sustainable economy? How can they reform public services at a time when value for money is one of the most important issues we face? And how can social enterprises challenge themselves to make new connections with each other and with the private sector?

Voice10 is the largest annual social enterprise conference in the UK, a country that boasts approximately 62,000 social enterprises with a combined turnover of £27billion. The Welsh Assembly Government, the Department of Health, and NatWest are the principal sponsors of this conference. Conservative party leader, David Cameron, complimented the 1,000 + delegates that were in attendance last year by saying: “Your creativity, dynamism, compassion, and ingenuity is absolutely central to the good economic future we must build in our country.”

Collaboration is a powerful tool and Voice 10 provides the perfect platform (as well as the perfect vacation excuse) to do so. I’m telling you now so you can book your plane tickets while they’re cheap and if you register for Voice 10 before October 1st, you can get an early bird discount of 10%. Conferences like Better World, SoCap, and Voice do much to enrich our personal and professional communities. The road of a social entrepreneur is a lonely one, but the more solidarity efforts that exist, the stronger our willpower will become. All questions and concerns should be directed to voice@confpeople.co.uk.

Social Enterprise Coalition’s mission is to be the voice of social enterprise, through being a progressive, authorative body that brings together all types of social enterprises in the UK.

• Organization Type: Non-Profit
• Website: http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/
• Chair: Claire Dove
• Founded: 2001
• Location: London, UK
• See complete company list here