With more than 1,500 jobs-focused social enterprises operating across Australia, it’s time for a national conversation. Mark Daniels reflects on why the moment is right for the first-ever Social Enterprise Jobs Summit — and why he hopes the whole ecosystem will lean in.
Last year, I went to a Jobs Australia (now Amplify Alliance) event.
I wasn’t expecting to see many familiar faces from the Work Integration Social Enterprise (WISE) sector — but I did. More than I anticipated. And it got me thinking: why don’t we run a conference focused on WISEs?
There are conferences for social enterprise, yes. But never before has there been an Australian event dedicated specifically to jobs-focused social enterprises.
That changes in June.
White Box Enterprises and Social Enterprise Australia are teaming up to present the first-ever Social Enterprise Jobs Summit — a space created by and for jobs-focused social enterprises. And it’s long overdue.
The Summit emerged from a simple but urgent need: greater connection among Australia’s 1,500 WISEs. While leadership is emerging through the WISE Hub (a committee convened by Social Enterprise Australia to bring together key actors to support WISEs to collectively grow and unlock greater economic inclusion), the WISE sector remains fragmented. We need a place to come together to share knowledge, build relationships, and strengthen our collective voice.
Because jobs-focused social enterprises are distinct.
We don’t just deliver services or sell products with a social lens, we take on the complex task of supporting people into meaningful, often long-term employment. That means balancing commercial realities with wraparound support. It means higher operating costs, longer lead times, and often, a slower path to profitability. But it also means deep, generational impact. When done well, this model doesn’t just change lives, it strengthens communities and chips away at the systems that lock people out.
The interest in this work is growing — across government, philanthropy, and corporate Australia. Decision-makers are beginning to recognise what we’ve known for years: that this model works. That it creates real, lasting change for people who are often excluded from mainstream employment.
But to truly seize this moment, we need coordination. We need shared learning. We need to move from scattered effort to shared strategy.
The Social Enterprise Jobs Summit is more than just another conference. It’s a call to action.
It’s a chance to be real, about what’s working and what’s not. To share the lessons we’ve learned the hard way. To find inspiration in each other’s work, and maybe even a few collaborators along the way.
It’s not about polished success stories. It’s about unpacking the challenges, exploring new models, and finding practical solutions to help us scale our impact without losing sight of what makes this work meaningful.
We’ve built a program that reflects the diversity and ambition of the sector. You’ll hear from social enterprise leaders doing the work on the ground, researchers providing data and insight, and funders and policymakers shaping the broader environment we operate in. And for the first time, we’ll be joined by Frédéric Bailly, Executive Vice President of Groupe SOS — a $2 billion social enterprise network — offering a global perspective on what’s possible when the right conditions are in place.
Importantly, the Social Enterprise Jobs Summit isn’t just for those already in the room. We’re inviting adjacent sectors — like disability enterprises and employment services — to the table. We know they have insights to share and value to gain from deeper collaboration. We’re also welcoming funders, policymakers, and systems thinkers into the conversation, not as spectators but as partners in system change (it’s worth noting we couldn’t have done this without our primary and supporting partners: Westpac Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, Melbourne Social Equity Institute, Australian Government Department of Social Services, Victorian Government, English Family Foundation and Hand Heart Pocket Foundation).
Ultimately, this summit if for anyone who believes employment is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce inequality and improve lives.
If you’re part of this movement, or curious about where it’s headed, don’t sit this one out.
The time is now.
