The power of community support
The last two years have seen a real shift in the social enterprise sector here in the Northern Territory. Enterprise Learning Projects and Impact North (an ELP initiative) were born out of a need for more support in the region and over the last few years, we’ve seen this community of support grow and strengthen as it’s gained momentum.
Social enterprise in the Northern Territory
While social enterprises have been operating for thousands of years in the Northern Territory, it has been a challenge connecting to the wider Australian and global social enterprise sector. In our region, physical distances have posed a challenge for entrepreneurs to connect with one another, access resources and find support.
There’s lots of frustration at the barriers in the region, but for those outside of our region, there’s a lack of exposure to what it’s really like here on the ground.
Everyone else thinks we’re remote. But we think we’re here.
We liken it to when you travel overseas and, when you come back, you try to explain what you experienced and people don’t get it. They had to be there, and they weren’t. Explaining what it’s like for social entrepreneurs in the NT is similar. It’s difficult to convey online or over the phone, but once you come and experience it for yourself, you understand.
The power of a network
Many people here feel isolated and overwhelmed with just how much there is to do. Here, it’s not uncommon for people to create multiple links in the chain of the solution and we are no different when it comes to trying to meet the needs of the sector in the Northern Territory. ELP was born out of a necessity to support entrepreneurs, while Impact North saw a need to connect people with each other, as well as with the opportunities most relevant to them.
Whereas before, many people didn’t know where to go to find opportunities, resources or simply like-minded people who share the same struggles in the social enterprise world, now they have a place where they can connect and find what they need.
Networks give people strength. There’s numbers – a community of people who are facing similar challenges and are looking for support.
And when we have numbers, our voices are amplified. Over the last two years we’ve seen voices from our region rise up and join the national – and global – conversation. And, as a result, the rest of Australia is more cognizant of the Northern Territory’s social enterprise community than they ever have been before.
We’re seeing this manifesting in a multitude of ways – Social Traders now has a NT Representative, social impact researchers are coming to us to ensure inclusion of Northern Australian voices, people are asking more and more, “We’d love to know more, who would you recommend we speak to?”.
ELP and Impact North are not the only initiatives behind this shift, but we are proud to be a part of the changing landscape as the world sits up and takes notice of the game-changing work that is being done here in Northern Australia. There are still so many challenges ahead of us and plenty to be done, but we’re seeing the impact that connection and support can have, and it cannot be underestimated.
Networks can seem intangible on the surface. Many people think that it’s just bringing people together but they’re not sure what actually happens, the power that networks can have. But we’re proof that big changes can happen as a result of intentional networks. People need to be connected to make impactful change.
If you’d like to be part of our Impact North community, get in touch with us at hello@impactnorth.org.au, or sign up for our free email updates about what’s going on in Northern Australia.