BALTA Events
BALTA Presentations in Sweden – October 2009
BALTA members Mike Lewis and Pat Conaty attended the 2nd International CIRIEC Research Conference on the Social Economy in Östersund, Sweden, on October 1‐2, 2009, and delivered a paper on "The Great Transition: Navigating Social, Economic, Ecological Change in Turbulent Times".
Mike and Pat also attended several workshops and meetings in Stockholm and Östersund with social economy representatives, Transition Town members, government representatives, bankers, researchers, students, journalists, farmers and others that included discussion of the CIRIEC paper and its themes.
BC Social Enterprise Summit – November 2008
Eleven organizations from across the province of British Columbia, including BALTA, co-hosted the first BC Social Enterprise Summit from November 17 to 19, 2008, in Vancouver. Over 140 persons - representing a broad stakeholder group of practitioners, funders, private sector, consultants and intermediaries – discussed, debated and prioritized. The summit focussed on identifying gaps in support for the sector and strategies/priorities for addressing those gaps. The summit concluded that the creation of a supportive environment requires an integrative system of public policy, multi-sector engagement and innovative market behavior. The summit began the process of creating a shared action plan to build a supportive public policy environment for social enterprise. The plan addresses four key components:
- Encourage Awareness and Demonstrate the Value of Social Enterprise
- Enhance Enterprise Skills
- Ensure Access to Capital and Investment
- Expand Market Opportunities
Edmonton & Vancouver Events on Social Enterprise and Land Trusts
November 12, 2008 – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Co-Sponsored with the Edmonton Community Foundation
November 14 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Two half day seminars were held in Edmonton featuring BALTA collaborator, Pat Conaty, of the UK-based New Economics Foundation. Pat spoke about Social Enterprise Practices in Britain and Europe and Community Land Trusts. During this visit to Canada, Pat also spoke at BALTA's 2008 symposium in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Social Enterprise Partnerships: Tools for Conviviality.
Vancouver Event – Food, Fuel, Finances, Fashion and Fun in the Age of Peak Oil and Climate Change
April 14 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Co-Sponsored with the Centre for Sustainable Community Development, Simon Fraser University
Pat Conaty of the UK-based New Economics Foundation and BALTA’s lead investigator, Mike Lewis, both spoke at this event. Pat gave a presentation entitled Market Failure, Peak Oil and Global Insecurity: Can social enterprise respond? Following the presentation, there was a lively discussion with the audience.
