When:

3rd October 2010, 12:30PM

Where:

Jurys Inn, Birmingham. Room 107-109-111

Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office

Fay Selvan, CEO Big Life Group

Peter Holbrook, CEO Social Enterprise Coalition

Jenni Russell, The Times (Chair)

Demos is delighted to host a panel debate on “Social Enterprise and the Big Society: Turning policy into practice” at the Conservative Party Conference this autumn with the Social Enterprise Coalition. It will look at what policy framework will be needed to enable the Big Society to operate in practice; and what the practical implications of this would be, particularly for social entrepreneurship. Social enterprise is an established means of fostering innovation and start-ups whose goals align closely with the public good. To what extent can social enterprise play an active role in developing new forms of service delivery? What will be the relative roles of the community, the private sector and the state in making the vision of the Big Society a practical reality?