Measuring the benefits of social procurement and showcasing some of the region’s most exciting social enterprises were on the agenda when around 75 people gathered for the ACT Social Enterprise Hub‘s ‘Public Money for Public Benefit II: Measuring Social Return on Investment’ event today.

The half-day event was also an informal and slightly belated celebration of the ACT Social Enterprise Hub’s second birthday. Launched in June 2009, the Hub now supports eleven social enterprises and has helped create jobs or income streams for around 100 people who would be otherwise struggle to secure meaningful and sustainable employment.

Generously sponsored by the Canberra Museum and Gallery, this latest event was a sequel to the first ‘Public Money for Public Benefit’ event held in June 2011. That panel discussion preceded moves by the ACT Government to introduce new guidelines to encourage social procurement. Since then, three demonstration projects have been established, with a clause for consideration of possible social benefits now applied to every ACT Government contract.

To ensure this momentum is maintained, a morning information session was planned around a visit to Canberra by the UK’s Jeremy Nicholls, one of the world’s leading experts on social return on investment (SROI). After Jeremy’s presentation on the history, tools and methodologies of measuring social impact as well as the international perspective, SVA’s own Kevin Robbie further elaborated on the Australian experience, illustrated by a number of local case studies from SVA’s substantial portfolio of work.

Following these engaging presentations, attendees ‘ including ACT Minister for Community Services Joy Burch and other esteemed Members of the ACT Legislative Assembly ‘ were able to enjoy refreshments while visiting the ACT Social Enterprise Hub Showcase.

For the first time, 18 established or up-and-coming social enterprises were gathered together in the one place, offering attendees the rare opportunity to check out the wide range of products and services on offer, and to meet the people behind the businesses and hear their stories.

Finally, an exclusive invitation-only roundtable meeting was held and attended by the Director’s-General (or their representatives) of ACT Government departments, where Jeremy and Kevin were able to discuss specific ideas, challenges and strategies to make progress in the local environment.