Event description

September is friendship month and it seems the perfect theme to launch SECNA Meetups. Come along and be part of the very first of our ongoing meetup series.

Friendship Month celebrates the importance of friendship and encourages communities to come together and enjoy each other’s company. This includes a focus on ending loneliness and social isolation.

Tickets include drinks and snacks. $10 for members, $20 non-members. If you're not a current SECNA member, why not join now!

Register here to join in person

Speakers

We're lucky to have speakers from three SECNA industry members. All three speakers and their organisations focus on increasing social inclusion – in a diverse range of ways. Marjorie, Jessie, and Abbey will share a bit about the approach they take and some of their key lessons and insights.

Marjorie Tenchavez. Founder & Director, Welcome Merchant
Marjorie is a first-generation Australian from a Filipina background, based in Cadigal & Wangal Lands/Inner West Sydney. Marjorie has been working in the social justice space since 2011, at organisations like Metro Assist & Amnesty International Australia. She launched Welcome Merchant in March 2020, on Instagram. By November 2020, it had become a social enterprise. She sees herself as an accidental entrepreneur.

Welcome Merchant provides not just a consolidated platform for entrepreneurs from refugee & asylum-seeking backgrounds, but it provides a community too. Welcome Merchant's curated events and online directory give the refugee entrepreneurs a chance to share their incredible talents and unique stories. Marjorie has also completed a Master’s Degree in Human Rights & Democratisation. A passionate traveller, Marjorie has also lived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Milan, Italy and Istanbul, Turkey and she credits her travels for strengthening her anti-racism work.

Jessie Williams. Manager, Community Capital Foundation

Jessie manages a community philanthropy group, called the Community Capital Foundation, which works to unlock social capital in mental health, aging and disability. Before this, she helped The GroundSwell Project create social and cultural change about death and dying. Before that, she was with the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Jess has devoted her career to facilitating connections between change makers and contributors. She advocates for sharing power and feeling compassion.

The Community Capital Foundation, is a Public Ancillary Fund that supports different communities through grant-giving and community-building initiatives. It has recently been contributing to the area of youth mental health. She has pieces of paper from Sydney University, and UTS in Arts and Education. She is an accredited coach, alumni of leadership programs that may or may not hold the answer to the planet’s future needs, has two daughters and a very large dog called Chewbacca.

Abbey Pantano. Co-Founder & Community Director, Seed Spaces

Bio on its way...

Sponsors

Thanks to Canva Space for their generous support as the venue and refreshments sponsor.

Proudly supported by City of Sydney.

About SECNA Meetups

SECNA’s purpose is to nurture a healthy and connected social enterprise sector in NSW and the ACT… and beyond, including everyone in and around the ecosystem.

A connected and engaged community is key to increasing awareness, understanding, and advocacy - while building strong partnerships and collaboration. This will help us progress to our shared vision of a world where we collaborate to ensure all people, places, and our planet thrive.

That’s what SECNA Meetups are all about. A regular way for us to meet, make new friends, stay connected with old friends, and bring the community and ecosystem together. Having fun and enjoying each other’s company while sharing and learning from each other. Exchanging ideas, celebrating the wins, and learning from the fails. In the spirit of collaboration.

Our meetups aren’t just for current SECNA members. We welcome everyone in and around the social enterprise ecosystem… and even those who are just curious to see what it’s all about. We come together valuing and including our diversity.

We meet on the first Thursday of the month and the focus is on convening and holding space for connection in a fun and friendly way. We also have talks, panels, and interactive sessions on a range of topics related to social enterprise. Most of our meetups are hybrid and provide connection beyond Sydney and Canberra to other metro, rural, and regional locations across NSW and the ACT.

We’d love to hear from you if you’re keen to speak, there’s a topic you’d like covered, or if there’s someone you’d like to hear from. There are also sponsor/partnership opportunities available.

Thanks!

Ben Pecotich, Samara James & Greg Hodgkinson
SECNA Meetups Organising Team