QSEC supports a vibrant, innovative and capable social enterprise sector in QLD that is sufficiently resourced to achieve high social, cultural and environmental impact. QSEC is a membership organisation, run by a volunteer board and built to Empower Impact. Revenue is raised through a small membership fee, which helps to provide the network services including newsletters, directory and support. QSEC was funded by the Queensland Government in 2019 to help deliver the actions from the Social Enterprise strategy. The funding supports two part time staff and a crew of volunteers to manage the much needed advocacy, unified voice and to build a strategic direction to develop the Queensland social enterprise sector on behalf of the members. Our History
QSEC acknowledges that 'social enterprise' philosophy has been practiced through Indigenous endeavours on this land for centuries. The principles of exchange to generate broader community value are primarily a first-nations wisdom from which we have much to learn. QSEC recognises the land on which we stand has never been ceded and we respectfully work with Indigenous people across the state to learn and grow together. Social enterprise was developed as a term in the late 70's and has recently been gaining momentum across the globe. QSEC was the first representative peak body in Australia formed to assist social enterprise development. The group was established in the early 2000’s as the ‘New Mutualism Group’ and formed as an incorporated association in 2013 as the Queensland Social Enterprise Council (QSEC) to address the observed gaps in the sector's 'grassroots' representation. QSEC has been managed by a dedicated crew of volunteers, mostly social enterprise business operators and eco-system managers. As the sector has matured, the Queensland Government has now acknowledged the contribution social enterprises make in delivering jobs and training for disadvantaged Queenslanders. Queensland's first state-wide Social Enterprise Strategy was released in 2019, alongside a $1M commitment to help develop the sector. Part of the funds were directed toward QSEC to fund an executive officer and support staff to help manage the membership and direct effort to build the regional development of social enterprise. In 2019 the QSEC management committee investigated a transition from an Incorporated Association to a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) to further the governance maturity of the organisation and prepare for broadening of scope to work across the nation to advance social enterprise.
