Abstract:
Social enterprise is a relatively new concept which has emerged in different ways around the world. ‘While there is no one definition of what a social enterprise is or should be, most definitions revolve around the concept of integrating business principles with social objectives and purposes' (Paulsen and McDonald, 109). In this paper I discuss the complexities of social enterprise, social enterprise businesses and the ways in which transitional labour market programs have emerged from this landscape. I then turn to one particular social enterprise located in in Gertrude St, Fitzroy Melbourne. The goal of this social enterprise, established in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Heath Service (VAHS), is to embrace Aboriginal food and culture, provide training for unemployed young people, and be sustainable social enterprise. This paper, and the papers that follow, engage with different aspects of this local social enterprise. This research has been developed from a three year Australian Research Council Linkage Scheme project working in partnership with this national community service organisation and social enterprise restaurant. The project involves two parts: (Part A) an action research project; and (Part B) a longitudinal, qualitative project. Under these headings there are a number of areas/issues that can be explored, these include: • The challenges and learning outcomes, both organizational and interpersonal of doing action research with an organisation and social enterprise;• The processes, relations and practices that facilitate (or hinder) knowledge transfer about social enterprise and TLMPs within the organisation and between other policy, commercial, training and third sector organisations;• Training and education pathways and support for young people;• The transitions of marginalised young people into full time employment or otherwise;• The complexities of the lived experience of 'training', 'transition', ‘education' understood through the stories of trainees in the social enterprise program.