As a part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations, XLRI Jamshedpur launched an initiative to organize an annual conference of social entrepreneurs and development sector professionals. The aim was to bring together co-professionals in development/social sector (social entrepreneurs, CBOs/NGOs, government agencies, support organizations, corporate foundations, academics, etc. – and students) on a common platform – to share their experiences, learn from each other, and co-create solutions. Each conference is designed around a specific theme ((viz., Providing Access for Sustainable Development in 2009 & Solutions for Inclusive Development in 2010), and was attended by about 150-170 professionals.

The 3^rd National Conference on Social Entrepreneurship being organized at XLRI during Jan 28-30, 2011 is the third offering in this series

The Theme & Purpose

This year, the conference theme – Youth, Development & Social Entrepreneurship –  seeks to create a platform for the youth (young professionals and students) to explore social entrepreneurship, and to help them to understand the nuances, challenges and opportunities in this field. Specifically, it aims:

• to create a platform for the youth (young professionals and students) to explore social entrepreneurship,
• to help them to understand the nuances, challenges and opportunities in this field, and
• to showcase some of the young social entrepreneurial ventures.

Design:

The conference is designed around the following broad themes/ sessions:

The Challenge

• Youth, Volunteerism & Social Entrepreneurship
• Challenges of Being a Young Social Entrepreneur

Opportunities

• Creating Markets for Marginal Producers
• Promoting Livelihood & Employment
• Leveraging Technology for Social Development
• Sustainable Models for Underserved Markets

Getting Started

• Options for Funding & Investments
• Supporting Eco-System for Social Entrepreneurs