SuNSE Programme - Lisburn & Castlereagh Council Area Only

Networking event for social entrepreneurs hoping to learn how to build a business in the burgeoning green economy.

 About this event 

This event is part of the *SuNSE programme - the Support Network for Social Entrepreneurs - which aims to support new social enetrprise ideas, as well as existing social enterprises, in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area.

The event will explore how to create a socially conscious business based on the efficient use of resources and low carbon output. Head Gardener at Hillsborough Castle Gardens, Claire Woods, will speak about how to build a business from horticulture. There will also be a presentation from Karen Arbuckle, Director of Northern Ireland Community Energy, who will discuss community ownership of renewable energy services (one other guest speaker to be confirmed).

• Karen Arbuckle one of the original founding members and current chair of Northern Ireland Community Energy (NICE), a community energy benefit society established in 2014. Karen has been proactive in community-owned energy for ten years and is actively involved in Drumlin Wind Energy Co-Op - one of its six turbines is actually situated on her family farm in Co. Antrim. She has experience in marketing and communication of community share offers to various audiences in NI. Karen advocates for an equitable and fair energy transition, one which enables citizens to develop, own, and operate community energy projects in their entirety, retaining the benefits and reinvesting the profits in building sustainable and resilient communities.

Now until March 2022 - for residents of the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area - the SuNSE programme will be delivering training, workshops, and networking events as well as one-to-one specialised mentoring to help bring a social business product or new service idea to market. The Hillsborough Castle event is the green economy component of a wider programme of networking events, seeking to encourage entrepreneurial activity in the digital economy, youth enterprise, and health & social care, amongst many other areas.

If you run an existing social enterprise or if you are thinking about setting up one and would like to take part in this programme, visit www.dtni.org.uk/projects/SuNSE

SuNSE is delivered by Development Trusts NI, a member-led network of community development organisations in Northern Ireland.

SuNSE is funded by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and Interreg NW Europe.