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How to Grow the New Economy: Convention Report

Publication date: 19 May 2020 |Categories: Featured, Publications

Table work at Growing the New Economy

Growing the New Economy Convention Report

E3M’s Growing the New Economy Convention took place in February 2020. Since then we have seen unprecedented changes to our way of life and a massive response from communities working in solidarity to provide support to the vulnerable.

We are now experiencing a call from the public for a new normal, more closely aligned to the principles of a new economy. An economy where people working to support the vulnerable are valued, and co-operatives, social enterprises and community businesses have a much greater role in creating wealth and opportunity in our communities and providing local services.

Moreover, we are coming into a time where there will be greater challenge on the public purse than we have ever seen before. Public authorities and decision makers will be looking for alternative structures to meet the needs of their constituents.

This report (pdf) describes the key actions which government, local authorities and other public sector bodies, funders, social enterprises and co-operatives and we as individuals can all take to grow the new economy.

Growing the New Economy was a unique moment of learning and a springboard for a movement. Participants explored funding mechanisms for long-term transformations of places; developing social enterprise and co-operative ecosystems; building community wealth; public benefit partnerships and social sourcing instead of insourcing or private outsourcing.

We hope the energy and ideas that came out of the convention can catalyse a new approach to local economic development and the way we provide services to local communities.

Read the report here (pdf, 22 pages: executive summary; what the new economy is and why we need it; key actions to grow it; case studies; learning from workshops; questions addressed at the convention; launching a movement).

What next?