New Zealand's second Community Economic Development Conference was held in Waitakere on 19 - 20 April.  The theme of the important and exciting conference was Making it happen: from possibility to profitability. 

Links to Highlights

Here are some links to key conference information and reflections from participants:

• PowerPoint presentations from Conference Plenary sessions and Workshops are online at the conference website. All Plenaries were filmed and will be posted online, along with discussion notes taken at Workshop sessions.

A number of colleagues have written articles in response to their experiences at the CED Conference.

• Vivian Hutchinson from the Social Entrepreneurs Fellowship wrote the paper “Its going to take Community – some thoughts on economics as if people and the earth mattered"
• enise Bijoux from Inspiring Communities wrote some "Reflections from Day One"
• Tina Reid from NZFVWO wrote the article "Putting enterprise into social"
• See also conference convenor Dianne Jennings' May bulletin which shares her post-conference reflections and other interesting links and food for thought.  

Hot House Competition winner

Young filmmaker and social entrepreneur Guy Ryan took out the 'Hothouse' Social Enterprise Competition at the 2011 conference.

Ryan, CEO of the fledgeling new charity The Inspiring Stories Trust, was shortlisted as a finalist from about 25 nominations. 

"The conference was amazing – and to take home a major prize is both a huge honor, and incredibly humbling," Mr Ryan said.

Inspiring Stories is a new nationwide project that aims to grow, support and celebrate young filmmakers collaborating with young people making a difference in their community. The two core parts to the project include a nationwide workshop series from March–July, and a Film Festival in Wellington at the NZ Film Archive in November.

The $5000 prize money will be used to continue the employment of Laura Madden, who has been logistics co-ordinator for the workshop tour.

Related: Business and community engagement

Before the conference we took a look at moves in New Zealand towards greater community and business engagement in the article Community Engagement - look which sector wants to get closer by Leigh Strange from Inspiring Communities.