Project coordinator Ife Badejo speaks to participants at the conference.
POND ISLAND–Forty participants from social impact organisations in St. Maarten and Anguilla came together for the recent Innovating Models for Progressive Advancement of Caribbean Territories (IMPACT) 2019.
Coordinated by Produce Wealth Revolution Agency (PWR Agency), IMPACTC 2019 was St. Maarten’s first European Social Economy Regions (ESER) Conference and focused on social impact and innovation.
IMPACT 2019 opened with welcoming words from Giselle York of the National Recovery Programme Bureau (NRPB). York, who is in charge of Communications and Community Programmes, shared the importance of social impact organisations in the recovery process and how they can be a part of the recovery process.
Bureau for Intellectual Property of St. Maarten (BIP SXM) deputy director Aarti Jusia provided information on how the bureau can assist in registering intellectual property.
Kenneth Porter of SAGIS law firm in Anguilla and founding partner of Intellectual Property Caribbean Association (IPCA) spoke on intellectual property tools such as traditional knowledge and geographic indication that are underutilised in the region and how they can be used to stimulate social innovation and stimulate economic progression.
Key facilitator Karel van der Poorten, a social economy specialist from the European Commission, shared case studies from all over the world, including in the region, of social enterprises that were solving social problems with innovative business models.
Some of the examples in the region were a sustainable hotel from which all the profits are invested in education based in Nicaragua, an employment agency for persons with learning disabilities in Curaçao, and a permanent autonomous fund in Aruba focused on financially supporting social causes in a creative way.
It was evident during the discussion that more collaboration and a platform, such as NPOwer, is needed to support each other and grow the local and regional social economy.
PWR Agency project coordinator and founder Ife Badejo covered business modelling and taught on how to best use the business model canvas as an impact organisation.
Prime Minister Leona Marlin-Romeo shared the importance of e-government and digitisation to improve the quality of life for the citizens of St. Maarten and to embrace opportunities for social innovation.
Due to the positive response, PWR Agency has decided to give the opportunity for social entrepreneurs and impact organisations that were unable to join the conference to be a part of the year-long program that was initially slated only for participants. This programme will provide exclusive content, cutting-edge tools, opportunities for innovating financing, and best practices from August 1, 2019, to July 31, 2020.
Registration is required and the fee is $100 per person. To join this project, registration must be completed and paid for no later than July 31.
PWR Agency’s collaborating partners were 4C Foundation, St. Maarten Development Fund, BIP SXM, and Anguilla Youth Business Foundation.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/89468-country-s-first-eser-conf-draws-some-40-participants
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