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HomeEnterprise WorksEvents2025/2026York Festival of Social Enterprise Policy Day

York Festival of Social Enterprise - Policy Day

Event

This event has now finished.

Event date
Friday 7 November 2025, 10am to 1pm
Admission
Free admission, booking required

Event details

Join us as we unite changemakers, social enterprises, community leaders, businesses, and policymakers to harness the transformative power of social enterprise and build a more inclusive York.

Social enterprises are on the frontlines of many of the social and economic challenges our city faces. From poverty and housing to mental health, social care, and climate resilience, they step up where traditional business models fall short. These are purpose-led businesses, built to reinvest profit to serve people and communities. 

To truly unlock their potential, the sector needs to be recognised as a key partner in York’s future.

We’ll explore how social enterprise can be embedded into York’s growth and regeneration strategies, how lived experience can inform more effective public service delivery, and what policies, funding, and partnerships are needed to help the sector grow and lead.

We're delighted to welcome Devi Clarke, Board member at Impact Hub London & NED at Social Enterprise UK as our keynote speaker. Devi has a wealth of experience supporting social enterprise at a community level to enabling over 110 social enterprises to scale across 8 countries. A passionate advocate of community-driven change, she is a national leader in driving change through social enterprise.

We’re honoured to be joined by a powerhouse panel of nationally-recognised civic, social and regional leaders to support the sector's ambitions.

  • Devi Clarke, Impact Hub London & NED at Social Enterprise UK

  • Patrick Hurley MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social, Cooperative and Community Economy

  • Rachel Maskell MP

  • Neil Berry, Head of Programmes, Access - The Foundation for Social Investment

  • Cllr Peter Kilbane, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economy and Culture

  • Sam Leach, Co-founder of Spark CIC and Chair of the Mayoral Authority Community Wealth Building Board

  • Lisa Green - Door 84

  • Sue Williamson - Tang Hall SMART
  • Tim Bleszynski - Art of Protest

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science via the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, in association with the Campaign for Social Science. The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual celebration of the social sciences and a key element of ESRC’s commitment to promote awareness of UK social science research to new audiences. 

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