OUR IMPACT
Our Reach
ACRE is working with schools, organisations, agencies and enterprises in more than 30 communities across Australia and our reach is growing.
The Problem
Many rural communities in Australia are experiencing stagnation or decline.
The issues behind this situation are complex and require multi-pronged solutions. Despite significant investment, there remains a chronic lack of entrepreneurship education and support for young people in rural Australia and the communities in which they live.
Rural entrepreneurship often surfaces in the form of social enterprise in communities where businesses are created or maintained to provide services and products in a response to social or economic needs in the community that are not being met by the market.
It is important to ignite entrepreneurship and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in order to encourage and harness the untapped potential that exists within our rural communities.
The ACRE solution and theory of change
ACRE’s purpose is to drive the renewal of Australia’s rural communities so that future generations may thrive.
We build and support social enterprise and entrepreneurship for prosperity at three levels – individual (capability and capacity), entity (opportunity realisation) and community (entrepreneurial culture and mindset).
Change we are seeking
ACRE Approach
Outcomes
Change we are seeking
Empowering young people
ACRE Approach
Offering learning and development programs for young people to give them a voice and build skills for the future
Outcomes
Young people learn new skills | engage a broader range of talents | develop a job creator mindset | increase work readiness | develop a more entrepreneurial mindset
Change we are seeking
Unlocking the power of enterprise to create opportunities and solve local issues
ACRE Approach
Building capability so that communities can identify and build their own rejuvenation solutions
Outcomes
Developing an ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship | community takes ownership of social enterprise concepts | community led rejuvenation
Change we are seeking
Inspiring community asset ownership
ACRE Approach
Encouraging new, vibrant and innovative businesses to form so the environment becomes attractive for young people to remain in their communities
Outcomes
Catalyst for a new culture of entrepreneurship | promotes and activates cross sector collaboration | local employment | retains or grows valued local asset | provides local mentoring to others
Change we are seeking
Developing community led entrepreneurship ecosystems
ACRE Approach
Working alongside communities to identify, develop, implement and measure initiatives that build community led rejuvenation in a place-based way that supports inclusive local economies
Outcomes
Local indicators for entrepreneurship| road map for local rejuvenation strategies | baseline measurement and data for understanding gaps, assets and opportunities to enable tracking of change
“..Entrepreneurship and education are two extraordinary opportunities that need to be leveraged and interconnected. Entrepreneurship is the engine fuelling innovation, employment generation and economic growth. Only by creating an environment where entrepreneurship can prosper and where entrepreneurs can try new ideas and empower others, can we ensure that many of the world’s issues will not go unaddressed..”
Klaus Schwab – Chair of World Economic Forum, 2009
The Numbers
Young learners
Students who have engaged in Social Enterprise Schools and other youth based learning programs offered by ACRE.
Local leaders trained
Adults who have joined enterprise education and training opportunities led by ACRE, including workshops at conferences.
Enterprises incubated
Individual entrepreneurs and community led projects directly supported by ACRE via planning, development and/or implementation.
Rural investment secured
Funding that ACRE has directly invested or secured in the achievement of its mission.
Stories of Change
See how young people, social entrepreneurs, and rural communities are unlocking new ways of entrepreneurial thinking to build thriving new economies.
