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As the chief executive of the WA Social Enterprise Council, Olivia Chapman spends a lot of time out and about representing WA’s social enterprise sector. Whether she’s meeting with government, philanthropy, business or community leaders, the conversations she has help ensure social enterprises are visible in the rooms where decisions are made, opportunities are created and the future of the sector is shaped.

ix months into the job, the chief executive of one of WA’s longest running social enterprises is already re-imagining what the place could be. The WASEC team sat down at Be Free, Perth City Farm’s on-site café, and witnessed Megan MacNeill light up describing her vision to turn the junk yard out the back into an urban garden bar, explain why her 90-person GIN (Grow, Inspire, Nurture) club has a strict no-business-cards rule, and passionately argue the case for pickling.

Meet the ventures shaping WA’s social enterprise future. The WASEC 2026 Social Impact Incubator is a six-month program supporting Western Australian social entrepreneurs to build their ventures. Following the success of the inaugaral Incubator in late 2025, this year’s program brings together founders, pairing them with mentors and a peer community to help turn their vision for change into a viable, lasting business.

30 Western Australian purpose-led businesses and leaders delivering social impact have been shortlisted across five categories. Our upcoming WA Social Enterprise Awards celebrate organisations and individuals who are redefining business as a force for good – creating jobs, strengthening communities, advancing environmental outcomes, and driving innovation across the state.

A recent visit from a WA minister to Loop Upcycling’s warehouse highlighted the increasing interest in the role social enterprises are playing in shaping Western Australia’s future. Our WASEC CEO Olivia Chapman joined Loop Upcycling CEO Franco Randazzo to welcome Minister for Communities Jessica Stojkovski MLA onsite at Loop’s warehouse, allowing a firsthand look for the Minister at how purpose-driven business can deliver real outcomes for people, communities and the environment.

Welcoming new members is always one of the most energising parts of building a strong social enterprise community. We’re thrilled to introduce the latest organisations joining our network. We’re excited to see what these new members bring to the community. Please reach out, connect, and explore ways to collaborate – because when we work together, the impact grows.

Algorithmically-fuelled outrage, a cost of living squeeze, and a news cycle that never seems to let up – this week, WA even declared a state of emergency. As if the global fuel crisis wasn’t enough, WA has serious, embedded challenges – skills shortages, workforce exclusion, rising costs, regional fragility.

WA social enterprise She Codes Australia is closing the gender gap in technology by empowering women and underrepresented groups with the skills, confidence and community needed to thrive in tech careers. Like many great ideas, She Codes was born from lived experience.

Helping Community Centres Adopt Social Enterprise-Led Thinking “When communities are trusted and resourced to lead, the outcomes are deeper, more sustainable and more meaningful. People who engage with their local Centre feel more connected – and when people are connected, communities are stronger and more resilient.” Right across Australia, there are dedicated community spaces where people gather, connect, learn and grow.

Why young men with disability keep falling through WA’s support cracks – and the local social enterprise changing that story Perth-founded social enterprise Buddiup has come a long way since launching in July 2020, but its mission has remained clear from day one: to empower adolescent boys and young men with disabilities to thrive through health, relationships, community, and learning.

At a recent Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA) breakfast with Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the room was filled with some of Western Australia’s biggest business and investment leaders. The conversation focused on mega projects. Productivity. Markets. Investment confidence. All important.

The moment you’ve all been waiting for! We can finally share with you the finalists of the inaugural WA Social Enterprise Council Awards! After receiving 130 outstanding applications, WASEC had the tricky task of narrowing it down to just five exceptional businesses per category.

Recently, WASEC held a Storytelling for Business Workshop for its members hosted by public relations and social media agency Famiglia. Danielle Marsland and Abbey Bishop from the Famiglia team led our members through a two part workshop, with the first session centred on demystifying brand storytelling, and practical tips to tell your own brand story.

What is social procurement? Social procurement is when organisations use their buying power to generate social value above and beyond the value of the goods, services or works being procured.  The WA Government is a significant purchaser of goods, services and works each year.