On Saturday 14 November, the 2026 Social Enterprise Festival is bringing a day of markets, talks, hands-on workshops and family-friendly activities to the University of Sydney. Running from 10am to 3pm, the Festival is free to attend, with plenty of opportunities to discover and support businesses making a positive difference.
Whether you're looking for unique Christmas gifts, curious about a career with purpose, thinking of starting your own social enterprise or simply after something different to do in Sydney, there's plenty to explore.
With so much happening across the Festival, we've grouped the program by what you might be curious about, to help you find what's most relevant to you. These are just starting points, so explore the sections below, mix and match, and make the day your own.
Thinking about a career change?
Two talks for anyone wondering what work with purpose could look like:
Changing careers: how to make the leap to meaningful work with Jacqui Ooi (What She Did Next). 10:30am, Belinda Hutchinson Building (H70).
How I started in social enterprise with Yvonne Kelly (Glow Up Careers), Humberto Marum (Metio), Eloise Hall (Taboo Period Products) and Adam Long (Social Impact Hub). 12:30pm, Belinda Hutchinson Building (H70).
Curious about social enterprise or starting your own?
A good run of sessions whether you're just getting to know the sector or already have an idea.
Introduction to social enterprise with Adam Mostogl (Illuminate Education). 11:30am, Belinda Hutchinson Building (H70).
From idea to MVP with AI with Digital Purpose. 11:00am, Room 1060. Free.
How to start your own social enterprise with Sarah Nelson (Young Change Agents). 1:30pm, Belinda Hutchinson Building (H70).
Get hands-on with Festival workshops
Workshops where you make, taste or write something.
Pour it Forward: Candle Making with CandleXchange 11:00am, Room 1050. $60.
Defining Moments: A Storytelling Workshop with Hawanatu Bangura. 12:00pm, Room 1070. Free.
Indigenous Chocolate Tasting & Guided Visualisation Experience with Chocolate On Purpose. 1:30pm, Room 1070. $75.
Family-friendly activities and workshops
How to Bring Wonder and Play to Everything! with Wondiverse. 10:30am, Room 1070. Free.
Grow the Future: inspiring the next generation with Cal Champagne. 1:30pm, Room 1060. Free.
Free Toy Swap & Toys Reimagined Workshop with The Joy of Giving. 1:30pm to 3:00pm, Room 1170. Free.
Explore the Social Enterprise Festival Market
If you’ve ever wanted to buy from a social enterprise but weren’t sure where to start, this is the place to be!
Make sure to come and visit our amazing stallholders, and chat to the people behind the enterprises - they’d love to share with you what they do. With over 50 stalls, you might get to tick some Christmas shopping off the list, and maybe find something for yourself along the way. Expect gifts, homewares, hampers, books and tea - there’s something for everybody.
The full stallholder list (alphabetical):
A Curious Tractor/Goods on Country · Aksa Home Decor · All of the Good Things · Amplify Black Women · ArtSHINE · Aunty's Ginger Tonic · Auroraz Soulful Gifts · Avenue CoWorking · Bambuddha Studios · Bloom Cycle · brandkind · CandleXchange · Catalysr · Cercle · Chocolate on Purpose · Defining Moments Cards · Digital Purpose · Earthica · ECHO Projects · Florapeutic · Fore Good · Funeral Commons · FutureTech Australia · Gateway Bank · Goods 4 Good · Illuminate Education Australia · IMAGINE Homewares & Hampers · Joy of Giving · Lost in Books · Loveya Corporate Catering · Marring · Metio · MOOD Tea · MTC FutureReady · Nadhi Artistry · Nourish Oils · OzHarvest Ventures · Queer Food · Reverse Garbage · Revolve Recycling · Right to Work · ROSWODS · SECNA · She Shapes History · Success Works Partners · TABOO Period Products · The Freedom Hub · The Peregrine Centre · The Reconnect Project · The Sustainable Food Kitchen · Think+Do Tank · Wellbeing by SOTA · Women's Lantern · Wondiverse · Xero for Good
Your Saturday at a glance
Want to go deeper? Come on Friday too!
The Festival talks are general in nature. For more in-depth sessions, the Social Enterprise Summit runs the day before, on Friday 13 November at the University of Sydney. A few names appear on both days: Hawanatu Bangura and CandleXchange are part of the Summit's brand and community session, and Illuminate Education and Social Impact Hub are on the Summit program too. Check out the Summit Program here.
Can't make a Summit ticket? Volunteer for 2.5 hours or more on either day and you'll get a free one. Apply to volunteer.
How to register
The Festival is free. Grab a free ticket, then register for the talks and workshops you want on the Festival sessions page.
What’s next on the Calendar?
Naturally, it doesn’t stop there! The week after, the Roadshow takes the momentum to regional NSW and the ACT, free for SECNA members. Find an event.
