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What is the Impact Women Network?Impact Women is an initiative that aims to encourage peer-to-peer support around the world, and promote a network of amazing women in social enterprises. Our crazy aim is to connect 1 million #ImpactWomen by 2020. It's time to join forces and make this ecosystem more vocal!
● What is the benefit of being part of the Impact Women Network?
This network will be useful to you if you can tell that, thanks to it:
- You have found people to collaborate with, to innovate and positively influence decision-makers, or
- You have found an avenue to promote your work
- You feel equipped to further your cause, or
- You can pass on your knowledge, and learn from other social entrepreneurs in various locations, or
- You can invest time, skills or finance into women-led social enterprises, or
- You can grow your social outcomes and lead sustainable social ventures!
● How do I Join the Impact Women Network
Click on the tab “Participate” and help us connect you with other participants by filling in a short description of your social enterprise and how we can contact you to promote your work. You can always contact us via hello @ ogunte . com to be removed from the map.
● Am I officially joining or lending my support to something?
Joining the Impact Women Network as a participant is being part of a movement of women in social enterprises.
It is an informal network, powered and shaped by the women who are part of it.
It does not have a central agenda, instead it creates the potential for each participant to make connections that will further the cause that their social enterprise is supporting.
There is no subscription to pay to take part in the map project.
We only ask that you let us know of any changes to the details that you register with.
● How do I leave the Impact Women Network if I no longer wish to participate?
If you no longer want to be connected, you can contact us here to have your pin immediately removed from the map and your contact details erased. To so, send a brief email to hello @ ogunte . com to request removal.
If you have accepted in the past to receive the quarterly updates, you can use the unsubscribe button in the last newsletter to do so or ask us, via email, to remove you from quarterly update list.
● How does the Impact Women Network relate to Ogunte?
Connecting and making change happen is at the core of what we do at Ogunte. To be effective, a network cannot be centralised. This is why we provide a platform but we do not seek to direct the interactions.
By promoting women in social enterprises through the map, they can connect to each other via social media and start meaningful conversations and potential collaborations off-line.
We support these connections by promoting social enterprises on the map, publishing interviews of the participants, suggesting great matches and disseminating local opportunities, via the ambassadors, our blog and our social media channels.
● What does Ogunte CIC do?
Ogunte CIC (cert. B corp) is a social business that grows the talent and amplifies the voice of women in the social enterprise ecosystem (entrepreneurs and social finance providers) globally, through business incubation programmes, coaching services, development of projects that invest in women and girls, and ecosystem building.
● What are the criteria for signing up?
Be a woman leading a social enterprise (see European definition), a woman leading a women social entrepreneurs’ network or a women providing financial support to social enterprises.
● What are your plans?
We are working on a movement to discover and connect women in the social entreprise ecosystem in every parts of the world. We are making specific efforts to connect with women and infrastructure organisations in emerging markets. If you know someone great, please point us in her direction!
We have also grown a circle of ambassadors who are doing fabulous structural supportive work in various regions of the world. This contributes to shape a System Incubator for supporters of women in social enterprises.
Finally, we share gifts throughout the year, such as connections, complimentary coaching sessions, our campaign t-shirts, access to events, among others, to the map’s participants. Stay tuned via our twitter feed and our newsletter!
● Is there an approval process to make sure that all pins are genuine social enterprises?
All pins are regularly and randomly tested to see if they are up to date, and if the data fits with the criteria. As a baseline, we use the terminology for social enterprise, adopted by the European Commission
● What is the role of an ambassador?
Becoming an ambassador is a commitment to ImpactWomen's mission, and a greater opportunity to enable women in social entreprises from various backgrounds, locations and skills, to shine and be sustainable professionals. If you have already a network of women in social enterprises in your region, join the #1MillionImpactWomen movement!
We ask, on a yearly basis, that ambassadors:
- Discover and invite at least 30 women in social enterprises (from startups to established) to pin their venture on the map, this helps you to have an overview of your own network.
- Contribute at least 1 original thought piece to the network’s blog or 1 interview with an advanced woman in social enterprise in your area, that we will feature on the website with additional reference to your work or upcoming events or publications, and relevant internet links.
- Organise at least 1 event with fellow women in social enterprises per year. It could happen on-line, or in a formal event, or in a public place, a cafe or a park! We will help promote it with #1MillionImpactWomen and broadcast it to our channels.
- Share relevant news, trends, and updates with the world through your own social networks, using the hashtag #ImpactWomen, that we will help rebroadcast.
We are committed to support you and connect you to other ambassadors!
If you’re interested, please email us and we'll organise it.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Ogunte CIC team
