Apply now to grow business for good in Rocky, Darling Downs

Community-minded people passionate about social change can join a growing movement for good across Rockhampton and the Darling Downs' with CQUniversity's social enterprise accelerator iActivate.

For the first time' the popular 13-week program will be offered free with local face-to-face and online support in the regions' thanks to the Queensland Government's $8 million Social Enterprise Jobs Fund.

iActivate is CQUniversity's innovative short course for developing a social enterprise or "business for good"' and the program kicks off in Rockhampton and Toowoomba in February 2023.

iActivate applications are open now and close soon. Apply now to participate for free: https://cqu.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Msm5zzop9N8XdQ

More than 50 entrepreneurs have already graduated from the iActivate accelerator course' as they designed' built and grew their big-impact businesses.

Across February – May 2023' up to 48 local entrepreneurs from 24 enterprises can join iActivate' to develop their social enterprise and business-for-good idea' while connecting with other passionate entrepreneurs.

The program includes a graduation and social enterprise pitch events in Toowoomba and Rockhampton' and a digital badge and micro-credential for LinkedIn profiles and CVs.

CQUniversity Social Innovation Program Manager' Steve Williams says iActivate offers an exciting opportunity for the regions.

"iActivate has made a huge impact in communities like Townsville' Bundaberg and Cairns' where local people are tackling local problems with the social enterprises they designed and developed through the iActivate program'" he said.

"CQUniversity has already worked with social entrepreneurs in Toowoomba and Rockhampton' through partnerships with the Queensland Social Enterprise Council' and we know the regions are full of passionate people who want to address the big issues in their communities.

"iActivate provides a platform and a network to help local people start building practical' creative' business-based solutions."

Analysis from the Queensland Social Enterprise Council shows every successful Australian social enterprise creates an average of 15 jobs' generating three dollars for every dollar of investment.