Want to know how we created and maintained a sustainable Co-op for over 25 years? There’s lots of information here. Please have a read. If you still need more, we offer our expertise for consultancy services.

The most succinct overview of our ‘place-based’ social enterprise can be found in this 2023 case study  by leading Community Development Academic Dr Peter Westoby and Rachael Donavan of Community Praxis Cooperative.

We are excited to announce the publication of a new Migrant Entrepreneur Small Business Toolkit. This booklet is targeted to entrepreneurs from Multicultural Backgrounds and those assisting them. This was written in conjuction with the Yunnus Social Business Centre of Griffith University and with support from Brisbane City Council. You can down load the booklet here and the associated ‘business model canvass’ template here.

Check out this academic research about NCEC published May 2019 in a leading international journal for disability studies. Titled “The Possibility of cooperatives: a vital contributor in creating meaningful work for people with disabilities”, the article reports on a piece of Action Research by Dr Peter Westoby (QUT) and Dr Lynda Shevellar (UQ). Read the Abstract and access the full article here.

Our self published e-book and framework “Participation and Production: a Resource for Community Enterprise” is available at no charge in three formats:

  1. As an Apple ‘i-book’ (i-pad only) available by downloading the free i-books app and clicking the following link to the i-tunes bookstore: Participation and Production i-book
  2. As a high quality printable portable document file (PDF) available for download here (32MB PDF).
  3. As a view-able document online @ Scribd:Participation and Production@Scribd (N.B. enable your pop-up blocker if you want to avoid advertisements).

Description: This e-book tells the story of how a group of Brisbane’s most marginalised citizens created their own successful community enterprise. The publication has been kindly supported through a Brisbane City Council “Access and Inclusion Partnership”. It will be of interest to anyone wanting to understand, support and develop a concept of community enterprise which includes the most marginalised.

Liking = Donating: If you like our free e-book and want to ‘pay forward’ the good-will, we suggest you donate a coffee or meal as a part of our ‘shout a suspended’ coffee campaign; where free coffees and meals are provided via our cafe to local residents in need. http://www.givenow.com.au/ncec

NCEC and the Cooperative Movement:

NCEC is a registered Cooperative in QLD and part of an international movement of member owned enterprises. We were recently featured in a report by the Business Council of Cooperative and Mutuals (BCCM). A recommended read if you are interested in stakeholder owned services. Get it here.

We also suggest this free step by step guide for those interested in starting their own coop.