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Building inclusive and sustainable civil society: A social entrepreneurship toolkit created by and for young people (Cambodia and Malaysia)

Building inclusive and sustainable civil society: A social entrepreneurship toolkit created by and for young people was a Phase 2 Large Grant project in Cambodia and Malaysia.

Young people and civil society organisations (CSOs) are increasingly pushed into social entrepreneurship. While social entrepreneurship can catalyse positive social change in economically sustainable ways, it can also be exclusive and potentially unsustainable for individuals with impact on their wellbeing. At the same time, the dominant approach to social entrepreneurship support neglects the personal costs of the process. This is why this project aims to co-develop, co-pilot, and evaluate a Sustainable Social Entrepreneurship Toolkit (SSET) from a person-centred and critical perspective that enables young people’s engagement in social entrepreneurship in ways that are economically and personally viable in environments of project-based funding, institutional voids, and shifting institutional responsibilities. This will be achieved with a unique approach combining co-creation, case studies, and evaluation to bridge arts and humanities with social sciences and enhance the voices of young people.

This project will provide a foundation for making social entrepreneurship more inclusive and accessible. In doing so, the project will contribute to

  1. social entrepreneurship research by challenging the current portrayals of social entrepreneurs as heroes;
  2. development studies by challenging discourses around entrepreneurialism and sustainability; and
  3. civil society research by addressing calls for research on the lived experiences of individuals involved in CSOs and how these experiences are shaped by organising forms.

By focusing on sustainable social entrepreneurship in Malaysia and Cambodia, this project aligns with the overarching aims of Changing the Story, while questioning important terms in development studies, such as entrepreneurialism and sustainability. The project will generate synergies between the current Changing the Story strands in Malaysia and Cambodia and enable scalability and sustainability of methodologies, learning, and impact across projects from the network.

By co-developing, co-piloting, and evaluating a Sustainable Social Entrepreneurship Toolkit, the potential impact of the project is supporting young people and CSOs to  engage in social entrepreneurship in ways that are economically and personally sustainable to shape inclusive civil societies.

The Wellbeing For Impact toolkit is a collaborative effort between Social Innovation Movement, University of Sheffield, Monash University and Impact Hub Phnom Penh. The toolkit aims to support the development of change makers’ attitudes, skills, and practices towards wellbeing, which can ultimately lead founders to create and sustain social ventures that catalyse positive social change.

Project location

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Cambodia location


Resource Archive

Search or browse the resource archive for films, reports, toolkits and other resources produced by the Changing the Story and its commissioned projects. Items relating to Cambodia and/or Malaysia are listed below:

TitleSummaryAuthorCategoriesTagsdoc_categories_hfilterdoc_tags_hfilter
PUBLICATION LAUNCH! Changing the Story: Our Third YearBlog (2021/05/21) PUBLICATION LAUNCH! Changing the Story: Our Third YearAisha Kayani, , , , , , , , , , cambodia colombia india kosovo phase2 south-africa changemakers locationblog language-english subject-covid19 subject-participatory-arts youth
Creative Expression among Young Cambodians Webinar Summary (CTS & Oxfam)On March 3, 2021, Changing the Story and Oxfam welcomed practitioners, researchers, youth, and colleagues to an online discussion on how national and international NGOs can engage in creativity, connection …Dr Amanda Rogers, Reaksmey Yean, Sokhorn Yon, , , , , cambodia event locationlanguage-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-5-gender youth
Youth led Social Enterprises Case StudyCase study introduction Youth-led social enterprises (Malaysia) investigates the lived experiences of young social entrepreneurs and how social enterprises contribute (positively and/or negatively) to civil society. Discover the project highlights …, , , , malaysia phase2 locationlanguage-english sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-8-work sdg-9-industry
Environmental activism and Indigenous issues in Cambodia (Khmer)Final project report, 'Environmental activism and Indigenous issues in Cambodia: The role of film-based advocacy with and for young people.' Funding for this project was provided by the UK Arts …Dr Pete Manning, , , , , , cambodia phase1 locationreport language-khmer sdg-10-inequalities sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-13-climate sdg-16-institutions
Anlong Veng Peace Tours – CambodiaBlog (2018/04/01) Anlong Veng Peace Tours – CambodiaDr Ly Sok-Kheang, Dr Pete Manning, , cambodia phase1 locationblog language-english
A long road if we don’t walk togetherBlog (2018/03/23) A long road if we don’t walk togetherInés Soria-Donlan, , cambodia phase1 locationblog language-english
Report of Cambodia ConferenceIn March 2019, Changing the Story hosted a workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia titled ‘Learning from the past with and for young people: Intergenerational dialogue, education and memory after genocide.’, , , , cambodia event locationreport sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-4-education
CTS Workshop in Cambodia Reflections as an Early Career ResearcherBlog (2019/04/30) CTS Workshop in Cambodia Reflections as an Early Career Researcher, , , , , , cambodia event malaysia phase1 phase2 locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation in AsiaProject Principal Investigator, Sreenath Nair The South East Asia Consolidated Learning project will work across a selection of the existing CTS portfolio of projects to draw out key lessons learnt, …Dr Sreenath Nair, , , , , cambodia india malaysia nepal phase2 locationfilm subject-reflections
Social enterprises: Supporting and safeguarding refugeesBlog (2019/10/25) Social enterprises: Supporting and safeguarding refugeesDr Andreana Drencheva, , , , , cambodia malaysia phase1 phase2 locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Changing the Story: Whose stories and why?Blog (2018/05/16) Changing the Story: Whose stories and why?Dr Ly Sok-Kheang, Dr Pete Manning, Sayana Ser, , , , cambodia phase1 changemakers locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Creative Expression and Contemporary Arts Making Among Young CambodiansThe Creative Expression and Contemporary Arts Making Among Young Cambodians research project analysed the creative practices and concerns of young adult artists (18-35 years old) in contemporary Cambodia. The project …Dr Amanda Rogers, , , , , cambodia phase2 locationsdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-5-gender subject-participatory-arts youth
The Anlong Veng Peace ToursBlog (2017/11/24) The Anlong Veng Peace Tours, , , cambodia phase1 locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Environmental activism and indigenous issues in Cambodia – film-based advocacy with and for young peopleBlog (2021/07/06) Environmental activism and indigenous issues in Cambodia – film-based advocacy with and for young peopleDr Pete Manning, , , cambodia phase1 locationblog language-english subject-reflections
The experiences of young people in social entrepreneurship: Insights from MalaysiaBlog (2019/10/2) The experiences of young people in social entrepreneurship: Insights from MalaysiaDr Andreana Drencheva, , , malaysia phase2 locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Participatory methods =/= inclusive methodsBlog (2020/01/29) Participatory methods =/= inclusive methodsDr Andreana Drencheva, , , , , cambodia malaysia phase1 phase2 locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Intergenerational dialogue, participatory video and perpetrator memories in CambodiaThis article reflects on a series of participatory video projects led by young Cambodians that sought to engage and explore complex ‘perpetrator’ memories with the aim of building dialogue across …Dr Katie Hodgkinson, Dr Pete Manning, Prof Paul Cooke, , , , , , cambodia phase1 locationarticle language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-4-education subject-participatory-arts
LIVING ARTS BLOG: ‘We Have More and More Stories to Share’Blog (2020/08/24) LIVING ARTS BLOG: ‘We Have More and More Stories to Share’, , , , cambodia phase2 locationblog language-english subject-participatory-arts subject-reflections
The shadow of religions in the peace-making processIn this February 2018 article in the Phnom Penh Post, our Cambodia Co-Investigator, Ly Sok-Kheang shares his reflections on Im Chaem’s recent conversion to Christianity and its role in Cambodia’s …Dr Ly Sok-Kheang, , , , cambodia phase1 locationarticle language-english sdg-16-institutions subject-reflections
Narrating Career in Social EntrepreneurshipNarrating Career in Social Entrepreneurship: Experiences of Social Entrepreneurs by Andreana Drencheva, Jian Li Yew, and Wee Chan Au. The purpose of this qualitative study is to contribute to the …Dr Andreana Drencheva, Dr Wee Chan Au, Jian Li Yew, , , , malaysia locationarticle language-english sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-8-work sdg-9-industry
Phase One Critical Review: The Anlong Veng Peace Tours (Cambodia)As part of Changing the Story’s Phase One activities in Cambodia, this critical review and project reflection explores the use of arts within attempts to redress and remember experiences of …Dr Pete Manning, , , , , , cambodia phase1 locationreport language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-4-education subject-reflections
The Anlong Veng Peace Tours, Cambodia, Khmer Rouge HistoryOn April 18, twelve trainee teachers, including students from Takeo province and three from the local area, themselves children of former Khmer Rouge, participated in the tour. Preparing for the …, , , , , , , , cambodia event phase1 changemakers locationfilm language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-5-gender subject-peace
Environmental activism and Indigenous issues in Cambodia (English)Final project report, 'Environmental activism and Indigenous issues in Cambodia: The role of film-based advocacy with and for young people.' Funding for this project was provided by the UK Arts …Dr Pete Manning, , , , , , cambodia phase1 locationreport language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-13-climate sdg-16-institutions
Enabling reflection amongst young social entrepreneurs in MalaysiaBlog (2020/07/31) Enabling reflection amongst young social entrepreneurs in MalaysiaDr Andreana Drencheva, , , , malaysia phase2 changemakers locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Cambodia workshopIn March 2019, Changing the Story hosted a workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia titled ‘Learning from the past with and for young people: Intergenerational dialogue, education and memory after genocide.’ …Prof Paul Cooke, cambodia event locationfilm
The landscape of social enterprises in Malaysia: Involvement of young peopleBlog (2020/01/29) The landscape of social enterprises in Malaysia: Involvement of young peopleJian Li Yew, , , , , malaysia phase2 changemakers locationblog language-english subject-reflections youth
Arts, Education and Reconciliation in Cambodia: Sociological PerspectivesThis is an Accepted Manuscript version of chapter 8 of the book 'Participatory Arts in International Development' published by Routledge/CRC Press on 29 August 2019. The final version of each …Dr Pete Manning, Sayana Ser, cambodia locationarticle language-english
Perspectives from ‘Creative Expression among Young Cambodians’ WorkshopBlog (2021/07/15) Perspectives from ‘Creative Expression among Young Cambodians’ Workshop, , , , cambodia event phase2 locationblog language-english subject-reflections