The Social Enterprise Institute was established by the Canterbury Community Business Trust to identify, support and encourage New Zealand's not-for-profit sector to explore social enterprise opportunities to build social wealth.

The Institute offers a training, advisory services, mentoring and coaching to enable not-for-profit organisations to identify and assess profit-making initiatives that can assist them to become more financially independent and sustainable whilst retaining their values and a commitment to social, environmental, economic and cultural outcomes.

The 12 day training programme is run by one of New Zealand's leading social enterprise practitioners with an extensive history of running successful social enterprises.

The advisory, mentoring and coaching services are provided by experienced social enterprise practitioners who are all currently managing social enterprises in their respective communities.

Social enterprises are mission driven not-for-profits that apply business strategies to achieve social, environmental, economic and cultural outcomes, with profits being re-invested for community benefit