**How can we create a thriving economy when many are striving just to survive? Bringing it back to the community is how…** The definition of thrive is to grow vigorously, flourish, to gain in wealth or possessions, to prosper, to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.  With the backdrop of rising inflation costs, an ever increasing climate crisis and the poverty gap between the ‘haves and have nots’, how can we create a thriving economy when many are striving just to survive? In this session, we’ll hear from **Mike Riddell**, who is working on alternative economy models that support local businesses and give volunteers tangible rewards, **Alex Phillips** from **Unltd** will be talking about how Unltd supports social entrepreneurs transform where they live locally, to have a domino effect on global economy resilience and from **Jen van der Merwe** from Kindred.  **Mike Riddell** has been interested in developing community currencies and alternative economy mechanisms since 2007. He developed a model to reward local volunteering with surplus food and unused capacity at football games, cinemas and social events. He’s involved in a North Staffordshire project Counter Community, a digital platform to enable organisations and individuals to work together for social change and to boost the local economy. Mike is a lover of northern soul and a strong supporter of northern people as a power force for positive change. [countercommunity.com](https://t.co/k9UaPPiQ9g) **Alex Phillips** Is a Social Entrepreneur Support Manager based in the West Midlands and working across the North of England. She has worked at Unltd since 2015 and previously worked in local authorities and housing associations supporting community regeneration initiatives and in partnership with Unltd to find, fund and support early stage social entrepreneurs. Alex is passionate about working with people in communities that have great potential but don’t realise they are social entrepreneurs yet and exploring how we can all contribute to creating systemic change to provide more equitable opportunities for all.  **Jen van der Merwe** is Director of Kindred which works with socially trading organisations to grow their businesses and their individual and collective social impact across Liverpool City Region. She has pioneered partnership programmes bringing community and non-profit organisations together internationally with Stanford University and The American Institute for Foreign Study. Jen worked for eight years in the township communities of Southern Africa, and through this work, gained an understanding of transformational impact that the social economy can have on communities and the life chances of those reaping the social benefits. She’s a mum of two young boys, and is passionate about travel and experiencing other cultures. Join the discussion in the [New Economy ](mention:5eca1929-c44c-4c21-85fd-38f85972a811 "/s/new-economy/") space.