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International Conference

Social Capital & Financial Inclusion

Organized by
Assist Social Capital
The Royal Bank of Scotland Conference Centre
Gogarburn, Edinburgh EH12 9BH Scotland
9th November 2007

1. Summary

Building on the success of our 2006 event, the Royal Bank of Scotland is backing the 2007 Assist Social Capital conference.

Social Capital & Financial Inclusion will bring together agencies and practitioners working on financial inclusion, from around the world, to focus on social capital in practice. We see this event as a chance to build a platform on which to extend understanding of social capital in the field of financial inclusion.

Social Capital & Financial Inclusion will be an International Conference taking place on 9 November, 2007 at the Royal Bank of Scotland's World HQ at Gogarburn in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Asif Dowla, Edgar Cahn and Cornelia Butler Flora will be the key speakers.

2. Programme

Download Brochure and Booking Form here (PDF)

(This programme is provisional, and may be subject to revision)
09.00 Registration 
10.00 Welcome and introduction to the day Colin Campbell
10.15 Scotland's Approach

Social Capital in its Place

10.30 It's the Core Economy, Stupid Professor Edgar Cahn; founder of Timebanking
11.10 Spiralling-Up Mapping Community Transformation with Community Capitals Framework Dr Cornelia Butler Flora, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Sociology at Iowa State University
11.50 Question & Answer session. Chair: TBC
12.00 Break 

Social Capital & Financial Inclusion - breakout

12.15 Workshop rotation 1 
13.05 Lunch 

Social Capital & Financial Inclusion - breakout

13.50 Workshop rotation 2 
14.45 Break 

Social Capital & Micro Credit

15.10 In Credit We Trust   -  Grameen II Professor Asif Dowla, Professor of Economics at St. Mary's College of Maryland, co-author of "The Poor Always Pay Back".
15.50 Question & Answer

Final Remarks

16.15 Summary and key messages 
16.30 Conference close  

Conference Breakouts:

Breakout 1  -  Edgar Cahn
It's the Core Economy Stupid' -  Discussion  

Breakout 2  -  Cornelia Butler Flora
'Spiralling Up' - Discussion

Breakout 4  -  Niall Alexander
'The Impact on Credit' - Interactive Presentation

Breakout 5  -  Mel Evans
'The Informal Economy'- Interactive Presentation

Breakout 6  -  Networking
Networking Pods

Breakout 7  - Visit RBS World HQ
Visit to the Royal Bank of Scotland International HQ Village

3. Speakers

Asif Dowla, Professor of Economics at St. Mary's College of Maryland is an expert on microfinance. He is the lead author of the book "The Poor Always Pay Back"(Dipal Chandra Barua, Deputy Managing Director of Grameen Bank is the co-author). Internationally famous as a pioneer of micro-credit Grameen Bank is far less appreciated as a leader in the use of social capital. Professor Dowla will discusses how social capital boosted the explosive growth of Microfinance in Bangladesh and elsewhere.

Edgar Cahn began his career as a special counsel and speech-writer for Attorney General Robert Kennedy under President John Kennedy. In the 1970s, with his late wife Jean he founded the Antioch School of Law - the first clinical law school in the U.S. During the 1980s, Professor Cahn conceived a concept now known as Time Dollars. The concept advocates for social change through inclusion. Cahn founded the Time Dollar Institute (www.timedollar.org) in 1987.

Cornelia Butler Flora is the Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Sociology at Iowa State University and Director of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, a twelve state research and extension institute. Her current research addresses alternative strategies of community development and community-based natural resource management, with particular attention to poverty reduction.

More information on the speakers and breakout session leaders

4. Registration

'Early Bird' - bookings with payment before 9th September 2007 give reduced rates for individuals (£50 rather than £90) and organisations (£120 rather than £180)

Members - Assist Social Capital members get a 30% discount. To become a member click here: Assist Social Capital Membership Form

Bursaries - thanks to the Scottish Community Foundation there will be a number of free places available for people in Scotland who would not otherwise be able to attend. Please send us a short email to info@social-capital.net, explaining why you are eligible and why a delegate and / or travel bursary would help you. Deadline for free place applications is 9th Oct. 2007

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