This article reflects on a research project that has mapped the ways in which social enterprises in regional Australian cities produce wellbeing for their employees. The majority of enterprises in this study offer supported work opportunities to people with a disability while also running commercially viable enterprises delivering goods and services to regional communities. These enterprises demonstrate the challenges and the potential for organisations in regional settings to contribute in meaningful ways, not only to the wellbeing of the workers they support, but to the wellbeing of the broader community. This article considers how social enterprises are understood to be contributing to regional communities and situates them as key actors in a community economy that contributes to wider community wellbeing as distinct from individual wellbeing.

本文反映了一个研究项目，该项目描绘了澳大利亚偏远城市的社会企业为员工创造福祉的方式。本研究中的大多数企业为残障人士提供支持性工作机会，同时也经营商业上可行的企业，为区域社区提供商品和服务。这些企业展示了区域环境中的组织以有意义的方式做出贡献的挑战和潜力，不仅是为了他们所支持的工人的福祉，而且是为了更广泛社区的福祉。本文考虑了社会企业如何被理解为对区域社区的贡献，并将它们定位为社区经济中的关键参与者，有助于更广泛的社区福祉，而不是个人福祉。