Social & Community Enterprise
we play
What role can in developing
enterprises?
social
Asks Ger Doyle
INTRODUCTION
In Ger Doyle’s first article (Issue 32, pages 19-21) he gave real examples from Ireland, England and Scotland of how social enterprises work in communities. Ger hoped to encourage cashstrapped communities to see new ways to develop their economies and also deliver services. In doing so, they will promote collective approaches to economic development. In the second of his two-part report, Ger outlines what the State and others need to do at national and local level to make it happen. For the record, social enterprise is defined as a business formed to provide employment, services or create income for community benefit. It does not necessarily make a profit.
THERE’S A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE NEAR YOU
S
ocial enterprises are present in most urban disadvantaged communities in Ireland, for example, community childcare projects, community launderettes and community cafes. When they’re located in disadvantaged communities, social enterprises can encounter a number of constraints including: r %JċDVMUZ JO BDDFTTJOH đOBODF UP FTUBCMJTI BOE grow social enterprises. r ăF MBDL PG CVTJOFTT BOE QSPGFTTJPOBM FYQFSUJTF within disadvantaged communities. r ăF WJFX BNPOH NBOZ QPMJDZ NBLFST and government officials that economic development can only be delivered by private businesses. r ăF MBDL PG TVQQPSUT BMMPDBUFE UP TPDJBM
Ger Doyle
enterprises compared to those afforded to private enterprises, making it difficult for them to grow. r ăF 4UBUF SFEVDJOH PS XJUIESBXJOH GVOEJOH from regeneration programmes prematurely.
“This approach would contribute to a more equal Ireland.�
5 GOOD REASONS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES
However, it is in the interests of the State to provide greater assistance to disadvantaged communities in their efforts to develop social enterprises: 1. The formation of social enterprises can enable state agencies and local authorities to achieve their targets as detailed for them in a number of policy frameworks (e.g. the National Anti-Poverty Strategy). 2. In particular, social enterprises reduce the numbers of people on the dole, and provide people on society’s margins such as drug users in recovery and ex-prisoners with an opportunity to get work experience, acquire new skills and be in a position to secure employment. 3. They can also enable State agencies to get greater value for the money in procuring a range of services. This is because social enterprises’ mission is less about making profit and more about improving the quality of life of people they provide services to. 4. Social enterprises which provide maintenance, security and property management services on behalf of local authorities can also contribute to ensuring that neighbourhoods which have benefited from physical regeneration programmes are sustainable and do not require further capital investment from the State. 5. Through their knowledge of the areas in which they are based, social enterprises are better placed than private enterprises to provide a range of care services for older people and people with disabilities.
27
HERE’S WHAT WOULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
If social enterprises are to play a more significant role in transforming local disadvantaged communities, it will be necessary for Central Government to develop a strategic policy framework which will enable communities to be empowered to develop their economies. This will need to include the following components: r " HSBOU đOBODF GVOE XIJDI XPVME BMMPX TPDJBM enterprises to be established and grow. r -FHJTMBUJPO UP DPNQFM TUBUF BHFODJFT UP QSPDVSF a proportion of their services from social enterprises – as is the case in Italy. r " TUSBUFHZ GPS UIF USBOTGFS PG UIF 4UBUF T obsolete assets, such as buildings, to recognised community trusts which would assist communities in generating income. r " TPDJBM FOUFSQSJTF JOOPWBUJPO GVOE UP FOBCMF social enterprises to conduct market research and bring social enterprises from concept to trading stage. r " USBJOJOH QSPHSBNNF GPS LFZ TUBĈ JO government departments and State agencies so that they champion social enterprise development within their respective organisations. r "O JOTUSVDUJPO GSPN DFOUSBM (PWFSONFOU UP State agencies to view social enterprises as important stakeholders in regenerating local economies. r ăF EFđOJUJPO BOE NFBTVSFNFOU PG TPDJBM enterprises’ sustainability not in financial terms alone, but also including the extent to which it achieves social sustainability, attains financial sustainability and is environmentally sustainable . r "MMJBODFT DBO CF GPSNFE XJUI MBSHF TDBMF QSJWBUF businesses with a view to securing a range of expertise and funding. In conclusion, social enterprises can demonstrate that there is an approach to engaging in economic activity which is more humane and democratic than ‘conventional’ private enterprise and which is concerned with limiting income inequality between management and other employees. This approach would contribute to a more equal Ireland.
Over 10,000 people have viewed ‘Changing Ireland’ videos on Youtube