Social Enterprise East Midlands Newsletter – February 2011
Welcome to this month‟s newsletter containing everything you need to know about social enterprise in the East Midlands and we start with an update on the new challenges facing SEEM from Rosalind Pearce, Interim Chief Executive. “SEEM has established itself as the expert in the region on policy, business development and support for social enterprises. Much of SEEM‟s work has been funded by grants and under contract from organisations including emda, central government, ESF and the Big Lottery. Like many of the businesses that we support and work with, SEEM is facing a period of significant change. As Interim Chief Executive of SEEM, my role is to lead the organisation over the next few months and to implement our plans for repositioning SEEM in the sector. This year is one of challenges and an exciting time for social enterprise. SEEM believes that our movement will continue to grow and that the current environment for new and existing social enterprises is one of opportunity. SEEM will play a pivotal role in the development and support of social enterprises in the region. We are now looking to the future and as part of this process will be asking our members and supporters what their needs are in order to ensure that, where we can, our future products and services meet your needs. So look out for the e-mail that invites you to respond to the survey – if we don‟t ask, we will not know and if you don‟t say, we cannot hear.” Finally, remember that we always want to hear about your news and to promote your stories and celebrations through the SEEM website and newsletter – please forward your articles to Aimi Townsend
Inside this issue Social Enterprise News from the East Midlands Hathi Productions awarded Social Enterprise Mark Clowne Enterprise recognised for encouraging local entrepreneurs Derby Enterprise Strategy launched East Midlands Housing Group awarded Social Enterprise Mark Dates confirmed for next FAIR Learning Programme National Social Enterprise News Locality to run community organisers programme in £5m contract Ed Miliband to speak at UK Social Enterprise Awards Procurement changes to open doors for social enterprise Win free tickets to the UK's biggest social enterprise event Right to buy and right to challenge consultations launched Mutual Ventures appointed Cabinet Office Mentor Funding and Investment News
Social Investment Strategy launched Have you looked at Key Fund? Research and Intelligence News Nottingham University offers research support for social enterprises Big Society debate has lost sight of economic reform goal, says new report Supporting community and social enterprise in deprived communities Business Support SEEM Business Advisers Network Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship: Social Entrepreneurship and Cross Cultural Network Social Enterprise Training and Events Voice11 tickets are going fast The Business of Co-operation in Communities Event Two-day introduction to social enterprise Next steps in social enterprise Personnel management for beginners
Social Enterprise News from the East Midlands
Hathi Productions awarded Social Enterprise Mark Hathi Productions based in Leicester specialise in nurturing the Black and Asian creative sector with the ultimate aim of enabling integration into mainstream British theatre and media. Upon receiving the Mark, Jez Simons, Artistic Director, said “We are delighted to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark and to be finally recognised for our work towards integration not segregation through the Arts”. Read more…
Clowne Enterprise recognised for encouraging local entrepreneurs Clowne Enterprise was formed with the aim of supporting regeneration through small enterprise growth in an area hard hit by unemployment. The organisation won the award for Best Community Contribution 2010 at the Derbyshire Times Business Awards. Paul Davies, Chief Executive, said “Since 2004 we have seen 450 people and helped over 140 new businesses to start up, creating over 170 jobs. People who have grown up with a culture of not working sometimes start to think that they need permission to even think about starting up their own business. They come in almost apologetically and ask if it‟s alright for them to have a go. We‟ve had some great successes”.
Read more…
Derby Enterprise Strategy launched The landscape for business support is changing both nationally and locally. In line with this, Derby City Council and Derby City Partnership have consulted partners and over 570 businesses to define their joint strategic objectives for the delivery of support to enterprise for the next 3 years. This strategy will provide the basis for how they and their partners will support enterprise and a new economic vision for Derby as part of the wider Economic Regeneration Strategy for 2011. Download the strategy document
East Midlands Housing Group awarded Social Enterprise Mark East Midlands Housing Association (EMHA) and Foundation Housing Association (FHA) are part of East Midlands Housing Group; one of the largest providers of social housing in the East Midlands region. EMHA was set up in 1946 by a small group of homeless, penniless ex-servicemen with an initial capital of just £39.10 shillings. Their vision was simply to provide affordable homes for people who needed them. EMHA work closely with local authorities and specialist agencies to provide homes to address a wide range of needs. They have over 6000 quality affordable homes across the East Midlands which include homes for families, single people, the elderly and other individuals requiring additional support. FHA is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. They specialise in providing housing and housing related support services to Black and Minority Ethnic groups; with their roots in Leicester‟s afroCaribbean community. FHA have 800 affordable homes, two homeless hostels, and a range of services to support people in the community; including a floating support service for women who are experiencing or at risk of domestic violence. Chan Kataria, Group Chief Executive said, “I‟m delighted that EMHA and FHA have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark which recognises their social objectives and genuine commitment to improving people‟s lives.” Visit the EMHA website
Visit the FHA website
Dates confirmed for next FAIR Learning Programme 5th & 6th April, 4th & 5th May and 7th & 8th June 2011 The Financial Awareness and Investment Readiness (FAIR) Learning Programme is aimed at advisers in third sector infrastructure support organisations who find themselves increasingly being asked about how to set up or fund a social enterprise. These requests may be coming from community groups with an asset, voluntary organisations looking to contract with the public sector or charities that want to set up a trading arm. Wherever the request springs from, we want to ensure that third sector advisers are prepared to deal with it. Each of the programme‟s three learning modules will be delivered over two days, and will be mapped against the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) Business Support standards. The programme will provide advisers with the required underpinning knowledge and understanding they need to carry into the SFEDI Assessment process. The delivery will also include an outline of the SFEDI requirements at the introductory session and a summary in the final module. Bursaries to support assessment against the SFEDI standards may be available to advisers on completion of the course. The programme will cover: Getting started in Social Enterprise Support This will help participants to understand the differences in culture between grant-dependent voluntary and community organisations and trading organisations dependent on earned income Business Tools for Social Enterprise Support This will help participants to understand the different tools that should be used by social enterprises to undertake strategic business planning. Participants will also find out about the main sources of non-grant finance available to social enterprises Sustaining Social Enterprise Support This will help participants to understand how to use the learning developed through the programme in their capacity as Third Sector advisers For more information on the programme or to reserve a place please contact Jules Sebelin on 0115 727 0272 or email jules.sebelin@seem.uk.net
National News
Locality to run community organisers programme in £5m contract Locality – the new organisation formed by the merger of the Development Trusts Association and bassac – has been picked as the delivery partner for the government‟s national community organisers‟ programme. The England-wide network of community-led organisations will get £5m to deliver the programme from April 2011 to March 2015 and, in addition, bursaries of £20,000 will be available to support 500 senior community organisers as spelled out in the government‟s Big Society vision. The delivery also includes the recruitment and training of senior community organisers and 4,500 part-time and voluntary organisers. Read more…
Ed Miliband to speak at UK Social Enterprise Awards Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband, will speak at the Social Enterprise Awards on 30th March at The O2 in London, and present the Best Social Enterprise Award. The nationwide competition celebrates the work and achievements of the UK‟s most inspiring and successful social enterprises. Ed Miliband has been a supporter of social enterprise since his days as Minister for the Third Sector. The awards are organised by the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC). This year SEC received a record number of entries from organisations and people in the movement, double the number of previous years many of whom had not entered before. SEC Chief Executive Peter Holbrook said: “Ed Miliband has been a good friend of social enterprise and we are looking forward to seeing him again, only now as Leader of the Opposition. The record number of entries this year reflects the fast growth in the reach and sheer size of the UK‟s social enterprise movement in the last year. Long may it continue.” Previous winners at the Awards ceremony include Brighter Future Workshops, BikeWorks, Global Ethics, PACK-IT, and the Holbrook Centre for Autism.
Procurement changes to open doors for social enterprise The government has announced a raft of measures to help small businesses and charities compete for „billions of pounds‟ worth of contracts. The package from the Cabinet Office ensures that procurement opportunities are available for everyone to see, free of charge, which the government claims will make it “more transparent than ever before.” The measures include an online facility called the Contracts Finder, launched on 11th February, which will be the first port-of-call for organisations looking for public contracts over £10,000. Read more…
Win free tickets to the UK's biggest social enterprise event Anyone and everyone with an interest in social enterprise can now enter to win free tickets to Voice11, the UK‟s biggest social enterprise event, taking place next month at The O2 in London. The Social Enterprise Coalition is giving away a pair of tickets every Monday in the run up to the
event on 30 March. It is the first time Voice has taken place in the capital and the new venue means this year‟s event will be the biggest yet. The new-look programme includes live debates, 60 minute how-to sessions and on-the-spot business advice for social enterprises at all stages of their journey from getting started to scaling up and out, as well as for charity and public sector staff considering a move to social enterprise. Visit the SEC website to enter the draw
‘Right to buy’ and ‘right to challenge’ consultations launched The Communities and Local Government department wants to gather views about two key proposals in the Localism Bill. The „Community Right to Challenge‟ and „Community Right to Buy‟ are two key elements of the Localism Bill. They will enshrine in law the opportunity for third sector groups to have a greater say over what happens in their local area. The consultations will run for 12 weeks from February 4th, taking views from people, councils and their employees, third sector organisations, private businesses and other interested parties. Read more and view the consultation documents
Mutual Ventures appointed Cabinet Office mentor Social enterprise Mutual Ventures has been appointed as a mentor to the Cabinet Office Mutualisation Pathfinder programme. Mutual Ventures is a new and dynamic social enterprise focused on supporting front line staff to form co-operatives and other forms of social enterprise. The Mutual Ventures team have substantial experience in this area having played key roles on the Department for Education‟s Social Work Practice Programme, which saw groups of social workers forming independent social enterprises. Read more…
Funding and Investment News
Social Investment Strategy launched Finance for social enterprises looking to bid for Work Programme contracts, a Social Impact Bond for the health market and an underwriting facility for community shares are all ideas that could be financed by the Big Society Bank.
The government‟s Social Investment Strategy, launched on 14th February, makes it clear that the Bank will be independent and that it will not invest in front-line organisations, only social finance intermediaries, and also that it will not provide any grants. The Bank must also finance itself. Read more…
Have you looked at Key Fund? Key Fund has set itself the challenge of lending 3.5 million in 2011 across its newly enlarged area of operation. Until last year Key Fund only operated within the Yorkshire & Humber region, but now they are covering the whole of the North and North Midlands of England, including Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Key Fund is a social enterprise which provides development and investment support to social businesses that create positive community, environmental or social impacts. Offering an innovative mix of flexible and accessible finance in the form of grants with loans, or straight loans and equity investments they aim to support the development of new and existing enterprising activity. Key features of their service include: • • • • • •
Investment from £250 to £150,000 Flexible and tailored packages Simple and transparent process Fixed rates and terms On-going supportive relationship Funds reinvested in the sector
For over ten years Key Fund has been investing in a wide variety of enterprising ideas. Once finance is repaid to them it is re-loaned and re-invested back into the community. Key Fund‟s mission is to break down the barriers to accessing finance, enabling organisations to help people and communities to reach their full potential. Visit the Key Fund website for more information.
Research and Intelligence News
Nottingham University offers research support for social enterprises Finding the time and in-house expertise to carry out research can be a challenge for many third sector organisations. The University of Nottingham, a research-led university, currently has a number of ways of supporting social enterprises in meeting their research needs. This may involve early career researchers or postgraduate/ undergraduate students working with you to examine an issue and carry out a piece of research that could help your organisation develop or grow. Charges for this work range from £3 per hour (+VAT) to no charge depending on which students are involved and the type of project. Read more…
Big Society debate has lost sight of economic reform goal, says new report A report released last week by the Social Enterprise Coalition says we have lost sight of the need for economic reform in the current Big Society debate about public and voluntary sector cuts, and citizenship. The Conservative Party‟s 2010 manifesto outlined the need for broader economic reform in addition to a change to civil society. „Time for Social Enterprise‟ says Government needs to bring the two together and clarify the role business will play in the Big Society, which has so far been missing. Read more…
Supporting community and social enterprise in deprived communities A Good Practice Guide for Practitioners In Spring 2010, ippr north carried out new research exploring the critical success factors for community and social enterprise in deprived communities in the North West of England. The final report, „Growing the Big Society‟ (Cox and Schmuecker 2010), identified a series of barriers and opportunities facing community organisations in taking an „enterprise leap‟ and made a series of recommendations for policy makers and practitioners wishing to tackle the Big Society agenda. Read more and download the free report
Business Support
SEEM Business Advisers Network The SEEM Business Advisers Network (BAN) brings all types of advisers together to tackle hot topics and to learn from each other‟s work in order to help them stay ahead of their game. It's a unique network that highlights emerging trends for advisers to social enterprises, businesses and communities. The SEEM Business Advisers Network is both an e-network and a physical network that meets quarterly. It is the only network in the East Midlands that provides specialist continuing professional development and peer learning to those giving advice to social enterprises.
Next Business Advisers Network: 15th March 2011, 12pm until 4pm, Highpoint in Leicester Topic: Public Service Mutuals Sign up here Follow us on: Twitter: seem_BAN LinkedIn: SEEM Business Advisers Network
Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship: Social Entrepreneurship and Cross Cultural Network The third session for the Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship will take place at the Judge Business th st School, University of Cambridge from 15 -31 July 2011. Professors from the University of Cambridge will deliver the academic content and design follow-up workshops. In addition, Professors from a leading American business school will be invited to participate. Facilitators will conduct seminars and workshops on various aspects of cross-cultural dialogue. Significant resources will be devoted to classroom lectures and individual projects. Find out more…
Social Enterprise Training and Events
Voice11 tickets are going fast th
Voice 11 is taking place on 30 March 2011 at The O2 in London. The event is for everyone in and around the growing social enterprise movement. If you‟re interested in social enterprise, you should be a part of it. Voice 11 is going to be a vibrant, energising place. It‟s where you can learn, meet investors, train, buy, sell, innovate, understand how to start or grow your business, break into new markets, showcase, ask questions, give answers, and receive on-the-spot advice and information.
Visit the SEC website for further details
The Business of Co-operation in Communities Event th
10 March 2011, Leicester The objective of this event is to raise awareness of co-operation and the opportunities that exist for
people to join together to form a co-operative business in challenging but exciting times. People are increasingly seeing advantages in taking ownership within their communities to benefit themselves socially and economically. The event hopes to stimulate, enthuse and encourage community groups, local government officers and councillors to take a pro-active stance in moving towards the well-being of society and local needs, particularly in an age of austerity and cuts in funding. Read more‌
Two-day introduction to social enterprise rd
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3 & 4 March 2011, Leicester This two-day course covers the first and next steps you will need to set up your social enterprise. It will explain what a social enterprise is, and what help and support you can access to help you set up your social enterprise. It will also look at the legal structures and business models that are available to you, as well as providing information about obtaining finance, employing people, writing a business plan and making sense of confusing acronyms such as PAYE, VAT and SSP. There will also be the opportunity to meet and network with other people exploring the social enterprise business model. *This workshop is for residents of Leicester City or for employees of a Leicester City business only. Read more‌
Next steps in social enterprise th
9 March 2011, Leicester Have you decided that you would like to run your business as a social enterprise? Do you need to know how to turn your idea into a reality? This workshop will look at the many and varied tasks that you need to undertake to get your business on the road and will provide you with the information that you need to establish your social enterprise. *This workshop is for residents of Leicester City or for employees of a Leicester City business only. Read more‌
Personnel management for beginners th
18 March 2011, Leicester Do you struggle to cope with the demands of employment law? Are you confused about employee rights or your responsibilities as an employer? Do you want to feel more confident to deal with day-
to-day HR issues that tend to arise in the workplace? If so, this workshop is for you. *This workshop is for residents of Leicester City or for employees of a Leicester City business only. Read more‌
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Social Enterprise East Midlands is supported by East Midlands Development Agency and the European Social Fund