A paper on public services and social enterprise values

This draft paper proposes a very basic set of values and operating principles in relation to public service reform and the role of social enterprise within that. It's here to be discussed and debated - if you have any comments please contact Olof Jonsdottir olof.jonsdottir@socialenterprise.org.uk.

Response to Public services White Paper

This paper sets out Social Enterprise UK's response to the Public Services White Paper. Click here to see the response.

For further information, contact Ceri Jones ceri.jones@socialenterprise.org.uk or Olof Jonsdottir olof.jonsdottir@socialenterprise.org.uk

Local Government Improvement and Development issue social enterprise podcasts

The Local Government Improvement and Development has issued podcasts to explain the nature and characteristics of a social enterprise and what councillors can do to support and encourage them. Find them here.

Social Enterprise UK part of two consortiums appointed by the Department for Education

Social Enterprise UK is a partner in two consortiums appointed by the Department for Education it was announced on 25 February.

Catalyst, a consortium led by The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services and supported by Social Enterprise UK, the National Youth Agency and The Young Foundation, won the Strategic Youth Partner bid. Catalyst will play a key role in ensuring the voice of the youth sector contributes to the reform of services for young people, and in particular is able to bolster its own capacity for delivery.

We are also part of a Children England led consortium including Community Matters, NAVCA, NYCVYS and the Race Equality Foundation. It will be the overarching strategic partner to the Department for Education for the next two years.

Growing the Social Investment Market

Growing the Social Investment Market: A vision and strategy, launched on 14 February, outlines the Government’s strategy to grow the social investment market giving charities and social enterprises access to new, potentially multi-billion pound, capital.  The strategy explains the role of the Big Society Bank as a cornerstone of the social investment market attracting more investment from wealthy individuals, charitable foundations and ultimately socially responsible everyday savers in social ISAs and pension funds.  In its strategy, the Government calls for the development of broader market infrastructure including piloting a social stock exchange and developing better measures to quantify the social value of investments made. Sir Ronald Cohen and Nick O'Donohoe will advise the Government and work with the banks on setting up the Big Society Bank.  A summary can be found here.

New Enterprise Allowance Scheme

Social Enterprise UK and Co-operatives UK have written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions calling for the development of the New Enterprise Allowance Scheme in such a way that could encourage the development, not just of regular businesses, but also of social enterprises.  We would like to see a significant proportion of the new businesses developed as social enterprises.  We would also like to see greater acknowledgement of social enterprise mentoring, dissemination of information about the scheme to those wishing to establish social enterprises through networks and Job Centres and awareness-raising about the role of specialist lenders.  A briefing can be found here.

 

Community post offices

A new online resource will help communities run their own post offices.  Consumer Focus and Social Enterprise UK have compiled a directory of 70 existing community post offices to assist neighbourhoods in setting up their own branch and to help those that already exist. The website with the accompanying report can be found at http://communitypo.cflabs.org.uk/.

 

Social Enterprise Bill

MPs have voted in favour of legislation that would require all public sector contracts to deliver positive social, economic and environmental wellbeing in communities across England and Wales.  Conservative MP for Warwick and Leamington, Chris White, tabled a Private Member's Bill on Social Enterprise and a draft form of the bill was debated in Parliament on 19 November 2010.

The “Public Services (Social Enterprise And Social Value) Bill” proposes that “public sector contracts include provisions relating to social outcomes and social value” as well as requiring “the Secretary of State and local authorities to publish strategies in connection with promoting social enterprise”.

Social Enterprise UK has been working hard to support Mr White to ensure that we make the most of this important opportunity for the movement.  A news release about the debate can be found here.  For further details contact Olof Jonsdottir olof.jonsdottir@socialenterprise.org.uk.