Organisations providing services to beneficiaries in the third sector face a huge number of valid competing pressures on their time and resources. Often technology gets relegated down the list because in many cases it is not part of core service delivery. It is not a bad thing to view technology or ICT as a utility service in the same way that an organisation may view lighting or drainage. It is essential that there is a contingency or back-up in place should there be a problem with the plumbing or the lighting; in the same way this should apply to the computers used in an organisation. There are many ways to organise the contingency solution, one of which is through engaging the services of an external provider of ICT services. In the same way as you would bring in a specialist to deal with leaking tap a specialist provider of ICT services is best placed to deal with ICT emergencies. This report looks in detail at the Social Enterprise model of delivery and draws on the knowledge of those with experience of it to critically ask if it is the best solution, what services could be provided together with the pitfalls and benefits of this method of service delivery.

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29 September 2008
© ICT Hub

Research into current levels of understanding and awareness of social enterprise, carried out for the government’s Office of the Third Sector, has revealed a high level of confusion. In those surveyed, when asked to pick out social businesses from a list of candidates the largest number chose Comic Relief or Childline, rather than the likes of Eden Project or Big Issue. And the sector is seen as vague, woolly, worthy, small and inefficient. See Social Enterprise magazine news item http://www.socialenterpriselive.com, or the OTS short summary which has a link to a presentation (PowerPoint style) of the findings.

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27 September 2008
© VoluntaryNews

One the final reports to come out of the work of the ICT Hub is now published. “ICT Support for the Third Sector: Is Social Enterprise the Solution?” was commissioned by the ICT Hub to answer the following questions: Should the sector try and deliver ICT support services from within, or should it rely on services from the private sector? If yes, what sort of services should be provided for the sector? How have current social enterprises emerged? What problems have they encountered in their birth and growth? How can these be avoided? Are they robust enough and, if not, how can this be improved? It will be of value to: Anyone thinking of setting up a social enterprise to deliver ICT services to the third sector; Anyone running a social enterprise that delivers ICT services to the third sector; Policy-makers and funders who want to understand how they can support the development of social enterprise models to deliver ICT services to the third sector; Anyone interested in helping to meet the ICT support needs of the third sector. It is the work of 4 of the regional ICT champions who also run social enterprises.

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26 September 2008
© Yorkshire and Humber ICT Champion

Social Enterprise Magazine reporters attended the Social Enterprise World Forum in Edinburgh from 2-5 September 2008. Here, Social Enterprise Magazine bring you the key messages from top social entrepreneurs around the world, the issues raised in breakout sessions, case studies of some of Scotland’s most successful social enterprises and news from behind the scenes.

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24 September 2008
© Social Enterprise Magazine

The annual gathering of the Development Trusts Association in Leeds on 15th September saw the launch of the important research findings ‘Bearing Fruit: Good Practice in Asset-Based Rural Community Development. The study examines the experiences of seven rural Development Trusts to ‘see what works’. Importantly, the report identifies 10 specific characteristics of successful initiatives and focuses on the attributes of the people who are the driving forces within the Trusts. Amazingly, these individuals shared a great many of these traits! This report will be an important talking point for the growing number of rural Development Trusts and social enterprises as more and more rural communities assume responsibilities for service delivery and the transfer of assets into community management. A copy of the report can be downloaded from: http://rural.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/files/rural/DTA-Bearing%20Fruit%20.pdf

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24 September 2008
© Carnegie UK

Research just published by COI on behalf of the Office of the Third Sector (OTS), has revealed that misunderstanding and confusion are obstacles to the growth of the social enterprise sector. RISE would like to respond by welcoming the report because it mirrors the findings of our own consultation and feasibility stage work in developing the Social Enterprise Mark. Effectively, RISE research and OTS research have come to the same conclusion – that a social enterprise ‘identifier’ is a critical part of the solution. RISE presents the solution: the Social Enterprise Mark – its so much ‘more than a badge’ and is the only social enterprise identifier to-date. It is an independently-assured brand for social enterprises that create a wider social or environmental impact. The brand values behind the Mark reflect those of social enterprises and the vision is to promote understanding on why its better to buy from social enterprises. The Social Enterprise Mark enables social enterprises to differentiate themselves, both from the charity sector (as highlighted in the report) and from corporate social responsibility (or greenwash). One of the most common reasons given by holders of the Social Enterprise Mark for signing up, is ‘to help our customers and other stakeholders understand that we are not a charity’.

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24 September 2008
© RISE

The most comprehensive guide to undertaking community share issues to date will be published at the end of September. Commissioned by Co-operatives UK, Jim Brown’s book, Community Investment - using Industrial and Provident Society legislation, is an overview and practical guide for activists, advisors and professionals. From the Old Crown Pub to the Phone Co-op, from Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative to Fordall Farm and to raft of village and community shops: all these have used Industrial and Provident Society (IPS) legislation to raise significant sums of money and empower and engage their member owners. Jim Brown of Baker Brown Associates, commissioned by Co-operatives UK, has written a study of this growing phenomenon. Community Investment - using Industrial and Provident Society legislation, gives an overview of this grassroots movement, describes how it’s been done and how to do it. Community Investment will be published at the end of September.

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22 September 2008
© Co-operativesUK

Social enterprises are fundamentally about using a business approach to achieve public benefit through defined social or environmental objectives. Many commercial businesses have social objectives, but social enterprises are distinctive because their social or environmental purpose is central to what they do. This resource is a summary of social enterprise information.

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18 September 2008
© I&DeA

Sustainable Paths to Community Development published by the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) on Tuesday 9th September, argues that the gap between rich and poor is widening and that this has led to social fragmentation and isolation of poorer communities. It calls for a radical re-thinking of the way we approach regeneration and community development. The authors, SSE Chair Charlotte Young and her husband Don, argue that top-down government attempts at regeneration such as the New Deal for Communities have inadequate impact because they over-emphasise democratic and bureaucratic concerns and don’t make use of local talents, knowledge and resources. Central to this problem is the fear of officialdom in handing over control. The report points to small-scale, community-based initiatives, which focus on individual and community learning through experience, as the best way to break the deep-rooted cycle of deprivation and exclusion and outlines successful examples.

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09 September 2008
© School of Social Entrepreneurs

Venturesome, the social investment fund of the Charities Aid Foundation, has today released a report which calls for greater clarity and cooperation in the social investment market to help charities achieve their social aims. Financing Civil Society: A practitioner’s view of the social investment market examines the present state of the UK social investment market highlighting the recent rapid growth of the market and recommends ways that this early success can be built upon.
The report highlights barriers to and opportunities for future development. It says that financial risk aversion, a lack of understanding of charities’ financial needs and inefficiency in the marketplace have become barriers to achieving more social impact - they all mean that funding isn’t getting through to the places where it is needed. The report goes on to recommend more co-investment by funders, greater information sharing – including major market players working together to produce ongoing research data on investments – and a common language to help all parties understand each other.

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3 September 2008
© CAF