Exploring Social Enterprise European Learning Network 11th February 2005

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Exploring Social EnterpriseEuropean Learning
Network11th February 2005

• Allison Ogden-Newton
• Chief Executive

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The Basics

• Social enterprise is about using the production
  and sale of goods and services to achieve a
  social aim
• Social enterprise is a verb and not a noun
• Describes a new kind of entrepreneurial and
  public benefit activity

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social enterprise spectrum
Grant-free trading organisations
Voluntary and community sector
Sustainable organisations
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London landscape

• Estimated there are 5000 social enterprises in
  London
• London has the highest level of social
  entrepreneurial start up activity compared to any
  other UK region
• 8.5 of London residents between 18 and 64 are
  engaged in social entrepreneurship
• More women are involved in social enterprise than
  conventional entrepreneurial activity
• Women are using social enterprise as an entry
  route into enterprise activity, 68 of clients
  served through SELs business support in 2004
  were women
• Representatives of ethnic minorities are more
  likely to be social entrepreneurs than their
  white counterparts
• London is home to benchmark social enterprises

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Londons Social Enterprise Journey

• 1998 SELs creation driven by local government
  agenda with support from co-op movement
• SEL works at national level on policy development
  and runs regeneration programmes at local level
• 2001 SEL sets up London Social Economy
  Taskforce
• with major partners (DTA, SFUK, NCVO, CO-OPS UK,
  ALG, LDA) to set and co-ordinate a regional
  agenda for SE development
• 2002 DTI sets up a dedicated Social Enterprise
  Unit
• with a remit to monitor and influence national
  enterprise and regeneration agendas
• 20023 Social Enterprise Coalition created to
  co-ordinate and promote all social enterprise
  activity in the UK
• SEL focus moves to work in two areas grass roots
  development and innovative programme design

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How social enterprise is taking place in London

• Improving local public service delivery-
  community transport, recycling, leisure and
  childcare provision
• Empowering communities- through the transfer of
  public assets to community ownership, including
  development trusts and area based regeneration
  programmes
• Addressing market failure- meeting needs in
  markets where neither the public nor private
  sectors are able to deliver- examples include
  providing financial services to a low-income
  client base through credit unions and community
  development finance institutions, and provided
  affordable managed workspace to smaller
  enterprises
• Enabling the voluntary sector to improve
  sustainability providing an option for
  increased independence through entrepreneurialism.
  Examples include The Daycare Trust, The Media
  Trust and SEL

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• 5. Empowering consumers- by offering a choice in
  products and services produced by fair trade and
  ethical standards- from chocolate, coffee and tea
  to clothing and cosmetics
• 6. Supporting voluntary and community
  organisations through the use of earned income
  strategies
• 7. Empowering workers through cooperative and
  democratically run governance structures,
  creating full-time employment for hard to reach
  or disadvantaged workers by building bridges to
  the mainstream labour market through social firms
  and the intermediate labour market model

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Tower Hamlets Community Credit Union
Tower Hamlets Community Credit Union has over
2000 members who previously had difficulty
accessing financial services due to branch
closure and poor credit ratings. The credit union
now serves its members from an ex-Abbey National
shop front.
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Coin Street Community Builders
Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB) is a
development trust and social enterprise set up by
and for local residents on the South Bank.
Responsible for regenerating the area, its
figurehead is the OXO Tower development.
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What is SEL?

• An NGO working across London to support the
  growth and scaling up of social enterprise
• Our work includes
• Pre and Start up Business Advice
• Signposting
• Membership Services
• Training
• Policy and research, the bigger picture

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Membership Services

• Set up in March 2003 with LDA backing

SEL in best position to centralise social
enterprise community after large scale mapping
exercise 2001
Over 100 delegates at inaugural event July 03
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Ethos

• Peer led learning
• To share best practice
• To identify the business community
• To establish two way communication decision
  makers/community
• To develop partnerships and relevant consortia

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Benefits to members

• Inclusion on shopsocialenterprise.com
• Quarterly networking events
• Regular email updates to keep up to the minute on
  relevant issues Update
• Indepth network journal
• Option to join co-operative purchasing scheme
• Access to business support

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Benefits to sector

• Coherent voice efficient communication
• Essential part of national network, SEC
• Concentrated source of expertise
• For social enterprises
• For umbrella organisations and funders
• For business support agencies
• For academics and consultants
• For International networks

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Uptake

• Over 200 members inc small community based and
  high profile (Fifteen)
• Extended to non-London members
• Includes individuals
• Creates a sub-regional framework

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ECT Group
Having set up as a voluntary sector organisation
providing community transport to elderly and
disabled people in Ealing, ECT group is now a
multi-stakeholder social enterprise that turns
over in excess of 20 million per year from
kerbside recycling services and other activities.
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Poptel Technology
Poptel technology is an experienced web design
and development workers co-operative who chooses
to work largely, but not exclusively, with
organisations in the Social Economy, Public and
Voluntary Sectors.
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Sari (UK) Ltd
An innovative social enterprise that sells its
products several of Londons trendy fashion
outlets, Sari (UK) Ltd recycles old saris into
high fashion items such as the Lu-Lu evening bag.
Not only that but it gifts all its profits to
the international development charity SENSE
International.
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St Lukes Communications Ltd
St Lukes Communications Ltd is the worlds only
co-operative advertising agency. Based in central
London, St Lukes work for British Telecom,
Clarks shoes and the Teacher Training Agency.
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A Social Enterprise Partnership (London Region)
Initiative

• An E-commerce website where social enterprises
  can advertise and sell their goods and services

An on-line community of social enterprises where
ideas are shared and partnerships are made
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• 1 A Aberdeen Studios
• 22-24 Highbury Grove
• London N5 2EA
• T 020 7704 7490
• F 020 7704 7499
• E Info_at_sel.org.uk
• I www.sel.org.uk
• I www.shopsocialenterprise.com