Investing in social enterprise

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Investing in social enterprise

• The Sorghum Sisters
• Presenter Maria Tsopanis

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Purpose

• AMES Vision Participation for all in a cohesive
  and diverse society.
• Social Enterprise Program Mission Create
  innovative social and economic opportunities for
  migrants and refugees to settle successfully.
• Program Values
• Commits to better business
• Subscribes to the delivery of high quality and
  client centred training courses.
• Helps in building inclusive communities

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Sorghum Sisters Objectives

• Create, grow and sustain the business.
• Address the systemic social and economic
  disadvantage faced by migrants and refugees in
  the Carlton Estate and the wider community.
• Increase parent participation in school
  initiatives
• Provide a lifelong learning to both school
  children and wider residents of the Estate
• Provision of healthy lunches to the school
  community, raising awareness of childhood obesity
  and diabetes and
• Provision of accessible traditional African
  staples to residents of Carlton.

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What services

• The Sorghum Sisters commenced trading in 2005 and
  provides a catering service of traditional
  cuisine from the Horn of Africa.
• African staples to Carlton Estate Residents
  Injera, Ambusha, biscuits
• Catering menu based on cuisine from the Horn of
  Africa including finger food, set menus and
  banquet
• Healthy School lunches to Carlton Brunswick
  South Primary Schools

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Issues faced by a Community

• The Horn of African Community living on the
  Carlton Estate identified a need to develop a
  program to assist African residents living on the
  Estate.
• High levels of unemployment and low levels of
  participations in mainstream services.
• Many of the women living in the high rise had
  never worked in Australia
• Had little or no English language skills
• Had no formal work experience in Australia

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Organisation/Project/Model Profile
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Strengthening Communities Grant

• In August 2005 received DFACS funding under the
  Strengthening Communities program - Working Women
  Economic Self Reliance and African Communities
• Received 142,191 over 2 years
• Community Capacity Building Focus parent
  engagement at school for residents of Carlton
  Estate
• Funding for CD worker, accredited training
  some running cost.

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Successes

• April Aug 2005 enterprise developed in a cloud
  of uncertainty
• The grant provided team confidence and time to
  develop our trading revenues
• Allowed us to tailor training specifically to
  meet target groups needs- hands on with Chef
• Employed Community Development Worker Local
  leader from the Estate Capacity Building was
  gaining momentum- enterprise involved in many
  community events and forums
• All key indicators were based on social outcomes

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Challenges

• Perception that SE was the panacea to all
  disadvantage Community had many ideas
• Funds gave false sense of cash flow
• In that first year needed to focus on business
  development working on revenue streams, pricing,
  costing etc
• Industry specialist to Coordinate enterprise
  rather than CD worker.
• Conflict growing between social and business
  purpose.

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Lessons

• Business Planning critical
• Realistic social returns clarity of purpose
• Appropriate staffing structure that supports
  enterprise development
• From a sound financial base social outcomes are
  more sustainable

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New Investment funds

• Purpose specific investors- Healthy eating or
  commercial kitchen.
• Realistic business case around the returns on
  investment either social (need to quantify) or
  trade
• Social Procurement Catering enterprises
  preferred suppliers for AMES
• Investing by purchasing trading contracts
• Business Mentoring Business skill development-
  Business planning

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Strings attached

• Most investors have their own agendas. Bank for
  interest, Governments to meet their political
  ideals Job creation or entrepreneurial,
  promotion.
• This can heavy steer the direction of the
  enterprise and can put additional pressure
• Ensure that cash needs do not allow you to grab
  for any funds available but are rather targeted
  and fit with your business plan and purpose

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New funding sources

• Job funds great opportunity to gain investment
  and to have social impact.
• Ensure can deliver on outcomes, realistic
  sustainability goals
• Joint Ventures Bring resources, skills,
  experience expertise MOU or legal arrangement
  clearly outlining benefits responsibilities
  of parties goes beyond personal arrangements

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Outcomes 2005 -2009

• Employment Training
• 5 traineeships 3 ongoing, 2 external jobs
• 53 accredited hospitality training Work
  placements 70 employment
• 20 casuals- cooks, kitchen hands, wait staff
  driver
• 22 Residents Food Handling Community
• 10 Cert 111 Childrens Services, CPS DHs

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• Social Benefits
• Skill development of highly disadvantaged women
• Parent participation in CPS
• Strengthening Community of the Carlton Housing
  Estate and CPS
• Promotion of Healthy Eating addressing issues
  of childhood obesity and diabetes
• cooking workshops with students
• Providing positive images of Muslim women
• Pathway to Employment other women from
  Estate casual employment opportunities
• Dine on the Nile Food Wine Event

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