Browse by Theme |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONTACT |
Click for
Enquiry Form |
PLANED
The Old School,
Station Road,
Narberth,
Pembrokeshire
SA67 7DU |
Tel:
+44 (0)1834 862113
Fax:
+44 (0)1834 861547 |
Click to
Print This Page |
| |
|
April 19th 2007 - The Social Enterprise Team are organizing a
workshop event on - 'Issues and possible solutions facing Social Enterprise'
at the Queens Hall. Interested parties please contact
Abbe Rees or Liz Thomas using our contact enquiry form.
Tel:
01834 862113 |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
A Social Enterprise or Community business is a business that trades with primarily a social purpose. This means it is engaged in some form of trading or business which raises an income. Like any business it must raise an income for it to be sustainable, but unlike private business, the profit or surpluses generated are re invested back into the business, or the community that it supports, to enable them to deliver on their social objectives.
Social Enterprises are involved in a range of social and environmental activities and play an important role in:
-
Enabling individuals and communities to work towards regenerating their local neighbourhood
-
Delivering valuable local services
-
Providing local employment opportunities
-
Helping to develop an inclusive society and active citizenship
 Social Enterprises can take many forms including Credit unions, Co operatives, Social Firms – firms that incorporate less able employees, intermediate labour markets that stimulate temporary and sustainable jobs for long term unemployed, Community Interest Companies and Development Trusts.
The Social Economy includes various organisations including voluntary organisations, community groups, self help groups, some religious organisations, sports clubs, communities of interest and other ‘ not for personal profit’ organisations set up to benefit communities and people in Wales.
More information can be found in the Social Enterprise Action Plan published by the Welsh Assembly Government. Download from the Welsh Assembly Government web site:
www.wales.gov.uk/subisocialjustice or
e-mail socialjusticepolicyunit@wales.gsi.gov.uk |
|
|
|
Business support for Social Enterprise in Pembrokeshire |
Each year an increasing number of communities are aiming to solve some of their social needs by setting up a community business and in doing so tackle a range of social and environmental issues.
PLANED, Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) and Pembrokeshire Business Initiative (PBI) have established a partnership offering social and community businesses support in business development. This includes encouraging new enterprises to start, through to assistance for established enterprises with long term commitments to become better businesses for the community.
The partnership offers:
-
Business and financial planning to develop the business model
-
Advice and guidance on appropriate business legal structures
-
Assistance with writing Memorandum and Articles of Association
-
Market Research and feasibility study
-
Grant Finding
-
Assistance with marketing
-
Helping make the best use of IT
-
Procurement
-
Networking with like minded people
Primarily the partnership can offer time, resource and professional help in order to assist social enterprises find a route to success, from idea inception through to operating a sustainable business serving the community.
|
Update: November 2008
The current round of funding for the Social Enterprise Partnership support has finished however PLANED's work in supporting communities continues. Please contact us for information on current support available. You can also access information on Social Enterprise by following the link to The Social Enterprise Coalition for Pembrokeshire website at www.secpembs.org.uk |
|
|
|
|
Enterprises run by Pembrokeshire communities solely for the benefit of those communities have been identified as priority beneficiaries for Wales’ next slice of European funding.
|
 Keynote speaker:
Anne Stephenson, head of the Communities Directorate at the Welsh Assembly Government, launched the Social Enterprise Day event at Letterston.
Also pictured are, from the left: Jo Morgan (Pembrokeshire Business Initiative);
Mike Shirley (Social Risk Fund);
Joan Asby (PLANED co-ordinator);
Neil Hirst (SIREN); and
Steve Cranston. |
Anne Stephenson, whose role at the Welsh Assembly Government is to ensure that policies are in place to encourage social entrepreneurship, visited Pembrokeshire on the day designated nationally as Social Enterprise Day.
Ms Stephenson, the keynote speaker at a seminar facilitated by PLANED in conjunction with Pembrokeshire Enterprise Network said Wales was on the threshold of being awarded its share of European funding for the next seven years.
“All the people engaged in deciding how that money will be spent have agreed that social enterprise will be a key priority,’’ she told delegates gathered at Letterston Memorial Hall.
“The very fact that a day during National Enterprise Week has been dedicated to social enterprise is testimony that so many people now understand the value of social enterprise and the role they play in the economic development scene.’’
Social enterprises are ‘not for personal profit’ businesses which have included community shops and pubs, childcare and housing provision and sports clubs.
One glowing example in Pembrokeshire is the Clouds Living Centre at Monkton, which promotes healthy living through the provision of debt counseling, a food co-operative and courses in basic skills. The catering arm of the enterprise was commissioned to provide the refreshments for the seminar at Letterston.
Julie Rice-Monroe, who initiated the venture, encouraged other communities to adopt social enterprises, with the following advice. “Just go for it, don’t sit around waiting for funding. Get involved with agencies that will support you. If you are enthusiastic enough you can make it work.’’
Speakers at the seminar included Steve Cranston, who is supporting the development of Energy4All’s community energy work in Wales, Neil Hirst, who explained the ethos of a carpentry workshop based in Brecon, and Jo Morgan, of the Pembrokeshire Business Initiative.
|
|
|
|
Representatives from Pembrokeshire Communities who are interested in setting up a local/ community owned shop went on a trip to visit Bryn Community Shop at Brechfa in Carmarthenshire.
 Hosted by the Trustees and volunteers of Bryn stores, the attendees looked around the shop and had the opportunity to ask questions about the day to day running, stock purchasing and layout. We were amazed at the amount and range stocked and were very interested in the locally produced items kept. The shop also offers a good range of fair trade products along side value type low cost products.
We were treated to a very comprehensive account of how the shop was established and how volunteers were recruited. All staff are volunteers from the immediate community who work two hour stints or multiples of. The shop is open from 7.30 to 6pm Monday to Friday and Saturday morning. The community took a conscious decision not to open on Sundays. We were very grateful to the trustees and volunteers for their transparency in the information given, allowing us to view financial figures and discussing difficult issues that had to be addressed.
We then adjourned to a B&B across the road for coffee and sandwiches and a presentation on suitable legal structures for Social Enterprises, available funding (although some of this was available to Carmarthenshire business only) and future plans for the shop.
The attendees all agreed that this was a very useful way to learn about social enterprise and valued the experience and advice of the trustees.
Special thanks to the trustees and Volunteers of Bryn Stores Community Shop.
|
|
|
|
