May, 2009 News

Greater Merseyside ChangeUp has organised two free events for you to find out about the programme and to access information and advice about other services and support that are available for local third sector organisations.

4th & 5th June 2009 (10.00am - 12.30pm) The Door, 65-67 Hanover Street, Liverpool L1 3DY

The Modernisation Fund Grants Programme will open in June 2009 and aims to help third sector organisations to explore how they can increase their impact and become more resilient through collaborative working.

By Claudia Cahalane Social Enterprise Magazine 20 May 2009

Leading social entrepreneur Nigel Lowthrop has joined the government's new Third Sector Task Force on climate change as an adviser.

Lowthrop is co-founder of Midlands-based Hill Holt Wood, an environmental social enterprise employing 20 disadvantaged young people to provide countryside management services, and chair of Social Enterprise East Midlands.

Salary: £29,628 (pro rata)

Social Enterprise Lancashire Network (Selnet) is looking for a Project Officer to assist the Network Manager to deliver two of the North West CapacityBuilder programmes “Financial Diversification” and “Catalysing Consortia”: by helping to promote, increase awareness and support delivery of the required outcomes of the programmes and by helping ensure information service including website, are sound and effective.
Terms of Post
Part time post – 2 ½ days per week

By Emma Foster, Community Newswire SOCIAL Employment North West, 15 May 2009

A North-west employment project that helps people with disabilities back into work celebrated its 10th anniversary at an event on Thursday.

Ability First is a three-week motivational work preparation programme that is delivered in Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.

By Gemma Hampson Social Enterprise Magazine 18 May 2009

The government's communities and local government department (DCLG) has asked for help to make local authorities understand social enterprise.

Jackie Westlake, head of the DCLG's social enterprise unit, told a handful of delegates at the Shine Unconference in London on Friday that she has 12-18 months to reach England's local authorities.

SLP is a social enterprise providing a wide range of support programmes to enable people from minority and disadvantaged groups gain sustainable employment. The organisation is well established and is now positioned to play a key role in the current programmes addressing employment across Merseyside.

By David Ainsworth, Third Sector Online, 14 May 2009

Mandelson announces government cash for community development finance institutions

Community development finance institutions will be able to access an extra £20m of bank lending through a government scheme to help small businesses, business secretary Lord Mandelson promised at a social enterprise summit.

Source: DCLG 14 May, 2009

Social enterprises must play their part in tackling the economic downturn by creating at least 15,000 new jobs for the unemployed, funded by the Government's £1bn Future Jobs Fund, announced Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell today.

By Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector Online, 13 May 2009

Charities and social enterprises will promote their merits to commissioners

A guide to social return on investment was among a package of measures to support social enterprise launched by the Office of the Third Sector yesterday.

The guide has been designed to help sector organisations put across their social and environmental merits and help public sector commissioners understand the benefits they offer.

By Gemma Hampson Social Enterprise Magazine 12 May 2009

A major step towards helping organisations demonstrate their social, economic and environmental impact will take place at today's social enterprise summit with the launch of a new guide backed by the Cabinet Office.

The guide to Social Return on Investment (SROI) advises organisations with more than a financial bottom line how to illustrate their impact to procurers, service users and investors, as well as government and the wider public.

A position has arisen for an experienced part-time graphic designer to join our in-house marketing team, working on a broad spectrum of third sector related projects. The role will involve a variety of tasks and applicants must be proficient at taking design from conception through to production.

For further details see the attached flyer

 

By Gemma Hampson Social Enterprise Magazine 7 May 2009

A taskforce of third sector CEOs is against social enterprises moving under the umbrella of the government's business department.

Social enterprise bosses have long called for social enterprise to be moved to the Department of Business and Regulatory Reform (BERR) from the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) to ensure they are treated as profit-making businesses rather than being treated as voluntary organisations.

A Salford-based housing company is helping local people to find a job in the construction industry by letting them renovate council houses in the city as part of their training.

Salix Homes, Salford City Council's housing management company, has teamed up with B4Box, a new social enterprise scheme set up to give local people the skills and qualifications needed to get a job in construction.

By Claudia Cahalane Social Enterprise Magazine 6 May 2009

UnLtd World - the ‘Facebook for social entrepreneurs' - is launching version two of the site to its 10,000 members over the next ten days.

The site, which has seen its membership grow 15 per cent month-on-month since it launched a year ago, has a range of new features and enhanced navigation.

By Gemma Hampson Social Enterprise Magazine 7 May 2009

The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) is planning a worldwide expansion following a successful pilot in Sydney, Australia.

A new school is likely in Toronto, Canada, where a $30,000 (Canadian dollars) feasibility study is being carried out. Two more programmes are planned in Australia - one in Melbourne and another in Sydney. There is also strong interest for schools from four Indian regions, China, eastern Europe, south east Asia and Scandinavia.

By Henry Palmer Social Enterprise Magazine 6 May 2009

Unity Trust Bank is to launch a prepaid MasterCard to credit union members this summer in a bid to widen financial services to those marginalised by mainstream banks.

Under the scheme, consumers will be able to have funds advanced directly to the card, which they can then use to make purchases in shops or online. They can also use the card to withdraw money from cash machines.

Social Enterprise Network is holding a network event on 29 May 2009 from  12 – 2pm at the Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre 4 Princes Road, Liverpool L8 1TH 

Speakers include:

Carolyn Boyce is launching a SEN endorsed HR service for social enterprises. Carolyn is the Chief Executive of SLP Positive about Employment this a unique and highly effective Diverse Employment and Training agency based in Liverpool city centre. It provides a wide range of recruitment and training packages for public, private and voluntary organisations across Merseyside.

Val Jones is discussing the North West social enterprise programme.  Val is the Director of Social Enterprise North West.

Social  Enterprise Network has invited Andy Myers Regional Adviser for the North West The Big Lottery Fund's to make a presentation on Friday 26 June 2009 12 – 2pm at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Council Chamber, One Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 9HG. Andy will provide information on the current funds available and opportunities for social enterprises.

This is an excellent opportunity for networking and a buffet lunch is provided.

To book a place click on http://senblfjune09.eventbrite.com/

Wednesday 9th June 2009 9.30am - 12.30pm

The session deals with general principles and the basic requirements for setting up a social enterprise.

The session focusses mainly on the Borough of St Helens, but subject to availability reservations may be possible for those who live/work outside the Borough.

Please see the attached information for further details.

Opportunity to Win up to £2500

Social Enterprise North West (SENW), in association with North West Regional Development Agency and Liverpool Vision will be hosting the first Regional Social Enterprise Trade Fair:

A cash award of £2500 will be provided by Unltd – The Foundation of Social Entrepreneurs.
For those brave enough to enter the ‘Dragons Den’ UnLtd will provide a budding social entrepreneur and a runner up with a cash award of up to £2,500. In order to participate you need to register as a delegate for ‘In Business for Good’ and apply in advance through the following web-link: http://unltd.org.uk/regions.php?ID=39&PageName=newsandevents

13th May 09 10.30am – 2.00pm at The Brindley, High Street, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 1BG

The event is sponsored by Enterprising Halton Programme in partnership with Social Enterprise Network (SEN), and aims to promote social enterprise development in Halton and improve awareness of the nature and objectives associated with a typical Social Enterprise.
Speakers include:

• Peter Furmedge, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Network – “What is a Social Enterprise?”
• Jeff Scales, Regional Development Manager, Development Trusts Association, North West – “An Introduction to Community Asset Transfer”
• Jane Williams, Community Accountants - “An Introduction to Full Cost Accounting”
• Roy White, North West Regional Director, Social Enterprise Loan Fund – “Ability & Sustainability”
• Val Jones, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise North West “The regional perspective”

6 May 2009

Pound signsThe Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo) is set to head a taskforce that will guide the £1.4 billion Future Jobs Fund announced in the budget last month on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The DWP funding is open to voluntary organisations and social enterprises keen to employ new workers aged between 18 and 24 and could create over 150,000 job opportunities.

Adiuvo Business Solutions Ltd is an organisation which focuses upon the developmental needs of third sector organisation, primarily across Merseyside. Simply, Adiuvo engenders change and growth through the delivery of professional services in operational and financial matters.

See the attachment for further information on services

In Partnership with one of the top independent training companies in the North West

Do you have the power to think creatively?

Creative Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making In Teams at 60 Duke Street, Liverpool, L1 5AA on Friday 22nd May 2009 9:15 – 9:30.a.m. – 4:30 .p.m.

£95.00 plus VAT per delegate
Book 1 Place Get 2nd Half Price
Refreshments and Lunch provided.

See the attached information for further details.

The first European SME Week, taking place from 6 to 14 May 2009, will promote entrepreneurship and inform entrepreneurs about support available for them at European, national and local level. This European campaign aims to make it easier for SMEs to find information, advice, support and ideas to help them develop their activities.