September, 2009 News

Rochdale and District 'Mind' is a thriving third sector organisation delivering local services to individuals who experience mental distress. Rochdale and District 'Mind' are currently seeking to recruit committed individuals into the following 3 posts.

 

Liverpool based social enterprise Brava Design have unveiled the new website and branding for 'Galleries Outside Liverpool', a partnership between Local Authorities arts organisations on Merseyside. The campaign is designed to bring art appreciation out of the city centre and into local communities.

www.galleriesoutsideliverpool.co.uk

www.bravadesign.co.uk

 

Cabinet minister Liam Byrne has added further weight to the belief that social enterprise is the way forward for the effective delivery of public services. Speaking at the Labour Party Conference Byrne has said there were opportunities for social entrepreneurs both in terms of reaching the markets in deprived communities that conventional businesspeople miss, and in transforming public services.

Chrisanthi Giotis of SocialEnterpriseLive.com writes:

Third Sector minister Angela Smith has, at the Labour Party conference, called for a 'tighter definition' of the term 'social enterprise'. Angela Smith has said that a tighter definition of social enterprise would help to allay suspicions from the left. Speaking at a fringe event at the Labour conference yesterday, Smith said: 'Where there is criticism from the left sometimes is that the definition of social enterprise is pretty broad.

Chrisanthi Giotis of SocialEnterpriseLive.com reports:

Thursday 29th October will see the Community Alliance in the Northwest hosting an information event and workshop 'Securing the Future of Community Anchors: Developing Assets and Enterprises (GHS Preston)'.

This event is aimed at existing or aspiring 'Community Anchor' organisations, particularly those interested in seeking to develop new enterprises or assets to help them to achieve financial stability.

The Big Issue celebrates its 18th birthday this month. Since its foundation in September 1991 by Gordon Roddick and John Bird, the Big Issue has become an international brand and one of the most high profile social enterprises. The Big Issue continues to be a force for change and pioneer of social business

Happy Birthday Big Issue!!!

http://www.bigissueinthenorth.com/

Social Enterprise Network has partnered up with Striding Out to bid for the Future Jobs Fund.

We are looking for social enterprises across Merseyside who can provide a job(s) for a long term unemployed young person aged 18-24.

We are submitting a bid to the Future Jobs Fund during October, and we are currently creating a pool of jobs opportunities to submit with our application.

Sefton CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) will be holding a 'Funding Drop-in Surgery' on Wednesday 7th October 2009 from 4pm-7pm. The surgery is designed to allow you to find out about funding opportunites for your project/organisation and to get some useful assistance with putting the final touches to any funding applications that you may be working on.

For more information and to book please see the attached information and booking forms.

www.seftoncvs.co.uk

 

The Liverpool School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) has launched an innovative new Envronmental Programme to support those looking to set up an environmental organisation or project.

'Do you reside in Liverpool? Do you have an idea to set up an environmental organisation or business that will benefit your community? Are you running an environmental project that you want to develop and sustain? Would you benefit from tailored personal support?'

One of the three proposed tiers of the new social enterprise brand has been scrapped at discussion stage in a bid to give the initiative more strength and focus. The new Social Enterprise Mark has been designed as an 'identifier' of social business, in order to help 'social enterprise' stand out and to make its social intentions clear to the public as a whole.

The Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC) has today appointed Peter Holbrook as their new CEO. Holbrook states that 'Politically and economically, social enterprise is set to be tested like never before', however he also hopes to promote social enterprise as 'a model that can change business and society'

Peter Holbrook has won recognition from both Gordon Brown and David Cameron for his work as CEO of the Sunlight Trust in Kent . Holbrook will take over from current Social Enterprise Coalition CEO Jonathan Bland in the New Year.

'Successful businesses use good design'. The Design Initiative will be running a 'Branding and Design' workshop on the 29th September aimed specifically at Liverpool businesses.

Leading designer and consultant Jon Barraclough will lead the workshop on how to use design effectively to stand out from the crowd and communicate with your target market, and create a good 'brand experience' for your customers.

A survey of social care staff has suggested that Social Enterprises might be more pleasant places to work because of a strong sense of purpose and a stronger focus on outcomes rather than profit.

A St Helens social enterprise is celebrating after receiving a £40,000 grant from the Government's Targeted Support Fund.

The Wellbeing Project has secured the grant from the Community Foundation for Merseyside, to deliver a unique scheme that will educate the victims of domestic violence about ways to keep well.

Third sector minister Angela Smith has launched the first ever Social Investment Almanack which collects together think pieces and case studies to better inform social entrepreneurs and investors about the 'social investment space'.

SocialEnterpriseLive writes:

Good Deals 2009: the Social Investment Almanack is published by Social Enterprise magazine and supported by the Office of the Third Sector and NESTA.

'Social Enterprise Day' on November 19th is designed to celebrate the work of Social Enterprises and Entrepreneurs alike. Amongst the numerous other events taking place on November 19th, the Social Enterprise Coalition are hosting a Social Enterprise Conference.

Social Enterprise Coalition 17/09/09 reports:

The new third sector minister Angela Smith MP has announced that the government will invest up to £5m to boost the most ambitious Social Enterprises via the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund.

www.socialenterpriselive.com reports:

The Bridges fund, which focuses on ambitious social enterprises, has also recently secured investment of £750,000 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. This means, to date, it has a total of £8.6m to invest in social businesses.

Oakmere Community College (Cherry Lane, Walton, Liverpool, L4 6UG) will be holding an open day on Tuesday 6th October 2009 from 9:30am to 12:30pm. A range of Sports courses and Vocational Activities will be on show with refreshments available. For more information on this event go to www.oakmere.net or call 0151 213 0194.

The Greater Merseyside Advancement Network Prototype in conjunction with the Greater Merseyside (GM) City Employment Strategy initiative and Pathways Enabling project are in a position to offer some free training to Advance members as a part of their capacity-building activities under the GM Advancement Prototype. To register as an Advance member go to www.advancemersey.org

Listed below are the details of the first training offer:

Connect Consultancy will be starting their next Job Club on Saturday 26th September 2009 from 11am taking place at the Conservative Party Offices on London Road, Stockton Heath, Warrington.

On Thursday 24th September 2009, Connect Consultancy will be hosting a short introduction workshop at the Conservative Party Offices in Stockton Heath, Warrington.

A Voice of One is a choir brought together by the Voice in the City project to spread an anti-gun and knife crime message from the children and young people of Croxteth and Norris Green.

A Voice of One are to release a single to spread the message that the children and young people of Croxteth and Norris Green are not prepared to live in fear of gun and knife crime.

'You're the Voice' is released on September 18th and will be available nationally at HMV stores and also via download from iTunes, Napster, eMusic and HMV Digital.

Maverick are launching an exciting new lifeskills educational product and service for young people aged 14-19 at their 'Maverick Lifeskills Curriculum Showcase Event' on Thursday 17th September between 2:30pm - 4:30pm at Unit 4, Dewar Court, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 1PT. Go to www.mavericktraining.co.uk for more info on Maverick...

By John Plummer, Third Sector Online, 10 September 2009

Those that received 'beat-the-recession' training are eligible to apply

Voluntary organisations that received bursaries for advice worth £1,000 from the Government's Modernisation Fund can bid for grants of up to £10,000 from next Monday.

Sep 10 2009 by Neil Hodgson, Liverpool Echo

A NEW skills scheme marked the creation of its first 12 graduates with a celebration lunch in Waterloo.