November, 2009 News

An innovative social enterprise is helping to create jobs for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme has secured work experience for young people in Ikea stores across the country, with many being offered full-time positions within Ikea following their participation in the scheme.

Chrisanthi Giotis SocialEnterpriseLive.com

A social enterprise born out of a corporate social responsibility programme in multinational furniture company Ikea has just received backing from the Young Foundation.

With the Conservative Party appearing to be 'hanging their hat' on the idea of using social enterprises and other third sector organisations to run public services in place of the state, the launch of the new 'Red Tory' think tank ResPublica, heralds a new political vision for the sector. ResPublica founder Phillip Blond is keen to see the rise of 'moralised markets' with social enterprises playing a key part of this.

Chrisanthi Giotis SocialEnterpriseLive.com

The Liverpool Centre for Arts Development (LCAD) will be holding an art exhibition and sale at their premises on Brownlow Hill, Liverpool.

Showcasing local talent the exhibition will provide you with an opportunity to view the talents of the local community.

The exhibition and sale is set to run from 5.00pm to 8.00pm on Wednesday 9th December. 

For more information, view the attached flyer.

www.lcad.org.uk

UnLtd have re-launched their Sport Relief: Make it Happen awards programme. Aiming to harness young people's entrepreneurial spirit, the awards programme is designed to help them become change makers in their communities.

The programme gives young people the opportunity to run their own projects, bring communities together, help promote understanding and solve social problems through sport, recreational activities and the arts.

Striding Out are to host a Festive Networking event in central Liverpool on Thursday 10th December 6pm-9pm.

This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded entrepreneurs and professionals and forge some useful connections ready for the new year!

The networking event is being held at 3345 Parr Street Studios, Liverpool, L1 4JN. 

For more information and to book your place on this event, click here. 

Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre are to host a 'Winter Fayre Table Sale' on Saturday 12th December. There are to be a variety of events and activities throughout the day including a Santa's Grotto.

Running from 12pm-4pm the Winter Fayre will give you the opportunity to sell your arts and crafts, household bric a brac, toys, books, dvds etc from £10 a table. Raffle tickets and refreshments will be on sale throughout the day.

Liverpool Vision has launched a new website, designed and built by the innovative social enterprise Brava Design. Aimed at helping Liverpool businesses source guidance and support, the site is to act as a central hub for commercial enterprise on Merseyside.

how-do.co.uk

Brava Design has taken the wraps off its new site for Liverpool Vision, which aims to help local businesses source guidance and assistance through relevant enterprise support agencies.

UnLtd are running a development programme for social enterprise leaders aimed at developing your social business and helping it to maximize its potential through increased growth and replication.

The Ultimate Growth and Replication 'Two Day Intensive Development Programme' for Leaders & Senior Managers wanting to take their Social Business to the next level.

Granby Toxteth Development Trust are currently running a range of programmes covering Business Advice to Basic skills. The programmes are designed to assist people at various stages of personal development in order to improve their individual skill base.

Delivered by professional business people and qualified tutors, the programmes provide assistance with all aspects of skill development, employment and self employment.

The Liverpool Guild of Students (LGoS) is a thriving student union with the purpose of improving the lives, experiences and representation of the students of the University of Liverpool. As a flourishing, growing social enterprise Liverpool Guild of Students is inviting Social Enterprises to get involved. 

Unlimited Potential, a rapidly growing and nationally recognised social enterprise, are currently seeking a Director of Operations. 

Unlimited Potential are seeking their first executive Director of Operations, who will be a key part of the senior management team and a Board member. You will lead on and develop both Quality & Outcomes (services) and People (workforce).

Communities are to be given greater opportunities to buy 'Community Assets' such as post offices, community centres and other public buildings under Conservative plans. Social enterprises would be used to run these public assets and ensure community control.

Henry Palmer SocialEnterpriseLive.com

Tory leader David Cameron has pledged to introduce a 'community right to buy' giving social enterprises first refusal to acquire decrepit public buildings.

Designed to assist social enterprises working to tackle the root causes of homelessness, Spark is a programme of support which includes government funding, business support from leading social enterprises as well as private sector support. Spark has today (25/11/09) celebrated the successes of the social enterprises it has supported since June 2008.

Chrisanthi Giotis SocialEnterpriseLive.com

Voice4Change England, the national body that supports BME third sector organisations, has called upon the government to provide increased support to tackle the barriers that face BME social enterprises and entrepreneurs. Voice4Change has launched a position paper highlighting the many issues that these organisations face, suggesting possible goals for policymakers.

Kate Youde Thirdsector.co.uk 

Voice4Change England has called on the Government to provide more support for BME social enterprises.

If you are running a social enterprise and in need of funds to strengthen and modernise your organisation then the Modernisation Fund may be able to help. In response to the current recession the Fund has been launched as a means of safeguarding the work of Third Sector organisations against the economic downturn.

The Community Foundation for Merseyside are currently recruiting for a Grants and Development Support Officer on an internship basis.

The position is full time for 12 months.

Funding has been obtained from the Rank Foundation so that full expenses can be covered throughout the placement, to include accommodation, travel, food as well as a weekly allowance and opportunities for training courses and qualifications.

Walton Cornerstone, community and enterprise partnership, have a number of rooms available for immediate occupancy. These range from office space for social enterprise and community groups and meeting rooms for hire.

Walton Cornerstone aims to host Social Enterprise, Charity and third sector activities and groups. Currently home to 6 organisations and 7 community groups benefitting 200 local people each week.

Spaces for hire include:

The Prime Minister has voiced his support for social enterprise at a reception at Downing Street to celebrate Social Enterprise Day. Gordon Brown praised the 'huge difference' that social enterprises make to peoples lives and communities.

number10.gov.uk

Communities are stronger as a result of social enterprises, the Prime Minister has told people working in the sector at a Downing Street reception to mark Social Enterprise Day.

Increasing public awareness of the social enterprise sector is a major concern of the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC). As such the SEC have partnered up with the original creators of the Social Enterprise Mark to produce a high profile national identifier that will raise the profile of the movement as a whole.

Gemma Hampson SocialEnterpriseLive.com

The launch of the new social enterprise brand has been postponed until the new year.

Highlighting the emphasis within NHS Primary Care Trusts for staff to set up social enterprises to provide services, 20 new social enterprises have won support and funding through the 'right to request' initiative.

Gemma Hampson SocialEnterpriseLive.com

Frontline NHS staff have designed 20 new social enterprises to transform the care of patients, care services minister Phil Hope announced today.

Our Life, the wellbeing and health campaign for the North West, are seeking an experienced communications executive to enable this campaigning social enterprise to communicate effectively with members, the media and other key stakeholders.

The successful candidate will assist in the development of Our Life's regular communications and marketing materials including producing and editing written, visual and audio material for Our Life publications, website and electronic channels.

Social enterprises based in North Liverpool and South Sefton are to receive extra support in the form of an Investment Bank which will offer low interest Loan Finance. The Liverpool Sefton Social Investment Bond is aimed at improving start-up and survival rates of social enterprises in these areas.

Chrisanthi Giotis SocialEnterpriseLive.com

A £5m fund for social enterprises working in Sefton, near Liverpool has been launched by Charity Bank.

New research, published today (Social Enterprise Day 19/11) by the Social Enterprise Coalition, has revealed that social enterprises are bucking the trend and are actually thriving in the midst of recession.

bdaily.info

New research reveals that social enterprises are bucking all the trends, with over half having increased their annual turnover since the start of the recession.

Mainstream business people, looking to set up their own social enterprises, are set to receive specialist support in the form of a 'Social Enterprise Academy'. The i-Genius Academy will play host to a number of high profile coaches and skills courses designed to transfer skills to social entrepreneurship.

Claudia Cahalane SocialEnterpriseLive.com

A new academy, which will support mainstream business people to launch social enterprises, will open its doors early next year.

With a Conservative general election victory looking increasingly likely in 2010, a meeting of social business leaders has expressed concerns over an apparent lack of understanding amongst Conservative ministers regarding social enterprise.

Chrisanthi Giotis SocialEnterpriseLive.com

The majority of an audience of 100 social entrepreneurs gathered at a social investment conference believed that a Tory government would disappoint the sector.