News items
This page contains a selection of news items relevant to social enterprise at national, regional and local level. Details of funding opportunities and grant-making bodies can be found in the Support section. We endeavour to keep this page up-to-date but if you know of a piece of news that would be useful to share, please email info@wssen.org.uk
Social Franchising Support (20/07/10)
Social franchising is an option for existing social enterprises wishing to expand their businesses as well as individuals who want to set up a franchise of an existing, successful social enterprise. Go to full article »
Coutts launches UK’s first Social Enterprise Advisory Service (20/07/10)
This Service encourages banks' entrepreneurial clients to ‘give something back’ by developing enterprises that use their individual skill sets to benefit others. Go to full article »
Government suspends Communitybuilders and the Social Enterprise Investment Fund (20/07/10)
Communitybuilders and the Social Enterprise Investment Fund will not pay out any more money until further notice while a government review is carried out. Go to full article »
LawWorks for Community Groups (12/07/10)
Free legal advice from volunteer lawyers to small charities, not for profit organisations, voluntary and community organisations and social enterprises. Go to full article »
Renewables payback calculator (12/07/10)
Free, downloadable payback calculator to work out if clean energy systems will work for your organisation. Go to full article »
Free coaching support to help set up your own business (05/07/10)
SEED Project to help young people aged 19+ living in Brighton, Hove and Shoreham area set up their own business. Go to full article »
20,000 Coutts clients 'excited' by social enterprise (02/07/10)
A major shift in philanthropic giving towards social enterprise has been predicted by a top banker to UK entrepreneurs. Go to full article »
The Social Enterprise Mark announces winners (25/06/10)
The Social Enterprise Mark has announced the three winners of its competition to win £1000 worth of free advertising. Go to full article »
School for Social Entrepreneurs (22/06/10)
Helps to provide training opportunities for entrepreneurs. Go to full article »
The Prince's Trust (22/06/10)
Business programme helping young people to explore and test their business ideas, write business plans and start their own business. Go to full article »
Co-operatives UK (22/06/10)
Website of the membership organisation that promotes co-operative enterprise. Go to full article »
Support for Social Enterprises working in Reuse Recycling and Composting (18/06/10)
Does your organisation help to reuse, recycle or compost materials or resources? Are you looking to improve, extend or grow the services that you provide? Go to full article »
Ambassadors programme to end in September (18/06/10)
The £1m Social Enterprise Ambassadors programme will end this September after three years. Go to full article »
Awards for Bridging Cultures (ABCs) - celebrating intercultural dialogue (14/06/10)
Funded by the Baring Foundation, the ABCs rewards project helps build bridges between communities and cultures. Go to full article »
Young Enterprise Sussex Scheme (14/06/10)
Scheme aimed at teams of young people aged 15-19 to set up and run their own company. Go to full article »
Frame Of Mind CIC shortlisted for National Award (14/06/10)
Frame Of Mind, a Bognor Regis based Community Interest Company, have been shortlisted in the Royal Bank of Scotland Social Enterprise 100 (RBS SE100) Awards. Go to full article »
Free Business Link social enterprise toolkit (14/06/10)
Business Link London has created an online Social Enterprise Toolkit. Go to full article »
Bursary programme for social entrepreneurs on Cranfield’s Business Growth Programme (25/05/10)
Social entrepreneurs wanted for Business Growth & Development Programme (BGP) Go to full article »
Fighting the Good Fight: Effective Dispute Resolution Tactics (24/05/10)
Fighting the Good Fight is a single-page briefing outlining effective ways for voluntary organisations or community groups to address and resolve disputes with public bodies. Go to full article »
Steady rise for Social Enterprise Mark (24/05/10)
Almost 2000 organisations are likely to hold the Social Enterprise Mark in a year's time. Go to full article »
How to use community to build your social enterprise (24/05/10)
One of the perks of being part of a sector that wants to change the world for the better is its collective commitment to change over self-advancement. Go to full article »
Social enterprise is key to Big Society reform, states David Cameron (24/05/10)
Prime minister, David Cameron, has stated: "We know that the best ideas come from the ground up, not the top down". Go to full article »
Benefits of social enterprise - environmental sustainability (07/05/10)
Are social enterprises focused only on social or environmental aims? Go to full article »
Make a Difference Investment Club (MAD), to raise £1m (04/05/10)
The Make a Difference Investment Club, also known as MAD, is looking to raise £1m from affluent clients seeking social and financial returns. Go to full article »
Sign up to support Better Banking (04/05/10)
Low-income communities, third sector organisations and small businesses struggling in current economic climate. Go to full article »
WSCC Future Jobs Fund Programme (26/04/10)
WSCC to create up to 212 jobs in West Sussex for 18-24 year olds. Go to full article »
Briefing for the creation of a Handbook, Methodology and support package for Social Impact Measurement (SIM) implementation (23/04/10)
WSCC wishes to commission the creation of a handbook as part of the Interreg IVC People project Go to full article »
O2 consultation on social enterprise (19/04/10)
O2 have pledged their commitment to social enterprise, promising to develop a meaningful package of support that meets the needs of the this sector. Go to full article »
Support for Social Enterprise Charter continues to grow (19/04/10)
The Social Enterprise Charter 2010 has been signed by over 60 current and prospective MPs. Go to full article »
Education in Business Award (19/04/10)
Jools Chafer of the charity dizzy, has won the Education in Business Award run by the Chichester Observer. Go to full article »
www.unltdworld.com (19/04/10)
Social networking site connecting social entrepreneurs to help to change the world. Go to full article »
Enhancing promotion and support for social enterprise - new tool (19/04/10)
Following a workshop on business support for social enterprises, a report "Enhancing promotion and support for social enterprise" is available. Go to full article »
Animated Social Enterprise docudrama launched (19/04/10)
Charity and social enterprise advice website KnowHow NonProfit has launched an animated docudrama on life in the voluntary sector. Go to full article »
Sustainability Toolkit for community organisations and parish/town councils (13/04/10)
Sustainability toolkit from Action for Market Towns with a free, downloadable library of key resources to form, develop and sustain a community organisation. Go to full article »
Study increases the number of UK social enterprises to 232,000 (22/03/10)
New research shows that the UK could be home to 232,000 social enterprises and not the official figure of 62,000. Go to full article »
Department of Health offers social enterprise olive branch in ‘preferred provider' furore (22/03/10)
Bob Ricketts, Department of Health director, discusses the problem of social enterprises being too small to bid for major contracts. Go to full article »
The bottom line: Developing help for the homeless (22/03/10)
Social enterprises can make a difference to homeless people, but sometimes even they need support. Go to full article »
Joint manifesto for the third sector launched (22/03/10)
The Social Enterprise Coalition has collaborated with Community Alliance and ACEVO to launch a new manifesto. Go to full article »
Factual Facebook for community-owned village shops (12/03/10)
An online forum for community-owned village shops has been launched by the Plunkett Foundation. Go to full article »
Prove and Improve (09/03/10)
Revamped website from nef for the National Performance Programme, with the updated Proving and Improving quality and impact booklet. Go to full article »
Outcome Assessment for Social Enterprises (OASES) (19/02/10)
A number of tools exist that enable social enterprises to measure and communicate the social and/or environmental impact of their work; but it can sometimes be difficult to determine which tool is most suitable. Go to full article »
Strengthening social enterprise retail skills in rural areas (19/02/10)
Many rural services such as shops and post offices are facing closure. Many communities are now turning to cooperative ownership as a way of saving these services. Go to full article »
www.louder.org.uk (19/02/10)
An easy to use site with online tools for people who want to create and run their own campaigns. Go to full article »
Business Planning Guide to Developing a Social Enterprise (22/01/10)
Guide by Forth Sector, with funding from the Royal Bank of Scotland, Communities Scotland and the EQUAL Social Economy Scotland Development Partnership. Go to full article »
Fresh Ideas - Rural Social Enterprise (22/01/10)
Annual publication by the Plunkett Foundation and Social Enterprise to showcase innovative thinking and share best practice on rural social enterprise Go to full article »
Good Deals 2009: the Social Investment Almanack (22/01/10)
Almanac showcasing different types of social investment, including a directory of social investors, finance providers and support organisations. Go to full article »
Social Enterprise Business Support Programme: working in partnership to transform business support (22/01/10)
Business Support Programme comprising work managed in the National Knowledge Management Programme and the Improving Social Enterprise Expansion (I-SEE) Programme Go to full article »
Peer to Peer Support Groups (18/12/09)
WSSEN, in collaboration with Communication 4 Action (C4A), is launching two peer support groups for social enterprises in West Sussex. Go to full article »
Third Sector Research Centre has a new interactive website (18/12/09)
The Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC), a national centre for wide-ranging research into the third sector, has launched a new interactive website. Go to full article »
Pilotlight London offers free capacity building support (07/12/09)
Pilotlight brings together professionals from the business community with directors of charities and social enterprises to harness their skills to create growth and sustainability. Go to full article »
CAN Engage (07/12/09)
Does your charity or social enterprise need extra business support? CAN Engage matches skills of corporate executives with business needs of third sector organisations. Go to full article »
Model constitution for small charities (07/12/09)
A simplified model constitution for small charities with an annual income of under £5,000. Go to full article »
SEASON - developing a network for social enterprise advisers (10/11/09)
SEASON is funded by Capacity Builders to develop a network for social enterprise advisers in the South East. Go to full article »
Funding future jobs in your social enterprise (02/11/09)
The Social Enterprise Coalition is interested to know more about the plans of social enterprises to create jobs over the coming months to help to inform its policy position. Go to full article »
Breakthrough website (02/11/09)
Breakthrough is a social investment programme that provides funding and management support to help established social enterprises scale up and maximise their social impact. Go to full article »
Community Voices (04/08/09)
Two-year project aiming to inspire, engage and support disadvantaged and isolated communities across England to get their voices heard through digital media. Go to full article »
Guide to Social Return on Investment (27/07/09)
This resource guide, published by the SROI Network, explains the different stages of this technique step-by-step, offering top tips and practice points along the way. Go to full article »
www.knowhownonprofit.org.uk (02/06/09)
Website for charities, community groups and social enterprises. Go to full article »
Developing a Social Enterprise resource pack (18/05/09)
Developing a Social Enterprise - a resource pack - has been produced by Birmingham and Solihull Social Economy Consortium (BSSEC) to provide guidance and information for those that wish to set up a social enterprise, but have little or no experience of bu Go to full article »
The Ethical Business Guide (24/02/09)
Free guide available from Blue Rocket and The Good Folk on how to run a business more ethically. Go to full article »
Can you supply to London 2012? (25/11/08)
As part of 'Winning with 2012' Social Enterprise London would like to build a list of social enterprises who can supply to London 2012. Go to full article »