Dear Colleagues
Summoned yesterday to a 7.00am breakfast meeting this morning to meet the Prime Minister and new Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy – along with around 70 or so bleary-eyed business leaders – I took the opportunity to raise the urgent issue of liquidity for credit unions and CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) in the current banking climate, as well as asking Government to prioritise piloting Community Allowances in their forthcoming welfare reforms (allowing benefit claimants to work for up to 15 hours a week on community projects without losing benefits). Both the PM and the Secretary of State asserted that social enterprise had a vital role to play providing training, jobs and social cohesion. Interestingly, the PM also stated that the government was looking closely at setting up a Social Enterprise Bank. Jim Murphy said that stability of the relationship between social enterprise organisations like our own and the government were of key importance and they would like to meet us to discuss benefits reform. I am now taking this forward with the Secretary of State’s office and will be calling on Coalition members who know their stuff on benefits to lead discussions.
Obviously, as you will read in the press tomorrow, the meeting was overwhelmingly concerned with the banking crisis, the delirium of the banks’ engagement with the sub-prime market and the desperate plight of Scotland’s small businesses, but at least on this occasion social enterprise was not overlooked. The SFHA also raised the issue of housing associations’ role in addressing housing needs effectively in the current climate, which was also noted by the PM. The PM talked at length about stewardship and quoted Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments which positioned business in terms of stewardship of society, as opposed to naked self interest. With recession comes a new tone and a re-examination of what is important. Social enterprise, as the embodiment of stewardship in action, must put a high price on its head. Business, civil society and politicians need us to keep the glue of community together for when the good times return.
Much of our campaigning goes on behind the scenes, but rest assured we are working hard to get social enterprise representation on the Commonwealth Games Legacy committees and have made our feelings felt about SSEC being represented on the Joint Task Group set up with SCVO, COSLA, SOLACE and the Third Sector Division. We are also meeting local authority Chief Executives and senior managers to ensure they understand how social enterprise can deliver multiple outcomes for their Single Outcome Agreements through procurement and support and to lobby for social enterprise representation in Community Planning Partnerships. This is slow going, but we look forward to working with our members over the coming months to ensure that we can pool information and contacts. We are also running a SOLACE study tour in Glasgow for Local Authority Chief Executives on November 28th, who will be visiting Unity Enterprise, Haven Products and The Wise Group. As for the private sector, SSEC is running several chamber events after the New Year with Senscot – more info to follow.
Please take a look at our fantastic Christmas presents webpage, and if you can, do join us at one of our forthcoming Coalition events.
With best wishes,
Antonia Swinson, Chief Executive
Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition Activity
Doing good business this Christmas – Coalition’s Christmas Web page goes live!
Our long-awaited Christmas presents webpage goes live today, courtesy of Forth Sector. This is a new departure for the Coalition, but designed to deliver our core objective of raising the profile of social enterprise. We have carried out a full press campaign to back this initiative, and we would ask you to think about buying Christmas presents from this exciting list which includes:
- Dance lessons from Fly Right Dance Company
- Bathrobes and hand-made soaps from Forth Sector
- Award-winning cheese baskets from Loch Arthur Creamery
- Days out at Badaguish Cairngorm Outdoor Centre
- Home-cooked food from the Engine Shed
- Restaurant vouchers from Aberdeen Foyer
- Caring Christmas Trees from Kibble
- Seafood from Loch Fyne Oysters
- Beautiful crafts and gifts from Rag Tag ‘n Textile
- Garden benches from Craigencalt Ecology Centre
- Subscriptions to Good Company Magazine
Social Enterprise Day events
We will be putting out press information in the next few days and we want to know what you and your organisations are doing to celebrate Social Enterprise Day on 20th November – so please tell us! Contact David Ogilvie with information or call 0131 243 2650 by 5th November.
Glenrothes by-election
Ahead of the by-election on 6th November, SSEC has issued briefings to all main parties’ candidates for the Glenrothes by-election, reminding them of the contribution and importance of social enterprises to the local economy in the constituency, and providing a timely reminder to all parties of their policy positions outlined in the 2007 Scottish elections. Contact David Ogilvie for more information.
Party Conferences
Coalition team members have had a whirlwind time during October preparing for, attending and following up from both the Scottish Liberal Democrats autumn conference on 11th October and the SNP Annual Conference in Perth from 16th to 19th October. We have met a number of very interesting and potentially useful contacts and will be following these up in the coming weeks.
MSP Visits
Arranging visits for Members of the Scottish Parliament is an important part of our work – the very best way to communicate just what social enterprise can achieve. Please let our Parliamentary & Communications Officer, David Ogilvie, know if you would like to host or organise a visit. November sees Hugh O’Donnell MSP visiting Ask Clyde and Haven Products on 17th November, and Maureen Watt MSP, the Minister for Schools & Skills visiting the Princess Royal Sports & Community Trust in Banff on 21st November as part of Social Enterprise week celebrations. Bob Doris MSP is particularly keen to set up a visit to a small social enterprise in north Glasgow – please contact David Ogilvie if you can help.
Showcase your social enterprise!
We’ll soon be embarking on a revamp of the SSEC website, and as part of our work raising the profile of social enterprise as a dynamic business model, we want you to send us photos and stories showcasing your social enterprises, which we will then feature on the SSEC website. It’s an ideal opportunity to sell the good news story of social enterprise in Scotland, and your input is essential - so please contact David Ogilvie.
Future SSEC Diary Dates
18th November 2008, 6pm-8pm: SSEC Annual Parliamentary Reception, Garden Lobby, Scottish Parliament
Our annual MSP reception will be hosted by new Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Tavish Scott, with key note speaker Cabinet Secretary John Swinney MSP. The theme of the event is Good Selling and many Coalition members will be exhibiting. Invited guests will be coming from the public and private sectors.
19th November 2008: “Celebrating Social Enterprise in Scotland’s Black and Minority Ethnic Communities”, Committee Room 4, Scottish Parliament, 1.30pm-3pm
This Coalition event is already attracting strong interest from MSPs, local authorities and Coalition members. If you would like to attend please email Kate Walshaw - , and a PDF of our new leaflet “Celebrating diversity” is available on the SSEC website. We are very grateful to our partners CEMVO, the African & Caribbean Network and BEMIS in the production of this important publication.
8th December 2008, 12.30pm – 4.30pm: The Coalition's 3rd Anniversary Event, Out of the Blue, Edinburgh
A chance for members to network and learn more about Coalition plans for the coming year. Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, will be joining us for a round table forum, along with Allison Ogden-Newton from Social Enterprise London who will be discussing the Olympics and the challenges facing social enterprises in procurement. For more information contact Kate Walshaw - .
4th December 2008: SSEC Intermediaries Dinner, Royal Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh
IMPORTANT! PLEASE NOTE that due to the clash with the SURF Annual Awards Dinner, the Coalition’s Intermediaries Dinner will now be postponed until the New Year.
“Partnerships for Growth”- MacRoberts Social Enterprise legal briefings series
Tickets are going fast for this event but Coalition Associates MacRoberts LLP solicitors are still offering a special rate on two half-day legal seminars for our members at £60 per person per session on the subject of building consortia with social enterprises and the private sector.
- 28th January 2009: Public Sector Tendering
- 18th March 2009: Private Sector Collaboration
23rd April 2009: S2S 2008 Trade Fair, Edinburgh Corn Exchange
A key date for your diary! For more information contact Donna Ferguson on 0131 243 2650 or email .
News from Scotland’s Social Enterprises
A very warm welcome to our new Members and Associates
- Fly Right Dance Company (Members)
- Govanhill Housing Association (Members)
- Shell UK (Associates)
- Faculty of Advocates - Free Legal Services Unit (Associates)
Many congratulations to leading Scottish social enterprises and Coalition members The Wise Group and CEiS who have emerged as award winners of the prestigious UK wide, Enterprising Solutions, Social Enterprise of the Year, 2008. The awards reflect the fact that Scotland is one of the best countries in the world to be a social enterprise business and the continued reputation of Scottish social enterprises and showing how the social enterprise sector in Scotland is making a big impact in the UK. Both social enterprises received a prize of £5,000 to provide further support for the people and projects that they work with. Full story here.
- Enterprising Solutions Awards 2008 - Full List of Winners
- Enterprising Solutions Awards 2008 – Times Online
- Times Online profile – CEiS
- Times Online profile – The Wise Group
- Enterprising Solutions Comment from Kevin Brannan, UK Minister for the Third Sector and RBS Community Banking Head, Duncan Sloan
The Wise Group 25th Anniversary Awards celebrations took place on Monday 27th October during a gala dinner held in Glasgow. Congratulations go to Coalition members Cunninghame Housing Association who won the Wise Partner award. Further details of all award winners are available on the Wise Group website. Meanwhile, former BBC Scotland newsreader David Robertson has joined leading Social Enterprise The Wise Group in a senior role as Head of Public Affairs - full story here.
Social Enterprise World Forum - Conference Report
A full conference report is now available on the CEiS website at SEWF Conference Report. The report contains links to the film footage from the Forum, speaker responses to delegate questions and details of the 2009 and 2010 Forums in Melbourne and San Francisco.
Impact Arts announces Caring Christmas trees franchise for Greater Glasgow
Glasgow social enterprise Impact Arts has secured the Caring Christmas Trees franchise for the Greater Glasgow area. Visit Caring Christmas Trees - Glasgow.
“Red Oil” preview screening
Coalition member media co-op's latest film “RED OIL” is coming soon on Channel4's More4 "True Stories" and there's a free preview screening on Wednesday 12th November at 8.00pm at WEST Brewery Bar on Glasgow Green G40 1AW. The film “RED OIL” tells the high-octane story of the only multi-national oil corporation in the world that is part of a socialist revolution - in Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. Book your free place by emailing .
Community Energy Scotland launched at Holyrood
The formal launch of Community Energy Scotland took place in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 7th October. Announcing the launch, Alan Hobbett, chair of Community Energy Scotland, told invited guests that "There has never been a better time for communities to develop their own renewable energy projects.” Full story on Community Energy Scotland website or read Alan Hobbett’s speech here on the LPL website.
ACE & CRNS welcome visit from EU Director General’s office for Enterprise and Industry
Alloa Community Enterprises (ACE) and CRNS held a successful evening parliamentary event on 2nd October to mark the visit of Karin Fuessl from the European Union Director General’s (DG) office for Enterprise and Industry. The event provided a unique opportunity for the community recycling sector to engage directly with both the DG’s office and MSPs simultaneously and highlight policy and legislative concerns.
Vivarium Co-Housing Survey
In last month’s bulletin we highlighted the fact that leading Coalition member Community Enterprise were working with a group of older people on the feasibility of a co-housing project (called Vivarium) and peoples’ attitudes to housing and we asked members to complete a brief survey. Douglas Westwater, Director of Community Enterprises says he was delighted to get 528 responses and would like us to relay his thanks to all who took part. A report will be sent to Vivarium soon.
Fairness, equality and opportunity
“A BELIEVER in fate might have foreseen that one day Eunice Lancaster would find herself in this most unlikely of professions - banker to the unbankable”. Read the Herald's profile of Eunice Lancaster, head of social enterprise DSL Business Finance.
Intellectual Assets Courses
The Social Enterprise Academy are delivering 1-day workshops on Intellectual Assets in Dundee (11th November) and Inverness (25th November). This is a new area of work being researched and delivered by the Intellectual Assets Centre, supported by the Scottish Government. It is an opportunity to learn about and understand your own organisations intellectual assets. If you would like further information or would like to book a place, please contact Jayne Rowe on 0131 243 2670 or email .
Supplier Development Programme
Despite irritating teething problems experienced by some of our members, which we are now assured by the Scottish Government have been resolved, a new service is now available to all trading third sector organisations and social enterprises across Scotland, called the Supplier Development Programme (SDP), which aims to assist businesses to improve their performance in winning contracts with Scottish Public Sector Organisations.
10th-11th February 2009: Voice ’09, International Conference Centre, Birmingham
The Social Enterprise Coalition’s “Voice 09” event will take place on 10-11th February 2009 at International Conference Centre, Birmingham. Voice09 announcement
Policy Update
Social enterprise and the current economic upheaval – SEC UK needs your voice
These are extraordinary economic times and we think it is crucial to understand the range of experiences social enterprises are having. The Social Enterprise Coalition (UK) would like to know about the difficulties you're experiencing as well as your successes. Please spare five minutes to complete their survey: SEC UK Survey on the Economy. What you tell them will help them make the case for you and social enterprise in general to government, banks and others. The more information they have, the stronger your voice will be.
Bank of Scotland announce £6million Social Entrepreneur Awards
Bank of Scotland Corporate is running its Social Entrepreneur Awards, supported by The Sunday Times to highlight not-for-profit organisations with entrepreneurial flair, and is offering two winners a prize fund of interest-free finance of up to £6m or a cash donation of up to £600,000. They will also receive invaluable mentoring from a leading social entrepreneur. Two interesting background articles are available on The Times Online website, see "Helping hands" and "A great opportunity to make £6m worth of difference".
Scottish Government Research Programme Update
We understand that the Scottish Government has now put out a request for expressions of interest in work to complete a literature review on the contribution of the third sector to the government’s five strategic objectives which can be found on the Scottish Government website. A quick tip: this is the website that hosts all such requests and adverts, so it’s worth keeping an eye on in general.