History: Home /socialenterprise/strategy.cfm

Social Enterprise Strategy

The South East Social Enterprise Strategy has been launched, led by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). Supported by a wide ranging cross sector steering group, the strategy/framework has been developed over a 2 year period and is now ready for implementation.The vision for the strategy is "to create a region where social enterprise can grow and thrive and play its full part in contributing to the sustainable development of the South East".

RAISE has fully participated in the steering group and is pleased with the progress of the strategy so far. It is intended for a cross sector audience and uses accessible language that is not full of jargon. It repeatedly acknowledges the value of the voluntary/community sector (VCS) and seeks to give a well balanced view of the opportunities for the VCS through social enterprise.

The strategy does have resources attached to implement it including a match fund from ChangeUp of £100,000. It has 29 very challenging targets, some of which are aspirational but there was a desire to push the boundaries in the South East and demonstrate commitment to developing an increase in social enterprise activity.

The ChangeUp funds are to support VCS engagement with the implementation of the regional strategy and fall into 3 distinct areas:

1. VCS/Business Link Engagement

The action plan offers 100 places on a nationally accredited training course to develop social enterprise advisors for the region. A minimum of 20 places are protected for the VCS and some of the ChangeUp funds will offer bursaries for the VCS places to enable some back filling, expenses, resource buying etc. This acknowledges that the VCS do not have the resources to release staff and then pay for all of their expenses. It will also offer the organisations who do put staff forward the opportunity to buy some social enterprise resources.

2. Links to Infrastructure Development Plans (IDPs)

There are 20 IDPs being created across the region and these will need to have some focus on social enterprise and how the related support and advice can be provided to frontline VCO's. The money will go to the existing county based Social Enterprise Networks that offer full regional coverage. These will enable the work to happen locally and link to the IDPs. Details of the leads for the County Networks are contained within the regional strategy.

3. Developing the VCS Social Enterprise Network

This network will offer a regional focus on social enterprise activity within the VCS. It will offer face to face meetings, regular communications, newsletters, web site space and generally a safe haven for discussion and debate about the emerging agendas. It will link to the 20 IDPs and the 8 County networks and offer opportunities to share experiences.

Accompanying the newly launched strategy are several other useful publications including:

• Case Studies from the South East - some of which are from the VCS
• Culture South East - a guide to 'lessons learnt from Cultural Social Enterprises in the South East.
• Housing Associations and Social Enterprise ? their potential role in the South East region.