Timely survival skills for the entrepreneur…

Explanations, SocEntEastMids, Social Business Support, Social Enterprise, , , , ,
Survival skills for social entrepreneurs - a guide - cover image
Download this useful guide here …pdf

“Survival Skills for Social Entrepreneurs” is a practical handbook that provides guidance on the seven essential skills needed to thrive in social entrepreneurship. The focus of the handbook is on adaptable, enduring skills that will be useful no matter how roles or organisations change. The seven skills are not specific to any particular industry or sector, but rather are “no regret” skills that will be useful in any context.

The handbook includes expert guides and activities for each skill, including creativity, resilience, communication, leadership, financial management, networking, and self-care.

The authors of “Survival Skills for Social Entrepreneurs” are Kevin Dunne and Claire Wilson. The handbook was published by the Social Enterprise Academy and Pioneers Post in 2021-2022.

The seven skills that social entrepreneurs need to survive and thrive, as outlined in the handbook “Survival Skills for Social Entrepreneurs,” are:

1. Resilience
2. Communication
3. Creativity
4. Leadership
5. Financial management
6. Networking
7. Self-care

Each of these skills is essential for social entrepreneurs to succeed in their endeavors, and the handbook provides expert guidance and activities for developing each skill.

The handbook “Survival Skills for Social Entrepreneurs” provides guidance and activities for developing each of the seven essential skills needed to succeed in social entrepreneurship. Here are some general tips on how you can apply these skills to your own social enterprise:

1. Resilience: Develop a resilient mindset and attitude by learning how to cope with failure, setbacks, and disappointment.

2. Communication: Learn how to communicate effectively with stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and partners.

3. Creativity: Foster creativity by exploring new ideas and approaches to solving problems.

4. Leadership: Develop leadership skills by setting a clear vision for your organisation and inspiring others to follow it.

5. Financial management: Learn how to manage your finances effectively by creating a budget, tracking expenses, and seeking funding opportunities.

6. Networking: Build relationships with other social entrepreneurs, investors, and stakeholders in your industry or sector.

7. Self-care: Take care of yourself physically and mentally by practising self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones.

By applying these skills to your own social enterprise, you can increase your chances of success and make a positive impact in your community or industry.

The handbook “Survival Skills for Social Entrepreneurs” includes several case studies and real-life examples of social entrepreneurs who have successfully applied the seven essential skills to their own enterprises. These case studies provide practical insights and inspiration for readers who are looking to develop their own social enterprises. Some of the case studies featured in the handbook include:

– The story of a social enterprise that provides affordable housing solutions for low-income families
– A case study on a social enterprise that uses technology to improve access to healthcare in rural areas
– The story of a social entrepreneur who started a business that provides job training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities
– A case study on a social enterprise that uses sustainable farming practices to promote food security and economic development in rural communities

These case studies demonstrate how social entrepreneurs can use the seven essential skills to create innovative solutions to complex social problems.

This copy was generated by AI – but ratified by a human before publication!

Managing faith charities as trustees – Commission guidance revised

Charity, Explanations, Governance, News, SocEntEastMids, , , ,

The Charity Commission for England and Wales have just published revised guidance for trustees of faith charities.

An article from our archive for the New Year…

Image in black and white of a church on a hill
Church on a hill – image by Kamil Zubrzyci, Creative Commons, Pexels.com
View, print or download a copy here (.pdf)

The guidance tells us that ‘…places of worship such as churches, gurdwaras, mandirs, mosques, synagogues, temples and viharas are normally charities’. They normally exist with purposes that are entirely charitable. This includes…

  • advancement of religion
  • prevention or relief of poverty
  • advancement of education

The Commission also notes that there are ancillary organisations of faith that are also charitable in their endeavours, namely

  • religious supplementary schools
  • religious choirs
  • missionary organisations

You must register your organisation as a charity if it has charitable purposes for the public benefit and (both of the following)…

  • it’s based in England or Wales
  • it has income over £5,000 (from all sources)

There are, however, some churches that are exempt from charitable registration. You can find advice and information about this here…

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/excepted-charities/excepted-charities–2#church-charities

You can find broader, more general advice on charitable purposes and rule here…

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charity-purposes-and-rules

Faith community members, who are already trustees, or community members who are considering becoming trustees, will find this guidance, detailed, timely and helpful in making your full contribution to the work of your charity.

A full copy of this guidance can be found on the web pages of Gov.uk here…

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/faith-based-charities/managing-faith-charities-as-trustees

Driving through the socio-economic blizzard

Community Economics, Economic Thought, Enterprise Start-ups, SocEntEastMids, Social Business Support, , , , ,

At the end of another difficult year for many communities, hoping for a brighter, fruitful year in 2023 for all…being resilient, generous of spirit and offering support – beyond the Christmas break.

Happy seasonal holiday from the publishing team at MIning the SEEM

From the SmithMartin Partnership family of social businesses and community projects.

Community Interest Co’s – forms and action guides…

Community Economics, Community Interest Company, Development toolkits, Economic Thought, Enterprise Start-ups, Governance, News, SocEntEastMids, , , ,
SocEntEastMids helping with your project framing…

On the 11th October 2022 the Business and Industry pages, of Gov.uk, were updated with revised guidance and forms to help you start your new CIC.

 

 

 

 

”The revised content, linked to below, contains the following…

  • Handy Hits and Tips before completing your CIC application
  • form a CIC online or by post
  • form a community interest public limited company (plc)
  • convert an existing company to a CIC
  • convert a charitable company to a CIC
  • convert an industrial and provident society (IPS) to a CIC
  • convert a private company to a community interest plc
  • convert a plc to a community interest plc
  • change or specifying an asset-locked body in the articles of association
  • alter clauses in the articles of association
  • alter the object statement of a CIC
  • change the status of a CIC to a community interest plc
  • convert a CIC to a charitable company
  • convert a CIC to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • convert a CIC to an IPS
  • arrange the voluntary dissolution of a CIC
  • file an annual CIC report and accounts online or by post

It includes links to the appropriate forms, model constitutions (including the memorandum of association and articles of association) and model special resolutions”.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-interest-companies-business-activities

This is an invaluable guide to anyone thinking of starting a CIC to deliver community facing business activity – the whole designed to be for community benefit, rather than personal profit.

SocEntEastMIds offer a range of supportive services and supplies to help you achieve your community business aims. We deliver them at no charge.

See our support offer here: http://www.miningtheseem.org.uk/?page_id=918790

Office image: Christina Morillo, Creative Commons, Pexels.com

Sharing wisdom - creating early stage growth...logo image
Sharing wisdom – creating early stage growth…

Re-imagining the village as a socio-economic rural powerhouse?

Community Economics, Community Wealth Building, Economic Thought, Innovation, News, SocEntEastMids, , , ,
The Reimagined Village cover image...
Get your copy here (.pdf)

Featured article from our archives – October 2022

The architects BroadwayMalyan last year published a new report, which looks at the historical context, and future, of the UK village.

It views the village in its historic landscape and looks forward to how the village might develop given the ‘right’ or ‘necessary’ infrastructure support.

View, print or download a copy of The Reimagined Village here (.pdf)

In the sixties the economist J.K. Galbraith came to see suburbs as a sort of camp, or island,  for the affluent. There is something of this perception in the BroadwayMalyan analysis.

‘However, existing villages do have their drawbacks. Villages are the most expensive places to live in the UK outside London…’

The report attempts to map existing constraints on village life, and overlay new opportunities, or issues, that might be grasped. For example…

• Rural villages, as bases of multi-faceted active economic output, have diminished capacity historically.

• UK villages tend to have an older, affluent demographic and this affects the utility of local village schools, for instance.

• As costs rise, and services need to adapt to new consumer demand, the village needs to be flexible and opportunist to take advantage of new markets. Many are not able without creative development thinking.

• The internet plays a key role in community and economic development, particularly post-Covid. The slow spread and lack of investment in high speed broadband hampers village development economically.

• Low density of population mitigates away from the delivery of core direct health and well- being support. Another factor hampered by the reach of the internet, as above.

• With older age cohorts in villages, the use of the car is a necessity to many, which contributes to poor distribution of joined up community transport and environmental harm, for example.

This document, The Reimagined Village from BroadwayMalyan, offers a number of new perceptions and objectives for a creative and effective socio-economic housing cluster – the UK village. Their view ahead is not all pessimistic…

‘If new villages are to become an effective antidote to
the housing crisis, they need to be reimagined to better accommodate the needs of modern society – both now and into the future – all while retaining the identity and charm that makes them an attractive prospect, and an integral part of Britain’s cultural fabric.’

Within the pages of the report lies an acknowledgement of difference and a recognition that each community, wherever it lies in the rural landscape, has a unique and particular tradition, and perhaps, a different view on the thorny political questions of economic development and new infrastructure.

It was comforting to see. Discover the work of BroadwayMalyan at their London office here.

Update: 19th May 2021

We subscribe to the Strong Towns Movement news-feed in the USA – they are currently publishing a set of articles on strategies and structures necessary for community development in the widest sense.

It is interesting, we think, how in the final analysis from the U.S./capitalist point of view, that public funding should be seen as the key catalyst for sustainable development in communities, of whatever size.

See the article The Modern Approach to Development Doesn’t Work for Local Communities

The Journal provides it’s readers with an eclectic mix of localism, community wealth building and enterprise creation that will not be unfamiliar to UK social enterprise readers.

Discover Strong Towns here..

 

All you need to know about submitting a successful CIC application

Community Interest Company, Events, News, SocEntEastMids, , , ,

From the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies

Sign up to our “All you need to know about submitting a successful application ” webinar taking place on 25th February 11am-12pm here

webinar attendee at the keyboard...image
Preparing for my webinar!

‘This is your chance to get some tips on how to complete a successful application of incorporation or conversion to a community interest company, and to acquire further information on what the Regulator looks at when considering an application and solutions to the common errors that we see.’

 

 

You can sign up for this helpful event here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5109013132460694030

Webinar image: Austin Distel, Creative Commons, Unsplash

 

Re-building the economy, the feminist way?

Community Economics, Economic Thought, Innovation, News, SocEntEastMids, , , , ,

The organisation, UN Women, has just published a new report arguing for economic development in a new era, the purpose of which is to ‘…support the survival and flourishing of life, in all its forms’.

The quotation above comes from a web article by Jayati Ghosh, on the web pages of Social Europe, in which Ghosh argues that the world economy needs to rotate 180 degrees and become focused away from the notion of market forces. Forces which can bring riches or disaster according to some unseen lottery of life.

If we live in an economic and deterministic world all we need, Ghosh argues, is the will to restructure institutional forms into better, more humane and democratic models.

Feminist plan for sustainability and social justice cover image
A resonant new model…download a copy here…

It is a telling argument, well supported by the UN document – Feminist Plan for Sustainability and Social Justice. (.pdf)

The chapters in the report are challenging and an informative read, providing not only argument, but examples of how economic change can be restructured in the post-Covid landscape.

The report is not, in itself, a social enterprise driven map for the future.

Rather, we would argue, that social business and community enterprise can play their full part in re-modelling of local and national economic agendas, in the feminist mirror the UN paper holds up to us all.

Post-Covid, the illustrations and challenges of the report are already the common currency of ideas in the re-build agenda. Ideas and directions of travel that will already be familiar to the SocEnt community.

  • Economics that support the livelihoods of women.
  • Putting Care, note the capital C, at the heart of economic and community change.
  • Making the instruments of finance and economics gender-just.
  • Creating a new feminist global politics for the post-Covid era.

We recommend it as a formative read this winter.

Discover the article by Jayati Ghosh here.

Discover UN Women on the web here, global champions for gender equality.

 

 

Are you funding enough or are we asking for too little?

Charity, Community Economics, Development toolkits, Economic Thought, Governance, , ,

”Humentum is the leading global nonprofit working with humanitarian and development organisations to improve how they operate and to make the sector more equitable, accountable, and resilient. Funders for Real Cost, Real Change (FRC), a collaborative of private foundations, commissioned this research and report to gather evidence on the extent to which international donor funding covers the real administration costs of national NGOs…”

Thought provoking ideas from Humentum…external link.

This provocative and challenging report, from the organisation Humentum, makes a strong case for a continued imbalance in the allocation of funding, the imposition of power structures and the seeming immutable nature of the funder and funded relationship.

Download the report here: https://humentum.org/policy/administration-costs-research-project/

Although focused on the international/NGO sector, some of the key research findings, and recommendations by Humentum, could equally apply to the most modest community projects at home. Are we understanding our own detailed cost needs as a project, are we asking our funder for the full cost recovery amount and is our funder advancing enough funding, which is unrestricted, to best flexibly serve both delivery and sustainability of our project/cause over time?

The Humentum report quests for a funding context, where funders need to realign their relationships, making them more equitable, and that all parties become more accountable inside that interactional relationship.

It argues cogently from the NGO voices heard that what is needed is…

• a stronger long-term partnership approach that directly addresses the challenge of the unequal power dynamic inherent in the funding relationship.

• longer-term funding agreements with a significant component of general operating support to enable NGOs to become more sustainable, including building up unrestricted reserves.

• better cost coverage of all the administration costs associated with projects, including items such as start-up and closure costs, with less reluctance to fund salary costs.

These deficits in relationships and sweep in grant making result, for Humentum, in the starvation cycle. Humentum argue that for grantees to break out of this constricting and distorting cycle, then funders need to apply a change of approach. Namely, to offer…

a) full cost coverage

b) means by which grantees can contribute to unrestricted reserves

c) support to strengthen grantees’ cost recovery capabilities.

There is to us, thinking again about the local project context, an irony in the application of a grant, which may result in great creative, expertise and community development lift for a local project, which at the same time, because of traditional funding methodologies, powers the deliverer of the grant aided umbrella project into an inability to work for sustainability, skills uplift and cost recovery management to ensure that ‘starvation’ does not occur.

In conclusion, the Humentum paper makes three key recommendations…

  1. Funders should commit to consistently covering a full and fair share of all associated administration costs.
  2. Funders should directly fund grantees to strengthen their financial management, cost recovery and fundraising capabilities, and provide unrestricted funding to build reserves.
  3. Funders should systematically collect data on the extent of adequate cost coverage. This data should be used to drive internal accountability and motivate funders to provide their full and fair share of administration costs in restricted funding agreements.

Could the Humentum research transform the funding landscape, wherever the context? It’s a provocative paper…

Discover the full report and research information here: https://humentum.org/policy/administration-costs-research-project/

Refreshing the Board?

Charity, Community Interest Company, Explanations, Governance, News, SocEntEastMids

It’s always a good time, at the start of the New Year, to revisit your priorities, aims and ambitions. The links below are for charities and small  organisations to use as free resources for conceptualising governance review or business re-appraisal activities.

They are not exhaustive, but they can help provide ideas and a framework for assessment, change and re-energising in the New Year. We hope that you find them useful?

Essential trustee videos – a series from The Foundation for Social Improvement:

 

These audio-visual short films can help you determine your thinking on…

  • Your purpose and pubic benefit.
  • Compliance and acting in the organisations’s best interest
  • Utilising your resources responsibly and acting with care and with responsibility

You can find them here

Membership of FSI is free, and you can locate membership details here.

Supporting small charities – a collection of free resources from Lloyds Bank Foundation in England & Wales

”These toolkits have been developed in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group and our experts to provide practical support and guidelines on best practice for charities.”

We liked these resources a lot. They are comprehensive, often surprising in their content, and free to use. This is definitely a web site to explore. Whether you are planning something new, pondering change or looking to solidify your governance with confidence.

Discover Lloyds Bank resources here

ReviewingDocs image: Tiger Lily, Creative Commons, Pexels.com

 

Seasonal greetings to all our readers!

News, SocEntEastMids
Looking for a better, refreshed 2022 – in every way…
Tree in bleak landscape: image by Todd Trapani, Creative Commons, Pexels.com