Some Observations on Social Enterprise and Ireland’s National Recovery

Jonathan CoburnDirector, Think! Research for Social Change

Scotland: Opening up to Social Enterprise

• Strong cross-party support for social enterprise

• A strong collective voice from the social enterprise sector

• A comprehensive social enterprise strategy

• Some cutting edge programmes of support to the sector

• An infrastructure of specialist support now in place

• ... and backed by investment!

… But a bleak picture for the UK and Ireland?

Social Enterprise: A New Horizon?

• A change is brewing; a change for the better

• Social enterprise emerging from many routes

• A business model proving reasonably resilient

• Impacting across the economy; a basis for sustained growth

• Driving public sector transformation

• … and for Ireland?

Putting Social Enterprise on the Map

• Develop a shared language around social enterprise

• If it’s good then put a ‘badge’ on it and tell the world

• Recognise your achievements and showcase existing activity

• Reach out to your budding social entrepreneurs

• Take action in your Schools, Colleges, and Universities

Creating Jobs Through Social Enterprise

• View social enterprise as a stepping stone back into work

• Create a ‘Future Jobs Fund’ to address youth unemployment

• Promote Social Firms as a job creation model

• Build SE into your national Employment Service

Opening Up Public Procurement

• Develop a National Third Sector Commissioning Programme

• Use your national public contracts portal better

• Support social enterprises to become ‘Ready for Business’

• Make full use of Community Benefits Clauses

• Support Co-production through Public Social Partnerships

Supporting State Transformation

• Establish Public Sector Centres of Expertise and Champions

• Establish Right to Request/ Challenge legislation

• Create a Public Service Innovation Fund

• Place State infrastructure into social enterprise hands

• Create supply chain opps from infrastructure investment

Transferring Assets to Social Enterprise

• Develop a body of asset transfer knowledge and tools

• Establish ‘Community Right to Buy’ legislation

• Promote the use asset transfer frameworks by public bodies

• Support catalytic sectoral intermediaries e.g. land, energy

Investing Strategically in the Sector

• Continue to develop flexible financing options

• Tackle the cultural aversion to risk and debt

• Loosen the regulatory framework for Credit Unions

• Trial Social Impact Bonds to invest in prevention

Supporting Social Business Growth

• Enable social enterprises to access mainstream support

• Equip business advisors to support social enterprises

• Integrate training, finance and business advice measures

• Develop a tailored national support programme to fill gaps

• Recognise rural social enterprise as requiring distinct support

Providing a Coherent Voice

• Develop a Social Enterprise ‘Coalition’ for Ireland

• Support the development of local social enterprise networks

• Play your part globally via the Social Enterprise World Forum

Developing the Evidence Base

• Baseline evidence to fully understand needs/aspirations

• National performance indicators to track change

• Use the right tools to measure social impact

Social Enterprise: Still On Your Horizon?

Gather the evidence+

Tell the story+

Speak with one voice+

Garner political support+

Together build your strategy

Thank you!

Jonathan CoburnDirector, Think! Research for Social ChangeWeb: www.thinkresearch.org.ukTel: +44 141 352 7419