Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr….Have I Got Social Enterprise (and Charity) Social Enterprise News For You

Greetings from cold and rainy South East London. I think today is the day: I’m going to have to put my shorts away, throw on some jeans and turn on the heating. It turns out that I’m not hardy enough to handle 9°C without additional apparel. It makes me think that I would not have been a very successful caveman.

But (and you need to read this next bit with the voice of a local radio dj in your head) if there is one thing that can put warmth in my heart it’s a bumper collection of social enterprise news. Put on a jumper and enjoy…

@davemcglashan

Virtual Volunteers. Over the summer we launched Virtual Volunteers, a new volunteer platform. We’re now looking for skilled professionals take part and apply their skills to support social entrepreneurs across the UK who are working hard to tackle social and environmental issues in their communities. We’re looking for people to commit an hour or two a month, you can find out more here.

The Phoenix Fund. Applications are open to round four of The Phoenix Fund, offering core funding to BAME grassroots groups across England working with BAME communities. Grants of up to £20,000 are available to organisations that have annual operating budgets up to £100,000 per year. Apply by 30th September.

Kruger report. Not a reboot of the Nightmare in Elm Street series but in fact a new paper from MP Danny Kruger. Levelling up our communities: proposals for a new social covenant outlines how government can best support charities and social enterprises ‘to sustain the community spirit we have seen during the coronavirus pandemic’. It features a proposal from SSE’s very own Alastair Wilson, that ‘ the government should
establish a ‘MatchTrade’ scheme where public money is used to match the revenue social enterprises make through trading’. You can read some reaction to the report here.

Last minute course opportunity. We only have one place left on our Navigating the New Normal course which begins next Tuesday. It’s going to be a cracking course – we’ve got participants from a range of sectors including arts, education, sports, health and community development. Find out more here.

Food talks.  Food Ethics Council, Impact Hub Kings Cross, Organico, and London Food Link have come together to organise Food Talks, a series of events looking at the UK’s food system. The next event takes place online on 29th September and will examine the role that food businesses can play in helping to build back better. speakers will include Thomasina Miers (co-founder of Wahaca and former winner of Masterchef) and Geetie Singh-Watson (restaurateur, including Riverford at The Duke of Cambridge and The Bull Inn in Totnes) and Christopher Kong (co-founder of Better Nature, promoting plant-based eating with tempeh. You can register to attend here.

Evo Accelerator. It sounds like a Mitsubishi model but it’s actually a new a two-month course for businesses that care about social and environmental impact from The Trampery. Open to organisations registered or operating out of the Greater London area, the programme promises ‘ to give you the practical tools, support and guidance so you can build better businesses with social and environmental impact at their core’. It’s free, and applications need to be in by 11th October.

Women in Social Enterprise Week 2020. You need to be quick with this, but Pioneers Post and Natwest are looking for nominations for the most inspirational women leading the UK’s social enterprises during the Covid-19 pandemic. WISE Week 2020 will then share and celebrate the journeys of some of these women. You have until Sunday to nominate someone.

Trustee opportunity. SSE Fellow Jenny Young is recruiting up to four trustees for her organisation Blue Cabin, which delivers creative programmes, develops partnerships between local authorities and arts organisations, and conducts research into the impact of creative interventions for care experienced children and young people. You don’t need to have been a trustee before as Blue Cabin will provide a full induction and help you understand the role and responsibilities of being on a board. Further details are available here.

A further trustee opportunity. Sutton Community Farm are looking for two people to join their management committee – one with experience in social impact measurement, and one in digital innovation and technology. Successful candidates will be part of a warm, welcoming & knowledgeable team and join a farm community committed to sustainable, inclusive, local food production. Deadline to apply is 4th October, you can find more information here.

Facebook grants. This is only open to for-profit companies but Facebook have opened a small business grants programme offering £1,929 in cash grants and £1,157 in ad credits to businesses that have experienced challenges from COVID-19. Applications close on 1st October.

Marketing manager opportunity. Are you an established digital marketer, with an in-depth knowledge of the social enterprise and credit union sector? SSE Fellow Anthony Bennett is looking for a marketing manager for his organisation Zync Digital, a digital marketing company which works with credit unions to increase membership and loan applications. The role is based in Wembley. You can apply here.

The Growth Project. Are you a leader who wants to make a difference? The Growth Charity are recruiting for their 2021 cohort to take part on a 10-month personal development program that brings together charity and business leaders in an environment of shared learning. During the course, participants will share knowledge and experiences, learn how to run more effective and efficient organisations and develop their leadership skills. Apply by November 30th.

Coaching for SSE Fellows. My colleague Amber is currently training to be a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC). For the final part of the qualification and to achieve certification, she is looking for a few people who would like to have 3 months of coaching. If you are a social entrepreneur who would like some guidance to help find your purpose, overcome what may be holding you back or create a life in balance then get in touch with [email protected] for more information.

2021 calendar. Let’s be honest, I think we’re all looking forward to seeing the back of 2020. It’s not been great. 2021 can surely only be better – if you want to start looking forward to it now then why not buy a Cafe Art 2021 calendar. Cafe Art was founded by SSE Fellow Paul Ryan and supports people who have been affected by homelessness. The calendars are always great – I’ve had one hanging in my kitchen for the last few years. You can buy one here.

Social Media: How, where and when to talk to parents? Michelle McHale of Attachment Parenting UK is running a social media session for Dangerous Dads on Wednesday 14th October from 7pm-8pm. Michelle is an expert in developing social media that speaks to her audience of parents and has run sessions on how to develop your social media strategy for the School for Social Entrepreneurs. In this session she will cover what types of posts work best, how to create engaging posts and how to find out the best times to post for your audience. Dangerous Dads (founded by SSE Fellow Ian Blackwell) will also be sharing what they’ve have learnt about marketing through social media. To book your free place please email: [email protected]

Are you hiring? Finally – over the last year I’ve been assisted with the marketing of SSE courses by my brilliant colleague Charlie. His contract comes to an end in November and he’s now looking for a new role. If you are looking for an excellent marketer for your organisation, drop me an email and I can put you in touch. He comes highly recommended!

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