SSE in Global Entrepreneurship Week

GEW_Logo_2010_-_JPEG_0 Yes, it is that time again for Global Entrepreneurship Week, which seems to get bigger and more global every year.

I've tried to work out where you can track SSE down all week, so here is a brief #GEW schedule, along with a few other recommended events.

-This Monday evening, our CEO Alastair Wilson will be chairing a panel as part of the JP Morgan Speaker Series, including social entrepreneurs Kresse Wesling (Elvis + Kresse) + Duncan Goose (Global Ethics / One Water). We also hope to pop along to the evening session at Good Deals. This morning, we were in attendance at the GEW launch at Google towers, and at the ResPublica launch of a new report on community assets they've written with the DTA

Tuesday is primarily the Guardian Social Enterprise conference for SSE, where Alastair will be on one of the main panels, and I'll be running a 'clinic' dispensing some prescriptions on social impact measurement. Others will be at Good Deals for its second day….

You can also check out the Guardian's brand new social enterprise network which launched an hour ago, and has this fascinating (disclaimer: I wrote it) post on social franchising and much more good content besides

– Wednesday we are at our Hampshire franchise for 'Question Time', and also (hopefully) attending the very interesting looking Clore Social Leadership Inquiry amongst other regional events…

Thursday is the biggie, obviously; Social Enterprise Day (#socentday for twitter fans), coming just after birthday but ahead of Xmas in priorities….schedule is a little interesting, to say the least, but SSE will be at Is the Big Society Working? for breakfast (with Nick Hurd MP, Steve Moore of Big Society Network and more), acting as a 'human #socent library' at DCLG over lunch / early afternoon, dipping into the UnLtdSocial event, before attempting to moderate a panel at the end of the day in front of LBS + HBS alumni (with Jonathan Jenkins, Liam Black and Chris Southworth from BIS: should be fun!) and much more across the country.

SSE will also be supporting SEC's efforts on the day to lobby and advocate for the social enterprise bill, which is teetering on the edge of being put into legislation. Go along and join in if you can, or attend the All Party-Parliamentary Group….

Friday is far from the day after the night before, as we have not one but two SSE graduations happening that day, in Liverpool and Hampshire. Do get in touch with either school if you would like to come along….as we celebrate and recognise more social entrepreneurs joining the SSE Fellowship. Should be a fantastic way to end a busy Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Hope to see you around for real, or on social media…

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New SSE videos from Hampshire

Couple of new videos from our Hampshire franchise which are great at getting under the skin of social entrepreneurship in general, and the SSE programme (and its action learning approach) in particular. Thanks to all who feature, and especially to Peter @ Shedlight and Conroy at HSSE.

Enjoy:

Hampshire School for Social Entrepreneurs from Shedlight on Vimeo.

 

Action Learning Sets – Hampshire School for Social Entrepreneurs from Shedlight on Vimeo.

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Yin and Yang: the top 5 balancing acts for social entrepreneurs

Duty_calls It feels like such a busy and fast-moving time at the moment, that it's been difficult to take time and reflect, and get the head up to look around, meerkat-like. Which has got me thinking about balance, and the different areas that social entrepreneurs need to balance.

1) Passion and pragmatism:  I was speaking at an UpRising event recently, along with Young Foundation Director Geoff Mulgan, about the Big Society and how to react to it. There were some passionate reactions in the room, and those encouraging direct action and activism rather than engaging with the movement. I made the point that engagement with policymakers was about understanding their perspective, holding true to your values / principles / opinions, and seeking a constructive way forward. Sometimes a constructive way forward requires disagreement (and constructive criticism), but when that blurs into anger or aggression, the dialogue isn't there…and any opportunities dwindle. That line between passion and pragmatism is always key.

2) Self and organisation: The balance that gets talked about most in this context is work-life balance, which tends to ignore that for many social entrepreneurs (indeed, entrepreneurs of all types), work and life are not that easily divisible. It might be that this is more about ensuring time is portioned off for non-work, for friends and family, for rest and reflection. Inevitably, it's at the busiest times when this gets squeezed, and it's at those times when it is most valuable. Focus requires concentration and good health; somehow it's never easy to drink more water, sleep enough, eat well and do a bit of exercise. But we all know it works. And we also know that people need to earn a living, even if it's a job they've created themselves.

3) Mission and money: Very much the core of social enterprise + social entrepreneurship, the balance between mission and money is crucial: especially for decision-making. Some now talk about it as "impact-first" and "finance-first" (particularly in the realm of finance), but even just having that level of awareness about different choices is important. Some opportunities might bring in money that allow you to cross-subsidise activities that would have more impact in line with mission. It's the awareness of where the decision lies and why it's being taken. [see slides 9 + 10 in this powerpoint which has a mission-money matrix + the same matrix in tough economic times]

4) Attention to detail and big picture: I find this a tough one, personally. It's easy to get bogged down in the detail of things that aren't really important (as with the cartoon above) or to get very focused (rightly) on delivering to the highest quality; but sometimes that comes at the expense of looking a little long-term and thinking strategically. That's particularly true right now, when the climate is forcing people to act hand-to-mouth and day-to-day. But those who can think about thriving in 2-3 years as well as surviving the next 6 months, will be in an advantageous position. Having said that, I also have huge admiration for those people who in the midst of intense periods of activity, still remember to reply to a (less important) e-mail, write a letter of congratulation, or make an introduction they think might be useful. Well, I did say it was tough….

5) Objectivity and subjectivity: This takes me back to the Big Society and that debate, and also a little to the line between self and organisation. It's about judgement, and trying to take the 'personal' out if it. Thinking about the organisation's best interests and taking out personal feelings and interests as far as possible. Not easy when your contract or grant has been cut, or someone else wins the contract over you; and not easy when that organisation is "your baby", but important. To be ready for the next opportunity, to be on the front foot (not dwelling on what's just happened), to maintain relationships, to think about the intentions of those making the decisions, and to put things in context. Judgement isn't just about what to do and when to do it, but about what you say, how you communicate, and your ability to empathise. Which gets tougher at tough times.

So what's the advice? Take time to reflect; be a bit selfish (otherwise it won't happen); have people near who put things in perspective; keep money + mission at the forefront at all times; look ahead. Which is all a lot easier to write than do.

 

 

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Recruitment extravaganza: opportunities for social entrepreneurs

Jobdescription The next Yorkshire + Hampshire SSE programmes are full now, but lots more opportunities for social entrepreneurs to get support around the SSE network:

– SSE Australia is looking for social entrepreneurs in Sydney + Melbourne; application deadline is November 19th: http://sseaustralia.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/applications2011/

– SSE London also recruiting for next year's programme; see here for more details: http://www.sse.org.uk/school.php?schoolid=6

– SSE Suffolk also seeking social entrepreneurs for its first programme: http://www.sse.org.uk/school.php?schoolid=12

– SSE Devon has extended its deadline for applications for its 2011 programme to November 30th: http://www.sse.org.uk/school.php?schoolid=9

– Do check out the multiple programmes in Scotland too

 

Please spread the word and send to anyone you think might be interested (or know people who know people who might be interested etc.)…

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Playing On: the reality of prison life + getting voices heard

It's one of the great privileges of working at SSE to keep in touch with and follow the progress (and be able to assist) the alumni of the programme (or SSE Fellows, as they are known). Recently at the residential down in Dartington, an SSE Fellow from our 2007-8 programme, Jim Pope, helped us out with the delivery of the event.

I hadn't seen Jim for a little while; when he was with us, he was piloting and testing out using drama and theatre in prisons to good effect. So it was great to hear that Jim has kept at it (persistence being a key attribute of an entrepreneur), and has now started a theatre company (with co-founder Philip Osment) called Playing On. Playing On is a theatre company but also has a social purpose: to create new, professional theatre through work with disenfranchised young people from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances to tell the stories of those who are seldom heard.

And the first evidence of that can be seen at the Roundhouse Theatre in Camden from November 12th-27th with their first play, Inside. SSE will be going along, and would encourage you to as well if you can for what promises to be a really powerful work about prison life. More details/buy tickets here. Or watch the promo below to hear from Jim about the play.

 

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