Social Enterprise: 'Settings need business flair'
Laura Marcus
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Settings need to be more business-minded and receive more practical support to make a success of social enterprise childcare in London, representatives at an inaugural round-table event concluded last week.
Delegates from childcare organisations, charities and government bodiesat the event hosted by Westminster Children's Society discussed whatmade a provider a social enterprise and whether voluntary settingsrecognised themselves as such.
WCS chief executive June O'Sullivan said, 'We are keen to raise theprofile of social enterprise. We're a charity in our heart and rationaleand a social enterprise in our brain and business model.'
One delegate said, 'There's a lack of profits in the voluntary andsocial enterprise sector. There's also a tremendous lack of businesscapacity, and we should admit that. We are so service-led and child-ledthat being business-led is quite a step.'
Delegates agreed that social enterprise settings needed to be identifiedand pro-actively offered help through organisations such as SocialEnterprise London (SEL). Childminders were highlighted as one group whocould be targeted and who needed investment.
Another delegate said local authority business support officers were agood way to co-ordinate social enterprise, but noted that many of thesepositions had disappeared.
Further information
www.socialenterprise.org.uk
www.sel.org.uk.
