Social CapitalSocial Enterprise

Big Society

Tim Anfilogoff

Head of Community Wellbeing

What is Social Capital?

• Family ties• Friendship ties• Participation in local organised groups• Integration into the wider community• Trust• Attachment to the neighbourhood• Tolerance• Ability to rely on others for practical help** Only a Footstep Away: Skills for Care June 2010

What is Big Society?

• Another way of describing social capital?• Destination not process for getting there?• ‘Chaos’ (like capitalism) Francis Maude• Voluntary sector is central to it• Central and local government seen as too

bureaucratic and centrist• So how do we strategically commission?• How much is/should be ‘below the radar’?

Government’s Priorities

• Make it easier to run a charities and SEs

• Getting more resources into the sector and strengthening its independence and resilience

– Big Society Bank

– Social Investment to become mainstream

• Making it easier to work with the state

– Cutting red tape

What is a Social Enterprise?

• A business with social or environmental objectives that:– reinvests surpluses in the business or

community.

• Organisations interested in:– Overcoming Social Injustice– Reducing Exclusion– Contributing to society.

Social Enterprise

• 62,000 SEs in UK, contributing £24 billion to economy and employing 800,000 people

• SE is a concept, not an entity – you take whichever legal structure is best suited to you delivering your SE aims

• Social investment/business opportunities

• Advice from www.seee.co.uk and www.businesslink.gov.uk

Social Enterprise (2)

• Fastest growing business model in Europe

• Tackles social/environmental problems

• Raises bar for corporate responsibility

• Improve public service delivery

• Offers high level of engagement with users

• Pioneers new approaches

• Encourages under-represented groups (e.g. women, youth and offenders)

Role of Volunteering

• Value for community• Value for volunteers

– Personal development– Challenging stigma– Builds social capital

• Less bureaucracy – easier access to opportunities– www.bigsocietynetwork.org– http://www.hertsdirect.org/breakawaylaunch

Tasks

• Does the sector have the support it needs to access:– Business support and advice– Social/Charitable Investment– Volunteers

• What can be done to make it easier to volunteer/set up groups?

• How can HCC help more effectively?