Ambitious Social Enterprises Wanted

A social enterprise support programme run by HRH the Prince of Wales’s charity Business in the Community, is looking for social enterprises to apply for support to grow, scale and create new jobs in London and Yorkshire.

The programme targets social enterprises that can demonstrate trading activity, and gives entrepreneurs free access to bespoke, practical support from business, such as improving business strategy, marketing and branding support or practical advice on winning contracts and new business.

Enterprises also have access to subsidised training and impact consultancy, discounted premises and supply chain introductions.

Previous social enterprises who have been supported by the programme, include Bikeworks, From Babies With Love, and Rubies in the Rubble, as well as K10, the apprenticeship training agency, which has placed over 500 apprentices into work.

Tom Storey, Director at K10, said: “Business in the Community’s social enterprise programme is about creating connections and opening doors. We had fantastic support from BP who helped us with business development and sales strategy. For us it was the start of an exciting stage of our enterprise, which has allowed us to transform the lives of even more young people through employment.”

Business in the Community set up its social enterprise programme, arc, to create a lasting legacy from London 2012 in the Olympic host boroughs*, and later expanded to West London, and Yorkshire. To be eligible to join, social enterprises need to demonstrate that they are financially sustainable, have a social or environmental purpose written into their constitutional documents and have the ability to create jobs both directly and indirectly for people in East and West London.

The programme is supported by BP, Freshfields, Exterion Media, Interserve and Asda. In arc’s impact report into the programme, it was highlighted that targeted business support can have a significant impact on social enterprise growth and job creation.** 83% of social enterprises involved in the programme reported turnover growth in the last year, compared to UK average social enterprise growth of 52%.

Jane Pritchard, Enterprise & Culture Director, Business in the Community said: “The impact of our social enterprise programme in London provides a glimpse of the power of collaboration between big business and social enterprises, to create lasting change and vital employment in areas of need. These relationships are a win-win as social enterprises, business and society all benefit from working together. We are now recruiting social enterprises for the programme and encourage those social enterprises interested to apply.”

The deadline is 16 March 2016. More information can be found at www.bitcarc.org.uk.