Social Enterprise Network
Training is needed within schools, universities, corporates and for experts who can help the movement, says head of UnLtd.
A quarter of a million people each year want to start a social venture, but the sector can only help 2,000. Now a chief executive of a major social enterprise support agency has suggested a new approach to support is due.
Speaking at a Global Entrepreneurship Week event at the British Library, Cliff Prior, head of UnLtd, said the movement might be better supported by helping and training an "ecosystem" of individuals and groups who could enable social ventures to flourish.
He drew comparisons to the scout and guide movements, which are based on the principles of volunteering and a wide network of goodwill support.
He said: "Specialist support for social entrepreneurs in the UK right now can't help much more than 2,000 ventures a year. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor tells us that 250,000 a year want to start such ventures."
In UnLtd's Mainstreaming Start-Ups: The Future of Social Enterprise Support event, Prior suggested there was a role for support agencies to use their experience from the last decade to train others in support skills, in order to grow the ecosystem.
Trainees could be - and in some cases are already within - universities, corporates, schools, colleges, local authorities and housing associations. And, training should also be given to people who have had support for their social venture previously, as well experts who could help the movement, he added.
UnLtd currently works with universities to teach them social ventures support skills. And, he said that 60% of social entrepreneurs assisted by UnLtd go on to help at least one other in a similar position.
It is time to capitalise on the "massive growth in social entrepreneurship, enterprise and investment," he said. "There's a big challenge to support people who want to put their energy, passion and ideas into practice for social and economic benefit.
"We have to live beyond the hype to see a worldwide movement for a more vibrant and sustainable society and economy. All of us in this room have different skills, we have to use them to support each other and create a large network."
To ensure quality of support, Prior also suggested a TripAdvisor-style feedback service, so that social entrepreneurs could rate and review the help they get.
Prior added that UnLtd and fellow support agencies have learned a lot of lessons in how best to work with social entrepreneurs and so have much to pass on.
He commented: "We know that the support that we, and others have been offering, works. Our last survey with 1,000 people we worked with, found that, together they had a wage bill of £45m, 1.2 million beneficiaries and a 90% survival rate. We have the knowledge to grow the sector, we just need more capacity."
Claudia Cahalane was attending UnLtd's Global Entrepreneurship Week event at the British Library.
.png)
