CED New Zealand

CED Bulletin: June 2013

dijennings — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 02:56:34 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

As we move into the chillier months, the CED and social enterprise scene continues to warm up. Here are some of the exciting happenings in this fast growing space…

Register now for the Social Enterprise Institute course in Auckland

Are you interested in diversifying your organisation’s funding base and becoming more financially sustainable? Then a social enterprise may be the answer. This “How to” programme is led by leading New Zealand social enterprise practitioners and takes participants through the concept, planning and implementing stages to build a social enterprise.

The programme consists of two x three day blocks and six once a month meetings plus online support and mentoring both during and after the course. Why not join this exciting social movement that captures the power of business and the community to deliver real social, environmental, economic and cultural change? This is your last chance to join the 2013 Auckland Social Enterprise Class that is starting in June 2013 at the special price of $1200 + GST (available this week only). To register contact Lindsay Jeffs 03 366 9978; 07 825 7924 or email lindsay@csbec.org.nz – or visit the SEI website

The Living Economies Annual Hui in Auckland, 12th – 14th June.

The work of Living Economies is at the heart of CED. Savings pools, cooperatives, local currencies and timebanking; all community led initiatives that that help to develop a resilient local economy. If you want to know more, it could be worthwhile attending the Living Economies annual hui coming up from 12 to 14 June in Auckland. It is very affordable and promises to provide excellent value. Here is a link to the programme and the registration form.

The Living Economies Educational Trust promotes a sustainable means of exchange as an alternative to the debt-based and crisis-causing mainstream financial systems. Living Economies work in a number of ways: they offer books and articles relevant to economic transformation (both theoretical and practical); sponsor presenters to bring the message to communities throughout New Zealand; and extend support to local initiatives as they start building and growing.

Social Traders Australia

Mark Daniels from Social Traders in Australia was recently in Auckland to talk about his experiences at Social Traders, an organisation that has been at the forefront of social enterprise development in Australia. The Auckland Council hosted this lunchtime event. Social Traders promotes, supports and opens markets for social enterprises, and invests $1 million a year in social enterprise development throughout Australia. Social Traders also helps start-ups organisations to leverage further finance from private and philanthropic sources. Social Traders has eight staff. Mark says there about 20,000 Australian social enterprises (although only 5,500 were netted in its latest survey).

Social Traders flagship programme The Crunch is a six month intensive incubation process. Crunch enterprises build individual capacity, develop a rigorous business plan and gain exposure to a range of social investors. Mark tells us that Crunch is more likely to select an enterprise on the strength of the individual that drives it, than the idea alone. Mark warns social entrepreneurs not to get too attached to an idea of an organisation they’d like to create – he says that that if you love your idea too much, you may not want to test it in the real world. And the real world test is what makes or breaks the organisation.

Social Traders and Crunch was made possible by collaboration between the Victorian Government and a private foundation – each contributing matched funding to establish the organisation.

Social Enterprise New Zealand (SENZ) update

SENZ aims to be a membership led peak body for social enterprise in New Zealand, with similar goals to Social Traders Australia. The SENZ Establishment Board is currently seeking potential investors to enable them to progress their business plan. A website is currently in development. It is early days for SENZ as yet – my UK experience indicates that having a social enterprise specific national body established to raise awareness and advocate for social enterprises would have a significant impact in growing a thriving social enterprise space here. The challenge is to attract the necessary investment to get the ball rolling.

Social Enterprise support in New Zealand

Other organisations in New Zealand that offer support to social enterprises are:

The Hikurangi Foundation that supports and grows social enterprises and ambitious communities, to deliver solutions to the challenges of climate change, resource limits and environmental degradation. They are involved with over 15 organisations across NZ and provide seed funding, specialist expertise and pro-bono support and mentoring to innovative, commercially viable and scalable or replicable social enterprise ideas.

[Photo: Alex Hannant from the Hikurangi Foundation]

Enspiral, based in Wellington, is a business incubator and social enterprise start-up hub. It’s a democratic collective with more than 100 people across 12 companies delivering services as diverse as web and software, through to animation, graphic design, legal, accounting, environmental planning. All are devoted to a positive social and environmental change. This creative space keeps spawning new initiatives such as Bucky Box, Loomio and Chalkle. [Photo: Joshua Vial from Enspiral]

The Good Enterprise Series

The Good Enterprise Series is a project of Enspiral's Social Enterprise Entrepreneurs Internship Program. Good Enterprise is a series of 10 workshops and a master class that is teaching community members about social entrepreneurship. It is targeted at people who have good ideas that will benefit their community, environment and world around them, so they can learn how to turn these ideas into action and their own sustainable enterprise. Go here for further information.

CEDNZ Research

This nationwide research was commissioned by the CEDNZ Trust with funding from Lotteries Community Research Fund and support from Unitec. It has been a major piece of work that we have been working on for the last nine months. After completing the literature review, focus groups, interviews and an intensive period of data analysis, I am currently working on case studies and writing the research report. Initial results indicate that social enterprises in New Zealand are generally more mature, with larger turnovers and assets than even I had envisaged. The report is due for completion and release by September. It will provide a revealing snapshot of CED and social enterprise activity around New Zealand at this time. The report will also provide us with a steer as to the kind of support and investment that is needed to enable more successful social enterprises to be established. The CED research literature review is a comprehensive exploration of CED, social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, community asset ownership, social finance and social value, both overseas and in New Zealand. It can be purchased for a fee of $30 plus GST and postage. If you would like to order a copy, email Lindsay Jeffs at lindsay@csbec.org.nz.

Conversations with MJ Kaplan

MJ Kaplan, who has been research social enterprise through an Axford Fellowship, will be completing her report in July and presenting findings in August. One outgrowth of her work is conversations that will be taking place in Auckland and Wellington to explore opportunities for the sector to be more proactive, strategic and cohesive. MJ hopes to further this dialogue when she presents her findings in August.

Scheduled forums are:

Christchurch – 1 August (contact Wayne Francis Charitable Trust)
Auckland – 6 August (contact ASB Community trust)
Wellington – 21 August (contact Fulbright New Zealand)

Or contact MJ at MaryJo.Kaplan001@msd.govt.nz

Highlights from the Philanthropy New Zealand Conference

The Philanthropy New Zealand Conference included some social enterprise related presentations. Ingrid Burkett gave a thoughtful presentation on what has been learnt about social investment over the last five years in the Australian context, and how this relates to what has been learnt elsewhere around the world. View Ingrid's presentation online.

Scott Willis from the inspiring Blue Skin Energy Project in Dunedin talked about early developmental stages of community enterprises; what their resource requirements are and the

obstacles they have encountered in their early days. Download Scott Willis's presentation.

….and there was much more. Go here for all Philanthropy New Zealand Conference presentations.

Thriving Communities at Auckland Council

The Auckland Council now have a webpage for Thriving Communities.

Over the last eight months they have hosted a number of sessions with inspirational international speakers including:

Giovanni Allegretti from Portugal on participatory budgeting
Natalie Nicholles from the New Economics Foundation in London on local economic development, wellbeing and measuring what matters
Jim Diers from Seattle on the power of community-led development. To see more about Jim’s recent Auckland Conversation (the most well attended Auckland Conversation to date!), visit the Auckland Conversation website.
And Mark Daniels from Social Traders as reported above.

For more information about Thriving Communities contact Billy Matheson, Principal Advisor – Social Entrepreneurship: Billy.Matheson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Learning by Doing: Community-Led Change in Aotearoa NZ from Inspiring Communities

Inspiring Communities have now released their new publication Learning by Doing:

Community-Led Change in Aotearoa NZ. The book draws on three years of experience from around the country and provides tools, resources, stories and learnings to help support and grow community-led development thinking and action.

Jim Diers, International Neighbourhoods Expert from Seattle, says “Just when we need it most, here is a book guiding people back to the power of community. It sets out the principles and practices we need to use, and demonstrates the possibilities when every community is enabled to find its own way. Learning by Doing is a gift to the nation and also to the international community-led development movement.”

Hard copies of Learning by Doing are now available for purchase here for $39.95 + postage and packaging. Digital versions of Learning by Doing will be available for purchase later in the year, and over the course of 2013, Inspiring Communities will be releasing individual chapters free online. Learning by Doing Workshops will also be held in many parts of New Zealand. To discuss tailored training workshops for your community or organisation, please contact exchange@inspiringcommunities.org.nz.

…more resources

While we are talking resources– the Canadian Community Economic Development website has some great resources and toolkits here

Also worth checking out is Jerr Boschee, who has been an advisor to social entrepreneurs in the United States and elsewhere for more than 30 years and has long been recognised as one of the founders of the social enterprise movement worldwide. Check out his website

And our very own Vivian Hutchinson is always worth a look or listen. Here is his latest speech 'What's Broken is the We — some thoughts on creativity for the common good.'

Corporate Power

I recently found this gem in the Senscot newsletter. Louis Brandeis, the renowned member of the US Supreme Court famously said: "We may have democracy – or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few – but we can't have both." This informative graphic depicts the biggest companies in the world, the corporations which own them – and how their power compares to that of governments. See here. So it seems we have our work cut out. But I was heartened by a friend sending me the following about Harvard Business School…

Harvard Business School – is it undergoing a conversion?

Here are three facts about Harvard Business School (HBS) that I bet you didn’t know.

One quarter of HBS alumni over 50 years old spend over half of their time working on social enterprise and nonprofit activities,
The largest club at HBS is the social enterprise club
The largest conference at HBS is the social enterprise conference

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures

Di Jennings

Convenor, CED Network

di@ced.org.nz

CED Bulletin: March 2013

dijennings — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:48:41 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

What a fabulous summer we are having, and the year is also getting off to a good start for CED and social enterprise…

OCVS survey reveals diverse, mature and active social enterprise sector in NZ

A survey run by the Department of Internal Affairs has revealed a social enterprise sector in New Zealand which is relatively mature and diverse. Go here for the report.

Senior Policy Adviser Diana Suggate, says “Social enterprises in this country are operating in a wide range of industries, have a range of approaches to supporting their many and varied missions, and serve many different types of beneficiaries. While many survey participants have been operating for more than ten years, we are aware that there is a growing interest in the potential to grow the social enterprise movement.”

For the purposes of the survey, “social enterprise” was defined, based on the Australian FASES research definition, as an organisation which has a social, cultural, or environmental mission, that derives a substantial portion of its income from trade, and that reinvests the majority of its profit/surplus in the fulfilment of its mission.

Diana said the survey showed most social enterprises trade in their local area and focus on benefiting families, young people and other social groupings, although around 15 per cent focus on environmental causes. Highlights from the survey include:

Most social enterprises work in education and training (43 per cent), social assistance services (22 per cent), recreation and sport (17 per cent) and arts and heritage (15 per cent).
Charitable trusts make up 53 per cent of organisations in the sector; 37 per cent are incorporated societies, and 7 per cent are limited liability companies.
Around five per cent of the organisations that responded to the survey are affiliated with Māori authorities. This can be through a marae, an iwi organisation, having a Māori organisation as a shareholder; or having an informal association with a hāpu or iwi.
In addition to income from sales, government contracts provide significant income for 40 per cent of the organisations. Grants and donations are also important.

“Challenges faced by the sector include a more difficult trading environment caused by the economic downturn, and the need for funding to support development and growth,” Diana says. Other issues social enterprises contend with include changing market conditions; increased competition; demographic change; availability and capability of workers; compliance costs; governance and management issues; and lack of capacity for growth. Diana says “Particularly interesting for us was the finding that said around 65 per cent of the organisations felt they could benefit from external advice, particularly with developing marketing strategies and training in management skills,”. 

 Diana said government interest in social enterprises hinged on the potential for these organisations to both boost a local economy and tackle social, cultural and environmental issues. “The report provides a basis for ongoing investigation into social enterprises and will inform policy development about this important sector.”

CED Research – 100 interviews now completed

The Community Economic Development Research that is currently being carried out through the CED Trust (by myself and Dorte Wray), with Unitec as a research partner, is quite distinct from the above OCVS research. Diana and I have had frequent communications as to how these two pieces of work will complement one another. I see that the OCVS research provides an overview in terms of the size and scope of the social enterprise space in New Zealand. The CED research is being informed through 100 face to face interviews with social enterprise and CED practitioners, and will provide a deeper exploration of the success factors, challenges and needs of social enterprises from the grass roots. Dorte and I have now completed the 100 interviews with CED and social enterprise practitioners from around New Zealand. It has been fascinating to gain a sense of the regional similarities and differences. I look forward to the data analysis to see what is emerging and writing a report that will provide a snapshot of CED activity at this time. Big thanks to all of you social entrepreneurs who participated in the CED research, your contribution is much valued.

SENZ update

The Social Enterprise New Zealand (SENZ) Establishment Board is currently seeking foundation partners to establish SENZ as a national network, along the lines of SEUK, Senscot (Scotland) and Social Traders (Australia).

It was interesting to see that the OCVS research showed that 65% of social enterprises said that they would benefit from some external advice and support. From the CED research interviews, I am seeing that the need for support differs depending upon both the scale and stage of development of the initiative. Small start-up SEs are usually challenged by lack of access to both advice and financial resources. Larger more established SEs tend to have developed internal expertise and may also draw on their cash reserves for new initiatives.

I continue to be clear that there is an important role for a social enterprise national network to help facilitate connections and opportunities for peer learning – and maybe the more established SEs can lend a hand to start ups. And all SEs can join forces to share success factors, find ways of dealing with the many challenges, and join in collective advocacy towards a more enabling policy, legislative and financial environment.

SOCANZ Conference Coming Up

After the CED Conferences on 2010 and 2011, organisers felt that the priority was to establish a national network, before running further conferences. Get the foundations in place. So it has been great to see colleagues Viv Maidabourn and Shaun Lines initiating the SOCANZ conferences to continue to grow the conversations in this space. So… if you are a social entrepreneur looking for more connection, want to get inspired, energised and develop skills, or want to know what is happening in the current Social Entrepreneurship space, then you should be at SOCANZ 2013. Not only will you hear from international and local thought leaders who are working in this space and sharing their stories, but it will be catalyst for new conversations, collaborations and exciting decisions to be active in your community. The speaker line-up is filled with those who have taken the risks, achieved real success and in some cases failed spectacularly on their journey. They are committed to share these stories, celebrate these successes and encourage others to make a positive difference with their communities. Go to www.socanz.co.nz to view the programme, the speaker line up and to register ($395 + GST for 2 days).

An important part of the conference is the three Master Classes where you can focus deeply on your learning and subject matters that relate to you. Nic Frances will facilitate ‘Startup Social Enterprise and Reaching Scale’, Natalie Nicholles will facilitate ‘Building a Successful Consultancy Business’ and George Housakos will facilitate ‘Beyond the Affordable Housing Crisis – Communities Solving The Problem’. Each Master Class will be limited to 20 participants and run from 9.00am till 3.00pm allowing in-depth exploration of the subject matter, case studies and we guarantee challenging questions. The sessions will be deliberately intensive and not for the faint-hearted. Cost for each Master Class is $300 + GST.

ANGOA/MoH Social Bonds Roadshow

The Ministry of Health are currently exploring the implications of social bonds (often called social impact bonds) as an alternative contracting tool. ANGOA is running a road show around NZ to explain the social bonds concept – and to receive feedback from the community sector on the idea.

Social bonds will only work where measurement is possible. This how they work; non-government investors provide investment to social service providers – who are confident they can achieve a measurable outcome (e.g. reducing re-offending rates). The government pays a reward on performance to the provider – who can then repay investors, with interest. Government wins (the outcomes achieved have saved them considerable money), the investors get a financial return, and relevant providers have access to a new source of funds. Sounds attractive – but it is early days for social bonds (the first bond was issued in UK in 2010) so no proven record, or learnings emerging as yet from global trials.

My sense is that social bonds will have a relatively narrow application – as so much of the work in the community sector cannot be measured in simple ways. The main concerns raised at the session that I attended were around government transferring risk to social service providers, if outcomes cannot be achieved. Possibilities of risk sharing arose, but it is early days and the detail is yet to be developed – I guess the devil may be in the detail!

ANGOA will be using the feedback from the seminars and survey to prepare a report back to Treasury and Ministry of Health on the community sectors response. There are of course both benefits and risks that need further exploration. At this stage the government has approved a pilot – dependent upon a viable business case being developed. You can find the slides from the presentation here

ANGOA have also set up a survey monkey here and if you are interested in taking a more active role into the research on the feasibility of social bonds in NZ then you can respond to the notice on GETS or you can email socialbonds@kpmg.co.nz.

DIA host Axford fellow working on social enterprise and youth

Some of you may remember social financier, Laura Benedict, Ian Axford fellow who spent a year here sharing ideas about social lending. A colleague of Laura’s, 2013 Ian Axford Fellow, Mary Jo Kaplan is now in New Zealand to work on opportunities for social enterprise and innovation to engage and develop youth. Mary Jo is from Providence, Rhode Island based, and is based at MSD in Wellington. She is here in collaboration with the ASB Community Trust. In the States, Mary Jo leads Kaplan Consulting, a firm that is focused on strategic impact and multi-sector collaboration and she also teachers social enterprise and nonprofit strategy at Brown University. Mary Jo welcomes opportunities to connect with anyone involved in related issues and interests. You can email her at MJKaplan@Kaplanconsult.com or phone 027 521 7475

NZ Schools of Social Enterprise in 2013

Social Enterprise Institute

The Social Enterprise Institute (SEI) is being established by social enterprise practitioner and CEDNZ Trustee, Lindsay Jeffs, to identify, support and encourage New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector to explore social enterprise opportunities to create wealth. Following the success of last year’s programme which helped participants establish several new social enterprises in both Christchurch and Auckland, as well as the formation of local social enterprise networks in both cities, applications for the 2013 programmes are now open. Potential participants can either contact Lindsay Jeffs directly on 0274351732 or go to the Social Enterprise Institute website to enrol.

Social Entrepreneurs School

At the NZCSI Social Entrepreneurs School the vision is to support and enable social entrepreneurs throughout New Zealand in finding solutions for the country’s most pressing social needs. After feedback and reviewing the 2012 program, NZCSI are looking at reframing the program into a Changemaker 101. This is a shorter version of the 9 month program held last year and is specifically designed to be delivered in partnership with community in a time frame best suited to a social entrepreneur. For further details please go to www.nzcsi.org or contact Anna Love at anna.love@nzcsi.org

Local Living Economies

As events close to home and around the globe point to continued fragility in financial systems, and the effects of our resource consumption bring about ever greater impacts, the message is clear: Business as usual needs a rethink.

Living Economies offers real-value alternatives to loans, interest and chronic debt through:

Savings pools Why pay interest? Create a common reservoir.
Local money Cash-flow problem? Cash is the problem.
Food pools We can get a lot more mileage out of our meals.
Time banks Build healthy communities – one hour at a time.

The Living Economies Educational Trust has been up and running for over a decade now, and has made considerable strides in promoting, facilitating and demonstrating systems of cooperative exchange which enrich all their participants. They have an online shop online shop with excellent resources.

Check out People Money: The Promise of Regional Currencies Margrit Kennedy, Bernard Lietaer and John Rogers, 2012.

Iceland’s Hörður Torfason to visit NZ

During the height of the global financial crisis in 2008, multinational banks used the IMF to pressure Iceland's Parliament to pass laws which would use public funds to bail out banks which had become insolvent through reckless speculative activity. Hörður Torfason organised a peaceful citizens' movement to question, oppose and ultimately overthrow the government. A new constitution was drafted with input from all parts of Icelandic society. The banks were forced to pass their losses to their shareholders instead of the public. Large amounts of private debt were forgiven, criminal charges were laid against those responsible for the meltdown, and Iceland has regained a measure of economic stability without sacrificing its sovereignty. For dates to see Hörður Torfason see events section below or go here for more information.

Report from Global Shifts Conference in Melbourne

I was keen to attend this conference in Australia in December, but was short of funds, so had a crack at crowd funding – using Givealittle. And it worked to an extent. So big thanks to those who contributed to help me to get to Melbourne and soak up some international and Aussie wisdom. Now for a brief summary- my part of the bargain.

Bunker Roy and the Barefoot College

Of all the speakers I found Bunker Roy to be the most inspiring. He created the Barefoot College in India for the poor. Bunker is opposed to formal “elitist” education. At the Barefoot College no degrees or paper certificates are allowed! Any endorsement comes from the community being served.

The Barefoot College is most well-known for teaching illiterate grannies from rural villages to be competent solar engineers – in just 6 months. Bunker maintains that men are largely untrainable! The programme has enabled hundreds of Indian villages to be solar powered – at the same time as enhancing the value of women in these communities. It is a remarkable story. The programme has now been extended to Afghanistan and Africa. A Bunker Roy Ted talk is well worth a visit here

The Solution Revolution

Pamela Hartigan, Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University's Said Business School had some interesting global insights. She said we are moving from “social entrepreneurship” (noun) to social entrepreneuring (verb). That it is no longer about idolising heros like Bill Drayton and Muhammad Yunus – but an activity that we can all participate in as citizens in our various communities. I liked this viewpoint that links democratisation and entrepreneuring. Pamela said this space is not a field, profession or sector – but a new lens or mind-set. Pamela used the term “Solution Revolution” to describe what is emerging – beyond the “dichotomy” to a solution focus, with all “sectors” being part of the solution.

Gross National Happiness Centre

The Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan aims to demonstrate a simple and sustainable way of life in harmony with nature utilising holistic measurement over nine domains. Interesting…See more here

These were my top picks. There were many other wonderful speakers. Here is the link to the Global Shifts Conference website

Conference themes

Transformation of Capitalism

A principle theme at the conference was that social enterprise is paving the way for the transformation of capitalism – that the Global Economic Crisis challenged our value system, and people are now looking for “good capitalism”. A transition is occurring from both ends of the spectrum from charities to social enterprise and “for profits” to social enterprise

Does Size Matter?

Scale was a significant conversation. When does size matter? Is small ever beautiful or is impact dependent on scaling up? Presenters said that it’s about scale of impact – not just scaling for size. As we know, scale can make organisations inflexible, slow to respond and inhibit freedom to criticise mainstream. However, there are ways of responding to this challenge.

Social franchising can create scale that that is not about command and control (e.g. McDonalds), but more collaborative. It is also possible that large social enterprises can have local leadership, internal delegation of power, local budgets, and some local autonomy. Size also creates influence and access to politicians and media. Kevin Robbie hit the nail on the head for me when he said that it is about whether the decision to scale (or not) fits with the organisations purpose.

Social Procurement

Social procurement emerged as a major opportunity for social enterprises to access more markets. For purchasers (e.g. local councils) smaller contracts are an opportunity to test social benefit and buy local policies, less risky than bigger contracts. We need to be able to assess and demonstrate impact to win over officers and politicians – and there is a need for intermediaries to broker the conversations. Social Traders is playing a role in Australia as well as Supply Nation, the indigenous business supplier council.

A couple of gems…

From Ego-System to Eco-system

I loved the phrase “From Ego-system to EcoSystem”. The “eco-system” around social enterprise is evolving fast in Australia – there is a proliferation of support agencies and networks emerging. This was seen as a sign of maturity and vital to the growth of the space. This space is not about individual glory – but how we can move forward together, beyond old ways of empire building, silos and suspicion of “other”.

Your own pigs don’t stink!

It emerged that we need both bottom up and top down initiatives and energy; that

social change happens because of people power, but government can foster an enabling environment. One presenter said that “your own pigs don’t stink!” -referring to wind farms in Germany becoming acceptable to local people- when they are owned by the community, not by an energy corporate. A previously perceived “scar on the landscape” can transform into a vision of beauty – when there is community ownership and benefit involved.

Where is it all heading in Australia?

Conference speakers indicated that the future will include:

Increasing visibility/brand awareness of social enterprise (like Fair Trade)
Support for intermediaries/growing an ecosystem
Government strategy and regulation to support social enterprise (Obama administration has an Office of Social Entrepreneurship).
Social enterprises as employers of choice
Local solutions in a global way through international global platforms
Demand driven investment – matching capital to need; social stock exchanges to attract capital; Investor education (e.g. Global Investment Network) link

Future challenges will be:

Resisting definitions, it ties us up in knots – focus on purpose instead
Loss of momentum, we are on a roll, can we keep the energy going?
Filling gaps in finance for social enterprises
Finding ways to fund and resource intermediaries/networks
Getting over tall poppy syndrome
Avoiding “fanfare” – keep an eye on purpose
Providing development support for investment readiness
More awareness raising and practical evidence
Re funding: understanding demand first, before working out supply (We tend to build a fund and push it out, doesn’t work well)
We don’t know how to measure impact, lots out there – important to collect data, even if don’t have framework yet.

Some key opportunities are:

Social procurement to open up markets for social enterprises
Networks and alliances
Celebrate champions and achievements through social enterprise awards
Businesses have much to offer
Social Enterprise as a response to the Global Economic Crisis
Finance: The right capital for the right purpose; Impact investing – for both social/ environmental impact and financial return; pension funds utilised for social enterprise investment
Recognising a spectrum of market based enterprising innovation
Enable people to create wealth for themselves

It seemed to me that most of the above is as relevant to New Zealand as it is to Australia. It was great learning more about the Aussie scene and making some connections, and thinking about opportunities for collaboration.

The overall mood of the conference was that we are at the dawn of BIG CHANGE. Dr Samdu Chetri from the Gross National Happiness Centre left us with this thought…

“We are not human beings trying to be spiritual,

We are spiritual beings trying to be human”

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures

Di Jennings

Convenor, CED Network

di@ced.org.nz

CED Bulletin: November 2012

Di Jennings — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 03:50:27 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

Apologies – it has been a while since I managed to get a CED ebulletin out to you. Over the last two months, I have been flat out travelling right around the country to interview CED and social enterprise practitioners for the CED research project. Since I returned from living and working in the UK three years ago, I have been integrating what I learned there into our New Zealand context and the last couple of months have helped enormously. Travelling the country, meeting inspiring social entrepreneurs and finding out what’s working, what isn’t – and what our social enterprise practitioners need to thrive – has been an illuminating time. Between Dorte Wray (Research Assistant) and myself, we have now carried out 70 interviews – just 30 to go to reach the magic 100!

Some of the highlights from our road trip have been visiting:

Whale Watch, Kaikoura – the poster child for social enterprise in NZ. It was so good to go there at last. Inspiring story of when railways restructuring led to local unemployment, a Maori family mortgaged their house to get this project started to create local employment. Whale Watch now earns global awards for environmental tourism and employs up to 100 local people – with many small local businesses emerging as spin offs, making a huge difference to the local economy.
White Stone Civic Trust, Oamaru – another great story. The Whitesone Civic Trust had a vision and decided to take ownership of old heritage buildings (that most folks saw as a liability) – to create a unique tourist destination and reinvent the town. Oamaru is a good example of community being supported by their local council to attain mutual outcomes.
Blueskin Energy Project, Coastal Otago - Blueskin Power is an initiative of the Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust. Most of the community energy enterprises around the country are involved in insulation programmes, Blueskin is the only one I have discovered that is working towards community owned energy generation. There are many examples of this in the UK – it is an area of significant enterprise opportunity for local communities, to provide for the energy needs of their own community and sell excess energy to the national grid. This creates funds for further community initiatives and enterprises. It will be so interesting to watch how Blueskin develops.
Enspiral in Wellington are an eco-system of 85 people and 12 companies. While the core business is web development, the collective serves as an incubator for several web based social enterprises including: Bucky Box (an administration platform to make food distribution easier), Chalkle (an online marketplace for community education and peer to peer learning) and Loomio (a consensus and democratic decision making tool for groups, organisations and businesses). Enspiral use an innovative business model to deliver great value to their customers as well as supporting new business start ups. Very exciting!
McLaren Park Henderson South Community Initiative (MPHS) in Waitakere, Auckland – an excellent example of how an enterprising approach can help to transform a disadvantaged area. Hubwest, the community hub recently opened by MPHS is state of the art, and a genuine reflection of local people’s aspirations. It is also a base from which to develop social enterprises.
Skylight, Wellington are an innovative counselling service that has reinvented itself as a social enterprise and now sells quality resources both locally and globally.
Elevator in Auckland is a very established social enterprise that offers a wide choice of supported employment options for people with disabilities living in the greater Auckland region, through their own enterprise activity and also through their connections in the open employment market.
Changeability, also in Auckland, is a social enterprise under the umbrella of Connect, a mental health organisation. Changeability trades to fund the work of the parent body. Changeability specialises in change management – and is finding many of it’s customers in the private sector.
Xtreme Waste in Raglan is a community enterprise working in partnership with Waikato District Council to manage Raglan’s solid waste. Within just 10 years, Xtreme Waste has helped the community to divert 75% of waste from landfill and won a Green Ribbon Award. Xtreme Waste employs 26 local people. Waste is such a fertile area for social enterprise and I feel fortunate to have a great example in my own backyard here in Raglan.

As you can see from the diversity above, social enterprises are emerging and established in a range of sectors and activities including recycling, disability, Iwi and Maori organisations, arts, tourism, health/mental health, digital media, community empowerment etc. Some top of the head reflections to date are: that our social enterprise practitioners are passionate and determined people; that they mainly operate in an environment that provides minimal support and encouragement; large organisations and/or those with a track record are better positioned to access the relevant advice, skills and finance; smaller and newer organisations are much more challenged in these areas.

I am pleased now that we framed the research around CED (that includes social enterprise, but also includes community exchange schemes as well as small local SMEs that deliver social value). I am noticing that two schools of thought and practice are emerging to date – those that are developing social enterprises to trade in existing markets, and those that think that the current economic paradigm is ultimately unsustainable and are establishing “alternative” local economies through community currencies, timebanking, savings pools etc.

I am looking forward to a more settled period in the new year to start analysing and integrating all the information that we have gathered. The data analysis will be followed by a comprehensive report that will include five case studies.

Literature Review

In the meantime, you may be interested in the CED research literature review summary, that is a quick read with some valuable information. The review explores the following key concepts:

Community Economic Development (CED)
Social Economy
Social Enterprise
Social Entrepreneurship
Social Innovation
Community Ownership of Assets
Social Finance and Investment
Social Value and Impact Assessment

… in terms of their history, theroretical frameworks and critiques, and the New Zealand context.

The document includes a table of characteristics of these key terms and concepts that you may find useful. For those of you who would like a more in depth exploration, the full version of the literature review is 112 pages long, and can be purchased for a fee of $30 plus GST and postage. If you would like to order a copy, email Lindsay Jeffs at lindsay@csbec.org.nz. We are getting into enterprise mode – walking the talk!

As Dorte and I travelled around the country, it was great to see the level of interest in CED and social enterprise.

In Christchurch, I was privileged to meet a group of ex students from the Social Enterprise Institute course who are continuing to meet to explore ways of working together for peer support and to explore mutual trading opportunities.

In Whakatane, an event was organised to coincide with our visit there. I was pleasantly surprised that 35 people turned up to explore and discuss social enterprise opportunities. Thanks to Inspiring Communities, Te Pou Whakaaro and Bay Trust who made this possible – we just had to turn up!

And in Auckland I got to go to The Feast! It was the first worldwide dinner party for social good, held on Friday 5 October as part of global social innovation week. The Feast was born out of the New York event, which gathers innovators from across industries to engage each-other in creating world-shaking change. This year more than 500 hubs popped up over the world to host their own Feast on Good. The Kitchen in Auckland played host to this event in collaboration with Curative, Innovate Change and Imminent. With an impressive guest list of champions and leaders in social innovation in New Zealand, the Auckland hub was one of the largest evening events of those across the world – and it was great fun with wonderful food from Pop Up Dining.

Also in Auckland, just this week I presented at one day event “Social Enterprise: Navigating the Fourth Sector” - that was jointly organised by the Waitemata Local Board, University of` Auckland Business School, The Kitchen and the CEDNZ Trust. This successful collaboration enabled quality knowledge exchange and really useful connections to be made. A highlight for me was the snappy Petra Kucha session in which six practitioners talked passionately about their social enterprises. There was also significant interest expressed in the development of a national network for social enterprise.

In Wellington I happened across the Collaboration Cafe, an informal bi-monthly café event which brings together some of Wellington’s younger social entrepreneurs to support one another in kick-starting innovative projects. I was impressed with the creative process as well as the good ideas and practical advice shared.

Also in Wellington, I was fortunate to attend the Community Recycling Network (CRN) Annual Hui. The Community Recycling Network is the representative organisation of community enterprises in recycling, reuse, composting, waste reduction and waste education. Members are a great bunch of innovative people working together to working together towards Zero Waste in New Zealand. They make up a significant proportion of the social enterprise sector.

A Social Enterprise Network for New Zealand (SENZ)

The above hui inspired me to continue to work with colleagues to establish a similar national vehicle, but for social enterprises across all the various sectors and activities. My time spent in the UK taught me that a practitioner led national social enterprise network (with associated regional and local activity) has an important part to play in carving the space for social enterprise in terms of awareness raising, capacity building and advocacy to develop a supportive and enabling environment for social enterprises to thrive and prosper.

This work is continuing, (a little slower than some of us would like – it is currently being driven by volunteers), but the momentum continues. Following on from a comprehensive consultation process involving numerous stakeholders, an Establishment Board of committed “doers” is now getting the ball rolling: Jeannine Walsh (who helped to establish Changeability) Clementine Ludlow from the BNZ Bank, Bevin Fitzsimmons from Breakthrough Strategies, Joanne Harland (lawyer), Pat Watson from Community Waitakere – and myself. A company has been established, the business plan and value proposition are almost complete, with support from AUT students and Deloittes, and we will be seeking members and founding partners in 2013. So watch this space!

Social Finance

In the previous bulletin I mentioned a Social Enterprise Loan Fund, the Employment Generation Fund, that is based at Lifewise, in the Auckland CBD. In response to the bulletin, readers were in contact to tell us about other social loan funds of interest including:

The Nelson Enterprise Loan Trust that makes loans of up to $20,000 to small businesses and social enterprises operating in the Nelson region. They have been been operating since 1997 and have made $1.6m in loans to 190 small businesses with a recovery rate of 99%.

The Just Dollars Trust in Christchurch that also makes loans to social enterprise and small business. Just Dollars was set up in 1992 to achieve social outcomes by providing small loans of up to $10,000 to help people generate income and employment.

And while we are talking employment, take a look at dogoodjobs.co.nz – an online jobs board linking passionate, talented, “do-gooders” with job vacancies at organisations working to create social and environmental change.

Todd Foundation think piece on Social Enterprise and Social Finance

This is a brief think-piece from the Todd Foundation reviewing and summarising social enterprise and social finance in New Zealand. It includes three case studies of NZ social enterprises operating along different points of the charity – business spectrum and outlines their challenges and advice to funders. It’s good to see one of our funders exploring the social enterprise and social finance space. Here is the link »

Social Enterprise Institute Seeking Expressions of Interest for 2013

The Social Enterprise Institute (SEI) held two successful courses for budding social enterprise practitioners in 2012 – one in Christchurch and one in Auckland. SEI offers practical courses in how to start a social enterprise – including content on asset mapping, feasibility studies, business plans, marketing, financing, implementing and social value measurement. The tutor is Lindsay Jeffs from the Christchurch Small Business Enterprise who has built and managed a successful social enterprise over the last 20 year. The course has an emphasis on peer exchange and includes a number of relevant guest speakers.The SEI will be running further courses in 2013 in Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington.

Please contact Lindsay Jeffs for further information:

lindsay@csbec.org.nz

Phone 03 3669978

The Social Entrepreneurs School Applications Now Open

Applications are now open for the 2013 NZCSI social entrepreneurs (SES) school. SES is seeking bold and courageous social entrepreneurs with a cause. The programme involves group study sessions, coaching, action learning, hear from expert witnesses and gaining practical, business and life skills over 10 months. Students pay a $1,500 plus GST contribution fee towards the programme, plus travel expenses incurred. SES provides full scholarships to cover the remainder of the $15,000 plus GST programme cost. Click here to apply.

Festival for the Future

I wish I had managed to go to this event in Wellington, organised by one of our leading social innovators, Guy Ryan from the Inspiring Stories Trust. The Festival for the Future showcased the passion, vision and projects led by some of our most innovative young New Zealanders. I hear it was inspiring. These young social entrepreneurs are our future and it is so encouraging to hear about them just getting on and doing it.

Social Enterprise World Forum

Another event it would have been great to be at was the recently held fifth Social Enterprise World Forum in Rio de Janeiro The conference theme and keynote address were mainly on impact investing, acknowledging the growing social investment market around the world. A summary of some key messages from the conference can be viewed here.

A Request to Givealittle

CED crowdfunds for Social Traders conference

Social Traders Australia national conference Global Shifts 2012 is being held from 12 to 14 December in Melbourne. I really want to attend to soak up the latest that is happening on the Australian social enterprise scene and to further develop relationships with the movers and shakers across the ditch, that will help to inform us as to how to grow this space in New Zealand. The challenge is – where to find the funds? It will cost around $2000 all up including registration fee (at a reduced rate), fares and cheap accommodation. The CEDNZ Trust has offered to contribute half of that amount, and SENZ Establishment Board Member, Bevin Fitzsimmons has kindly added $100 to the cause. This generosity prompted us to consider crowd funding to enable me to find the remaining funds to attend this conference. So…

If you would like to contribute to this CED cause, please Givealittle here »

Anyway, it’s hard to believe, but Christmas is approaching fast – I am going to aim to find the perfect gifts at social enterprises – the Trade Aid Shop, charity shops or environment and recycle centres etc. An opportunity to give our social enterprises a seasonal boost.

I borrowed the following quote from the Senscot newsletter, couldn’t resist it: “So let us solve the great problem of our time, the disease of excessive size and uncontrollable proportions, by going back to the alternative to both right and left – that is, to a small-scale social environment with all its potential for global pluralistic co-operation and largely unaffiliated self-sufficiency, by extending not centralising control but by decontrolling locally centred and nourished communities, each with its own institutional nucleus and a limited but strong and independent gravitational field.”

- Leopold Kohr (Austrian Economist)

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures!

Di Jennings

Convenor, CED Network

di@ced.org.nz

CED Bulletin – September 2012

Di Jennings — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 02:52:54 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

Doing Real Good

Last week I attended the SOCANZ “Doing Real Good” Conference in Wellington. Congratulations to Viv Maidaborn and Shaun Lines for creating an event that provided a space for innovative ideas and inspiration to be shared and discussed.

Highlights for me were:

The inclusion of a Maori work stream and the opportunity to participate in conversations about how the Maori Economy is developing and how this relates to the social enterprise movement in general.
Social entrepreneurs who think and operate globally and seek social/environmental impact on a large scale (like Nic Francis, Melissa Clark Reynolds and Katherine Corich). Apart from Nic, all the speakers were from New Zealand, (some of who operate globally, some nationally and some at a community level). So it is evident that there is plenty of activity happening in our own backyard.
The possibilities that emerge when social enterprise intersects with the digital/knowledge economy realm. I am so not a digital native and don’t understand all the implications, but my intuition tells me that this is where big impact innovation is going to be happening, especially in the global democracy space. For example, the work of Enspiral in Wellington is particularly inspiring!
I have been reminded of the power of a good story. And our collective need for new stories that demonstrate business as a force for good.

Some of my reflections since the conference are:

Some of the presenters had businesses that undoubtedly are “doing real good” – and also distribute profits to individual shareholders. In my book that is called social business, not social enterprise. Both are absolutely valid in terms of making positive change in the world. This may sound like semantics, but it seems to me that the inherent nature of social enterprise is that profits are principally reinvested for community benefit, to distinguish it from mainstream “business as usual” that has, in some cases, allowed greed for profit to lead to the abuse of both people and the environment. Investor profits can lead to a slippery slope. However I can accept that this is not necessarily the case. The Scots take the view that the ratio between highest and lowest paid in a social enterprise should be no more than 5:1. Seems fair. I don’t doubt that this is a debate that will be around for a while.

Personally, I am most excited where social enterprise intersects with a localism, community empowerment agenda. You know, small is beautiful, thriving local communities, reduced oil dependency etc. I guess that’s because my background is in community development. The SOCANZ conference highlighted the role of large scale global social entrepreneurship – and the significant impact it is making. It seems to me we need both the global and the local.

Corporate attempt to appropriate the term “Social Enterprise”

A company called Salesforce is attempting to trademark the term social enterprise for its own business products. In response, Steve Wyler from Locality in the UK says, “…there is something very wrong indeed with the idea that a private company should appropriate the term social enterprise for its own narrow commercial ends, and moreover claim legal ownership for itself. What astonishing effrontery!”

Wyler says that Social Enterprise UK is mounting a challenge, and hopefully, will win. He says that this is as an indicator of what we are up against as our movement grows, and has a deeper significance. Ideas and practices of social enterprise have moved quickly from the margins to the mainstream, in part due to catastrophic failures of “business as usual”, and in part due to the growing credibility and reach of the social enterprise sector itself. The hope for a better way of doing things is, at last, becoming a threat to those who have sat so long and so comfortably around corporate boardroom tables and he thinks that that increasingly, the tactic will be to appropriate the term, to wear the attractive new clothes – without changing the nature of the beast within. Wyler says that this is nothing more nor less than a confidence trick!

CED Research Progress

Dorte Wray and I are making good progress with the CED research that is being carried out with Lotteries Community Research Funding, through the CEDNZ Trust with support from Unitec. The literature review is now completed and a summary will soon be published on the CEDNZ website. We have held five focus groups around the country. The many conversations have been illuminating. Focus Group participants say that they have welcomed the opportunity to meet with other practitioners to explore CED issues at a depth. In fact, the mid north island group that was held in Rotorua is continuing to meet, an unanticipated outcome of the research. Through September and October, Dorte and I will be travelling around New Zealand carrying out face to face interviews with 100 social enterprise practitioners. Next steps are the data analysis and report writing including some case studies.

OCVS Social Enterprise Research

The CED research above is distinct from the Social Enterprise Mapping Survey that is currently being carried out by OCVS, that has most likely come your way by now. The OCVS survey is a mapping exercise and it is anticipated that the two pieces of research will complement one another. You can link to the OCVS survey here. The closing date is 14 September 2012. If you are a social enterprise and have not completed the survey as yet, here is some relevant information from Diana Suggate.

The survey aims to get a better understand of the number and range of social enterprises, their activities and their contribution to New Zealand society and the economy. A social enterprise is an organisation that:

has a social, cultural, or environmental mission;
derives a substantial portion of its income from trade; and
reinvests the majority of its profit/surplus in the fulfilment of its mission.

At this stage we don’t want to tightly define what a “substantial proportion” of trading income is. In Australia, the definition of a “social enterprise” specifies that income from commercial activity is 50% or more (but can be less for newer ventures that have a clear aim of increasing their trading income).

Some people have encountered issues with the link to the survey or with particular questions. The new link www.surveymonkey.com/s/V6G9GLK should work for everyone. (People who have already used the earlier link don't need to worry – we will have that information.) Questions that require an answer are marked with an asterisk (*). It helps to have your organisation's financial report for the year ending in 2011 on hand before you start. For some questions you will be asked to provide numerical information. Please do not use dollar signs ($), percentage signs (%), commas, spaces or decimal points when answering these questions, or you may find you cannot proceed.

If you have for any reason partially completed the survey and then exited, we would encourage you to start again and complete the survey for us. Many thanks! If you encounter any problems, feel free to contact Diana.

Taking the risks…

I recently carried out a review of a community based information technology social enterprise in the Waikato region that unfortunately failed. Hats off to Community Waikato for having a go in the first place – and having the courage to commission an independent review to determine the causes of failure. They were, of course, multiple.

Developing social enterprise is challenging work, and it feels so important to me that we accept that, just like the private sector, not all social enterprises will succeed, that we learn from our mistakes – and even better, share the lessons with others for our collective learning. A copy of the report can be found here.

Here’s to having as few failures as possible and ensuring that we learn from our mistakes when things don’t pan out. In the course of my recent research, I read that it is a fallacy that social entrepreneurs take more risks than others, but that successful social entrepreneurs embark on a thorough investigation of potential risks in advance and plan rigorously for risk mitigation. That seems like a healthy attitude to risk, one that enables and does not stymie innovation – at the same time as accepting that unforeseen circumstances will inevitable emerge to undermine the best laid plans!

Establishing a National Social Enterprise Network

It continues to feel important that we develop a national network for CED and social enterprise that is sufficiently resourced and able to provide a cohesive voice for this growing sector. This is a journey that a number of us have been engaged in for some time. Here is a brief summary of what has happened to date, the ups and the downs…

Phase 1.0

The CEDNZ Trust was established in 2010
CEDNZ Conferences were held in Auckland in both 2010 and 2011 – with significant support from Community Waitakere, the Christchurch Small Business Enterprise Centre and the Auckland Council
A database of CED practitioners and supporters has been developed and regular ebulletins sent
November 2011 – the vision to establish a national network is stymied by lack of resource, a number of funding applications are declined (with the exception of the application to Lotteries Community Research Fund to carry out research that is currently being carried out by the CED Trust, with support from Unitec)

Time for a new approach….

Phase 2.0

CEDNZ reaches out and a number of new people bring significant time, skills and energy to the process
BNZ pays for facilitation and concept development
Sub groups are established to hone up the key messages and develop a structure
The challenge (still) is how to access funds to employ staff to get the ball rolling… and develop a financially sustainable model in the longer term
Peter Holbrook visits New Zealand and provides a road map based on the SEUK journey

Social Enterprise New Zealand (SENZ) is born. At a recent meeting an Establishment Board was created to develop the following:

A Business Plan
A Communications Plan
Identification of founding partners and patrons
The legal entity and constitution

At this stage, this work is being carried out by a handful of people on a voluntary basis. If our efforts are successful, you will certainly hear about it, and you will be invited to continue to be involved in this journey to establish and develop a national network for social enterprise.

Do you need a Social Loan?

Based at Lifewise, in the Auckland CBD, the Employment Generation Fund has been making loans to business ventures in Auckland and Northland since the early 1990's. This independent charitable micro-finance fund was set up by Methodist Churches in Auckland and Manukau to create jobs at a time of high unemployment.

The Fund assists small businesses which are unable to access finance from mainstream funders, making loans to ventures looking to start up, or expand. So far it's assisted more than 150 ventures, created over 340 full-time equivalent jobs and used the re-generating nature of the Fund to make loans of more than $1.7M.

The fund acts primarily as a “lending institution of last resort” to support new and early stage businesses get ahead and create employment on the way. But recently, as a consequence of the global financial crisis, businesses are watching their debt levels closely and in many cases not entertaining the thought of taking on more, which means that despite having funds to lend - their loan book is looking a bit too lean. The fund is seeking more business!

If you know someone whose business fits the basic criteria and needs funds up to about $20,000, please encourage them to call Phil Hickling on (09) 302 5394 or email philh@lifewise.org.nz and he will discuss their needs. The Management Committee is versatile in its approach and the web site is only a click away at www.microfinance.org.nz. It has a downloadable application form, but if in doubt do make the phone call.

Want to know more about micro finance in New Zealand? Email microfinance@lifewise.org.nz to subscribe to the Generator, a regular newsletter featuring articles, case studies and news.

Happenings at “The Kitchen”, Auckland

Six months in and The Kitchen, a shared work space for changemakers, located in Ponsonby, Auckland, is steadily developing as a launch-pad for good ideas. The team are currently developing a database of professional skills that members are able to offer each other and the broader community. If you'd like to work with other social entrepreneurs and community sector types, membership options are available to freelancers and small business people with a focus on positive/social and environmental impact.

Last Wednesday they hosted their first showcase of Kitchen talent "Table Talk". Seven organisations wowed an audience of 100, speaking on international development projects, health initiatives, brain-computer interfaces, sustainable housing, creative communications, and guidance and mentoring of sports people. You can check out the photos "here". Or if you missed that, they'll be hosting Pecha Kucha on 10th Oct.

See the Kitchen website for details, sign up to receive monthly invites or get in touch via hello@thekitchen.net.nz. The Kitchen Trust also offers a limited number of membership subsidies for deserving start-ups and non-for-profits – email trust@thekitchen.net.nz for more information.

Urban Edible Gardens Project

The British Council are launching an Edible Garden project in association with the Auckland Council. The idea is to create vegetable gardens in urban environments within the city, to both sustainably make use of organic waste and to showcase the possibilities for implementing urban closed loop permaculture systems in environments where there may not be access to grass or gardens.

The first garden was launched as part of the opening party for Co-Space (the new K Rd BizDojo makers space), on August 17th. Waste from cafes and working spaces will be utilised, and it is intended that the gardens will provide fresh greens for the community come summertime.

“System Jumpers”

In conversation with a UK colleague, I just discovered some new language for a concept that I am a big fan of. “System Jumpers” describes those people who love to work in the margins between sectors and systems, broker connections and encourage opportunities. When I was working in Waitakere we named this role a “community broker”. This felt right in its time, but in today’s environment it feels too wedded to one sector – the concept of a “system jumper” feels freer and more outward looking. Sometimes nailing the language is useful to enable the conversations to flow and the innovations to happen! My experience is that when these “system jumper “roles are resourced, that magical innovation can happen.

SIMPOL: People Power and Global Democracy

This is exciting. Many of us are disenchanted with nation state politics and the inability of our leading politicians to gain agreements on the big global issues of our times. SIMPOL is as an innovative concept that responds to this seemingly intractable dilemma. In this link the founder, John Bunzl, talks about citizens developing bottom-up power and global cooperation in addressing fundamental problems. I was riveted and have signed up. And am thinking how to encourage our New Zealand politicians to sign up…

Cleaning the World – with unused hotel soap

Clean the World takes in amenities from hotels and makes soap, more than 10 million bars of it, for people in need around the world. Check it out here.

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures…

Di Jennings

Convenor, CED Network

di@ced.org.nz

CED Bulletin – June 2012

Di Jennings — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:21:00 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

The momentum continues to grow – there are a number of exciting events that explore social enterprise being held in Auckland and Wellington over the next couple of months. See events section at the end of this bulletin for more information.

Disability Social Enterprise on TV

I was heartened to see an item about Workforce Auckland, that provides employment for people with disabilities, shown on Close up on TV1 recently. The workers really love working there – it is a great story and well worth a look (only 5 minutes). Here is the link - it is just the kind of mainstream media exposure that we need to grow understanding of the value of social enterprise.

Workforce Auckland are a social enterprise in the disability sector that have just rebranded to become the Elevator Group (providing supported employment in the mainstream as well as direct employment) and their assembly and packaging plant has become Altus Industries.

Auckland Council appointment for a Social Entrepreneurship role

The Auckland Council have now appointed Billy Matheson, as a Principal Advisor in Social Entrepreneurship in their Community & Cultural Strategy Unit.

Billy has led the Regeneration movement to date – a network of young change makers who are working to create positive change in their communities, workplaces, families, schools and the natural environment. Billy and his team have taken an innovative approach to engaging and growing the next generation of social entrepreneurs. This is a smart appointment by the council as it will ensure links through to this network of young people as well as the many networks and leaders that Billy has links with. The council are to be congratulated for creating this new role and it will be interesting to see how it impacts on the social enterprise scene in the Auckland region.

As the Auckland Council region is so extensive since amalgamation, there is a possibility that Billy’s efforts could be spread a little thin. To leverage off this new position, a social enterprise programme that includes front line social enterprise support positions in each of the four council service centres would be a logical next step. Having an innovative social enterprise officer on staff has worked well at Parramatta City Council in the western suburbs of Sydney, where the council social enterprise support officer, Jo McNeill, has had a significant impact on growing the social enterprise sector in the Parramatta area.

Remembering Steve Lawrence

Many of you will remember our friend and colleague, Steve Lawrence, who sadly passed away this month at his home in Sydney after a long illness. Steve is commonly referred to as the 'Grandfather of Social Enterprise' in Australia. Steve generously came to New Zealand to share his extensive knowledge at both of the CED Conferences that have been held here to date. Steve has been a pioneer of the social enterprise sector in Australia as long time CEO of WorkVentures, a driver and advocate of the work of Social Ventures Australia and the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Steve understood the need for social enterprise more than 30 years ago and has been an agent of change and action through his work, both locally and globally ever since. He will be missed.

CED Research Update

I am currently immersed in the literature review for the CED research, (that is being carried out by the CEDNZ Trust with funding from the Lotteries Community Research Fund.) What is becoming apparentfrom the international literature is that there is an extensive and fast growing body of academic and practitioner literature in the areas of CED, social enterprise, social entrepreneurship and social innovation, but is confusing in terms of definitions and distinctions between the various terms. There will never be consensus, but I am starting to get clearer about some important distinctions – that I will share with you when they have properly crystallised…

I am really enjoying researching the history of this movement and it has affirmed the importance of the cooperative movement, both overseas and in New Zealand, as providing a foundation for the social enterprise movement that is now growing in leaps and bounds. The next step for the research is to hold focus groups around the country, followed by 100 practitioner interviews. that will be carried out by me and our able research assistant, Dorte Wray.

The Social Enterprise Institute

The Social Enterprise Institute (SEI) commences classes in Greenlane, Auckland on Thursday, 21 June. The Social Enterprise Institute is being established by social enterprise practitioner and CEDNZ Trustee, Lindsay Jeffs, to identify, support and encourage New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector to explore social enterprise opportunities to create wealth for our communities. SEI classes are already underway in Christchurch, where a group of high quality participants are working on a number of innovative social enterprise projects. Their ideas have been clearly defined and participants are currently working on business plans. Due to last minute cancellations there are still two places available for the Auckland intake. The classes run one day per week (Thursdays) over a 20 week period. If you are interested please email lindsay@csbec.org.nz or phone 0274351732.

Inspiring Stories

Since last year I have been based in Raglan, a small but exciting and innovative community. Recently Guy Ryan from Inspiring Stories was in town, sharing exciting tales of young social innovators through film. Guy Ryan founded the Inspiring Stories Trust and won first prize at the Dragons Den session at the 2011 CED Conference. He is continuing his work, touring the country using film making as a means to foster innovation, stimulate conversation, and reach audiences to enable collective learning. In the Inspiring Stories short films, it is so encouraging to see such innovation, commitment and social conscience being demonstrated by the next generation.

Pacific Island Communities and Social Enterprise Discussion Paper

This paper describes social enterprise, and explores the potential for Pacific communities to become more involved. It is based on a literature review and five case studies involving either established Pacific social enterprises, or mainstream social housing providers whose clients include Pacific communities. The Pacific Island Communities and Social Enterprise Discussion Paper were prompted by the idea that there are emerging opportunities for social enterprise to be an important pathway to better social and economic outcomes for Pacific people. The conclusions are presented as a useful checklist of questions for any aspiring social entrepreneur.

Download the Pacific Island Communities and Social Enterprise Discussion Paper

Social Impact Bonds

I have recently discovered a New Zealand report on social impact bonds from September 2011, The Potential for Social Impact Bonds in New Zealand, that was prepared for the Department of Internal Affairs by Ross Philipson Consulting Ltd. This report explores the opportunities afforded by social financing and Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) in particular. It describes the nature of SIBs, their advantages and risks, compared with existing mechanisms, and explore what sectors of the New Zealand market may be interested in investing in SIBs. The report also identifies policy and market constraints to the extensive use of SIBs, and provides a strategy that focuses on the key steps required before a comprehensive assessment can be made as to whether SIBs should be trialled in New Zealand.

For those of you who are interested in this innovative, (but new and as yet unproven) model of social finance, it is a good way to understand the promise of social impact bonds, within the New Zealand context.

Youth unemployment… and opportunities

The CTU's youth sector, Stand Up Spokesperson, James Sleep, says the consistently high and growing youth unemployment figures show the government is not putting enough resources into tackling the problem, and policies like the starting out rate will not solve this problem.

Sleep says "The number of young 15-24 year olds out of work, education and training (NEETs) has increased from 83,000 to 87,000; outnumbering the population of Palmerston North….and the decision by the Government to only fund youth transition services for 16 and 17 year olds will lead to thousands of young unemployed people over 18 being left without any support.”

A social enterprise response to youth employment could be part of the solution. It will mean us working together across sectors to create social enterprises that are aimed at providing a supportive working environment for young people, including youth at risk.

Capital Comment

from Roger Tweedy

The social enterprise dialogue continues to buzz in Welly, as more organisations are exploring the possibilities for ‘enterprise earnings’ as part of income streams. At the recent Ethnic Affairs Conference at Te Papa the workshop on social enterprise was the highest attended session amongst the migrant community. With many ethnic communities having a strong ‘enterprise culture’ this seems a promising area for social enterprise to develop.

Discussion has resurfaced on the area of ‘shared space and support’ for young graduates wishing to test the social enterprise area as a starting point in their careers. I was inspired by visiting the HUB in Melbourne recently www.hubmelbourne.com and can see tremendous potential amongst the young capital entrepreneurs. We are currently (inspired by Peter Holbrook) talking with Young Enterprise – who in the UK (Surprise, surprise more schools are taking the SE option!)

On the social innovation front, we are hosting the Wellington launch of HOW COMMUNITIES HEAL later in the month at the Mayoral Chambers in honour of the five Welly social entrepreneurs featured in the book edited by Vivian Hutchinson. Sorry we are unable to invite all, as numbers are limited at the venue.

Happy enterprising,
Roger Tweedy,
epeople@xtra.co.nz

Peter Holbrook

Presentation

For those of you who missed seeing the dynamic Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK when he was visiting New Zealand recently, here is his powerpoint presentation on the OCVS website. Definitely worth a look!

The Kitchen

A shared workspace for changemakers

At the moment The Kitchen is offering three subsidised places to deserving people with great ideas for social good. Take advantage of the collaboration, shared ideas and mentoring opportunities that constantly emerge. To apply email: hello@thekitchen.net.nz. On another note, if you'd like to share a drink with 100 sustainability buffs? The Kitchen is hosting Green Drinks on Wed 27th June – See www.thekitchen.net.nz for more details.

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures…

Di Jennings
Convenor, CED Network
di@ced.org.nz

CED Bulletin – May 2012

Di Jennings — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:07:40 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

Over the last month it has been heating up on the social enterprise and social innovation front. It’s great to see that organisations from various sectors are bringing inspirational international speakers to our shores. They include… The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services brought Nic Francis, leading UK social entrepreneur and the author of The End of Charity, to speak at the Future Wellbeing Conference.

Also in March, Canadian Nicole Foss, international speaker on finance, energy, resilience and environment issues, that have been key drivers in the Transition Town Movement, was in New Zealand and was interviewed on Kim Hill. Check it out here

The New Zealand Social and Civic Policy Institute and ANGOA brought Lindsay Driscoll, a charity law and governance expert from the UK, to talk about social Investment, the law and the Community Interest Company (CIC), the UK social enterprise specific legal entity. Check out CIC Association.

On the academic front, Assistant Professor Mary Lee Rhodes from Trinity College, Dublin lectured at the University of Auckland Business School about the emergence of “hybrid” organisations, social impact and social return on investment (SROI), and a new approach to measuring social progress, referred to as moving ‘beyond GDP’.

And at Massey University, the NZ Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research Centre hosted distinguished academic in the field of social innovation and social entrepreneurship, Dr Alex Nicholls who was the first lecturer in social entrepreneurship appointed at the University of Oxford, UK.

Peter Holbrook

CEO of Social Enterprise UK

And to top things off, this week, The British Council brought Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK to our shores, in conjunction with the NZ Centre for Social Innovation and the Office of Ethnic Affairs. I heard Peter speak in Auckland and am still feeling inspired. Some of the highlights were:

Affirmation that jobs and employment are the most effective way of bringing people out of poverty– and that social enterprise can play a significant role in providing many of these jobs.
The importance of social procurement to enable organisations that purchase services to add social value to their procurement processes. In the UK this is now covered under legislation! In February 2012, the UK introduced the Public Services Value Act that requires all public sector commissioning to factor in social value. This was inspired by a recommendation in Social Enterprise UK's 2010 election manifesto and something the social enterprise sector has long campaigned for. This is what can be achieved through a national network that brings a cohesive voice to advance the needs of the social enterprise sector
Corporate Social responsibility (CSR ) as an “add on” to business as usual is yesterdays' news – and Peter thinks that that in future all business will seek to incorporate social value at the heart of the organisation
Big Society Capital is a 600 million pound social loan fundthat has been established in the UK from unclaimed money in dormant bank accounts. I wonder if we could do something similar in New Zealand?
Social impact bonds are working in the UK for a social enterprise that employs ex-offenders and has reduced the re-offending rate from 80% to 15%. The enterprise receives a share of the government savings in return
Fightback Britain, a national report on the social enterprise sector shows that the social enterprise sector in the UK is dynamic, attracting entrepreneurs, working in the UK’s most deprived communities to tackle the root causes of deprivation and, as a sector, is both out-pacing and out-innovating comparable SMEs.

A Social Enterprise Network

for New Zealand

Peter Holbrook’s visit confirmed for many of us that the time is ripe for a Social Enterprise Network to be established in New Zealand. My experience is that a network – whether it is called CED (as in Canada); Social Entrepreneurs (Scotland); Social Enterprise (England) or Social Traders (Australia) has a crucial role to play in connecting the players, growing expertise, advocating for the social economy to potential partners and investors and providing a cohesive voice for the social enterprise sector. The Community Economic Development NZ Network was established as an outcome of the CED Conferences that were held in 2010 and 2011, but it has been challenging to find the financial support needed to develop the network. In response, a committed group of community leaders and other stakeholders from around the country have been meeting to explore possibilities. Sub groups are currently meeting to develop key messages and determine the nature of a financially sustainable vehicle that can grow the social enterprise movement. Some of us were fortunate to gain invaluable advice as to how to move forward on this initiative from Peter Holbrook while he was here, so watch this space….

CED research

will determine success factors and challenges

I have been working on a literature review for the CED Research project that has been funded by the Lotteries Research Fund, with supervisory support from UNITEC. The research, “Understanding CED in the New Zealand Context”, will involve focus groups and one to one interviews with social enterprise practitioners around the country to ascertain what the success factors and challenges are for social enterprise in New Zealand at this time. I was privileged to access a two day mentoring session with Australian researcher, Ingrid Burkett, to develop the research. Ingrid has spoken at both of the CED Conferences to date, and has authored a number of reports on both social enterprise and social procurement including Social Procurement in Australia.

We had some illuminating conversations about social enterprise profit distribution and the sometimes contentious asset lock (that requires that both profits and assets are retained for community benefit and social impact -not distributed to individual shareholders). It is a really important mechanism that distinguishes social enterprise from business as usual. However, there are times when profits are distributed to community shareholders (through a community shares offer) or employees in the case of employee owned cooperatives). I think that the fundamental question to ask is who is benefiting from the profits?If the profit provides community benefit and/or addresses inequality, then for me, it sits within the broad definition of social enterprise.

OCVS research

will map extent of social enterprise

Over the next 12 months, the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector (OCVS) is carrying out a mapping exercise to determine the extent of the social enterprise sector.During June and July 2012, a survey will be circulated that aims to ‘map’ the social enterprise sector in New Zealand. The findings will paint a picture of the range of social enterprises and will help build understanding of the social enterprise environment. The survey questions will include: What industries social enterprises are found in? What activities they are undertaking? How these activities relate to the core mission of the social enterprise? The survey will largely follow the definitions and methodology used in the Finding Australia/s Social Enterprise Sector (FASES) research, published by Social Traders in July 2010.

The results of the survey will be published by the Department of Internal Affairs in the later part of 2012, and will be useful for social enterprise practitioners and others interested in social enterprise development in New Zealand. These results will also inform policy discussion about the most appropriate role for government in supporting social enterprise development in New Zealand.OCVS would appreciate it if you would keep an eye out for the survey going into the field in June, and distribute it amongst your networks – the more responses the survey gets, the clearer picture we will have on the current contribution of social enterprise to New Zealand’s society and economy. If you’re keen to help distribute the survey, please e-mail james.king@dia.govt.nz

Social Enterprise Institute

Opens in Christchurch

The Social Enterprise Institute starts in Christchurch on Friday 4 May, with an initial intake of 10 students from community organisations and social enterprises. The Social Enterprise Institute (SEI) is being established by social enterprise practitioner and CEDNZ Trustee, Lindsay Jeffs, to identify, support and encourage New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector to explore social enterprise opportunities to create wealth.

Auckland SEI classes will start on 21 June, and will run one day per week over a 20 week period. There are still a few places left for this intake and partial scholarships may be available. The course involves a commitment of one day a week for a period of 20 weeks. For further information and to enrol, click here or email lindsay@csbec.org.nz or phone 0274351732.

Social enterprise to address poverty

Sanjit "Bunker" Roy is a key speaker at the Adult and Community Education Conference that is coming up on 27-29 June. Sanjit “Bunker” Roy has been a leading figure in the Indian NGO community for the past thirty years and has nurtured a grass-roots social entrepreneurship that is redefining the way the world thinks about fighting poverty. His Barefoot College has trained more than three million people for jobs in the modern world using a unique bottom-up approach. The college's "barefoot professionals" then return home to use their new skills — as solar engineers, teachers, midwives, weavers, doctors and more. Bunker combines humanitarianism, entrepreneurship and education to help people steer their own path out of poverty, fostering dignity and self-determination along the way. In April 2010, Bunker was recognised by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

News from the emerging local networks:

Capital Comment

Things are heating up in Wellington on many fronts. Popular discussions include social procurement, legal structures to enable social enterprise and social finance. A number of international speakers have been ‘in town’ with ideas and perspectives to inspire the many conversations. If you would like to be on the database for the Wellington CED Network please email: rogertweedy@xtra.co.nz if you do, an invite for an exciting event will be arriving in your mail box in May.

Coworking space for changemakers

The Kitchen, a shared work space for social changemakers, was launched in Ponsonby in March. The launch was a wonderful event that celebrated the dedication of Murray Sheard and his dynamic team to get this exciting initiative off the ground. It is a beautiful space that is already working well to link social innovators and entrepreneurs, share ideas and inspire action. It is great to see so many young people involved with the Kitchen, taking up the challenge to make positive change.

Auckland Council's Social Entrepreneurship role

The Auckland Council have recently advertised for a Principal Advisor in Social Entrepreneurship in their Community & Cultural Strategy Unit. As far as I know, this will be the first social enterprise specific role that has been created in a council setting in the country. If they recruit the right person, it could be the beginning of some cross council expertise being developed – and the beginnings of some much needed council support for social enterprise in the Auckland region. If you are a council officer and would like to know more about how a council can enable social enterprise development, check out The Social Enterprise Guide for people in local government that has been developed by Social Enterprise UK.

Social procurement

The Auckland Council has also commissioned a briefing paper on social procurement to inform the development of their procurement policy. I am working on this together with Jon Siddall from Synergia. Procurement processes all sounds a bit dry I know, but as I get to see the impact that social procurement is having on growing the social economy overseas, and the potential that exists to develop this in New Zealand, my interest is growing fast. An advantage of social procurement is that it need not add costs to create the added social value, but involves purchasing organisations, in government, local government and private sectors, contracting in new ways. In this age of austerity, this is the kind of innovation that will make a difference.

If you have relevant news from your region or community that you would like to be included in a future CED ebulletin, please email di@ced.org.nz

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures.

Di Jennings
Convenor, CED Network
di@ced.org.nz

CED Bulletin – March 2012

Di Jennings — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:36:49 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

When I was working in Scotland, I attended a DTA Scotland conference where I was very inspired by a presentation from social enterprise practitioner, Peter Holbrook, who was at that stage, CEO of the Sunlight Development Trust. Sunlight is viewed as a successful, community led, cutting edge social enterprise in the UK. It delivers a wide range of community services, including youth engagement, health services, support for parents and the elderly. I suspect that much of the success is down to Peter’s inspired leadership.

Peter Holbrook
CEO of Social Enterprise UK

Social Enterprise UK is the UK national body for social enterprise. The good news is that the British Council are bringing Peter to New Zealand in April.Peter is one of the UK’s Social Enterprise Ambassadors, a member of the Government’s mutuals taskforce, the employee engagement taskforce and is a board member of Big Society Trust, overseeing the delivery of Big Society Capital. Peter has previously worked for Oxfam, Greenpeace, Marks and Spencer and Body Shop International. Get to hear him speak if you get the chance, he is the real deal – passionate, innovative and inspirational. The NZ Centre for Social Innovation are hosting an event in Auckland – go here to register. In Christchurch he is being hosted by the Office of Ethnic Affairs. Here is a link to programme. I understand that a Wellington event may also be in the pipeline.

The Kitchen
A co-working space for changemakers

Social Entrepreneur Murray Sheard is behind an innovative new shared work space in Auckland. “The Kitchen” is a co-working space for changemakers that offers an inspiring work environment and seeks to catalyse initiatives for a better world. The Kitchen does this by providing space to work, meet, host events, learn, collaborate and celebrate what is good. The core focus is on social entrepreneurs, not-for-profits, and those working for ‘more than profit’, but they also welcome freelancers and small businesses of many stripes.

Situated in Maidstone St, Ponsonby, The Kitchen offers a combination of permanent desks and hot-desks, as well as full, and part-time, membership options. They provide meeting rooms, event hosting space, smoking-hot internet, printing, scanning, and photo-copying as well as incubation services and mentoring. Not to mention the 270-degree view over Auckland from their 270-degree deck! For enquiries see http://thekitchen.net.nz or email murray@thekitchen.net.nz

Social Enterprise Institute (SEI)
Website is now up and running Christchurch and Auckland

The Social Enterprise Institute is being established by social enterprise practitioner and CEDNZ Trustee, Lindsay Jeffs, to identify, support and encourage New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector to explore social enterprise opportunities to create wealth. The Institute offers a programme that enables a not-for-profit organization to identify and assess profit making initiatives that can assist the organization to become more financially independent and sustainable whilst retaining their values and a commitment to social, environmental and cultural outcomes. The programme builds on the lessons of the programme leaders who are experienced social enterprise practitioners who have run successful social enterprises in their own communities

The course runs one day per week over a 20 week period and will be run in Christchurch from March to July 2012; and Auckland from June to October 2012. Partial scholarships are available. For further information and to enrol go to the Social Enterprise Institute website or ring Lindsay on 0274351732.

Social Entrepreneurs School
Inaugural social entrepreneurs

The Social Entrepreneurs School, is a New Zealand Centre for Social Innovation initiative, commences on 8th March in Manukau with the inaugural thirteen social entrepreneurs who will accelerate their projects through a nine month intense action learning period. A public launch is being held on 21st March with Mayor Len Brown attending.

How Communities Heal
Stories of social innovation and social change

The long awaited book by Vivian Hutchinson and the New Zealand Social Entrepreneur Fellowship has recently launched and is available to purchase online.
The book tells the stories of a unique group of New Zealand social entrepreneurs, who are bringing insight, entrepreneurship and practical hope to our communities. This book profiles the personal stories of these innovators, and their work to create systemic and sustainable solutions to social and environmental challenges.

Each profile includes photographs of the entrepreneurs, and their projects and programmes, as well scenes from their participation in the retreats of the New Zealand Social Entrepreneur Fellowship.
How Communities Heal also includes a series of articles from Vivian Hutchinson on entrepreneurship and innovation, and the tools and ideas that are helping make these projects happen. For more information about How Communities Heal and the Social Entrepreneurs Fellowship go to NZSEF

BNZ Closed for Good

On Tuesday 8 May, Bank of New Zealand will be closing its doors ‘for good’ for the third time to help out communities across New Zealand for one day. In 2009 and 2011 the volunteers were BNZ staff, but this year they are asking members of the New Zealand public to get involved and lend a hand on community projects.

In order to place approximately 8000 volunteers Closed for Good needs as many projects as possible. They can help out on anything you have that needs doing, particularly large-scale projects and projects requiring business-related skills.

If you have a project that needs volunteers you can easily register it by visiting www.closedforgood.org. All submissions should outline what the project involves, how many people are needed for the day’s work, objectives of the day, what you need the volunteers to do and how your project will benefit the community.

Key Dates

17 Feb – 16 March: Projects can be submitted on www.closedforgood.org
By 23 March: Community organisations will know if their project has been accepted.
2 April – 23 April: Volunteers will be able to select projects. Projects are not guaranteed to go ahead until after 23 April 2012: when minimum numbers have been met and volunteers have been assigned. The Project Leaders will then be in touch to do a project site visit to finalise details.
8 May: Closed for Good

For any questions please contact the Closed for Good team via email on closedforgood@bnz.co.nz or 0800 275 269.

United Nations International
2012 is the year of Cooperatives

“Cooperatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility.” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

The International Year of Cooperatives is intended to raise public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration. The Year will also highlight the strengths of the cooperative business model as an alternative means of doing business and furthering socioeconomic development.

Cooperatives, like social enterprise are part of a bigger vision – which sees economies working for the common good, rather than the unlimited is a part of this same vision. For more information go to International Year of Cooperatives

Empowerment in times of Austerity

A recent report from the New Economics Foundation, Creating stronger and more inclusive communities which value everyone’s right to contribute; Some lessons for positive action on the context of austerity responds to fears that, in a prolonged period of austerity, the “Big Society” rhetoric of empowerment and inclusion will remain just that.

I can’t help but reflect that, here in New Zealand, our government has not subscribed to any empowerment rhetoric – but they have certainly taken on the austerity measures! The content of this report has relevance here for those of us that feel that people at risk of marginalisation can contribute to their local communities as well as receiving their communities’ support.

And finally, check this out Community Lover’s Guide to the Universe. It is part of the Social Spaces Project. It’s a grass roots global initiative (I hear that some are using the term “glocal” to describe this space) – that could do with some New Zealand content! Now there’s a challenge…

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures

View the original CED bulletin – March 2012 »

CED Bulletin – February 2012

Di Jennings — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:30:31 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters,

No-one can predict how the global economic crisis will pan out in New Zealand, but what seems certain is that the most vulnerable in our communities will be feeling the brunt of it for a long time to come. What also seems certain is that the resourcefulness of our sector to respond to these challenges is going to be tested like never before. It seems to me that strengthening communities needs to move quickly up the agenda.

Despite operating successfully for many decades throughout NZ, social enterprises are not generally well known. Yet interest and awareness of their social and economic benefits is growing. Both community sector organisations and local/central government are becoming increasingly interested in the role that social enterprise can play in addressing social disadvantage, support economic participation and strengthen local communities.

The Community Economic Development Conferences (CED), held in 2010 and 2011, have helped to build the momentum here. In recent years specialist support for social enterprises and social entrepreneurs has started to emerge including the CED Network, the Social Entrepreneurs Fellowship, theSchool for Social Entrepreneurs and the Social Enterprise Institute. Auckland Council considered a report on CED last year, and is currently working on the implications for the Auckland Council. If Auckland Council takes a lead – it is possible that other Councils around the country may follow suit. It may be a promising start to the year.

Great news re CED research funding

Also promising – just before Xmas, the CED Trust received good news from the Lotteries Research Fund that resource has been granted to carry out significant research about CED in the New Zealand context. The research will involve focus groups and one to one interviews with social enterprise practitioners around the country to ascertain what the success factors and challenges are for social enterprise in New Zealand at this time. UNITEC are partnering the CEDNZ Trust in the research – and discussions are currently being held with OCVS who are also planning research in this area. This feels like quite a coup as reluctance to invest in CED has oftentimes been put down to the lack of relevant NZ based research.

Growing the CED movement

Over the last month I have received several inquiries asking is a CED Conference is to be held in 2012? My answer has been that a conference requires considerable resource and commitment – and unfortunately that has not been forthcoming of late. There is considerable commitment – but minimal resource! Over the last six months the CED convening role has been carried out on a voluntarily basis – and this is, of course, unsustainable. Fortunately many CEDNZ Network supporters are keen to find a way to progress and grow this movement. With the blessing of The CEDNZ Trust, they organised two “think tanks” in Auckland over the November/December period. This wider support for the agenda is both welcome and encouraging. As the CED Trust cupboard was bare, BNZ provided resource for external facilitation and Telecom provided the venue. This was much appreciated. Finding a way to resource a convenor role will be pivotal to keep growing this agenda. The “think tank” process will continue in 2012 and I will keep you posted as to how this develops…it sufficient support is found, more events will likely be coming your way. Fingers crossed.

Two training opportunities…

Combining community sector know how and business skills can be challenging. Training to understand the social enterprise space has been needed for some time. In 2012, two opportunities are emerging…

1. Social Entrepreneurs School

The inaugural 10-month Social Entrepreneurs School Programme will commence in March 2012. The 2012 programme include tutorials, action learning sessions, business coaching and study sessions as key elements, delivered on a weekly basis, with breaks aligned to NZ school terms. The action learning programme delivers a practical blend of business fundamentals, funding and strategy concepts for social enterprises, and soft and hard skills. It will offer the practical how and why of social business, in a weekly hands on learning session setting that emphasises innovation and practical application. It is designed to help social entrepreneurs grow their social ventures and improve their effectiveness and social impact.

The School is seeking applications and expressions of interest from 15 -20 social entrepreneurs to become the first cohort of the programme from March to November 2012, which is designed to accelerate and enhance their respective impact on their communities. To make an application go to SSE application »

2. The Social Enterprise Institute

The Social Enterprise Institute differs from the SSE in that it takes an organisational rather than an individual approach. It is being established by social enterprise practitioner and CEDNZ Trustee, Lindsay Jeffs, to identify, support and encourage New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector to explore social enterprise opportunities to create wealth. The Institute offers a programme that enables a not-for-profit organization to identify and assess profit making initiatives that can assist the organization to become more financially independent and sustainable whilst retaining their values and a commitment to social, environmental and cultural outcomes. This programme provides an invaluable opportunity for any not-for-profit organisation which is considering developing a social enterprise or trading arm that is compatible with their organisations’ values, vision and mission. The programme leaders are experienced social enterprise practitioners who have run successful social enterprises in their own communities. The programme builds on the lessons they have learnt.

Participant’s employers will be requested to sign an agreement with the Institute to provide active support, including access to relevant organisational information to develop an appropriate business plan.

A defining characteristic of social enterprise – the asset lock

One of the contentious issues around social enterprise has long been the importance of the “asset lock”. The asset lock refers to both profits and physical assets of a social enterprise being retained for community benefit/ reinvested in line with their social or environmental mission – and not distributed to individual shareholders. That this is what distinguishes a social enterprise from social business and private sector enterprise. I share this view based on my three years experience working in the social enterprise sector in Scotland – where this issue has been strongly debated over the years. The prevailing view there is that the asset lock is fundamental to social enterprise. Check out this article from Michael Roy’ from the Yunus Centre for Social Business & Health Institutes for Applied Health Research and Society & Social Justice Research. He restates Muhammad Yunus’ position – that the defining characteristic of a social enterprise is it’s asset lock. The necessity for a definition, he says, is ‘that there are a number of organisations which describe themselves as SE’s but are frankly nothing of the sort’. Laurence de Marco from Senscot says “I stand with Muhammad Yunus – social aims and investor profits are incompatible.” Not everyone agrees and it is a debate that will no doubt continue in New Zealand as interest in social enterprise grows.

Charities Commission Information Sheet

The Charities Commission appear to support the above view in their recent information sheet Charitable purpose: Social enterprise where it says “Social enterprises can be eligible for registration as charitable entities if they have purposes that are exclusively charitable in accordance with New Zealand law and are not established for private profit.” The information sheet is well worth a read – and is another positive sign that this hybrid model is starting to gain traction in government circles.

Social businesses and private enterprises that successfully balance social, environmental and economic mission, while distributing profits to individual shareholders and directors, are, of course making a positive contribution to our communities. But they are not social enterprise. As we watch the global economy unravelling, largely due to unbridled greed, it seems to me that it is important that social enterprise is defined by a significantly different set of characteristics – and represents a more cooperative and equitable way of doing business.

New peak body for sustainable business

Members of the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development (NZBCSD) have formed a new Sustainable Business Council (SBC) in association with BusinessNZ’s Sustainable Business Forum (SBF). The new peak body will start with more than 49 member companies, including some of the country’s largest, like Fonterra. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly describes as an opportunity to build “a strong collective voice” on sustainability led by business. He says “New Zealand has a strong interest in sustainability. It makes sense for us to have one consolidated voice representing the New Zealand business community, providing businesses with leadership, best practice and advocacy in an area that is now a key issue in mainstream business all over the world,” Mr O’Reilly says. I wonder if they will include support for social enterprise as part of their approach to sustainability, as the business sector has done in other parts of the world? Notably, the Westpac Foundation in Australia – that provides significant support for social enterprise development. Now that would be something!

Measuring social impact

Measuring our social impact is something that social enterprises can put in the too hard basket. Yet it is so important to demonstrate the difference that we have made in social (and/or environmental) terms. There are many roads to measuring social impact and finding the right one for the context is challenging. Take a look at the new economics foundation (nef) social accounting toolkit Prove and Improve it provides all the information needed for an organisation to assess its own social, economic and environmental impact. The toolkit offers a simple and straightforward route into an area which can seem complex and daunting. It is comprehensive while avoiding a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Other resources for measurement of social impact can be found at Social Audit Network or at the The SROI Network.

Clara Miller

If you came to the Clara Miller event that was hosted by the CEDNZ Network in Auckland in October 2011, – or if you didn’t and would like to know what she had to say – Clara’s PDFs and power point presentation are now available for viewing and printing at this address: http://www.giving.org.nz/node/8089

Living Economies and Timebanking

Living Economies promotes pathways to community resilience through promoting and supporting “real value” alternatives to money. These include local savings pools, local money systems, local food and time banks. Take a look at Living Economies website

I am now living in Raglan and have become interested in a timebanking initiative that is being started here. I am aware that there is a growing interest in timebanking and a number of timebanks are springing up around New Zealand. In a Time Bank, everyone’s time is equal, no matter what type of work is done. Credits are earned when you give your time and you can “buy” someone else’s service. Community cohesion is grown as anonymous strangers are transformed into friendly neighbours.

Lytelton people have pioneered timebanking in New Zealand. A timebanking national hui was held in October 2011 and there is now a national association. To find out how timebanking can work in your community check out Timebank Aotearoa

A final thought I couldn’t resist sharing…. I am just reading a Ghandi’s autobiography. When asked what he thought of western civilisation, he replied “I think it would be a good idea!”

That’s all from me for now, wishing you all the best in your various socially just and enterprising adventures

View the original CED bulletin – February 2012 »

CED Bulletin – November 2011

dijennings — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:19:21 +0000

Hello CED practitioners and supporters

A recent visit from US social financier, Clara Miller, helped us to understand why it is so challenging to gain investment for change and development in our sector. The points that she made and the conversations that ensued were very relevant for us right now. Thanks to Philanthropy New Zealand for bringing Clara to talk to us. It will be very interesting to hear how our funders respond to what she has to say…

Clara Miller Event in Auckland emphasises importance of Change Capital

The CED Network recently hosted Clara Miller, a leading international expert in social finance, in Auckland. Named among the NonProfit Times “Power and Influence Top 50” for four years running, Clara Miller is President of the F B Heron Foundation in New York City – a grant making institution dedicated to building wealth in low income communities. The Auckland event was collaboration between CEDNZ Trust, BNZ and Philanthropy New Zealand.

Clara provided us with some useful reframing. The points she made that resonated for me were:
• It is much tougher to be a manager in the community sector than private sector – because we have to run two businesses – our mission business and the business that provides the means to finance it

• NFPs embrace a “market flaw” – that is, providing services to people who cannot pay

• There are two roles for funders- Buyers and Builders
o Buyers provide income for services. It is short term funding – and, if successful, funders will buy again (sometimes!).
o Builders provide the capital needed for development. Builder capital is episodic and long term. Clara calls these builder funds – Change Capital or Philanthropic Equity. As we know, it is far sexier for funders to provide funds for tangible services than to build the infrastructure that helps organisations to deliver services in new and innovative ways.
This distinction felt very relevant in terms of the challenge facing community organisations that want to move to social enterprise to fund some of their services. Unless we emphasise the importance of these builder funds, the innovative change is unlikely to happen.

• Clara says that we need to change the conversation and tell our programme stories in enterprise terms, i.e. in a way that includes our overheads and development costs. She called this “redefining our market proposition”.

• We will see an increasing shift from government funded programmes to multiple players providing the investment and funds

• The conditions that we all operate in are rapidly changing from predictable and fixed to changing and volatile. We need to be able to adapt in order to survive

• Real estate is not the only kind of capital investment to consider. In terms of executing our mission, investing in human capital and/or technology may be a better investment than buildings. There was lively debate about the pros and cons of owning buildings

• Clara says that corporate philanthropy is going global and that recession and failing industries has lead to “place” being less important. Participants felt that in NZ we have a growing emphasis on place in response to the ill effects of globalisation – and that place and localism are a very important part of building a sustainable future.

Social Impact Bonds – inviting the rich to make money from the poor?

Clara also talked about Social Impact Bonds http://www.socialfinance.org.uk/sites/default/files/SF_CriminalJustice.pdf which are a relatively new, results-based funding mechanism. Effectively, the bonds enable investors in successful programmes to receive a share of cost savings from government. Social Impact Bonds are being lead by Social Finance UK and are starting to gain traction in the US. Early application is around the rehabilitation of prisoners.
There is much debate around Social Impact Bonds. Some of the debate suggests that Social Impact Bonds could open up possibilities to fund social enterprise. But where results are hard to demonstrate, the bonds could leave the most marginalised out in the cold. Social and political commentator, Polly Toynbee from the Guardian, is rather scathing. “It’s a novel solution to extreme inequality” she says “inviting the rich to make money out of the poor!” There is no doubt that it is early days and the jury will be out for some time to come. I suspect we would be smart to wait and see how Social Impact Bonds pan out overseas before jumping too quickly on the bandwagon.

Wellington CED Network gains traction

It has been a tough time for the CED NZ Network recently, so it was very encouraging hearing that at least one local network is emerging and gaining traction. The Wellington CED network recently held an event with special guest, Mark Daniels from Social Traders, Victoria, Australia. (www.socialtraders.com.au)The guest speaker was followed by a question and answer panel that included Charles Brass, Future of Work Foundation, Melbourne and Sam Rye from Enspiral, Wellington. I hear that around 60 people attended the event and that the discussion was lively. Mark Daniels also met with government officials while he was here. Good to hear that the conversation around CED and social enterprise is building in both community and government circles. .
It’s great to see a local CED Network getting it together – good on you Roger Tweedy and Sam Rye for making this happen. For more information about the Wellington CED Network, contact Roger Tweedy on 0221088140

School of Social Enterprise heads to Auckland

Enrolments are now open for the 2012 Social Enterprise Business Development courses to be run in both Auckland and Christchurch starting in February. The School of Social Enterprise offers active learning that enables a not-for-profit organisation to assess profit-making social, environmental, community economic development and cultural initiatives that can assist the organisation become more financially independent and sustainable.
The Social Enterprise Business Development course has been designed by people experienced in operating social enterprises in the New Zealand environment and runs one day per week over 20 weeks. Participants will be people currently working in a not-for-profit organization which is looking to:
• Diversify funding income
• Establish sustainable income streams
• Become less grant dependent
• Avoid funder capture
• Find new sources of funds and/or establish a profit-making training division
.

Each participant will also receive on-line support during the training plus six months post course mentoring and coaching support. The emphasis of the course is on the enterprise rather than the individual and the participating not-for-profit organisation will be asked to sign an agreement with the School of Social Enterprise agreeing to support the person taking part in the programme and to seriously consider any business opportunities developed by the student.
The course fee is $2500 per student with some scholarships being available. Each class will have a maximum of 18 participants. Potential students are encouraged to contact Lindsay Jeffs, via email lindsay@csbec.org.nz or by phone 03 3669978.

The blurring of sectoral boundaries and the emerging fourth sector

Over the past few decades, the boundaries between the public (government), private (business), and social (non-profit) sectors have been blurring as many pioneering organizations have been blending social and environmental aims with business approaches.
There are many expressions of this trend, including corporate social responsibility, microfinance, venture philanthropy, sustainable businesses, social enterprise, privatisation, community development and others. As this activity matures, it is becoming formalised as a ‘Fourth Sector’ of the economy. To better understand the emergence of the Fourth Sector, it is helpful to study recent shifts in organisational behaviour across the three traditional sectors.
Interesting reading here http://www.fourthsector.net/

“Is social enterprise really changing the world – or is it being changed by it?”

Laurence deMarco’s recent speech at a Senscot Seminar has much for us to chew over as we consider where this movement is heading in New Zealand.
Senscot was established 12 years ago and has been largely responsible for growing awareness throughout Scotland around social enterprise, advocating for financial investment, developing a pipeline of support to grow social enterprises at all stages of development. In many ways, in New Zealand we are currently in a similar place to where Scotland was in 2002 – so let’s not reinvent the wheel, but learn from the Scottish journey. Relevant points from Laurence’s speech are:
• There was much resistance to social enterprise in the early days
• As the dominant global economy fails, social enterprise is part of the transition to a new economics –shared values, protecting the ecology and habitat for future generations and reducing the gap between rich and poorThe new economics will involve a whole different set of production and ownership relationships which enable and motivate wider participation and will include more co-operative business models and mutualised banking services

• Traditional commerce is inherently expansionist and centralist. The new economics has a fundamental belief that society works better on a local collective basis rather than driven by global shareholders and private equity. This is where social enterprise and the localism agendas come together.

• The movement is currently under threat from private sector encroachment and it is imperative to maintain the integrity of the asset lock – that profits and assets are retained for community benefit, not for private shareholders.

This very brief synopsis does not do the speech justice and I highly recommend a thorough read of Laurence’s speech http://www.senscot.net/view_art.php?viewid=11558

Zeitgeist 2011 and the “Occupy” movement

It is also worth spending some time viewing the 2011 Zeitgeist movie.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z9WVZddH9w It weaves many threads together that have lead to such widespread economic, societal and environmental dysfunction – and points to the end of the current “free market” and monetary systems to a whole new paradigm – a brave new world where the 99% stop the 1% in their tracks and resources are shared according to need not greed. I have been watching the “Occupy” movement with much interest and I think this where it is heading. I have always been of the view that it is more powerful to be for something than against something. Of course I share the extreme frustration with unethical speculation, toxic debt and political corruption that is bringing the world as we know it to its knees. What I love about the views expressed in Laurence deMarco’s speech above, is that the new economics, that includes social enterprise and localism, is a positive response to all that – it provides us with a picture of what a more workable and equitable world could look like. Let’s give voice to the new economics. There is an alternative!
That’s it from me for now

Wishing you all the best in your various adventures
Di Jennings
Convenor, CED Network
di@ced.org.nz

Jobs

Enterprising Communities Coordinator, Community Economic Development – West Auckland.
The Waitakere WEA is looking for someone who understands how sustainable community economic development (CED) practices can improve community wellbeing. Closing date is 18 November 2011.
For a copy of the job specification and application form please emails waitakere.wea@xtra.co.nz or phone: 09 837 1471.

Resources

The Social enterprise builder from Social Traders Australia is a step-by-step guide on how to build a social enterprise. This guide is written for anyone wishing to understand more about social enterprise and how to start one. The Builder guides you through a rigorous business planning process, which underpins the future success.

CED Bulletin – September 2011

dijennings — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:11:42 +0000

Sorry folks … that CED communications have been rather intermittent of late. Whilst the passion and commitment to continue this work from a small core of people on the CED Trust continues, investment in the work has not. So ….at present, the CED work is being kept afloat through the voluntary efforts of trustees. My inbox fills daily with inquiries from folk who want to know more about CED… with this level of interest, in combination with the fast pace of developments internationally, I remain optimistic about the future of the CED Network and indeed the CED movement in New Zealand.
A current iron in the fire is an application to the Lotteries Research Fund to carry out some significant research around CED in the NZ context. (The need for this research was strongly identified at the April CED conference). If we are successful, this will be the first piece of significant research about CED carried out in the NZ context. We are very fortunate that Unitec is partnering us in writing stage two of this proposal and bring their significant research expertise to the table.

Australian Government Support for Social Enterprise

Whilst we are peddling hard to get government buy-in to a social enterprise agenda – in contrast, the Australian government is currently making a $22 million investment. Foresters Community Finance has just been awarded $6 million in seed funding – matched by Christian Super Fund taking the total fund value to $12 million. Social Enterprise Finance Australia (SEFA) has been awarded $10 million in seed funding with a further $10 million being invested by a range of corporate and individual investors. Kate Ellis, Minister for Employment Participation says “Ensuring social enterprises have access to appropriate finance at the right time, combined with sound business and investment advice will help this industry to grow, to create jobs and deliver meaningful results for the community. For further information check out SEDIF program

The Rousing Giant of Maori money

In a recent NZ Herald article journalist Anne Gibson talks about “The rousing giant of Maori money”. The article says that last year, the Maori economy was estimated to be worth $36.9 billion! This article points to Tanui, Ngai Tahu and Ngati Whatua as the three richest iwi in the country. The NZ Herald article quotes Chris Wikaira from Tanui as saying “You can conceivably see out in provincial New Zealand the biggest game in town, apart from maybe Forestry or Fonterra, is likely to be an iwi asset holding company – and its all money that’s invested in New Zealand”.

Ngarimu Blair from Ngati Whatua made a moving presentation at the 2011 CED Conference, and for many of us, a penny dropped – that the Iwi-led maori enterprise and the CED movement are very closely related in terms of social mission and profits being retained for community benefit. I see all of the above coming under the broad umbrella of our “Social Economy” – the economy that has a history of growing and thriving when and where private sector enterprise has failed.

Don’t miss this Social Finance Workshop

CEDNZ invites you to a workshop with Clara Miller, a leading international expert in social finance. Clara Miller is President of the F B Heron Foundation in New York City – a grantmaking institution dedicated to building wealth in low income communities.
Previously, Clara founded and ran the US’s Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) – a national leader in nonprofit, philanthropic and social enterprise finance. Clara was named among the NonProfit Times “Power and Influence Top 50” for four years running.

The workshop will be held on Monday 31 October from 10am to 2:30pm. The venue is
BNZ, Level 8, 80 Queen Street, Auckland

Thanks to support from the BNZ this workshop is free – but places are strictly limited so it is necessary to RSVP to info@socialdevelopment.org.nz to ensure you don’t miss out on this opportunity. The workshop includes morning tea and a light lunch.
This workshop is brought to you by the CEDNZ Trust and BNZ with support from Philanthropy New Zealand

How Communities Heal

Vivian says “New Zealand was once proud to be considered the “social laboratory” of the world — a place of can-do creativity, and an early adopter of many new social ideas. We have had an inspiring history of local social entrepreneurs who created, implemented and spread new ideas until they became an everyday part of our communities. Despite this history, it is perhaps surprising to realise how little has really been known about the process of social innovation – compared to the vast amount of knowledge and research that has been gathered on how innovation happens in science and in business.”
The How Communities Heal project is being published in fortnightly instalments on the internet at How Communities Heal

Congratulations to VisionWest

VisionWest’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Stephanie Yost, was also awarded the Rosebank Business Association Young Business Person of the Year Award. Lisa Woolley, CEO of VisionWest Community Trust said “Winning these Awards is a true testament to the strong sense of vision and commitment of our people…we’ve come a long way since our start as a little drop-in centre in Glen Eden, but our partnership with the Glen Eden Baptist Church and vision for hope and transformation for families in our communities has remained strong.”
VisionWest now employs more than 400 staff and about 70 volunteers across its integrated community-based services which now include; Community Housing, Property Care, Home Healthcare, Training Centre, Christian Kindergarten, Counselling Centre, Budgeting Service, Foodbank & OpShop and Community Care.

SBN Social Innovation Award 2011: entries close 30 September

This year’s Sustainable Business Network awards have a new category recognising outstanding programmes, innovations or businesses that use entrepreneurship to meet pressing social needs. For details on this and other award categories, and to download the entry form, see the SBN Awards

The trickle down that never came!

I recently made a presentation to Adult Community Education (ACE) Aotearoa – to help explore social enterprise possibilitie for community education coordinators. After the workshop, I met a chap who was involved in public relations for Maggie Thatcher back in the eighties. Once a proponent of free market ideology, he has done a complete turnaround and is now firmly of the view that neoliberal economics has spectacularly failed us, that the “trickle down” has never trickled down – and that underlying cause is rampant greed. He was very interested in the more collective and equitable social enterprise model that underpins community economic development. Made my week!

Laurence de Marco from Senscot says ….”Folk I talk with fall loosely into two camps – those who believe that the neoliberal world order will regain its poise – that ‘business as usual’ will return – and those, like myself, who believe that we are experiencing something epochal – that the present economic system is a busted flush!” He points to journalist Charles Moore recent article that The Left MayBe Right – that the ‘free market’ in fact only accords freedom to a super rich elite – while it condemns the rest of us to increasingly insecure lives.

I have been enjoying some alternative news sources recently that comment on the unravelling of the free market economy. The Keiser Report consistently looks at the scandal behind the financial news headlines is entertaining as well as informative. On Collapsenet Michael Ruppert explores our uncertain economic future. The news we don’t get on mainstream media – thank heavens for the internet!

Some overseas inspiration

CED Policy Framework from Canada

The Canadian CED Network (CCEDNet) has just released a new publication, Building a Federal Policy Framework and Program in Support of Community Economic Development . The report says that a CED Policy Framework would equip government officials with a policy tool to ensure more effective responses to the complex economic, social, and environmental needs of local communities, particularly those that are vulnerable. A federal program is recommended that would commit multi-year core and project-based funding to organisations that employ the CED model in designated urban communities across Canada. The report addresses the ongoing challenge for CED organisations in Canada to maximize their long-term community benefit when multi-year funding for core costs remains out of reach. To remedy this problem, the report recommends that the Canadian government develop and implement a federal CED Policy Framework and Neighbourhood Revitalisation Program (NRP).

Fightback Britain

The UK social enterprise sector is outstripping mainstream enterprise and turning deprivation into business success, reveals a major new report. Fightback Britain has shown that 39% of all social enterprises are working in the most deprived communities in the UK, compared to 13% of all SMEs.

The report also says that social enterprises are twice as likely as mainstream businesses to have reported growth in the last year and also more likely to be led by women, young people, and minority ethnic groups.
Fightback Britain says one in seven of all social enterprises is a start-up, more than three times the proportion of start-ups in mainstream small business and that social enterprises are twice as likely as mainstream businesses to have reported growth in the last year. Three times as many social enterprises as mainstream small businesses are operating in Britain’s most deprived communities. The report adds that some of the biggest social enterprises operating in the UK today began life in the recession of the 1980s.

The Skoll Foundation

The Skoll Foundation is one of the leading foundations in the field of social entrepreneurship. Jeff Skoll created The Skoll Foundation in 1999 to pursue his vision of a sustainable world of peace and prosperity. Led by CEO Sally Osberg since 2001, the Skoll mission is to drive large scale change by investing in, connecting and celebrating social entrepreneurs and the innovators who help them solve the world’s most pressing problems. Over the past 10 years, they have awarded more than $250 million, including investments in 81 remarkable social entrepreneurs and 66 organizations on five continents around the world who are creating a brighter future for underserved communities. To find out more go to Skoll Foundation

And back to the very local…
Victory Village – a community anchor

Victory Village in Nelson is a great example of a community anchor organisation. Centred around the vibrant Toi Toi neighborhood in Nelson, Victory Village is an inclusive and eclectic multicultural community of artists, musicians, businesses, parks, schools and individuals. Victory Village won the 2010 New Zealand Community of the Year award.
The Victory Village Forum, hosted by Inspiring Communities, Families Commission and Victory Village, was held in Nelson at the end of July. I was fortunate to attend and make a presentation about how social enterprise and community owned assets can make initiatives like Victory Village more financially sustainable.
Innovation in a government funded school environment must have had its challenges for the school and community leaders. Their willingness and perseverance to work together for the benefit of the whole community has had outstanding results. In Victory Village the school is the centre of hub. In other communities it may be the marae, the community centre – I have seen community anchors grow from arts centres, sports centres – it can look different in different communities, but there are some core characteristics.
The Scottish Community Alliance says “ An examination of the characteristics of strong and independent communities shows that they possess the ability to unite – and `hold together` – usually around some local organisation which they own. For some reason – in certain areas – the local community sector, the fragmented array of small voluntary groups, invest authority in a local umbrella vehicle to champion their collective interests. There are no examples of sustained community empowerment without some such locally embedded organisation, although in some areas this leadership role is achieved by two or more groups.”
That’s it for now. Wishing you the very best in your various enterprising adventures…
Di

Di Jennings
CEDNZ Network
di@ced.org.nz

Coming Events

Investing in Impact Social Return on Investment (SROI) Australia conference

Friday, October 7, 2011.
Sydney
Register by 3rd October, 2011. For further information go to SROI Conference

Social Finance Workshop with Clara Miller

Monday 31 October
10am to 2:30pm.
BNZ, Level 8, 80 Queen Street, Auckland

CEDNZ invites you to a workshop with Clara Miller, a leading international expert in social finance.

This workshop is brought to you by the CEDNZ Trust and BNZ with support from Philanthropy New Zealand

Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship International Conference

“Extending Theory, Integrating Practice”
3 December 2011
Massey University’s Albany Campus
In addition to keynote and paper presentations, and dialogue in a Conference Panel discussion with practitioners and policy makers, the conference aims to move toward perceptual mapping of the role and best practices of social innovation and entrepreneurship in catalysing development for individuals, communities, regions and the global society. For further information go to Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference