social enterprise

Here, I just wanted to say a few words about my second week, which was packed by events such as the Co-op and Social Enterprise Summer School, as well as other regional functions.

I attended the Co-op Social Enterprise Summer School on 29 and 30 June, 2010. We had a seminar which was delivered by Dr. Rory Ridely-Duff, a senior lecturer at Sheffield Business School, whose research area focused on the social enterprise. From his lecture, I must say that this seminar was a useful platform for those who have already stepped into the field to acquire further knowledge on its sector. The seminar was conducted in a form of tutorial group with 6 to 7 persons, where you can have free talks on debateable issues and you are free to raise your concerns or share your experiences on the relevant issues.

Frankly, before my intern at SEYH, I knew little about social, which was known as the “third sector”. My initial thought on social enterprises were that they merely some small firms launched by some non-profit/government organizations to help the minorities to be employed. When I started my work in SEYH, I noticed that the establishment of social enterprises and the development of the civil society have been built upon much greater than my expectations. I have had many chances to get along with different social enterprises and their networks during my work in SEYH. However, sometimes I really do feel sorry that I understand the so little of this sector, even though I am working in a regional network developing organization. In most occasions, people from social enterprises not only discuss about whether or not setting a social enterprise is a good option for a successful business, but they are also anxious in how to operate the social business in a sustainable manner. Loads of information has come across to my mind through hearing them talk, and as a result has sometimes confused me to an extent.

I really hope that eventually I will have a better chance to get a more systematic idea of the third sector operation and its governance. Thanks to the co-op and social enterprise summer school, it helps me to understand relevant issues and inspires me for the further self-learning.

On the first day of the Co-op and social enterprise summer school, Rory introduced the idea of mutuality and theorised the third sector. We had an inspiring discussion on the topics, like the nature of civil society, changes in the third sector organizations, and the contexts of the third sector. In a documentary which he showed called “the Corporate”, triggered some sparks in my thoughts. This documentary presents the existence of corporate and the influence that they have brought to modern human’s living. Sometimes, corporations do frustrate people, especially in those developing countries, by exploiting their work forces at an extraordinary low labour cost. The documentary gives me a vivid picture of the shortcomings of the corporation world. It is probably the high time for social enterprises to step in for a sustainable community.

On the second day, our discussion focused on the challenges in governing the social enterprises. Rory showed us several models of governances and charities, and we further discussed the democracy in social firms. The discussion has totally changed my understanding on social enterprise operations. Social enterprises need not to be run under several fixed rules or ways. Operating a sustainable social business requires a clear multi-stakeholders targeting, where you can choose to cater for some specific groups of minorities or concern the mass within a region. Rule setting within the organization is another key issue. It could be flexible as long as it is clear and fits for the purposes of your organization.

Through my experience here thus far, I really hope that my university could offer a similar course on this particular subject. We students from Hong Kong have been educated with the fineness of the private economy since secondary school. I cannot deny that I was not enough experienced at that age to criticize what we have learnt from class. This knowledge constitutes a part of our faith, belief, and ideology unwillingly. Thanks to the summer school and SEYH, it opens a door for me to think about the other ways of the business; beyond the private sectors of the economy. Businesses need not to be privatized, and profits are not necessarily the ultimate goal of people. I really hope those who are interested can take the information I have learned and share your ideas with me.

Lily

My name is Lily Yu, the 2010 Summer Intern of the Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber and I will be working at SEYH until the 19^th August. Coming from Hong Kong, a place where social enterprises are not widely recognized and implemented, the concept of social enterprises thus becomes quite new and unique to me. My stay in UK so far had me in awe through the omnipresence of social enterprises and its impacts that it has had in local communities. In Hong Kong, most business operate through similar goals of maximizing shareholders’ profits, acquiring other competitors in order to take the leading place in their sector, and trying to build and expand their business through different industries. However, here at Leeds, I can see that the focus on the concept of ‘business’ is quite different. Social Enterprises do not only contribute their profits back to the community in the long run, but they also contribute by running the business in hopes of benefiting the needs of people in the society. For example, people would sell milk to schools and pay a portion of profits to local farmers, employ people with disabilities and long-term unemployed, and educate children on healthy eating issues.

I am looking forward to gaining a more in-depth understanding of social enterprises through working at SEYH. I wish to not only be able to further understand and adapt to the good faith of individuals whom run social enterprises, but also to provide any assistance that I can to the SEYH organization. In the end, I hope to be able to bring what I have learned and experienced with social enterprises back to Hong Kong, spreading its importance and emphasizing its need in Hong Kong society today.

You can get in touch with me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Lily

As readers of this occasional blog are aware my personal choices often reflect my professional commitment to the sector. My holiday to Jersey is no different and I have found a few local social enterprises to grace on my holiday. Jersey is well known for its financial services sector, low taxation and until recently, loose regulation of competition. This is not normally the type of environment that social enterprise thrives but the Island has some significant Social Enterprises. I am staying at Les Ormes self catering and leisure resort the resort is not owned by some offshore financier or short sold to a hedge fund but is owned by the Bosdet Foundation. In September 1989 the late George Bisson  handed over the Quennevais Camp site (now Les Ormes) and the surrounding properties to a Foundation (The Bosdet Foundation), which had as its principal aim to help people in need in Jersey through the development of the Les Ormes leisure facility.

Today, it is the profits generated from the Les Ormes Leisure Complex and the rental income on the rental and self catering properties that generate the charitable funds for the Bosdet Foundation. The objective is to increase the funds available over the coming years with the development of further self catering.

The complex is impressive with excellent accommodation, a swimming pool, gym, football centre, tennis courts and a Golf Course! It is used by local schools for swimming lessons and by the Channel Islands LTA to train tennis players and Heather Watson from the Channel Islands is the world’s best junior female tennis player.

I have also restricted most of my shopping activities to the Channel Islands Co-operative Society which is an independent co-operative society owned by its members, the co-operative shoppers of the Channel Islands. The society scale is impressive with 108,000 members about half the Islands population and a turnover of £150 million, there only seem to be 2 big supermarkets on Jersey and it is a testament to the strength of co-operatives that they have managed to grow to this size somewhere like the Channel Islands. The society is supplied by the Co-operative Group and the producers who are part of Genuine Jersey which is a non-profit association which provides a charter mark for genuine Jersey products and aims to: reduce food miles, encourage seasonal food, support local agriculture and preserving the environment. It’s not quite the transition movement but reflects a move towards sustainability and resilience within the Islands and supporting local producers.

I visited one of the Genuine Jersey producers, La Mare Wine Estate, which produced excellent wine and has only been open since 1972; it also produces preserves, chocolates and has impressive environmental credentials. The thought that struck me though is that the UK wine industry is going through a real growth phase and the La Mare model would make an excellent social enterprise generating profits for the community as well as environmental and workforce development. So who fancies it the UKs first Social Enterprise Winery!