social enterprise

This article is provided courtesy of the news feed at http://www.newstartmag.co.uk/news

Two national organisations are consulting their members on a potential merger, which would bring together their expertise in community enterprise and social justice.

Bassac and the Development Trusts Association’s (DTA) merger proposals have won the backing of their trustees, with a formal decision depending on the approval of members. An extraordinary general meeting of each organisation will be held on 10 November.

The two organisations have already developed a strong partnership with each other over many years.

They have carried out joint policy activities, delivered programmes together such as Communitybuilders and the Safer Homes Fund, and were both founding members of the Community Alliance, alongside Community Matters.

Both organisations have loyal and growing memberships and the merger is intended to help serve an expanding community sector.

Steve Wyler, director of the DTA, described the consultation as an 'exciting development'. He said a merger would increase the influence of the two organisations and their ability to champion economic resilience and social justice for communities.

'Both organisations are in good shape – neither of us needs to do this,' he said. 'But we believe a merger could create something even stronger; a new organisation building on our combined track records to create a powerful force, not only to support community organisations nationwide but also to shape national and local policy.'

Ben Hughes, Bassac chief executive, said a new organisation would combine the skills and areas of expertise of its two individual parts. 'There’s a lot of scope for the new organisation to draw on Bassac’s history of pioneering social change and to be a real inspiration to the rest of the sector. Both Bassac and DTA share a belief in the power of local action and participation and have common values.'

Bassac is the national umbrella body for community organisations that offer a wide range of services to their communities, while the DTA helps people to set up development trusts.

Several organisations are already members of both networks, including Action Acton and Cambridge House in London, Birmingham Settlement in the West Midlands and North Doncaster Development Trust in South Yorkshire.