social enterprise

Organisations in Yorkshire with bright ideas to help get homeless people into accommodation, training and jobs, have just two more weeks to qualify for the chance to win a share of a £1.6 million investment fund.

The Spark 2010 Challenge was launched at the beginning of July, and organisers have issued a final call for organisations to submit business ideas to a panel of experts before 13 August, the competition deadline.

The initiative aims to prevent and tackle homelessness by encouraging the launch of new social enterprises - businesses set up to tackle social or environmental issues, which reinvest most of their profits for the benefit of their community and beneficiaries.

It was founded by John Montague, CEO of The TREES Group, and Nigel Kershaw, Chair of Big Issue Invest, with the continued support of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

John Montague said: “We launched Spark at the beginning of July and we’ve been impressed with the high level of interest to date. 

“But the final countdown is now on, and organisations have just two more weeks to put their ideas forward.  We’d urge social businesses and charities to take advantage of this exciting opportunity which promises to make a real difference to people’s lives.

“Spark is much more than a competition or a grant application.  It is across-sector collaboration that brings together organisations and social enterprises from the public, private and third sector to work together to offer more people a permanent route of the streets.

“We want to sow the seed of enterprise into organisations that are already doing excellent work with homeless people, but know they could achieve more given the right support,” he added.

Finalists benefit from first-class mentoring from Spark partners PricewaterhouseCoopers, Places for People, BT, and Willmott Dixon to help establish their social enterprise and make it a success.

Entrants for Spark 2010 need to submit their business case via www.sparkchallenge.org.uk by 5pm on 13 August.