In an earlier blog in the year, I concurred with Craig Dearden-Phillips’s notion that 2009 is going to be the year of the merger.
Well - five months on - I want to make a slight shift in prognosis and declare 2009 neither being the year of the merger, nor the Ox for that matter, but the year of the partnership.
Last week, I spoke at a kick-off meeting for a Third Sector Consortium. This initiative aims to bring together third sector organisations in partnership to deliver publicly-funded welfare, employment and healthcare contracts.
The logic is that third sector organisations are being squeezed out of many public sector contracts because they are too small – and yet it is these organisations that are best placed to deliver some of the (up to) £30bn worth of services being commissioned in the next 12 to 24 months.
The Consortium aims to connect a number of large third sector organisations to act as a primary contractor, and commission out delivery through a network of local social enterprises.
Can it work?
Well, most people I have spoken to are positive – although are also quick to point out its challenges.
There will be many hurdles ahead. But, I think this is an intervention worth our attention. It’s a very positive sector-led response and will help build the capacity of social enterprises to deliver more of their services to meet the growing needs of the times.
It appeals to me because it’s disruptive and has the potential for widespread change.
For this reason, we will be getting involved and partnering with Futurebuilders to develop this initiative further.
If you would also like to get involved or have any questions then please do get in touch…
About Eastside:
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Friday, 1 May 2009
Social Enterprise: Survival through Innovation
The big question on everyone's mind right now is how to get through the recession. It's all about survival right?
We see innovation is an important tool in this. Innovation is a way for organisations to adapt and change the model of how they operate in order to be relevant in changing conditions and create more sustainable futures.
All very well, but how do you actually go about making meaninful innovation?
I think there are three areas to look at in particular: your business model (the way you generate income to pay for what you deliver), your social model (the way that you achieve you social mission) and your partners (the organisations you can work together with to achieve your mission).
To give an example of innovation of social model, I want to share a story of an organisation we work closely with.
Historically, the Trees Group has delivered on its mission - to create social change through enterprise - by providing training and employment through a construction firm and other diversified businesses. The organisation is one of the largest social enterprises in the UK. However, it is a relatively small player in the fiercely competitive construction industry. John Montague, the Trees' CEO, is the first to admit its a hostile place to be right now.
But through innovation the Trees Group has added a new stream of work by partnering up with ourselves and others to provide business support services to the sector. By doing this, Trees will help other social enterprises to provide employment to people who are homeless and socially excluded. It's bang on the Trees mission - just a different way of getting there - and quite likely one that will generate more progression routes than the construction business could have done alone.
Innovation isn't just a tool for getting through the recession. Never before has there been such a need for innovation - for new ways of dealing with the large, often global, social and environmetnal problems that we face today.
Back in at home we like to make the process of innovation a collective endeavour. You don't need to innovate in a bubble. When technologies and markets are evolving so quickly and competitors are numerous then no one person has all the answers. The Eastside philosophy is to try and get "every brain in the game" and encourage all our team - sometimes peers and partners too - to join in the challenge of innovation.
This is how we hope that as a social enterprise we will stay ahead of the game and provide meaningful support services to the third sector.
Enjoy the challenge!
We see innovation is an important tool in this. Innovation is a way for organisations to adapt and change the model of how they operate in order to be relevant in changing conditions and create more sustainable futures.
All very well, but how do you actually go about making meaninful innovation?
I think there are three areas to look at in particular: your business model (the way you generate income to pay for what you deliver), your social model (the way that you achieve you social mission) and your partners (the organisations you can work together with to achieve your mission).
To give an example of innovation of social model, I want to share a story of an organisation we work closely with.
Historically, the Trees Group has delivered on its mission - to create social change through enterprise - by providing training and employment through a construction firm and other diversified businesses. The organisation is one of the largest social enterprises in the UK. However, it is a relatively small player in the fiercely competitive construction industry. John Montague, the Trees' CEO, is the first to admit its a hostile place to be right now.
But through innovation the Trees Group has added a new stream of work by partnering up with ourselves and others to provide business support services to the sector. By doing this, Trees will help other social enterprises to provide employment to people who are homeless and socially excluded. It's bang on the Trees mission - just a different way of getting there - and quite likely one that will generate more progression routes than the construction business could have done alone.
Innovation isn't just a tool for getting through the recession. Never before has there been such a need for innovation - for new ways of dealing with the large, often global, social and environmetnal problems that we face today.
Back in at home we like to make the process of innovation a collective endeavour. You don't need to innovate in a bubble. When technologies and markets are evolving so quickly and competitors are numerous then no one person has all the answers. The Eastside philosophy is to try and get "every brain in the game" and encourage all our team - sometimes peers and partners too - to join in the challenge of innovation.
This is how we hope that as a social enterprise we will stay ahead of the game and provide meaningful support services to the third sector.
Enjoy the challenge!
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