Today is National Social Enterprise Day in the UK. Didn't know that they had one. It's actually part of Social Enterprise Week, which you can find out more about here. The BBC had a feature piece on social enterprises the other day, which I noticed at the Business Opportunities Blog. It's a pretty introductory piece, but worth highlighting nonetheless since it goes into how social enterprises are developing in the UK along with government encouragement. But what really is social enterprise?
Chancellor Gordon Brown, Minister for the Cabinet Office Hilary Armstrong and Minister for the Third Sector Ed Miliband are making some £18m available to try and raise awareness of social enterprise and encourage people either to get involved or to invest in them.
Their new plan includes measures to promote social enterprise within schools, provide more training for entrepreneurs, appoint social enterprise ambassadors to be role models and review how tax relief could be used to help the sector.
"From classrooms to boardrooms, people need to know what social enterprise is and what it can achieve," Mr Miliband says.
"That is why we are launching this action plan today – to shine a light on a movement that is at the vanguard of social change and enable it to continue to grow and thrive."
Some examples in the UK. Perhaps more support for social enterprises could lead to more support for female entrepreneurs in the UK? Another social enterprise has been launched that allows patients to research hospitals in local libraries in order to help them choose their NHS provider. One property company is donating all of its profits to charities. Or how about an eco-eatery where you can eat, drink and be green?
More blog coverage at Relationships Foundation, the School for Social Entrepreneurs, and at the Social Enterprise Knowledge and Innovation Centre.
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