Social Network for RSA Fellows

Social Entrepreneurs Network

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The Social Entrepreneurs Network is a network for all those interested in social entrepreneurship and social enterprise. The aim is to solve some of the practical challenges faced by social entrepreneurs.

Members: 361
Latest Activity: on Thursday

Thank you for joining this group.

The Social Entrepreneurs network hold regular monthly breakfasts (last Friday of each month) and quarterly events looking at how we can help social enterprises. In November 2010, we launched Social Enterprise Spotlight, a case study of 8 social entrepreneurs and RSA Fellows over the course of a year.

We now have a new batch of Spotlighters who started in March 2012:

Neil Basil – Patient Choice                             Asma Shah – Ladies Who L-EARN
Becky John – Whomadeyourpants?              Patrick Shine – FranchisingWorks
Maria Ana Neves - Plan Zheroes                   Eugenie Teasley – Spark+Mettle
Steve Ralf – Inklusive CIC                             Kate Welch – Reap & Sow
Richard Raynes – SportInspired

We'd also like to hear about any social enterprise events taking place, UK and world-wide so please post any activities or events on the wall below. Please also use this space as a forum to ask any questions or if you have any problems you need sorted!

Discussion Forum

Free incubator event for young entrepreneurs 3 Replies

Free business event for young people aged 18-30 this Sunday:GET UP, START UPCome with an idea and leave with a businessMentoring charity Brightside is hoping to create 100 new businesses in a day at the exciting free Brightside Start-Up Loans Get…Continue

Started by Charlotte Pawle. Last reply by Charlotte Pawle Apr 5.

Calling all Social Entrepreneurs looking to raise finance for their social or environmental business

Dear Fellow Social Entrepreneurs,Join us in this mission to…Continue

Tags: sustainable, finance, funding, business, ethical

Started by Dr Ragini Ghosh Apr 4.

Introducing the Tech for Good Challenge! 2 Replies

Dear RSA fellows,I'm Isabelle, currently interning for the Big Issue Invest (social investment arm of the Big Issue) and I would like to invite you to take on the Tech for Good Challenge or share it among people you think would be…Continue

Tags: charities, business, people, young, social

Started by Big Issue Invest (Isabelle). Last reply by Big Issue Invest (Isabelle) Apr 4.

Corporate Citizenship

University of Northampton Business School, Centre for Citizenship Enterprise and Governance, is currently recruiting two positions to a new and emerging sector.Associate Professor / Senior Lecturer in Corporate Citizenship (26 March) …Continue

Tags: corporate, enterprise, governance, impact, social

Started by Professor Olinga Taeed Mar 13.

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Comment by David Floyd on August 21, 2012 at 12:06: My latest Guardian mythbuster, on social enterprise and charismatic leaders: https://socialenterprise.guardian.co.uk/en/articles/social-enterpri...

Comment by Sarah Tucker on August 17, 2012 at 15:46

Hello everyone

Here's a couple of posts I thought you'd find interesting:

The debate on trademarking social enterprise rumbles on with a post from Salesforce on their blog.
Spotlighter from last year, Dan Snell writes on the Guardian network about growth and getting your business model right.

Have a good weekend

Sarah

Comment by Jo Painter on August 16, 2012 at 13:33: Youth Enterprise Live - women in enterprise panellists needed.

Hi all,

One of our partners, the Centre of Excellence for Women's Entrepreneurship at UEL, are looking for female panellists to participate in an afternoon panel at Youth Enterprise Live on 12/13 October in London.

The panel: The Challenge of starting up

Do you have a great idea for a business, but are unsure of where to start? Or have you recently launched your own business and need support to get off to a great start?

The Challenge of Starting Up will give you a chance to learn from the experiences of women who have been there and done it. What lessons did they learn? What are their top tips for success? And who helped them on their journey?

Find out about the vast array of support networks and expertise available to help you start and grow a business, including mentoring, online resources and networks of women in business.

Following the panel discussion, you'll be able to grill the experts so get your questions ready!

If you'd like to get involved or have any questions, please contact Danielle Sheerin at: d.sheerin@uel.ac.uk

Comment by David Floyd on August 13, 2012 at 14:41: Interestingly, Salesforce interact directly with social enterprise through this tool: http://www.acumenfund.org/investments/investment-performance/pulse....

Which is partly funded by the Salesforce Foundation - and was created by an organisation, Acumen Fund, that say: "Our mission is to create a world beyond poverty by investing in social enterprises, emerging leaders, and breakthrough ideas."

I'm with you in the sense that I don't think Salesforce have specifically set out to make life harder for (our version of) social enterprise but their failure to engage in a discussion with Social Enterprise UK is not a good sign. If they don't have a rethink, I reckon they could be heading for a (slow-burning) PR disaster over this.

Comment by Neil Basil on August 13, 2012 at 14:16: This really surprises me about Salesforce, and I can only assume it is an error of judgement rather than an aggressive move.

For several years now my own charity, and many others that I know well have benefited from the Salesforce Foundation approach of donating 1% each of products, time & money to organisations with social benefit, here's the link: http://www.salesforce.com/uk/company/foundation/

They even employ several people in the UK just to service the Foundation beneficiaries, but I guess if someone in their head office has struck upon a clever name then that may lead their strategy (I don't know if 'social enterprise' has as much meaning in the US?)

Comment by Norma Saunders on August 13, 2012 at 13:25: Hi David, I am the CEO of Dawn Chorus Educational Initiative CIC, we are a CIC rather than a social enterprise as such but we carry out social enterprise activities. It would be nice to think that the idea of social enterprise had established itself by use, over the years & as such could not be trademarked. The legal outcome will be of interest & of consequence to many organisations. Given the nature of social enterprises, the attempt to trademark the name will be seen as mean spirited within the sector & beyond & could have a negative rebound on Salesforce...what do others think?

Comment by David Floyd on August 13, 2012 at 9:02: Blog post on Salesforce.com's attempts to trademark 'social enterprise': http://beanbagsandbullsh1t.com/2012/08/10/social-enterprise-movemen...

Comment by Sarah Tucker on August 10, 2012 at 13:04: Hi David, Maria Ana

That sounds great, pleased you got in touch and look forward to the next breakfast in September.

On that note, everyone please be aware that we will be skipping the breakfast at the end of August - the next one will take place in September.

Thanks to everyone who has posted comments recently. Please continue to use this as a space to connect, ask questions and introduce yourselves (welcome to Ndidi and Hazel!)

Enjoy the last weekend of the Olympics!

Sarah

Comment by david kelly on August 10, 2012 at 9:44: Hi Maria Ana, yes of course we can try to do something to open doors on this topic, be happy to be involved

all the best

David

Comment by Maria Ana Neves on August 10, 2012 at 9:34: Thanks David.

Fully agree this is a KEY subject for our projects and success, and together with Matt and Olga we have proposed to Sarah run one of the SE-RSA breakfast session on this topic, in a special format!

will be brilliant to have your input - would you like to help?