Evenbreak, the world’s first global disability job board run by and for disabled people, has seen a landslide of summer award shortlists and a prestigious accreditation, culminating in four potential trophies and national recognition for their dedication to being the very best in inclusive employment.

After two months of assessment, the business is proud to announce it has been accredited with an RNIB Visibly Better Employer Quality Standard. This recognises that the business has become a better and more inclusive employer for people with sight loss.

With only one in four people of working age with sight loss in employment and around 11,000 people with sight loss in the UK actively seeking work, Evenbreak is hugely passionate about improving these figures, both through its own business and also working with global businesses to support and employ the sight loss community.

Talking about the accreditation, Jane Hatton, CEO and Founder of Evenbreak, said:

“All of the Evenbreak team have lived experience of disability, and we want to make sure we attract and retain the very best talent by removing any barriers they might face in recruitment and employment practices. People with sight loss are far too often excluded from the workplace, and we wanted to ensure we could access that pool of talent. The Visibly Better Employer standard helped us to check our processes for any barriers, and then let people with sight loss know that we are open to their skills.”

As well as this coup, Evenbreak has also been shortlisted for the following awards:

• OnRec Awards 2023 under the Niche Job Board category, which will be announced on 14th September
• UK Social Enterprise Awards 2023 – shortlisted for the category of Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Award, which will be announced on 30th November 2023
• The Global Recruiter UK Awards 2023 under the Best Innovation category, which will be announced on 14th November
• The Go Global Awards 2023, held in Rhode Island, USA, which will be announced on 8th November

Jane Hatton added: “Our team works incredibly hard to open up opportunities for the disabled community in the employment market so to get credit and acknowledgment for this is hugely motivating for us all. We very much look forward to adding to our burgeoning trophy cabinet and supporting even more businesses and candidates going forward.”

For more information about Evenbreak, visit www.evenbreak.co.uk

Lendology CIC has been recognised as a winner in the prestigious NatWest SE100 Awards 2023.

This honour highlights their commitment to driving positive change and sustainability within the lending industry. Lendology was named Climate Champion, solidifying their dedication to combatting climate change through innovative lending solutions.

“At Lendology CIC, we firmly believe that addressing the climate crisis is crucial for building a sustainable future. Being named the Climate Champion in the NatWest SE100 Awards 2023 is a testament to our dedication. We actively incorporate environmental considerations into our lending practices, supporting energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and sustainable home improvements. This recognition reinforces our commitment to creating a greener and more resilient society.” – Emma Lower, CEO of Lendology CIC.

To find out more about Lendology click here to visit their website.

The team at Iridescent Ideas are excited to launch their new project – SHE Plymouth – supporting women in Plymouth to explore their ideas for business or the community, increase their confidence, develop their skills and knowledge and make connections to help them start their journey.

This FREE support is open to all women in Plymouth and will provide them with:

• Advice
• Support
• Training
• Coaching
• Networking
• Peer support

This project is ideal for any women in Plymouth looking to get into employment; return to work after having children or taking a career break; seeking flexible working or a better work-life balance; thinking about a career change; or anyone who has an idea for a social business or to make a difference in their community. SHE Plymouth is funded by The Rank Foundation and Livewell Southwest.

For an informal chat, call Jo on 07561 034982 or email she@iridescentideas.com. Or you can register here https://forms.gle/k3VFc8L2uBsTNYWU9.

Are you thinking of starting your own small business?

Bath Spa University’s new Entrepreneurship for Beginners short course teaches you how to find your target audience, market your product or service and manage your business’s finances.

You’ll attend a series of online lectures over four days to kick start your entrepreneurial journey and discover key marketing techniques to establish your business’s brand.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3oVDXjp

The MSc Business, Enterprise, and Management programme at Plymouth Marjon University is a fantastic opportunity for students from a range of backgrounds to enhance their skill development and launch themselves into a management or leadership role within their chosen context.

Whether you have studied a contextual UG degree, such as sport development and coaching, outdoor adventure education, or even something like SEND or English, this programme will expose you to the world of business and equip you with the necessary business and graduate employability skills. This programme may appeal to students who are considering portfolio or entrepreneurial careers, as students have the opportunity to develop a business idea and plan as part of the course, or those returning to education who are looking to upskill themselves for career development and progression.

Alongside a programme of study, students will also be able to take part in The Enhancement Series, which has been designed specifically for this programme. This series allows students to participate in skills development, professional network development, gain business mentoring support, and hear from industry experts, all structured alongside their academic studies.

The programme benefits from a range of practical assessments and throughout the programme, students will be given the opportunity to report and reflect on an industry of their choice, gaining valuable insights into the drivers and barriers to success within that industry. In addition, students will participate in an innovation task, where they will design and promote a new product. They will also work with real-world organisations to apply their knowledge to offer solutions or innovate for business success.

To find out more, visit www.marjon.ac.uk or contact the Programme Lead Dr Laura Wallis at lwallis@marjon.ac.uk.

Lendology CIC, a not-for-profit social enterprise lender, has announced today its certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp), joining a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose. Lendology has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement.

A B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK says, “We are delighted to welcome Lendology CIC to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good. We know that Lendology are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward.” 

Certified B Corporations are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy, all of which are endorsed as Lendology’s core values.

Emma Lower, CEO at Lendology said, “We applied to become a B Corp because we wanted to demonstrate that we provide high standards of both social, environmental performance, transparency and accountability. So as well as being a social enterprise and a community interest company, being a B Corp will offer us increased employee retention, engagement and diversity. It also means we’re connected to other B Corps in terms of our suppliers.” 

By becoming a certified B-Corporation, Lendology will be held accountable for continuous social and environmental improvements, and as B Corps are required to undergo the verification process every three years in order to recertify. Because of this, B Corps are by definition focused on continuous improvement, leading to their long-term resiliency.

For more information about Lendology’s social impact visit: https://www.lendology.org.uk/about/our-social-impact/ 

Bath Spa University is running a new, fully funded creative digital programme, designed to help you pursue a new career.

Over the 12 weeks, Click Start participants will learn digital skills needed to start a career in tech, including skills in UX/UI design, digital marketing and web development. They’ll be supported through the course by a personal career coach, provided by Catch22.

You must be aged 18-30, live in or near an area of deprivation in the South West and have the right to work in the UK. Click Start starts 24th April.

Find out more and apply now on the Bath Spa University website.

In response to the recent crisis impacting on the NHS and in particularly the surge in acute respiratory infections, social enterprise Mastercall has launched a new Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) service at its HQ in Hazel Grove, Stockport.

All GP practices in Stockport can refer patients for a same day appointment. Referrals are for adults and children with acute respiratory symptoms. GP practice receptionists can make direct referrals to the service for same day appointments. Patients will be texted with advice and guidance whilst they wait for their appointment. Next day appointments can also be made subject to confirmation from the GP that the patient is safe to wait.

The service is being very well received with great uptake. This will undoubtedly help to reduce the strain on GP practices in the area as well as wider services. The service also provides an excellent patient experience due to same day access appointments. A faster response to treatment will also hopefully reduce worsening symptoms and prevent onward referral to A&E/hospital admission.

Dr Viren Mehta, Chair of Stockport GP & Primary Care Board, says of the service: “Our GP practices in Stockport are already offering more appointments than ever before to our patients, and latest data published shows that our practices offer one of the highest levels of appointments across the whole of Greater Manchester. However, demand continues to outstrip capacity and we are therefore delighted to work collaboratively with our colleagues at Mastercall in launching the new Acute Respiratory Infection service for our patients.

The service is available to adults and children with symptoms of respiratory infections such as coughs, wheezing and fever who may need to be examined by a clinician. People with milder symptoms may be directed to their local pharmacy. We hope this new service helps to ensure people who need a same day appointment can be seen by a clinician and reduce pressure on our emergency services.”

To find out more about Mastercall visit https://mastercall.org.uk/.

Michaela Buck, the CEO of award-winning social enterprise healthcare provider Mastercall, has been shortlisted for the “Woman of Impact” category at the Impact Awards 2023.

The award is in the field of social impact technology and acknowledges Michaela as a social entrepreneur, helping to drive digital integration and innovation in health and social care.

This has ultimately helped to drive a positive change in the safe and effective management of patients, empowering them to manage their own health/wellbeing whilst improving health outcomes.

Voting for the awards is now open at https://form.jotform.com/230534089553357. The awards ceremony will take place at Media City, Manchester from 4-8pm on 22nd March 2023.

To learn more about Mastercall, please visit www.mastercall.org.uk

Sutton Coldfield-based department store, The ReUsers, celebrates ten years of trading this month.

The social enterprise, part of the JERICHO group, which prevents waste from entering landfill by providing used goods at cost-effective prices, uses its income to help people who face real and significant challenges in getting a job. These could include trauma, insufficient work experience, health & wellbeing needs, education barriers and communication challenges.

Since opening in 2013, a total of 1.3 million kilograms have been diverted enabling over 130 individuals to be supported including 80 young people as apprentices and 16 survivors of modern slavery.

Richard Craythorn, ReUsers Manager said “Over the last 10 years, I have watched the ReUsers grow from an idea to a fully-fledged social enterprise with incredible positive social and environmental outcomes. I wish to thank all of our regular loyal customers, neighbours, partners and supporters for getting behind this project and helping our team to achieve such a positive success. I must also pay homage to the wonderful team who work at ReUsers, day in and day out, whatever the weather. Without their hard work and commitment, ReUsers would have stayed as just a great idea.”

Richard Beard, JERICHO CEO, said “The ReUsers is very much the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the JERICHO family of social enterprises – it continues to deliver unrivalled levels of social, environmental and economic impact and I’m extremely proud of all that Rich and his team have achieved over the last 10 years”

To celebrate ten incredible years, The ReUsers will be holding a 20% off store-wide sale between Monday 13th and Friday 17th February.

Launched as a partnership between Bath Spa University and 3SG, the Bath Social Impact Network brings together like-minded groups and individuals to improve and grow the social economy in Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES).

Created with social enterprises at the heart, along with B Corps, CICs, co-ops, and those interested in the work of these types of organisations, the Bath Social Impact Network will provide the support its members need to flourish through collaboration and idea generation.

Find out more at the launch event in Bath on Thursday 23rd February from 5pm-7pm. Find out more and sign up here.

Roots HR CIC is giving away an Agile Appraisal Toolkit worth £349, which is jam-packed full of useful guidance, templates, tools and a training webinar to support your social sector organisation.

This Toolkit is aimed at helping small social sector organisations to:

• Design and deliver effective agile appraisal systems, processes and practices tailored to individual organisations
• Guide managers in delivering effective agile appraisal to maximise the potential and success of their teams
• Keep records of employee performance and appraisal
• Understand and meet minimum legislative requirements during employment
• Treat all employees fairly and consistently, in line with equality of opportunity, the principles of diversity and inclusion and with transparency and accountability
• Evaluate agile appraisal processes once implemented and use this information to improve recruitment, selection, induction and probation outcomes in the future
• Maintain the minimum possible cost and administrative burden balanced against the direct and indirect financial costs of failing to manage performance effectively.

The toolkit includes a training webinar to train your colleagues on the use of the toolkit in your organisation and a voucher for one hour of free HR consultancy support from Roots HR in implementing this Toolkit in your organisation.

Visit the Roots HR website to order your free toolkit.

Roots HR CIC is giving away a Probation Toolkit, worth £399, which is jam-packed full of useful guidance, templates, tools and a training webinar to support your social sector organisation.

This Toolkit is aimed at helping small social sector organisations to:

• Design and deliver effective probation procedures and practices tailored to individual organisations
• Guide managers in delivering effective probation processes to maximise the potential and success of new employees in their roles
• Keep records of probation reviews
• Understand and meet minimum legislative requirements at the start of employment and beyond
• Treat new employees fairly, in line with equality of opportunity, the principles of diversity and inclusion and with transparency and accountability
• Evaluate probation procedures that have taken place and use this information to improve recruitment, selection, induction and probation outcomes in the future
• Maintain the minimum possible cost and administrative burden balanced against the direct and indirect financial costs of failing to use probation effectively.

Visit the Roots HR website to order your free Probation Toolkit.

Applications are open for this year’s Carer Friendly Business Awards.

These awards, run by Forward Carers, celebrate businesses and organisations in the West Midlands that have taken steps to  support unpaid Carers in the community or workplace. Whether you’re an employer with great support for your staff who are also in a caring role, an organisation that has made positive changes for your customers or an unpaid Carer who wants to celebrate a local business, you can apply/ nominate here.

There are six awards in total, which includes two new categories for 2021. These are;

• Carer Friendly Customer Care
• Carer Friendly Employer
• The Carers Champion
• Carer Friendly Dementia
• Carer Friendly Autism
• Making A Difference

It’s been a trying period over the last 12 months yet so many organisations have gone above and beyond to make life easier for the unpaid Carers in our communities. Celebrate your good work and apply for an award today.

 

Key Fund, a pioneering social investor, has achieved an economic impact of £447million over two decades across the North of England and the Midlands.

The figure has been unveiled to mark the Sheffield-based organisation’s 21-years of investing in community and social enterprises. In that time, Key Fund has safeguarded 2,291 jobs and created 1,442 new jobs, alongside creating 533 businesses, helping to sustain 2,229 businesses.

These figures were released in its annual Social Impact report, which tells the stories of some of Key Fund investees, including a community theatre in Manchester, a domestic abuse charity in Rotherham, and counselling services in Birmingham.

Sam Keighley, Chair of Key Fund, said: “Social enterprise has become integral in delivering key services to society, as well as generating thousands of jobs and contributing to local economies. These figures show how investing the right money, in the right way, into the right hands can support enduring and sustainable social enterprises in poor neighbourhoods, which go on to improve individual lives in innumerable ways.”

Key Fund was created in Sheffield in response to the collapse of the coal and steel industries in South Yorkshire. As a financial intermediary, it helped local communities access EU funding for regeneration projects.

Today, Key Fund provides flexible loans and grants to community and social enterprises traditionally excluded by mainstream finance. It shaped the early development of funding models for community-owned and managed assets, such as renewable energy schemes and community pubs.

The UK’s 100,000 social enterprises have been at the heart of community survival and recovery during the crisis, from making PPE for health workers, to providing food and connection in their neighbourhoods.

Matt Smith, CEO of Key Fund, said: “Many Key Fund clients operate at the heart of their communities, focussed on supporting local people. As such, they became frontline responders in the pandemic. Our approach is to support these organisations with finance, giving them the tools to develop, grow and deliver even more. Social investment has never been so vital or needed in supporting these enterprises, who offer hope, regeneration and recovery, especially to those even more at risk of falling through the cracks in society with the fall-out of the pandemic.”

Key Fund actively targets the main causes and impacts of poverty, with 80% of its investments in organisations that are in the top 30% most deprived communities; 20% of the awards were in the 10% of most deprived areas on the indices of multiple deprivation.

In response to the pandemic, Key Fund worked with partners to secure and deliver the £18.7m Social Enterprise Support Fund, made possible by The National Lottery Community Fund. As part of this and other funding streams, in just three months, it delivered £9m of emergency grants to social enterprises hit hard by lockdowns.

Applications are now open for a lending scheme offering £500,000 worth of investment and support to 12 early-stage social ventures across Scotland.

Big Issue Invest’s Power Up Scotland programme was first launched in November 2017 and has supported 19 social business to date with a total of close to £500,000. The programme is funded by abrdn, University of Edinburgh, Experian, Places for People and the Scottish Government with legal support from Brodies LLP.

Danyal Sattar, CEO of Big Issue Invest, said: “We are really excited about this year’s Power Up Scotland programme. A lot of fantastic early-stage social ventures across Scotland struggle to access small to medium-sized loans, so we are so pleased, working with our brilliant partners, to be able to support those organisations with the investment and business development expertise that they need in order to make an even greater difference within their communities in a post-Covid world.”

The Power Up programme is open to organisations across Scotland. The funding available is to enable organisations to build on the good work they currently do within their communities. Whether it’s buying equipment, hiring new talent, or progressing with business development plans. Successful applicants will also receive mentoring and business development support to social ventures for the two-year period.

The programme has been designed for early-stage social ventures, regardless of company structure – social enterprises, charities, and private enterprises are all welcome, with social value creation being the key criterion. The expectation is that many applicants will be accessing finance for the first time.

Applications for this year’s Power Up Scotland programme are open until 17th September 2021. To apply, visit the Big Issue Invest website to apply.

Forward Carers, a West Midlands based Carer and family support organisation, has recently had their good work recognised with several awards and accolades.

As well as being Highly Commended by the judges in our Making a Mark competion, Forward Carers also scooped two awards in recent weeks and were named a runner-up in another:

• Winner of Best Innovation Award at the Working Families Best Practice Awards for the development of the UK’s first 3-in-1 Carers Card
• Winner of Third Sector of the Year Award at the Birmingham Post Business Awards, in recognition of the extra efforts they went to during the Covid pandemic
• Runner-up for Best Community Campaign in the SMK National Campaigner Awards in recognition of their Carers’ Voice Unsung Heroes Campaign

To find out more, visit the Forward Carers website.

Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for positive social change, has secured £1m in new equity investments from two investors.

The Samworth Foundation has become the newest shareholder of Charity Bank with an investment of £500k.  In addition, existing Charity Bank shareholder, Barrow Cadbury Trust, has increased their total investment in the bank by £500k to £750k.

The new investments are timely, coming as Charity Bank announces record new lending commitments in H2 2020, approving £49m of loans, the highest amount of new loan approvals over a six-month period in the history of the bank.  Demand for Charity Bank loans is high and continues to grow; with an additional £23m of loans approved in the first quarter of 2021.  Charity Bank has now made over £350m in loans to charities and social enterprises since it was founded in 2002.

To meet the growing demand for repayable finance, including the significant unmet demand for unsecured funding, Charity Bank aims to raise at least £3m in ordinary share capital from new and existing social investors by 2022.  For every £1m invested, Charity Bank can raise around £7m of deposits and thereby make around £8m of social loans.  When these loans are repaid, these funds can be recycled again and again, generating even greater multiples of social impact.

Ed Siegel, Chief Executive, Charity Bank, said: “Since we emerged from the first lockdown in mid-2020, we have seen a sustained surge in loan applications from charities and social enterprises looking for support on projects, in part due to a reduced appetite for lending to the sector from mainstream lenders.  

As we emerge from the current crisis, the specialist financing and support that Charity Bank is able to deliver is going to be needed more than ever.  The attraction of new equity investment remains a top priority for Charity Bank as this is an essential component that will determine our ability to continue to meet the financing needs of the social sector into the future.”

There is growing interest in social investment from trusts and foundations in the use of repayable finance alongside grant finance.  The recent Association of Charitable Foundations report, ‘Investment: The Pillars of Stronger Foundation Practice’ suggests that a strong foundation ‘considers how investments can be used to advance the foundation’s mission over and above finance for grant-making’.

Charity Bank’s 2020 social impact study illustrates its influence on its charity and social enterprise borrowers: 69% reported that their Charity Bank loan enabled growth in their service, 81% said their project could not have gone ahead without the loan, while 42% said that the financing actually helped to keep their organisation afloat.

Tessa Durham, Grants Manager, Samworth Foundation, said: “We recognise the importance of blended finance solutions to support charities to flourish.  We see Charity Bank as a strategic partner as we work together to support organisations become more resilient, manage risks and be better positioned to meet the future needs of their communities.” 

Erica Cadbury, Chair, Barrow Cadbury Trust, said: “We see this investment as a means to promote social justice and further develop the social investment market as an additional and vital resource for the social sector.  Charity Bank has proven that its model of lending to charities and social enterprises is a highly effective way to strengthen and grow impact-led organisations, leaving these organisations better placed to address the many pressing social issues facing people and society today.” 

Are you a sustainable food business eager to grow?

Impact Hub King’s Cross is seeking ethical food businesses to join Feeding the City: Accelerate, a 6-month programme to help your social or environmental-driven food enterprise reach the next stage of growth and scale your impact. 

The programme brings together thought leaders in food sustainability, large-scale buyers, enterprise support providers and investors with the shared goal of supporting social or environmental impact-driven food enterprises with B2B revenue streams to grow and flourish.

Access expert business analysis, mentoring and support from experienced coaches and industry heavyweights, and the Impact Hub global network of 16.5k members. You’ll have the opportunity to meet and network with buyers, including supermarket chains, restaurants and major contract catering companies.

Application deadline: 2nd April 2021.

Visit the Impact Hub King’s Cross website to find out more and apply.

Social landlord Millfields Trust has commended their business tenants on their commitment, business acumen, diversity and bravery throughout this pandemic. A situation we all hope not to see again in our lifetime for many reasons, but for business an incredibly difficult time for many.

With a wide range of businesses residing at the Millfields Trust premises, some have been hit harder than others. During this time of uncertainty, Millfields Trust itself has had to adjust and adopt working practices to ensure business continuity. Their priority remains their community of Stonehouse in Plymouth, their tenants and many other stakeholders.

Throughout this time, they have provided support to tenants and changed the way they do things through the following actions:

• Regular contact from all staff members, ensuring tenants know the support available from the Government regarding available financial support. Many have welcomed a friendly chat as well
• A competition for a free office makeover
• Given the buildings and grounds a makeover
• Each tenant  received a “welcome back” gift after the first lockdown
• In partnership with Nudge, provided Genesis as a base to increase Wi-Fi for the local Stonehouse community, thanks to Pete at Outersight
• Created a new outside meeting space for anybody to use
• Financially supported tenants where possible
• Froze rental prices this financial year to continue financial support to tenants
• Supported tenants who have made the choice to reduce overheads and make the decision to work from home
• Flexible office spaces have enabled them to accommodate tenants wishing to downsize or expand to meet business growth
• Created additional co-working space to meet demand and social distancing guidelines with the added introduction of fixed desks
• Launched a new website and created regular blogs to keep their audience informed and up to date with latest news
• Contributed to the `Small Business Toolkit` in partnership with the Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce
• Produced a Millfields Trust Business Start-up guide for people wishing to start their own business
• All buildings are Covid Secure, including Conferencing facilities.

Millfields Trust has been working hard behind the scenes to ensure their business premises continue to work for all tenants and they very much look forward to the days when the buildings are once again bustling with activity.

Life-changing technology, seaweed farming, transforming old plastic waste and a twist on artisan gin are just some of the brilliant new business ideas which are getting much needed expert help to flourish during the Covid-19 pandemic in Devon and Cornwall.

Over the next twelve months, twenty-five new and fledgling projects will take part in the Real Ideas Organisation (RIO) Start Something initiative – a new business incubator that provides support for brilliant new enterprises, side hustles and pet projects with potential.

When the shout went out for people to take part, the plan was to help ten emerging entrepreneurs. But the quality and breadth of ideas that poured in changed that. With such a high calibre of entries to the programme, RIO made the decision to take 25 businesses onto the programme.

These new projects, some run by people with no previous business experience, will now get access to specialist facilities, co-working spaces, expert business support mentors, events, workshops, webinars and one-to-one coaching. They’ll also have the opportunity to connect with partners, including Crowdfunder to test ideas with the public and raise investment. All this, plus the support the 25 businesses taking part will give each other.

As well as £3,000 pounds’ worth of business support from RIO, they will also get a three-monthly introductory membership of the Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.

Lindsey Hall, CEO of RIO, reflected that when Lockdown One hit, action was needed: “The pandemic has changed our lives, the way we work and what matters most. Back in March, we shut our buildings. Challenging as it was, it gave us time to think and ask some difficult questions. Could we share the facilities we have? Did other people need them? Should we stop doing some things ourselves? Yes! was the answer and Start Something the solution.”

The 25 businesses being helped are hugely varied. They include Chameleon Gin, a Cornish artisan gin where you can create bespoke drinks by adding a sachet of hand-pressed botanicals. Precious Plastics Plymouth and Tavistock, which uses technology to transform unwanted plastic into new, useful objects, and Bake Away, combatting social isolation through baking.

Georgina Moss, founder of Cornish-based Chameleon Gin, is thrilled with the support: “During lockdown/not lockdown/lockdown, it’s been really difficult to behave like an ordinary business and go and meet other people. Real Ideas has provided an awesome platform for this which everyone on the course has been grateful for. Being able to talk to other start-ups and find support and encouragement really helps – as working from home can be so isolating.”

Visit the RIO website to find out more about these innovative new businesses.

The Africa Brand Summit has named Dr Louise van Rhyn, CEO of leadership and education non-profit, Symphonia for South Africa and founder of its flagship programme Partners for Possibility (PfP), as its Influencer of Influencers™ for 2020.

Since the Africa Brand Summit’s inauguration in 2018, this prestigious accolade has been awarded by the summit’s convener at his or her discretion to individuals, corporations, non-profits and other organisations that truly stand out and play a remarkable role in society by, amongst others, building bridges between troubled communities, speaking truth to power in order to push back against actions that hurt the global reputation of countries on the African continent and coming up with extraordinary approaches to solving Africa’s challenges. The purpose of the Africa Brand Summit is to establish an Africa-based global destination image ‘research and advisory service’ to provide globally applicable best practice in destination rebranding, positioning and destination reputation management.

As the 2020 recipient of the Influencer of Influencers™ award, Louise is among the likes of South Africa’s Chief Justice, Mogoeng Mogoeng, and former Public Protector, Professor Thuli Madonsela, who both received the award in 2018.

‘‘We applaud Louise’s tenacity and tireless dedication to creating and building the Partners for Possibility programme over the past 10 years. This is great opportunity to publicly acknowledge celebrate and amplify her invaluable contribution towards a more just, equitable and socially cohesive, South Africa,.’ says Dorcas Dube, Marketing and Communication Manager for Symphonia for South Africa.

PfP brings together skilled business leaders and school principals of under resourced schools in 12-month programme of leadership development for both partners. Together, the partnership receives world class leadership training and the support of similar partnerships, while they apply their new skills and existing abilities and tap into their networks to tackle the unique challenges faced by schools in South Africa. To date, over 1 million learners are attending over 1,300 schools across South Africa in which the leadership has been strengthened through PfP.

The multi-award winning programme was founded in 2010 when Louise became the first business leader to partner with a principal in an effort to improve a school’s education outcomes. Her partnership with Ridwan Samodien, principal of Kannemeyer Primary School in Grassy Park, Cape Town, led to positive change at the school and the community at large.

The school’s success, and the success of this first partnership, has been the model for the PfP programme that exists today, and the lessons learnt along the way have been applied to subsequent partnerships, as school principals and business leaders continue strive to improve education in South Africa together.

For more information about the PfP programme, visit www.PfP4SA.org

 

Brighton’s rebel supermarket HISBE offers up some positive news in these challenging times. They’re announcing the opening of their second store and acknowledging that this is also a time of great opportunity to go “back to better” food and farming.

HISBE Food is a social enterprise supermarket based in Brighton, with a big focus on local suppliers, packaging free food, values-led brands and sustainable shopping options. HISBE’s purpose is to transform the British food industry, by reinventing the way supermarkets do business.

In January HISBE successfully raised £450,000  for expansion, through Triodos Bank’s crowdfunding platform and planned to open their second store, in Worthing, in May. The Coronavirus pandemic changed that, but post-lockdown, HISBE has announced a January 2021 opening date for the store and a new Back to Better campaign to engage people in better food and farming. The campaign is about showing more people what they do and inviting them to switch from their regular supermarket to HISBE.

There’s renewed hope, because public interest in good food has shifted due to Coronavirus, at a time when it’s more important than ever to tackle the issues in the food industry.

Ruth Anslow, who launched HISBE’s pilot store in Brighton in 2013 with her sister Amy and their friend Jack, expresses gratitude and optimism in the emergence from lockdown:

“It’s been a crazy six months since March when, like for everyone else, a virus-shaped spanner was thrown into our works… no sooner had we signed a lease on the Worthing premises and raised the money to refit it, when everything changed. Our Brighton shop was suddenly in survival mode. But we were committed to staying open, to keep good food flowing, keep our staff in their jobs and protect our suppliers’ livelihoods. We’re grateful that the business has made it through this difficult time and happy to find there’s a sort of new appreciation for good food and independent food businesses.”

“So, these are uncertain times, but there is also opportunity,” she continued. “HISBE is delighted to announce that we will open our second store, in Worthing, in January 2021. And we’ve launched a new campaign called “back to better” to show more people what we do and invite them to switch from their regular supermarket to ours. After all, why go back to normal, when you can go back to better?”

Heidi Fisher of Make an Impact CIC is undertaking some research to look at the barriers to scaling social enterprises – with a view to identifying if the barriers that women face are different.

Heidi is keen to speak to social entrepreneurs that:

• Have scaled their social enterprise;
• Have considered scaling their social enterprise and decided not to; or
• Are planning on scaling their social enterprise

You can participate in the research in two ways:

1. By arranging an interview (via zoom or telephone and approximately 20-30 minutes long) – please email heidi@heidiLFisher.com to arrange a convenient time
2. By completing the online survey.

Heidi is aiming for the research to reflect the diverse nature of the social enterprise sector and would welcome the opportunity to hear about your experiences around scaling your social enterprise and any specific barriers you faced.

A new type of travel business has launched – Charitable Travel is a social enterprise with the clear aim of ensuring travel is a force for good, helping holidaymakers combine their travel planning with support for charities in the UK and around the world.

Charitable Travel has a unique business model; the first nationally available Community Interest Company (CIC) social enterprise in the travel industry, it is a not-for-private-profit travel agency, which provides customers with the opportunity to book a holiday to anywhere in the world and donate a proportion of the holiday price to a UK registered charity of their choice through a platform partnership with JustGiving.

The concept is simple, Charitable Travel sacrifices travel agency commission. Therefore, when customers book a cruise or a holiday, they convert 5% of the total price of their trip into a donation to a charity of their choice through the dedicated JustGiving webpage. Empowering customers to share the pleasure that a holiday brings by supporting local communities both at home and abroad.

Marshall Simmonds, JustGiving’s Director of Sales and Partnerships, said: “The combination of the travel industry, an underlying social and charitable purpose and an effective mechanism for fundraising through JustGiving makes Charitable Travel a powerful opportunity for travel consumers wanting to make a real difference in personal giving at no extra cost when they book holidays, flights cruises and hotels.”

As a social enterprise, supporting those in need and aiding fundraising is at the heart of everything that Charitable Travel does, so customers can rest assured that every penny of profit generated is invested in good causes and charity partners can benefit through raising brand and campaign awareness as well as fund-raising support and securing donations.

Melissa Tilling, founder and CEO of Charitable Travel, who has more than 33 years’ experience in managing travel companies, said: “I have always been a fervent believer in the good that travel and tourism can bring to local communities in the destinations served and although the industry is facing an incomparable crisis right now, we are resilient. UK travellers are passionate about their holidays and determined they will travel again once it is safe to do so.

During the current COVID crisis we have seen an inspiring show of unity from people across the country, a true community spirit has arisen as we realise the importance of appreciating and supporting one another. Charitable Travel wants to help encourage a continuation of this more thoughtful mindset by helping travellers combine philanthropy with their holiday planning, providing the opportunity to donate part of their holiday cost to a much-needed charitable causes.
When customers are ready to start booking holidays again, we offer a new way to book that will ensure travel will be a force for good, regardless of the destination and travel type, because every booking creates a positive outcome for a charitable cause.”

Through the Just Giving platform, customers can choose their preferred charity to be the recipient of their holiday fund donation, however Charitable Travel is also seeking to work with a variety of partners to help raise the profile of campaigns and fund-raising needs amongst customers. Charities that would like to register interest in working with Charitable Travel for joint PR/marketing opportunities to reach holidaymakers should email help@charitable.travel.

The University of Winchester is planning to welcome new and returning students onto its campus and into student accommodation at the start of the new academic year in September.

The University is putting in place a range of appropriate measures for a ‘Covid Safe Campus’ to ensure students and staff are safe. The plans were announced in a letter to staff, students and applicants.

For the whole of the next academic year (2020-2021), students will experience a combination of small group, on-campus sessions with large group teaching taking place online. Most courses at Winchester are already taught in small group settings, leaving the University well-placed to accommodate social distancing measures set out in national guidelines. Students required to continue shielding beyond the start of the academic year will receive additional online support to enable them to start their course.

The University is also setting up a new ‘Ask Winchester’ help desk for new and returning students, with a dedicated team in place to help make the transition to university as smooth as possible.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Joy Carter CBE DL said: “I am pleased to confirm that the University is planning to be open in September to welcome new and returning students. Our plans are guided by national advice alongside our own passion for giving students the best possible experience at Winchester.

“Over the coming weeks we will be developing our plans further and will continue communicating these to our students. As with many aspects of our life in lockdown, we have all become used to different ways of interacting. Our top priority is that our students have a thoroughly enjoyable and safe time here. We will be working with Winchester Student Union and others in the city to explore ways to help students safely enjoy life as a student in the beautiful city of Winchester.”

More detailed information about how Winchester is preparing for September 2020 can be found on the University website.

Roots HR CIC has extended its FREE HR advice line services for the smallest social sector employers, funded by its trading surpluses.

Social sector employers with a turnover of under £50k p.a. can now receive up to 1 hour of FREE advice PER MONTH for COVID-19 related employment law and people management support.

This will continue through the furlough grant period, currently lasting until 30/6/20, but may be extended.

This is a broadening of the usual one-off free 1 hour of HR advice, provided by Roots HR to all social sector employers. This additional resource is offered to support the Boards and leadership teams responsible for the sustainability of the smallest and most vulnerable not-for-personal profit organisations during this unprecedented time.

Qualifying organisations wishing to access free advice should email hello@rootshr.org.uk or call 01562 840060 Monday – Friday 8.30am – 5pm.

The University of Winchester has become the newest member of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), underlining its commitment to tackling the significant global challenges the world now faces, including climate change.

The announcement follows the launch of the University’s new 10-year Strategic Vision 2030, which identifies its aim to help shape a better world and puts the climate emergency alongside its students’ success at its heart. The University’s Strategic Vision was developed to align with the UN’s Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Vice-Chancellor Professor Joy Carter CBE DL, said: “We are delighted to become a member of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. As global challenges that are evolving by the day grow in number and intensity – from the climate emergency to global health crisis – they will seriously impact how future generations live and work and take care for the planet and all life.

As a university, we must step up to play our part and our Strategic Vision 2030 sets out how we will make a difference. Guided and driven by our values and a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, it is our roadmap for how we will strive to have impact, be the difference and make the world a better place. Founded in 1840 to train teachers to teach in poor communities, the University has a lot to build on. Our vision is to be a global beacon for sustainability and social justice – in every aspect of what we do, from excellent teaching and learning, to driving up environmental standards across the board and bold, ethical decision-making.” 

Watch a short video about the University of Winchester’s Strategic Vision below:

The social sector is feeling the pressure of meeting an increase in demand for services, while dealing with widespread budget cuts, new research from Charity Bank reveals.

Charity Bank polled 182 social sector leaders for its State of the Sector report, which found that 85% of charities expect demand for their services to grow over the next two years. However, 86% are concerned about future grant funding and 82% don’t think they’ll be able to sustain donations over that period.

Government policy continues to pose a challenge for 63% of respondents, while the sector is split on what Brexit means for them. Almost half (49%) think it will present issues, while 46% are unclear and 13% think it could create opportunities.

Ed Siegel, Chief Executive, Charity Bank said: “The social sector is entering this new decade under a cloud of uncertainty, and with the majority of organisations worried that funding will be more difficult to come by, many are looking at alternative ways to generate income and this can increasingly involve repayable finance.

When Charity Bank was founded, the very idea of social investment was controversial – charities and social enterprises were expected to survive on hand-outs from the Government and the public, but today that’s an unrealistic goal. Almost two-thirds (62%) of the organisations we spoke to see social investment as an opportunity for growth. With the recent launch of the Impact Investing Institute, we’re also hoping that social investment will increasingly be seen as a great opportunity for investors that care about the impact that their money can have.”

Download the full report from: charitybank.org/2019

Symphonia for South Africa is pleased to announce that its flagship programme, Partners for Possibility (PfP), has been selected as an official member of the Million Lives Club (MLC), a global initiative that celebrates innovators and social entrepreneurs who are scaling impact in improving the lives of those living on less than $5 (approximately R74) a day.

PfP is an award-winning, internationally recognised initiative which partners business leaders with principals from under-resourced schools in a year-long, collaborative and very practical journey.

Since its inception in 2011, the programme has sustainably impacted education outcomes in over 1000 schools in every province of South Africa by strengthening the leadership capacity and boosting the confidence of school principals whose influence on the quality of teaching and learning in the school is pivotal. To date this process has positively transformed the lives of 1,035 principals and 1,035 business leaders, and approximately 28 375 teachers, 454 000 families and 908 000 learners.

In addition, Partners for Possibility is a Scale Leader, selected and recommended to the Million Lives Club by ReachScale, a global network that identifies and supports the most scalable solutions for social challenges.

Upon receiving the news, PfP Founder and CEO of Symphonia for SA, Louise van Rhyn, said: “The PfP community is elated to learn of PfP’s inclusion in the Million Lives Club initiative. We are humbled by this latest validation of the PfP programme as an innovative, creative solution that has and continues to have a transformative impact on the lives of our participants and their respective communities.

Of course, we are excited about the many prospects and opportunities that come with being a Million Lives Club member. However, we realise that a recognition of this nature and its associated benefits come with great responsibility.

We are now more than ever determined to reach more of South Africa’s 20 000 under-resourced schools, thereby impacting more lives for the better.’’

The MLC comprises three cohorts of innovators and social entrepreneurs. These include the MLC Vanguard which celebrates those who have directly impacted 1,000,000+ clients with their innovations, MLC Voyager which recognises innovations expected to impact 1,000,000+ clients within 18 months and MLC Pioneer which highlights innovations that have scaled to meet the needs of 40%+ of their target populations.

As a one of the club’s first Voyager members, PfP is well on its way to reaching the 1,000,000 client mark within the next 18 months. As it stands, an impressive total of 938 455 lives have been impacted through the programme.

This announcement underscores a year of accelerated growth for the PfP programme. In April, PfP reached an important milestone when it launched its 1000th partnership. This is of particular significance as this means that PfP is on track to realising its goal of impacting 2000 schools by 2020. By achieving this, the programme will have reached 10% of the estimated 20 000 under-resourced schools in South Africa in just 10 years.

The MLC recognises the importance of a customer-centric focus in global development and believes that collectively highlighting social innovators that have reached transformative numbers of clients will act as a powerful platform to encourage the uptake and scaling of innovations for global good, everywhere.

The club seeks to nurture innovation ecosystems by recognising innovators and social entrepreneurs whose innovations have scaled to serve 1 million customers, or are rapidly approaching this milestone. It is an initiative inspired by members of the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA) and supported by a growing partnership of leading development organisations.

For more information on PfP progamme, please visit www.PfP4SA.org. Learn more about the Million Lives Club by visiting https://millionlivesclub.org/.

Disability and learning skills specialist Realise Futures has launched a campaign aimed at boosting the number of people with disabilities into work in the East of England.

The #WhyNot – Why Not Employ Disabled People – campaign is calling for greater awareness of the real benefits of employing people with disabilities – including better staff retention, production and lower recruitment costs.

The Ipswich-based social enterprise has well-established expertise in helping employers in Suffolk and Essex recruit valued employees with disabilities and supporting individuals with disabilities into work. Employers include John Lewis, Tesco, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Costa Coffee.

It also runs six commercial businesses in Suffolk, including cafes and plant centres and a wholefood shop, which provide real jobs for people with disabilities and/or disadvantages. More than 40% of its workforce have disabilities.

Realise Futures has created a video to promote what employers are missing out on and how the company can support them:

The unemployment rate for people with a disability (April – June 2019) was 7.3% , compared to an unemployment rate of 3.4% for people without disabilities, according to government figures.* A survey by the charity Leonard Cheshire** found a quarter of employers (24%) said they would be less likely to employ someone with a disability, with 66% citing the cost of workplace adjustments as a barrier.

But, Realise Futures says many employers do not realise they can access full funding to pay for adjustments required. There are many other benefits employers can gain and the company is keen for business owners to contact them to find out how they can boost productivity, cut costs and boost their reputation by employing disabled people.

Managing Director Sally Butcher said: “There is a lack of awareness of what’s involved in employing a person with a disability, such as autism or Asperger’s, but there’s plenty of evidence from employers we have supported who are delighted with their employees, and the great qualities they bring to their company.

“As a business, we have many years’ experience of matching disabled employees with jobs, either within our own social businesses or externally. What we are trying to do is to inform employers about the many benefits to be gained. For example, disabled people become your customers – the total spending power of families with at least one disabled person is estimated to be worth £249 billion*** a year.

“Our own experience shows that employees with a disability have less time off work, are dedicated and loyal. Employers we work with say their employees are hardworking and reliable. Employers looking to promote diversity in the workplace can also benefit and enhance their reputation with their commitment to equal opportunities.

“We can help employers right through the process and support them with any worries or issues they may have. They will see that the benefits far outweigh any perceived disadvantages. We welcome calls from employers considering employing someone with a disability.”

Employers are encouraged to contact Realise Futures on 01473 242500 or email info@realisefutures.org.

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*People with disabilities in employment by Andrew Powell. Briefing Paper, 2 October 2019
** Leonard Cheshire disability facts and figures
***Scope

The Aston University Programme for Small Business Growth aims to support SMEs to grow by increasing their turnover and creating jobs within Coventry and Warwickshire and Greater Birmingham and Solihull.

Don’t miss your opportunity to benefit from the unique tools and knowledge provided by experts in SME leadership and management, as well as network with like-minded ambitious early-stage business leaders.

• Participants increased their turnover by an average of 37% one year after completing the programme*
• 94% of participants are more confident in the growth of their business after completing the programme*
• 18% higher turnover for businesses on the programme than counterparts who were not
• 79% of participants improved their ability to use financial date more in decision making

The core of the fully-funded programme delivered across a six-month period includes:

• Practical workshops which cover topics relevant to leaders of growing SMEs
• One-to-one mentoring to tackle business issues and support with building a targeted growth strategy
• Networking with other early-stage business owners

The programme has a competitive application process so don’t delay!

Email centreforgrowth@aston.ac.uk to refer a business or receive an application form. Interested businesses will receive a complete breakdown of workshop details and requirements via email.

*Statistics taken from the industry standard programme evaluation 2019 which was based on participants who completed the programme during 2017-2019.

If you haven’t already, how do you get started with video marketing? If you do use online video, how do you make it most effective and achieve measurable results?

It really doesn’t have to be complicated, laborious or expensive. In this blog post and the below video, the Chocolate Films Glasgow team shares its ’10 Tips To Win At Online Video’.

1) DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE

Do you know your audience? Who do you want to reach: where are they – online and offline – what do they like, what are they looking for? You will have to translate your message into a different plot and a different tone depending on your audience.

Targeting your content in the right way is also incredibly important when making and publishing online video. If your audience’s favourite platform is Facebook and they visit pages about healthy living, you’ll want to make a video optimised for Facebook and boost it towards people with that interest.

Do research into your audience. This is your first step towards video success.

2) SET YOUR GOAL

Now you know your audience, what would you like to achieve from them? And how quickly do you want to achieve it? A video to promote your business will likely be quite different from an explainer of your latest product. Thinking about goals is key to video production, as your goal will influence every part of the process – from what story you want to tell, to how you will tell it, how long the video will be and where, when and how it will be published and promoted.

In order to achieve measurable results, you first need to set a clear goal.

3) STRUCTURE YOUR STORY FOR ONLINE

On social media, you have to stop people from scrolling!

Slow burn intros, that look great in cinema documentaries, can be death to social video. Front-load the key information and then develop the story once you’ve caught the audience’s attention.

4) CREATE CONTENT WITH PLATFORMS IN MIND

Optimising for different platforms is something you want to keep in mind when making decisions about video content. Your film will need a different shape and duration to be effective on your website than when being used as part of an Instagram campaign. Based on our years of experience at making online video and measuring results, we recommend the following shapes and durations:

• YouTube: landscape; up to 3 minutes
• Facebook: vertical; up to 2 minutes
• Twitter: square; less than 45 seconds
• Instagram: square; less than 30 seconds

Are you ready for Vertical Video? Read more here.

5) KEEP IT VISUAL

The visuals tell the story. Online video needs to grab attention and to be understood just by looking at it. When someone is scrolling through the feed of their favourite social platform, you have got a great opportunity to reach them with a message that they are truly interested in. But your window of opportunity is short.

Be there, be quick, be attractive, be visual.

6) TURN THE SOUND OFF

We know this is controversial, and we love to watch a great film with great sound too. But with online video, the use is different. Your audience is not watching from a cinema screen surrounded by an advanced sound system. They are much more likely to be watching your film on the Tube, without headphones and not wanting to disturb other passengers by playing sound from their phones. On Facebook 85% of video content is watched without sound!

So turn off the sound and let the visuals tell the story.

7) USE WELL DESIGNED ON-SCREEN TEXT

On-screen text is now arguably more important than interview audio.

It is a great way to get your message across with online video – keep in mind that commuter browsing his phone, it’s him you want to reach. Make the text short and memorable. 60 words per minute, in 10 sections is sensible for social video.

8) MAKE EYE-CONTACT

Moving away from television content where contributors usually look past the camera, talking directly to camera can build stronger engagement for online video content. It gives the audience the feeling that they are making eye contact with the person on their screens.

When you talk to someone in person you communicate better with eye contact. When you make a presentation, you try to make contact with your audience. When you vlog, talk on Skype or Facetime, you look directly to camera.

So make eye-contact and you’ll make more engaging online videos.

9) BUDGET FOR PAID PROMOTION

Films can go viral. We love those moments when we go online 1 day after a video has been released and we see it has been shared numerous times and has received 100s of organic – unpaid – views. But it is unsafe to rely on unpaid views. On Facebook for example, less than 1% of reach is organic (Squared Online by Google, 2017).

Do set a budget aside for promotion. How much this should be, depends on the platform you are boosting the video on, the size of the audience you want to reach and the popularity of your page. If you decide make a film with us, we can advise on budgets too.

10) TEST, TEST, TEST

Here’s one of your greatest advantages working with digital content: you can measure the exact amount of impressions – this is how often your content has been seen – clicks, 10-second video views, full views, interactions and more. When using ‘classic’ advertising like a flyer to promote your upcoming event, you don’t know how many people have seen it, have glanced over it before stuffing it away in their bags, or have actually read it.

So measure and test.

If you see that a specific video format does well on a specific platform, you’ll want to create it again. If next to no-one has clicked the video thumbnail in your newsletter, you’ll want to try something different and not keep spending on what doesn’t work. Online platforms offer free and easy to access analytics. So TEST, TEST, TEST and you’ll find your holy video.

Book a free consultation about Online Video.

Top executives from some of South Africa’s most prominent companies traded their usual routine of boardroom meetings for classroom lessons when they participated in the one-of-a-kind Execs Back 2 School event in Cape Town and Johannesburg this month.

The event, organised by  Symphonia for South Africa (SSA), was created to expose business leaders to the working environment and challenges faced by school leaders in South Africa’s chronically under-resourced schools.

Each executive was given the opportunity to spend the day at a different government-run school, and accompanied the school principal as they performed their daily duties.

The business executives engaged with learners and parents, attended classes, and met with teachers and school management to understand the operational realities faced by the school. The day forged closer ties between school principals and top executives by providing a platform to share knowledge and leadership experiences, while exploring the potential for enduring, cross-sectoral collaboration between schools and the private sector.

According to Itumeleng Kgaboesele, CEO of black-owned investment holding company Sphere, which partnered with SSA to deliver the event, all South African businesses have an obligation to support disadvantaged schools:

“As business leaders we all have our schooling to thank for giving us access to further study and professional life. To succeed as a country, we need thriving communities built around successful institutions like schools that offer pupils hope and opportunity.”

“Over the last three years, working with two different principals, I have seen the positive impact that sharing management experiences with the principals can have on the school community and on learners’ achievements.”

This year, much-loved role model, Lucas Radebe, participated in the programme, spending his morning at Soweto’s Nomzamo Madikizela Mandela Primary School speaking to learners, attending classes, and meeting with teachers and school management to understand the daily life of the school. Explaining his participation, Radebe said supporting education should be a national imperative:

“Schools are the centre of our communities and are an essential building block for the nation’s future. Effective schools equip the next generation with the values, skills and education they need to fulfil their individual potential at work and as active citizens contributing to sustainable communities.”

The Execs Back to School day is a spin-off of New York City’s successful ‘Principal for a Day’ initiative. SSA organised this event to complement their internationally recognised, award-winning Partners for Possibility programme, which pairs principals and executives on year-long leadership development journey.

Collaboration between the educators and the private sector contributes to social cohesion and strengthening the nation’s social fabric, believes Robyn Whittaker of SSA:

“Sometimes I think it’s the CEOs who learn from the principals when they step out of their comfort zones and become personally involved. Building direct relationships with a school and its principal makes support for schools more effective and teaches executives powerful management lessons,”

Execs Back 2 School will be repeated next year. Companies and executives interested in joining a Partners for Possibility programme or signing up for next year’s Execs Back 2 School day should contact Symphonia for South Africa on 011 259 4031, send an email to dorcas@symphonia.net or visit www.PfP4SA.org.

This September and October, Charity Bank is partnering with NCVO and other sector leaders to deliver a series of regional half day seminars.

Complimentary tickets are available for trustees, directors, CEOs and managers of charities, social enterprises and community organisations.

• Hear the latest analysis on the state of the sector and on the issues that matter
• Gain practical insight and guidance to help your organisation thrive in a changing world
• Engage with leading social sector experts and hear inspiring stories of success
• Receive details on some of the latest funding and grants available for social sector organisations

Panelists will share research and insights on the state of the sector, how political and Brexit uncertainty are impacting the sector, examples of how charities and social enterprises are responding, as well as the latest on funding, regulation, technology and governance.

You will also receive an overview of the funding environment and details on some of the latest funding and grants available to help social sector organisations grow, improve their sustainability and make a bigger difference.

Ed Siegel, Chief Executive, Charity Bank said: “We’re hosting these free events as part of our mission and commitment to support the social sector. Attendees will receive high quality and practical insights, knowledge and ideas from our expert panelists, which they can then implement in their own organisations. The events will also act as an opportunity for delegates to network with like-minded peers who have similar goals. We’re really looking forward to hosting the events and meeting individuals in each region who are at the forefront of social change.”

Secure your place at charitybank.org/growth.

Road to Growth events programme:

London, 18th September – register

Tunbridge Wells, 26th September – register

Leeds, 3rd October – register

Reading, 8th October – register

Derby, 16th October – register

Manchester, 17th October – register

Charity Bank has announced a £5 million deposit injection from the independent charitable trust Power to Change. With seven in ten people agreeing that charities should invest their savings and investments ethically, Charity Bank is calling on other organisations to align their money and mission.¹

The deposit will increase Charity Bank’s lending capabilities, improving access to finance for charities and social enterprises. This is increasingly important, as 78% of those who borrowed money from Charity Bank say their project would not have gone ahead without it and 30% said it helped keep the organisation afloat.²

The organisations helped by Charity Bank include Imago, a social action charity supporting communities across the South of England which purchased a new premises with funding from Charity Bank, and Burton Street Foundation, a community benefit society in Sheffield which has also been supported in the past by Power to Change. Burton Street Foundation works with almost 250 adults and 50 children every week, with needs ranging from moderate learning difficulties, to profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Ed Siegel, Chief Executive at Charity Bank comments, “Responsible investment is an important and growing area of focus for many charities and social enterprises. This deposit from Power to Change will undoubtedly help us in our mission to provide social enterprises with the financial resources they need to help vulnerable people and communities across the UK, outcomes which, we understand, are supportive of the social objectives of Power to Change.”

Vidhya Alakeson, Chief Executive at Power to Change said: “Power to Change exists to create better places through community business and we know that by saving with Charity Bank, our cash is being used as a powerful tool for social change. The deposit we’ve made will support Charity Bank in tackling some of the most challenging societal issues facing the UK today, while still earning a good rate of interest, which is great news for our endowment and for improving lives.”

Charity Bank is encouraging charities to invest their savings and investments ethically and in support of their mission, through its Money on a Mission campaign.

 

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About the research:

¹ An online survey of 4,000 nationally representative UK adults (aged 18+) carried out between 27th February and 6th March 2018 by Opinium on behalf of Charity Bank. The results have been weighed to nationally representative criteria.

² Charity Bank Impact survey was conducted in February and March 2019. It was sent to 235 of Charity Bank’s current borrowers, with 105 completing the survey either online or via a telephone interview.

A student at the University of Northampton used his personal interest in strokes and stroke rehabilitation to win a place at a prestigious competition and talk about his own research.

Andy Ibbott – who has just finished the second year of his foundation degree in Sport and Exercise Science at Northampton – suffered a near fatal stroke in 2011 during a hospital operation, which left him needing to re-learn how to walk. He was also left with the condition aphasia, which makes it difficult for him to understand or produce speech.

The ‘Map the System’ competition is an initiative of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and other leading higher education institutions. Students and educators who take part are tasked with thinking differently about social and environmental change by researching an issue and communicating their findings to an audience.

Andy competed against the likes of Harvard University students as he explored aphasia. His research sees a possible benefit to the reclassification of this condition as a brain injury, potentially combining resources and making access to support easier. He was one of only four representatives from UK universities, out of 20 total entrants, and although he did not win, he has already started further research to compete again next year.

Andy said: “Presenting my research in front of guests from universities like Harvard was a bit daunting at first, but the experience as a whole was powerful and inspiring.

“I’ve fully embraced the Changemaker philosophy at University of Northampton but don’t see myself as ‘only’ a poster child for stroke recovery and I look very much toward the future. But if getting out on the road talking about aphasia helps push for better support, I’m more than happy to do it.”

Andy received one to one coaching from Julia Jolley – Community Engagement Adviser in University of Northampton’s Changemaker Hub – to support his application and was supported at the competition by Bruce Paterson, Credit Union Officer at the University. The Changemaker Hub works with students before, during and after their studies to develop and enhance employability. Map the System will be built into the University’s student offer next year.

Andy’s efforts getting back into full-time employment were featured in the BBC TV programme Employable Me in 2017, and he has gone on to give motivational speeches around the UK and Europe, which have assisted with his speech and communication rehab.

Five years ago, Andy had a stroke. Since then, he’s applied for over 3,000 jobs… but has only been offered ONE interview. #EmployableMe pic.twitter.com/LBsbg3UQWm

— BBC Two (@BBCTwo) November 28, 2017

 

The Partnership of East London Co-operatives (PELC) has had its Out of Hours services rated as ‘good’ across the board by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This builds on its exceptional 6-month turn-around of the Emergency Urgent Care Centre (EUCC) at the King George Hospital, Ilford.

PELC’s Out of Hours care operates from a number of sites in East London, including Queens Hospital (Romford), King George Hospital (Ilford) and Gray’s Court (Dagenham). Its service, which runs from 6.30pm to 8am on weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays, includes GPs and healthcare professionals working in primary care centres, minor injury units and urgent care centres.

The CQC has given an individual and overall rating ‘good’ across its five key areas; safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership. Good shows that the service is performing well and meeting the CQC’s expectations.

The Partnership of East London Co-operatives (PELC) is a not-for-profit social enterprise that serves more than 2million people across East London and West Essex. It delivers NHS integrated urgent care services (Clinical Assessment, GP Out of Hours, Prison healthcare and Urgent Care Centres).

“This is another great achievement for our organisation” said Brian Jones, Chief Executive of PELC. “Our team continues to go above and beyond to ensure that our patients receive the best care possible, which has, once again, been recognised and reflected by our industry’s regulatory body.

“We continue to work to our vision, providing a patient-focused health system that delivers clinically excellent and cost-effective care with highly exceptional outcomes and patient satisfaction.”

Following a significant turnaround of the Emergency Urgent Care Centre (EUCC) at the King George Hospital in Ilford by the Partnership of East London Cooperatives (PELC), a recent staff survey has shown that 100% of participants now believe that they are able to give the care they aspire to give.

100% of respondents also stated that they felt trusted to do their jobs, are satisfied with work flexibility and felt encouraged to report errors, near misses or incidents. 97% said that training and development has led to better patient care.

PELC has implemented new initiatives and benefits for employees, including providing its junior members of staff with access to apprenticeships and its middle managers with access to independent company mentors. Senior staff also benefit from external mentoring opportunities. These initiatives form part of PELC’s drive to help staff reach their career aspirations.

93% of participating staff said they would recommend PELC as an employer – an improvement from 87% last year.

Paul, Clinician, stated: “I am able to work at PELC because of their family-friendly working arrangements that allow me to contribute around my personal responsibilities as a carer. All of my line managers are available, listen and work with me to develop services that are based upon patient needs.”

This staff satisfaction survey follows an exceptional turnaround by PELC in the CQC rating of the EUCC at King George Hospital.

Brian Jones, Chief Executive of PELC, commented: “Our focus over the past few months has been an all-consuming endeavour to improve the facilities and resources at the EUCC, including our staff support and training. We are only as strong as the sum of our parts and our individual staff members are the very backbone of the EUCC, essential to delivering results in caring for the local area.

“I am thrilled at the outcome of our staff survey and we will continue to build upon our infrastructure to allow each and every individual to achieve their potential and give the very best in patient care.

“By successfully bringing our CQC rating up by two grades, we are showing our commitment to our patients so they know they can put their trust in us, and to our staff, so they have the support and resources with which to do their job to the very highest standard.”

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The University of Winchester’s pioneering work in sustainability and social responsibility has earned the institution a place in the top 100 of the first-ever global University Impact Rankings put together by Times Higher Education.

The new ranking recognises universities across the world for their social and economic impact on society, based on their success in delivering the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Winchester is tied at 76th in the overall impact rankings, out of 500 institutions from 75 countries. Its ranking is based on its performance on SDG 17 – Partnership for the Goals – and three other SDGs:

• Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)
• Quality Education (SDG 4)
• Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)

Professor Joy Carter CBE, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winchester, said: “It’s a huge achievement for Winchester to be placed us among the world’s top universities for social impact in these new rankings. It also demonstrates how our commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals translate into groundbreaking work helping to transform the world we live in. We are a community committed to making a difference and our values – compassion, individuals matter and spirituality – inform why we do this and how we achieve it.”

The University’s pioneering activities in promoting the SDGs include:

• The Climate Change Education Strategy commits the University to ensuring students graduate with an understanding of how climate change is relevant to their subject area and their everyday lives and how they can address the challenges it presents.
• The University’s Sustainability Statement, launched in 2018, sets out what sustainability means to the institution and how it will be achieved in practice.
• The University has saved over 72,000 disposable cups from being used on campus through the introduction of a surcharge and free reusable cups for students and staff. An average of 33 drinks in 100 are now served in a reusable cup, up from just three in 100 in 2015/16. All new students are given a reusable cups, which are Gum-tec Americano mugs – made of 20 per cent recycled chewing gum (around 42 pieces per cup).
• The University aims to make a positive environmental impact through the management of its estate. It has the sixth most carbon efficient estate in the higher education sector relative to floor area. All electricity comes from renewable sources. None of its waste goes to landfill, with a recycling rate of 60 per cent, up from 14 per cent in January 2009. A two-bin system operates across campus and in halls of residence for dry mixed recycling and general waste. Food waste from catering outlets and office kitchens is sent for anaerobic digestion and waste cooking oil is converted into biodiesel.

Leading housing association and developer L&Q has partnered with two leading not-for-profit organisations to ensure it is offering the best service to its disabled staff and residents.

As part of their disability inclusion initiative, L&Q will work with Evenbreak, a not-for-profit social enterprise that helps inclusive employers attract and retain more talented disabled people.

L&Q is also working with disability charity Scope to develop housing advice content for their website and advice line. The two organisations have worked together for the last 18 months to upskill L&Q’s employability service, so that they can better engage and support their disabled residents in securing sustainable employment.

Disabled people are more than twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled people. To reduce the barriers facing disabled people, L&Q will advertise all its jobs on Evenbreak’s website, a specialist job board run by and for disabled people.

L&Q’s other disability inclusion initiatives for 2019 include:

• Improving physical access for disabled staff, residents and visitors over and above legal compliance
• Organising disability awareness training by Enhance UK
• Upskilling staff so they can give great customer service to disabled residents
• Reporting on the disability pay gap from 2019 as part of L&Q’s annual Fair Pay report
• Offering flexible working for all its roles, including in its contact centre, which will break down barriers for disabled staff or carers
• Becoming a Disability Confident committed employer, which means that candidates are guaranteed an interview if they meet the job criteria
• Working with Genius Within to help staff understand ‘neurodiverse’ cUonditions such as autism

Jan Gale, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at L&Q, said: “By partnering with Evenbreak, we are investing in our people. We want our workforce to reflect the diverse make-up of our residents, and we also want to attract people with a wide range of different skills and expertise.

“If we can harness the creativity and innovation that comes from diverse teams, it will help us play our part in solving the housing crisis. There is a huge array of talent out there that organisations can’t afford to ignore as we seek to deliver quality services to our residents whilst building new homes to tackle the supply gap.

“It’s important that there are no barriers to disabled people working at L&Q, and that includes at the very start of their journey as a prospective L&Q employee.”

Jane Hatton, Founder and Director at Evenbreak, said: “We are delighted that L & Q are leading the way on disability inclusion for housing associations. The benefits of employing disabled people can have an enormous positive impact on all aspects of social housing, including having a more diverse workforce that residents can relate to. Advertising all of their vacancies on Evenbreak will support L&Q in being the type of organisation that excels.”

Stephanie Coulshed, Programme Lead at Scope said: “Based on our in-depth research into the information that disabled people need about housing, Scope’s content designers will collaborate with subject experts at L&Q to develop accessible advice that helps people solve problems. We believe that L&Q’s knowledge of housing issues and commitment to tackling them, combined with Scope’s expertise in content design, will result in an outstanding partnership that has real impact.”

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Personal changes to make in 2019?  But too many options and no time?

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This offer is available until midday on 11th February 2019. Contact Roots HR to order your coaching package.