Pentland Community Enterprises Ltd

Social Impact Statements

The Social Enterprise Mark criteria includes a requirement that the applicant can demonstrate that social and/or environmental objectives are being achieved.

In support of this, new applicants and renewing Mark holders are asked to respond to a set of social impact questions, which are designed to help them think about the social impact they create, and to articulate this clearly and succinctly.

Updated November 2019

1) What social differences and changes have you aimed to create (or supported)?

We understand there are community voids in the area that PCE can feed into to assist. Part of this process will be addressing our town regeneration to encourage the younger generation to remain in the area for sustainability.

Community engagement is a way of ensuring that we focus with the community and community members have access to valued social settings and activities, feel that they are able to contribute meaningfully to those activities, and develop functional capabilities that enable them to participate fully.

We feel the benefits of us volunteering our services are significant as it connects us and the shared activity with the community expands our network and boosts social skills and is a benefit to health.

2) What actions have you taken to address the above social aims?

1. Introduction of a trainee scheme within the Pentland group. The two scheme was set up to focus on giving the younger generation an opportunity to a enhance their knowledge and skill set, increase qualifications allowing the potential of them remaining in the area once their 2 year contract is complete and seeking further employment confidently.
2. Fuel Poverty high on agenda of PCE, the current Big Lottery funded scheme on which delivers energy advice completes in November 2019. A joint application (Highland Partners) for “Redress” funding is being submitted by the partners in September 2019. The project design is based around delivering energy advice directly to houses in need throughout Caithness and Sutherland via home visits to ensure that householders gain a firsthand understanding of energy costs, reducing energy, analysis of energy bills, energy tariffs and energy consumption. We will also work closely with the energy companies to ensure that realistic payment plans are put in place. By working closely with householders authentic support will be given relating to their energy issues.
3. Digital inclusion for the community is a project we are in the process of setting up working with our highland partners. Digital awareness is necessity in all walks of life and we look to assist the community and with the this feature to allow them to source the benefits that will lead to potential costs savings - for example reviewing their utilities in place.
4. Conscious of potential health issues and government policy for all ages the introduction of a simple provision of “ park your car and walk to school regime” will feed into this with not only health being addressed but reduction in the carbon footprint.
5. Off road parking to alleviate parking congestion within our main estate in Thurso again will encourage a health concern. We all are dependent on just utilising the car outside our door “a walk to the shop” will address health carbon footprint and safer streets and play areas for the children.
6. We have carried out surveys with the wider community to establish how we can support the “wish list” and from this we have identified a community park modern park where families can spend time together. Allowing children to play in a safe zone and allow for families to socialise as they not have that opportunity. This project would allow the children to input their ideas and help build to their expectation.

3) What has changed and what benefits have been realised as a result of your actions?

As an organisation the board and staff understand the opportunities in which we can become involved. Our business plan reiterates “ be responsive to the wider community”.

We are meeting with PPP in Wick who have carried out a large business and community venture. As an experienced group we look to this group to assist with potential funding and best avenues to seek this.

The town is looking to carry out regeneration projects for the future generation to sustain the area. Important we input to this for the community who are young and aging to ensure we have facilities in place to meet the future needs.

4) How do you and other people know your aims are being achieved? Or how will you know?

Our action plan and backup paperwork will allow for the organisation to assess the best avenue of productivity.
Feeding into this will be our community survey on the areas that we have identified and establishing feasibility and funding to progress these further.

Setting up community working groups to assist us to progress is paramount in the process.

The benefits realised as detailed above is that we have a community which needs refreshed and brought up to date to allow for sustainability for the future which is key to the county.

Supplementary details

The below questions are not mandatory, but Mark holders are encouraged to answer them where possible, to provide a fuller account of their social outcomes and the social value they create.

5) How many people have benefitted from your actions?

We have no clear measures to provide at present as this is the start of the process however monitoring and providing performance and outcome as opportunities are progressed is important as it will allow us to gauge changes that are needed for further projects undertaken.

6) What examples can you provide of a typical service user experience, that helps illustrate the benefits they have experienced as a result of your actions?

Trainee scheme in now in place allows for train young people in skills for their future. The trainees will focus on the business opportunities and feed into the detail. Long term community involvement will allow them to source improvements and funding whilst gaining a knowledge of the both the community and business needs.

7) What additional social benefits have you been able to deliver within your core services that distinguish you from other “for shareholder profit” providers?

One of the key services provided to date is our energy advice service. We meet with all client groups referred to us. We aim to help them understand their utilities and how best to utilise these.

This has been a learning curve for clients and we aim to address this through schools to allow for the understanding to be in place at a younger age of the impact of the carbon footprint to the future generations.

The project has assisted the review of their utility provider and access to improved rates and services. Savings the smallest is beneficial to all.

The service is thought of highly in the highlands and the highland partners are seeking funding for this to continue as fuel poverty requires to be addressed.

8) What other social benefits have you contributed that go beyond your core delivery activities (ones that are completely unrelated to your main services)?

• Litter picking with the community – cleaner and safer area – engagement has proven good feedback and social inclusion.
• Charity events - open day in the office - meet and greet – staff voluntary to provide the day and goodies.
• Attending other local community events – networking how we can feed in – Regeneration project.

9) What social and environmental benefits have you created from internal operational policies and actions?

Energy Advice Project addresses the carbon footprint and to date our targets have been exceeded hence the importance of continuation of the project. – grant funded. We at the early stage of this process and unable to provide specific criteria to cover the area detailed.