Social Enterprise: creating more opportunities
Jackie Scutt, Director of Social Enterprise Academy
Robert Craig, Chief Executive, Ferguslie Park Housing Association
In a highly informative and audience engaging session Jackie Scutt and Robert Craig provided an outline of social enterprise and used practical examples to illustrate it's importance in daily life.
Jackie Scutt drew on her personal experience to define the term 'Social Enterprise' a term she argued is jargon and relatively unknown outside the public sector. Jackie defined social enterprise as being a business with a social purpose.
She argued that social enterprise can help provide solutions to some of Scotland's biggest contemporary challenges. These include growing the economy, improving public services and delivering sustainability. Jackie used the example of when she was a manager of a childcare service, which provided social enterprise by allowing parents to access work opportunities, and provided routes into childcare training.
She called for the Scottish Executive to focus on steps that will improve service delivery in it's up an coming strategy.
Robert called upon RSLs to adopt wider perspective to help improve the social economy. This involved looking beyond 'bricks and mortar' and working with other landlords and partners from the voluntary sector. He also called for Communities Scotland to recognise the benefits of the wider role during inspections.
Robert stressed that RSLs cant be expected to 'do it all' but must be a key player in the push for providing solutions to some of Scotland's social problems. This closer interaction between providers and partners can help deliver greater efficiencies and help social enterprise schemes become more sustainable.