Dear Colleagues
As you know, the Coalition has worked long and hard to work out a strategic partnershipwith the Scottish Government and has greatly welcomed the support contained in the Action Plan. However, we have been greatly concerned at our non inclusion in the Third Sector Task Force – membership of which comprised of SCVO, SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives), COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) and the Scottish Government. Reasons of ‘manageability’ prevented our inclusion, despite the fact that social enterprise had been positioned by this administration as the priority business model of the third sector. While the Coalition welcomes the recent Joint Statement produced by the Third Sector Task Group, the breadth and strength of the sector cannot be represented through SCVO alone and we believe that a national Task Group of this nature should have reflected the national bodies that represent social enterprise, social housing, Development Trusts and other quite distinct groups within the broader Third Sector.
On a more positivenote, this month has seen a huge amount of activity across the movement. The Coalitionhas hosted a number of events across Scotland in partnership with members, not least targeting the private sector, and coming up next week we have our Paisley Abbey Masterclass in Social Enterprise with Tim Smit and Graham Bell. Still a few tickets left, so do book from our website. And of course politics continues to keep the Coalition positively unfit for polite society. Next month the Coalition’s Policy Officer, Callum Chomczuk, will be on the prowl at the Conservative party conference in Manchester and we are also hosting a fringe meeting at the SNP Conference in Inverness with JimMather. Our forthcoming policy forum on the UK manifesto is a hugely important part of our work – so please make your voice heard.
Best wishes
Antonia Swinson, Chief Executive
Future Coalition Diary Dates
Wednesday 7 October 2009: Tim Smit Master Class, Paisley Abbey, 9.45am – 3.30pm
In partnership with Renfrewshire’s CVS, Kibble and Voluntary Action Scotland, the Coalition is hosting a Masterclass in Paisley Abbey. Over 300 people are expected to attend this event to hear Tim Smit, founder of the Eden Project in Cornwall, and Graham Bell, Chief Executive of Kibble, push the boundaries of what social enterprise can deliver. Some tickets are still remaining, so please book them here NOW.
Thursday 8 October 2009: BME Social Enterprise Event, St Mary’s Cathedral Hall, Edinburgh
The Coalition and CEMVO Scotland are jointly hosting a training session on Thursday 8 October. There will be three business support sessions run by Firstport focusing on costing goods and services, marketing and attracting investment. For further details, please email
Tuesday 17 November 2009: Social EnterpriseScotland Awards & Parliamentary Reception
John Swinney MSP will be presenting the prizes at Scotland’s first Social Enterprise Scotland Awards on the evening of Tuesday 17 November from 6.00-8.00pm at our annual MSPs reception. If you would like to attend, please email however attendance is limited to one person per organisation.
Wednesday 2 December 2009: Intermediary members’ meeting
The Coalition Intermediary members’ Christmas gathering takes place at Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JP on Wednesday 2 December from 5 – 7pm. To confirm your organisation’s attendance, please email
Thursday 3 December 2009: Westminster Reception and Manifesto Launch
The Coalition will be hosting a lunchtime reception, with Mark Lazarowicz MP, at Westminster to launch our manifesto for the General Election. The event is being supported by Cornerstone and the five £75 bursaries which remain will be available to members, with priority given to those who did not attend our last Westminster reception. If you are interested in attending, please email .
Wednesday 21 April 2010: S2S Social Enterprise Fair
- The Coalition is delighted that the date and location for next year’s S2S has been set. We are returning to the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on Wednesday 21 April 2010. To be kept informed and to express interest in S2S 2010 please email or telephone the events team on0131 557 5767.
- Sponsorship and advertisement opportunities are available for S2S; ranging from £175-£3,000, including sponsorship of our electoral hustings on the evening of 20 April 2010. For further details contact
Policy Forums
We will be seeking views of members ahead of the drafting of the Coalition’s General Election Manifesto for 2010. This policy forum will take place on:
- Tuesday 20 October at the Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JP between 2.30 and 4.30 on the General Election Manifesto.
If you are interested in attending, please email
Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition News
Social enterprise and single outcome agreements
Senscot and the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition commissioned the Pool – DTA Scotland’s consultancy service – to review the Single Outcome Agreements for 2008 and 2009 to assess how far social enterprise was reflected in them. To examine the results clickhere
Coalition Logo
To show your membership of the Coalition and to enhance the profile of the Social Enterprise movement, please open the following link where you can obtain a link-able Coalition logo to put on your organisation’s homepage.
An introduction to Community Benefit clauses
The Coalition has produced a new guide for private sector businesses on Community Benefit clauses. This publication has been well received at our recent ’Community of Business’ Events in Aberdeen, Moray and Clackmannanshire. To access the publication click here .
Local Government and Communities Committee
On 9th September, Coalition Directors Craig Sanderson and Jacqui Watt gave evidence to the Local Government and Communities Committee as part of their local government finance inquiry. To read the official report, please click here.
SNP Conference, Friday 16 October 2009, Inverness
The Coalition is hosting a fringe event at the SNP conference next month with Christine Grahame MSP and Enterprise Minster Jim Mather MSP. The fringe meeting will examine the contribution our movement makes to Scotland's businesses and public services.
MORI Attitudinal Polling
The Coalition recently had a poll conducted to measure the knowledge of Social Enterprise amongst the Scottish population, with some surprising and encouraging findings. To have a look at the results click here.
Photo Scholarship
The Coalition launches a search for an inspiring photographer to visually capture social enterprises in Scotland, telling their stories through imaginative pictures. For more details about this £1,800 scholarship click here.
New Website
The Coalition’s new website is due to be launched in the coming weeks featuring an all new members directory and an online policy forum facility. Further details to be announced.
VOICE 2010
VOICE10 is going to be in Cardiff on 1-2 February 2010. Coalition social enterprise members can sign up at the SEC UK members’ rate until the 31st October and if you sign up before the 16th October you will get an additional 10% of the delegate fee. To book your place click here
FREE PR Opportunities for Members
The Coalition has enlisted the services of Public Relations company, Weber Shandwick. If you are doing something new or interesting with your business, please email our consultants Paula McNulty or Jenny McMahon or phone them on 0131 556 6649.
Parliamentarian Visits
Arranging visits for Parliamentarians is an important part of our work – the very best way to communicate just what social enterprise can achieve. Please contact if you would like to host or organise a visit.
Parliamentary Update
News, Motions and Questions
Scottish Parliamentary Motions
Please contact your local Parliamentarians and encourage them to sign the following:
- George Foulkes:Celebrating 20 Years of Capital Credit Union in Scotland. To read the motion clickhere
- Rob Gibson:Waste Aware Scotland-wide.To read the motion clickhere
- Frank McAveety: Homeless World Cup Milano 2009. To read the motion clickhere
Scottish ParliamentaryQuestions
- Tom McCabe:To ask the Scottish Executive whether the impact of single outcome agreements on direct service provision for mental health services by the third sector has been fully evaluated. To read the response click here.
- Jackie Baillie: To ask the Scottish Executive what the overall aim is of its resilience fund for the third sector. To read the response click here.
- Jim Tolson: To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report into how the third sector contributes to the Scottish Government’s strategic objectives with particular reference to the potential for social enterprises to deliver health benefits. To read the response click here.
- Johann Lamont asked the Scottish Executive how the pilot single interface arrangements between community planning partnerships and the third sector will be evaluated. To read the response click here.
- Johann Lamont asked the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the evaluation of the pilot single interface arrangements between community planning partnerships and the third sector. To read the response click here.
- Johann Lamont asked the Scottish Executive whether the minutes of the meetings of the Third Sector Task Group are publicly available. To read the response click here.
- Hugh O’Donnell: To ask the Scottish Executive how many voluntary sector organisations to which it has given grant aid have had money reclaimed from their grants as a result of failing to meet the grant criteria in each of the last four years and for what reasons. To read the response click here.
Policy Update
The Coalition has recently made a number of submissions to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament. For details of our latest policy position, please visit
Members’ News and Events
Social entrepreneurs benefiting from Firstport awards
In the latest round of awards, a total of £56,367 has been awarded through both funds to 14 individuals. These include a new IT application to help raise the profiles of charities and a green map to promote environmental businesses in Edinburgh.
£1.2m for social enterprises from Social Investment Fund
Spartans F.C’s new community football academy is set for £900,000 of strategic investment and loan funding towards the completion of the Academy. While the Calman Trust will receive £327,000towards purchasing a city centre property. To read more clickhere
The Melting Pot's 2nd birthday
This Thursday (1st October), The Melting Pot are celebrating their second full year as Scotland’s first Incubator for Social Innovation. To mark the occasion they are opening their doors and invite you to come for an informal gathering from 18.00 till 21.00 at Thorn House, 5 Rose Street, Edinburgh. For more information click here
ACOSVO Conference; New Perspectives on Resilient Leadership
This Annual Conference will take place on Thursday 19 November at 29 Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow. Speakers include Jim Mather MSP. For more information click here.
Sector News, Events & Resources
News
Scottish Budget and Social Enterprise
- Money for the Scottish Investment Fund is up to £14.8m from £10m last year which is £1.2m less than projected in last year’s budget
- Third Sector Development Fund is cut in real terms from £22.2m to £20.8m which is £1.4m than was projected last year.
- Overall Third Sector spend is up from £32.6 to £35.6m, however this is almost £3m less than was projected in last year’s budget.
For a more detailed breakdown of the budget click here and to contribute to the Coalition’s budget submission process, please contact
Third Sector Resilience Fund
Grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 will potentially be available to Third Sector organisations which can demonstrate how the recession has led to increased demand or undermined their services. The fund, which will be open for five weeks from late October, is being delivered as a ring-fenced part of the £12 million Third Sector Enterprise Fund.
New Chief Executive for Social Enterprise Coalition UK
Peter Holbrook has been announced as the new CEO of the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC). The CEO of the Sunlight Development Trust in Gillingham, Kent, and a Social Enterprise Ambassador, Holbrook takes over from Jonathan Bland in the New Year. Scotland’s Coalition is looking forward to working with him in the run up to the UK election next year.
Welfare Plans
Plans to get 600,000 people off welfare and into work are being proposed by a think tank set up by former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith. To read more click here
Social enterprises contributing £2.1bn a year to Welsh economy
Research, by the University of Glamorgan, estimates that the social enterprise sector contributes 2.6% (£2.1bn) to the turnover of all enterprises in Wales with their being just under 3,000 such enterprises. To read more click here
Pioneering social bonds pilot set to launch within months
A pilot of social bonds could take place 'this side of the general election'. Social bonds have been developed to act as a guarantee by the government to invest in programmes that could help lower the tax cost of social problems. To read more click here
New Financial Services
A joint venture between Pollock Credit Union and the Post Office will see post office services and credit union services delivered from the one unit. As well as securing 14 local jobs, this also preserves two vital services for the local community.
Homeless World Cup
Ukraine defeated Portugal 5-4 in the final of the Milan 2009Homeless World Cup, with Scotland finishing in 12th place. This annual international football tournament saw 48 nations and 500 players from all 5 continents of the world take part.
UK charities minister announces £5m for social enterprises
Angela Smith, charities minister, has pledged £5m to support social investment to close “the missing link between social enterprise and finance“. The £5m will be invested through the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund and will be matched by individuals, foundations and institutions.
Pilot Call for ESRC Third Sector Placement Fellowships
The ESRC is advertising a new funding for placements which will enable the temporary transfer of individuals to/from third sector and academia for one to three months in duration and if successful grants will commence in January-February 2010. For more information click here
Events
Remember you can always view our Events calendar here...
BCE Environmental Leadership Awards Deadline 12 October 2009
The BCE awards, which are available to businesses demonstrating sound environmentalpractice, provide businesses with an opportunity to get the peer and public recognition they deserve for their achievements. Application forms can be accessed via
Volunteer Development Scotland, Call for Papers Deadline, 22 October 2009
Volunteer Development Scotland is organising a conference to bring together researchers, policy makers to share and debate current research on the definition, measurement and impact of voluntary action. To submit a paper o find out more info click here
Scottish Third Sector Research Conference, 26 October 2009
The conference will showcase new and emerging research from practitioners and academics and will build on the recent series of SCVO/ESRC public policy seminars held in Edinburgh on the themes of localism, recession and innovation. For more information click here
Sustainable Scotland Network Conference, 29 October 2009
The SSN conference supports information sharing, training and communication within and between local authorities, towards the aim of mainstreaming sustainable development.
If you require further information, please visit
GlobalScot Conference 09, 2 November 2009
The 2009 GlobalScot International Conference will take place at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel and offers the opportunity to meet some of the world’s leading business people and Scotland’s most exciting growth companies. For information, contact
The SAN Conference 2009, Friday 13 November, Liverpool
The SAN Conference will focus on whether everything can or should be measured. Is “measuring” the same as “accounting”? Is it essential to be able to “measure” impact in financial terms? For more information click here.
Public Service Delivery Conference, 18November 2009
Hannah Mackay are hosting a One-Day Conference on Wednesday 18 November 2009 in Central Edinburgh on where the third sector can add value and vision to public sector service design and delivery. For more information click here
Learning Launchpad fund deadline, 24 November 2009
The Learning Launchpad is a fund delivered by the Young Foundation working in partnership with Edge to enable young people, whatever their background, to achieve their potential. Early stage organisations can apply to the fund for financial investment and business support.