Bonjour, welcome to April. I was going to do some sort of April Fools’ Day themed newsletter but on reflection decided that it would be far too tiresome, both for me to write and for you to read. Or did I? Is one of these stories an April Fool? Are all of them April Fools? Or am I the April Fool?
See, tiresome. And this newsletter doesn’t need to be any more irritating than it usually is, so I’m just going to crack on with the news, starting with a super offer just for newsletter subscribers – don’t say I never give you anything.
Enjoy your weekend
Loads of you will have received a copy of the latest issue of Pioneers Post Quarterly, the new publication packed with “intelligent journalism for social enterprises, impact investors and responsible businesses.” Here at SSE we’ve subscribed to the magazine – and we arranged for a free sample copy to be sent to everyone who’d been on one of our programmes in the last two years.
Now you’ve had the chance to read it the folks at Pioneers Post have put together a unique offer just for SSE – subscribe at a special rate of £79 to get the magazine in print and digital format for a whole year, keeping your knowledge and understanding of issues that affect you bang up to date. Visit https://www.pioneerspost.com/magazine and enter SSE as the discount code.
Zzzzz boring. That was my reaction whenever I heard the words ‘social investment’ before last year. But then I went on our ‘Unlocking Social Investment’ course and had my eyes opened – I even got to play social investment bingo. We’re running it again on April 14th with speakers from ClearlySo, Numbers For Good, Big Society Capital, Big Issue Invest and Social Investment Business. Book by next Wednesday for a chunky discount.
People often say to me “Dave, do you know how I can access funding of between £1,000 and £30,000 without a complicated and time consuming application process?” and until now my answer has always been “Terribly sorry, I’m afraid I don’t”. But times have changed: The Golden Bottle Trust and The Bulldog Trust Funding Initiative opens for applications today and guess what? It offers funding of between £1,000 and £30,000 without a complicated and time consuming application process.
NOTE: This has now closed due to demand.
Facilitate (verb): to make (an action or process) easy or easier. Sounds good. I like making things easier. I’m hoping that one of my colleagues will facilitate me drinking a cup of tea around about now. If only I had some training to help facilitate them…Maybe I should go on our Action Learning Facilitator Training, starting in Leeds on April 21st (1 place left) or London on 26th May (4 places left).
Once you’ve been on the Facilitator Training you will be well equipped to come and work at SSE, which is handy because we’re looking for a Learning Manager to cover maternity leave in London.
If you’ve ever wondered how you can get something featured in our newsletter the answer is simple- offer me the chance of a lifetime supply of cider. That’s what SSE Fellow Kath Rosen did: if one of you lot successfully apply to be her Harvesting and Produce Training Manager at Urban Orchard Project I’ll never need to buy another drink again.
Denizens of South East London (the best kind of people) – if you ever need a free venue on Monday – Wednesday evenings get in touch with social enterprise Brewbird, a cafe based in Camberwell / Peckham. For further details get in touch with SSE Fellow Jonathan Smith ([email protected]) or via Brewbird’s Twitter @Brewbirdco.
Social enterprise Jobs, Friends and Houses are hosting a conference in The Grand Theatre, Blackpool, to show an audience of 300 invited guests ‘behind the scenes’ of its ground-breaking work. The organisation works with ex-offenders; creating employment and accommodation and boasting a 0% re-offending rate for our team so far. The event takes place on May 5th and is free to attend.
PwC have launched a new resource for entrepreneurs, Startup Journey. Currently in beta release it’s a digital community website for start-ups which PwC has developed and provides entrepreneurs a guide to setting up their own business. It has a cool website that makes it look like you a flying through mountains too.
SSE Fellow Chris Bailey has launched ‘Go Fund Yourself” a film-making course that focuses on supporting people and groups who are working towards making a film for a funding bid or crowdfunding campaign. The course takes place in Plymouth on 28th April and 12th May and costs £120. Full details here.
Finally, On Purpose are accepting applications to their 2016 Associate Programme, which gives you the space you need to jump-start a purpose-led career. It’s a way to gain experience of working in purpose-oriented organisations while receiving a level of support that you’d rarely receive in a conventional working situation. Applications are open from now until 23rd May 2016, find out more at www.onpurpose.uk.com.
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What’s on at SSE:
- Unlocking Social Investment, SSE London, 14th April
- Get Ahead in Sales – Birmingham, SSE Midlands, 19th April
- Action Learning Facilitator Training – North East, SSE Yorkshire, starts 21st April
- Crowdfunding for Charities, Social Enterprises + Communities – Birmingham, SSE Midlands, 3rd May
- Writing Successful Bids, SSE London, 13th May
- Action Learning Facilitator Training, SSE London, starts 26th May
- Social Media Masterclass, Birmingham, SSE Midlands, 26th May
