I’ve got two urgent matters that need to be completed by the end of the day: 1) write this newsletter 2) draw up an induction plan for a new member of staff starting on Monday. If I was to do the two things separately it would involve working well into the afternoon, which as everyone knows is completely unacceptable on a Friday. So, as part of my on-going quest for workplace efficiency I’m going to combine the two.
I should really run a course on time management…
Enjoy this week’s news
Take some time to settle in
Welcome to SSE. It’s a magical place, very much the Narnia of social enterprise. I’d recommend some time familiarising yourself with everything that we do – we published our annual report yesterday so that seems like a good place to start.
Understand the product
One of the things that you’ll notice as you work here is that we occasionally take some time out from emails and meetings to deliver some really rather good courses for social entrepreneurs.
At the moment, we’re accepting applications to our Community Business Trade Up programme. In case anyone calls to find out more, it’s a free learning programme (12 days over 9 months) for people people running community projects, community businesses, social enterprises which even comes with a match trading grant of up to £10,000. The deadline to apply is 1pm, Wednesday 27th November so tell anyone interested that they need to get a move on.
And then point them to this page on our website
Keep a suitcase ready
Who knows where your job at SSE could take you? Leeds. Dartington. Liverpool. Or even Cambridge, if you decide to go beyond the call of duty and apply to the Judge Business School’s Social Venture Incubator. It’s a cracking package of support that aims to help social ventures to secure finance, embed their social mission, measure their impact, develop strong governance and grow to the next level. It’s open to all, you don’t have to have anything to do with the University of Cambridge.
Make sure you apply by Monday 20th January
In fact, keep two suitcases ready
Because you might like to head up to Bradford next week for the M&S Community Business Challenge – Bradford event, which takes place on Wednesday. Attendance is free and open to anyone that wants to connect with and help to celebrate those businesses helping to create more cohesive communities and stronger local economies in Bradford.
Be inspired
By the inspirational leadership. Don’t be insolent. There is no room for insolence at SSE. You are surrounded by hidden greatness, or so I’m told. If it seems a little too hidden and you wish to seek leadership development elsewhere, you could take a look at The King’s Fund’s Cascading Leadership Programme, which starts in March next year. It’s a free peer-to-peer leadership development programme for organisations working in health and wellbeing.
Closing date for applications is 9th December
Get to know our students and Fellows
They’re an impressive bunch. Take Teresa Reynolds, for example: she’s been featured in Pioneers Post’s latest ‘Ladies who lunch’ feature. Teresa’s social enterprise Incredible Brilliant Youth was set up in July 2012 ‘to help empower and improve the confidence of young people through workshops and talks on self esteem, beauty, body image, education and employment’. Teresa has a ‘get started with makeup’ course for those aged 16-25 and not in education, employment or training in Kennington coming up in November. It’s free, if you know someone who could be interested put them in touch with Teresa via [email protected].
Upstairs downstairs
Yes yes, there is a bar directly below our offices. But don’t neglect the upper floors of the building – that’s where you’ll find the friendly team at Social Enterprise UK. They’re currently busy planning Social Enterprise Day, which takes place on 21st November. Social enterprises can take part in the #WhoKnew campaign, giving social enterprises the chance to tell their stories, show what makes them different from traditional businesses and shout about the impact of their work.
It’s super easy to get involved: visit their website to find out more
Use the correct bins
We’ve got different bins for paper, food, plastic and metal. I don’t know if that would qualify us for our own Environment Entrepreneurs Programme, however. We’re looking to support the leaders of fifteen community organisations delivering environmental change in the Midlands, North West, Yorkshire and the North East. The six month programme is funded by the Co-op Foundation and begins in January next year.
Make sure you listen to the right people
But if it gets a bit too noisy, you might like to listen to the radio instead. I recommend ALL FM 96.9, a Manchester based community radio station whose director is SSE Fellow Ed Connole. They recently picked up ‘Station of the Year’ at the Community Radio Awards. The judges described the station in glowing words: ‘possibly the most inclusive, diverse station I have ever heard and is a wonderful example of what Community Radio should be’.
You can read more about the award here or you can listen to the station online here.
Network with the other organisations in the sector
They’re a good lot, all in all. Obviously ***** are a bit strange and you might want to steer clear of ***** but there are lots of decent people to speak to. Take the team at Clore, for example. They’ve just launched their Emerging Leaders Programme: Women and Girls sector for those working in organisations run by, for and with women and girls. It’s a 5-month programme for those ‘keen to build their leadership impact, connect with other leaders, and drive social change.’
You can find out more here – deadline to apply is Monday 9th December.
