Friday already? That came around quickly. Far too quickly for me to think of anything particularly interesting to write I’m afraid. I made a lazy attempt to seem relevant in the subject line and that was as far as I got. I don’t even have any weekend plans that I can tell you about. How dull. So we’d better just crack on and get on with the news…
Enjoy your weekend
‘Stop trying to read everything out there. There’s too much. And you’re too busy.’ This newsletter is obviously the exception to the rule, along with 11 Articles Every Social Entrepreneur Should Read. Shoulda coulda woulda.
Social investment: who’s got it, who wants it and what’s next? Nope, not a question for 10 year olds in the latest leaked SATs but a new report from NCVO. The authors hope that there report might ‘help to temper the ‘hype’ around social investment that BSC itself acknowledges and which we know many in our sector have grown weary of.’
If you need further social enterprise hype-temperment (is that a word?) then Inequality and the Social Finance One-Percenters by SSE Fellow and Director of Can Cook CIC Robbie Davison is just the thing that you are looking for. It’s a very good read. (I’m not sure that Robbie will be downloading CASS Business School’s new social investment guide and toolkit any time soon…).
“Charities need to address the digital skills gap or they will lose beneficiaries“. Not my words, but the words of Parkinson’s UK CEO Steve Ford speaking at the launch of our Third Sector Digital Leaders training programme. Sounds like you’d better come on the course. (There’s an early bird discount if you book by August).
SSE Cornwall have extended the deadline for their crowdfunding campaign for their new ‘Parents Rock’ programme, which you can back here. (We’re a tardy lot a SSE – we’ve also extended the deadline for our Comms Manager and Network Manager jobs).
Initiatives of Change and Manchester Met are teaming up to run the TIGERoadshow in Crewe on 20th May, bringing together presenters, corporate delegates, social entrepreneurs, business students. One of the speakers used to run a security firm during the ‘guns, gangs and mayhem’ dance scene in Manchester which seems appropriate the day after a new Stone Roses single.
Funding news: Persimmon homes are offering match funding of up to £1000 to local community groups, good causes and charities. If you are in Yorkshire, The Scurrah Wainwright Charity are offering grants of up to £5000 (be quick – the deadline is tomorrow). Also dishing out the dosh are the MoneySaving Expert Charity, who are making grants of £2k – £15k to organisations that people’s ability to manage their financial situation and developing their financial skills and knowledge.
Next week us Mental Health Awareness Week and as part of it SSE Fellow Madeline Alterman is hosting ‘Art as Medicine’, a presentation and panel discussion exploring the role of art in mental health. It takes place on Thursday 19th May, 7pm – 8.30pm at Platform, off Hornsey Road, London N7.
A number of SSE students have entered Virgin Media’s Voom competition, which gives entrants the chance to pitch their business to Richard Branson. Looking for your support are Hannah Phillips, whose organisation empowers young adult patients during their hospital transition from children to adult care, Rafael Dos Santos for mi-Hub, the first coworking space dedicated to support migrant entrepreneurs, Cemal Ezel for Change Please, training exceptional people who happen to be homeless to be baristas and Jo Salter for Where Does it Come From, an ethical clothing brand offering full traceability on the journey of each garment.
Apologies that this is a little late, but I’ve been boosting my creativity by procrastinating.
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What’s on at SSE:
- Social Media Masterclass, Birmingham, SSE Midlands, 26th May
- Better Bid Writing, SSE Dartington, 26th May
- Developing a Fundraising Strategy, SSE London, 1st July
- Working with Corporates, SSE London, 15th July
- Kickstart Your Social Media Strategy, SSE London, 28th July
- Measuring Social Impact, SSE London, 2nd-3rd August.
