Objective:
To introduce students to the concept of Social Enterprise.
Overview:
- Students explore and discuss ‘What is a Social Enterprise?’
- Students find out how to set up a Social Enterprise
Activity:
Introduction
Using case studies open up the conversation on how social enterprises can provide solutions to social problems.
Case study 1: Neurochampions
Case study 2: Hacking Health
(see resources below)
Activity 1 What is a Social Enterprise? - Group Discussion
Social enterprise is not a legal term, but an approach.
The phrase is used to describe businesses that exist for a social purpose. You can’t register your business legally as a social enterprise.
There are various legal forms that are used to incorporate social enterprises.
These include:
- Having a clear social and/or environmental mission (set out in your governing documents)
- Generating the majority of your income through trade
- Reinvesting the majority of your profits to further the social mission. This is regardless of what form the organisation takes.
So if you have these in place you are acting as a social enterprise.
The 3 Ps
- Profit
- People
- Planet
Why set up a Social Enterprise?
Students explore reasons why a social enterprise might be set up.
- Personal reason
- Gaps in Provision
- Inequalities of social determinants
Case Study: The Big Issue, Toms Shoes, Trashion factory
Activity 2: Social Enterprise Challenge
Exercise: Working in pairs, students create a one minute elevator pitch for a social enterprise idea based on one of the following issues:
- Fast Fashion and the rise in single use clothing
- Loneliness and Social Isolation caused by Covid 19 Pandemic
- Supporting accessibility for people with learning disabilities
Things to consider in your pitch:
What problem are you trying to solve and for who?
Group Discussion
Facilitator to :
- Feedback on pitch
- What are the legal structures for a Social Enterprise?
- What can help me set up my social enterprise (links to resources below)
Homework
Using the learnings from the session, students complete a draft Social Business Model Canvas to explore how the tool can be used to give social enterprise ideas shape and purpose.
Skill Development:
This session supports students to:
- Understand what constitutes a social enterprise; pitch an idea for a social enterprise that has considered the ideas mission and business model.
- Understand what the basic legal structures of social enterprise are; consider how these would apply to a pitch idea and respond to subsequent panel questioning.
- Comprehend how to use a Social Business Model Canvas; populate a draft example that illustrates a basic understanding of how the tool is used to give social enterprise ideas shape and purpose.
- Develop an initial list of existing social enterprise support to expand on in the future; log those provided in the session and the know-how to extend this through self-directed research.
Resources:
- Neuro Champions video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECckkzuEeLI
- Hacking Health video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBD1H5Mqvlo
- Entrepreneur v intraprenurs: https://online.king.edu/news/entrepreneur-vs-intrapreneur-understanding-the-difference/
- Legal structures: https://www.unltd.org.uk/our- support/learning- area/determining-the-right- legal-structure-for-your-social- enterprise
- Funding: https://www.the-sse.org/resources/starting/what-funding-is-available-for-social-entrepreneurs/
- Funding link 2: https://www.unltd.org.uk/learn/securing-start-up-funding
- Funding link 3: https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/how-to/how-to-get-funding-for-a-social-enterprise
- Match trading: https://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=boyEkniA3jY