Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
Welcome Welcome to the second edition of our Social Enterprise brochure, highlighting some of the great things that are happening in the world of social enterprise, and within our city. Plymouth is an ambitious city with huge growth potential and exciting major changes ahead. We have already seen the University of Plymouth become the first Social Enterprise University in the world. We are aware of the incredible contribution social enterprises have made to our economy, with over 150 social enterprises located in the city, employing over 7,000 people.
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Since obtaining Social Enterprise City status in 2013, we have driven the social enterprise sector forward and have shown ongoing commitment to the businesses and organisations in Plymouth. The Council’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund has so far invested in 30 businesses and organisations which has led to a pipeline of 160 jobs created, plus buildings and land being brought back into use. More opportunities will become available through the fund. Councillor Dave Downie Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, Plymouth City Council
| Front cover image: Social Enterprise products by students from Plymstock School, supported by RIO. This page: British Firework Championships
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Support to Businesses Locally, the Council’s Economy, Enterprise and Employment team is here to support new and existing social enterprise businesses, offering a range of services to help secure new investment and growth in the city. We have invested in the Social Enterprise Investment Fund, designed to assist social enterprises who have limited financial resources to establish themselves and grow with the help of high quality business support.
Business organisations including the Devon Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, and the Plymouth Area Business Council are also on hand with support, providing networking and other opportunities. Social enterprises have the additional benefit of the Plymouth Social Enterprise Network.
Royal William Yard |
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Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
Plymouth Social Enterprise Network Plymouth Social Enterprise Network (PSEN) exists to support the development of social enterprise activity and raise awareness of social enterprise as a way of doing business. The network started out in 2011, became a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2014 and now has around 100 members. PSEN is run for and by its members. Regular events are free to network members and provide an opportunity to meet social entrepreneurs, share news and find out what’s going on across the city. Our popular newsletter goes out weekly to over 1,000 people and the Network is active in social and mainstream media.
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| Social Enterprise Investment Fund launch at Prime Skate Park
You can follow us @PlymSocEnt on Twitter, like us on Facebook or join our LinkedIn group. Our annual festival of social enterprise each November is one of the leading events of its kind in the UK.
There is also plenty of work going on behind the scenes. The Network has advocated on behalf of social enterprises in Plymouth since its inception and has been instrumental in Plymouth becoming the first Social Enterprise City in the UK, securing Plymouth’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund and making sure that social enterprise is integral to the economic development of the city. You can join Plymouth Social Enterprise Network through the PSEN app or on our website www.plymsocent.org.uk
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Premises The city offers a diverse mix of high quality and affordable business premises which are on average 35 per cent cheaper in Plymouth than in the South East. With a team of dedicated staff who are able to search for your ideal premises. City Business Park, East End Business Centre Plymouth City Council manages two business centres in the city, aimed at supporting the needs of new, emerging and expanding businesses. The centres are currently home to a wide range of businesses and offer a friendly and mutually supportive community providing an effective environment to stimulate and drive business growth. The Millfields Community Economic Development Trust Community Interest Company provides a platform to enable small and medium sized businesses to grow
and develop. A new £5 million build, Genesis, is the Trust’s brand new, state-of-the-art business centre on Union Street. Wolseley Community Economic Development Trust Business Park is owned and operated by Wolseley Trust who manage two business parks, consisting of 60 affordable, high quality, independent offices and light industrial units across both sites. Four Greens Community Trust is a new Community Interest Company benefiting North West Plymouth communities who, in conjunction with Plymouth City Council, have developed an old care home into small office units and community space in Whitleigh. Office accommodation, consisting of 14, light, spacious, and high quality units, varying in size from 100 to 240 sq ft are available at competitive rates on all-inclusive flexible terms.
Millfields Trust |
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Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
Bespoke Engaging Education Services Ltd (BEES) BEES UK is a social enterprise that provides innovative educational environments and experiences for people of all ages to help them rebuild confidence and self-esteem and engage with lifelong learning. The team understands that not every young person fits the academic model created by the National Curriculum. Regardless of ability, there are those for whom a classroom feels like a crucible and who become marginalised by the prescriptive nature of mainstream education. BEES UK works to re-engage these people by creating environments that better match their learning styles. Through co-curricular projects such as business enterprise, animal care, fishing and foraging, and aquaponics, young people are empowered and inspired to unlock their creativity. Based in the bucolic grounds of a farm in Plympton, BEES UK works with schools across the city, as well as businesses and families, and has a proud record of achieving inspirational breakthroughs where traditional methods have failed.
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Year 12 and 13 students at BEES HQ Farm Training Centre |
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Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
Memory Matters Memory Matters received £10,000 to undertake a comprehensive feasibility study into the creation of a history café called Moments. On completion of the study, Memory Matters successfully applied to the Council’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund for a capital grant and loan to make the project a reality, and is now flying along. Memory Matters are working alongside other community organisations to ensure that all organisations are able to share their information in one place. The information centre will include Dementia Advisors from the Alzheimer’s Society on hand to support those seeking information and guidance, with a Dementia Support Worker available.
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Plymouth Access to Housing (Path)’s Temporary Accommodation Path advises and supports people vulnerable to homelessness in various ways, including helping over 200 people per year into private rented housing. To complement that, and address the needs of people needing something before that stage, Path is now taking on and managing some properties of its own as temporary accommodation. This initiative is specifically to provide accommodation for people facing homelessness. Initially on a small scale, Path is now able to: • add accommodation to what’s available to people presenting as homeless • bring back some properties into use • ensure properties are of good quality • thereby house people until they’re ready to move into their own homes.
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Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
Universities The University of St Mark & St John ranks as first in the UK for social mobility with 95 per cent of graduates achieving employment within six months. In the recent National Student Survey, the University has shot up the league tables achieving 100 per cent student satisfaction in some of its flagship courses and placing it among the UK’s Top 10 modern universities for student satisfaction. The University has become one of only five universities in the UK to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark, indicating that it is a social enterprise supporting the community, the environment, and with good social purpose. The University of Plymouth was the first in the world to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark in 2012, in recognition of working as a genuine social enterprise, caring for communities and protecting the planet. As well as being a social enterprise in its own right, the University acts as a driving force, using world-class research and entrepreneurial expertise to boost social enterprise in the community, helping to drive sustainable growth by creating jobs, wealth and social cohesion. The Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise, launched in 2013, is the first of its kind in the UK. Housing a clinical education entity in a social enterprise means that undergraduates studying for a career in dental health – dentists, nurses, hygienists and therapists – are able to treat patients when supervised by a trained practitioner. Plymouth College of Art has been an independent specialist Art College since 1856, providing a distinctive, innovative and supportive learning community in contemporary arts practice. Adding value to the cultural, social and economic life of Plymouth and the South West region, it develops a distinctive profile of work nationally and internationally.
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| Fieldwork, University of Plymouth
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Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
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| Real Ideas Organisation
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Schools RIO - the Real Ideas Organisation – believes social enterprise has the power to create a fairer world. By influencing policy, delivering strategic programmes and supporting and developing people, RIO is committed to growing social enterprise to unlock potential and create opportunities. Drawing on their extensive experience of setting up and running social enterprises, and as one of the founding members of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network, RIO wants to see every young person in Plymouth have a social enterprise experience during their time at school. RIO currently delivers the Power to Change ‘Connected Schools’ programme at All Saints Academy Plymouth and Plymouth School of Creative Arts, and last year alone RIO worked with 286 teachers across 142 schools across the South West to embed social enterprise activity and learning. RIO’s work to bring social enterprise learning to schools was recognised by the Times Education Supplement which shortlisted a RIO project in its 2016 TES Awards, RIO has also been nominated for two Social Enterprise UK awards for Inspiring Youth Enterprise and for Education, Skills and Learning.
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Plymouth: The Social Enterprise City
Crowdfund Plymouth In March 2015 Plymouth City Council became the first council to embrace crowdfunding and use money from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to pledge on crowd-funded projects. Plymouth City Council and Crowdfunder came together to help projects that improve the city and make it a better place to live, work and play through this innovative initiative. Crowdfunding can support ideas from social enterprises as well as businesses, communities and charities in Plymouth, by providing an alternative means of funding and turning ideas into reality with the power of the crowd. It is a great way for you to gather visibility and support from people in the local area for what you might want to do and put your enterprise on a strong footing.
The first financial year of Crowdfund Plymouth was a success and ÂŁ54,650 of ÂŁ60,000 was pledged on 22 very different projects, with every project the Council pledged on meeting their target. To view the full end of year report and to find out more visit: www.plymouth.gov.uk/citychangefund Due to the success of the first year, more money has been allocated for projects this financial year and next. All you need to do is upload your project onto www.crowdfunder.co.uk/plymouth for it to be considered. Crowdfunder and Plymouth City Council are on hand to provide tips and advice and there is loads of information on the website. It is certainly worth checking out and getting in touch! citychangefund@plymouth.gov.uk | #CFPLYMOUTH | @plymccplanning
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Quality of Life Plymouth is a vibrant waterfront city bursting with life. It’s full of entertainment, with lots to see and do for visitors and local people of all ages and tastes – whatever the weather! Plymouth has a distinctly European feel, created by the many marinas, restaurants, alfresco pavement cafés and waterfront bars. A ten minute walk will take you from the heart of the city centre to the historic Barbican and Sutton Harbour and the magnificent views from Plymouth Hoe.
Rich in maritime heritage and famed for its long seafaring history, Plymouth is also a great place for exploring the dramatic expanse of Dartmoor National Park, or walking the South West Coast Path which runs right through the city, plus miles of routes for cyclists too.
The Barbican by Gary Burge |
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Contact details For further information please contact: Economy, Partnerships and Regeneration +44 (0) 1752 398048 invest@plymouth.gov.uk www.investinplymouth.co.uk www.plymouth.gov.uk/invest @investplymouth
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