WSSEN – West Sussex Social Enterprise Network

WELCOME

If you are running a social enterprise, would like to set up one, or would just like to know more about social enterprise, then this site is for you. You can find out about what support is available, the latest news in the world of social enterprise and identify useful contacts.

What is WSSEN and what can it do for you?

WSSEN event: "Changing with the times and making the most of opportunities" - 1st July 2010

Thank you to all those who attended the event. Copies of the presentations viewed on the day are below:

• Joint commissioning: strategic update
• Be green and save money
• Public sector commissioning and the well being agenda    
• Finding the funding
• Social impact measurement: local initiatives: 1  
• Social impact measurement: local initiatives: 2

HELP US FIND OUT HOW MUCH SOCIAL ENTERPRISE ACTIVITY IS HAPPENING IN WEST SUSSEX! PLEASE FILL IN OUR Social Enterprise survey.

Please fill out our e-bulletin Reader survey to help us improve this service.

Do you want people to know about what you do? Make sure your details are in the online West Sussex Social Enterprise Directory.

Help for Rural Social Enterprises

Grants are available to help establish and develop social enterprises providing vital services for rural communities.The help is part of the LEADER programme which has £4 million available to help businesses, farms and communities in rural Sussex. The money is part of the Rural Development Programme for England and has been awarded by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). The money will help a wide range of  projects aimed at rural development that will strengthen the rural economy or provide facilities and services for rural communities. For social enterprises with an eligible project idea, LEADER can provide grants of up to £50,000 if the project is exceptional, although there is a preference to support more organisations with grants well below this level.  The grant is mostly for capital expenditure.

For more information on the LEADER programme visit : www.westsussex.gov.uk/rdpeleader or call the LEADER programme team on 01243 756606 / 756755. There are 14 LEADER programmes across the South East region, check  SEEDA’s website: www.seeda.co.uk/rdpe  for information on other LEADER areas.

WHAT IS SOCIAL ENTERPRISE?

Social enterprises are businesses with social objectives that do not distribute profit in a conventional way. Any profit generated is kept within the enterprise to fulfil their social objectives or to improve the business. Social enterprises create local jobs, help to generate social capital and community cohesion and are environmentally-minded. They are increasingly becoming a new way to deliver local services and to ensure community needs are met. Social enterprise is now an integral part of the government agenda for public service delivery and the development of social enterprise is being actively encouraged.

For more information see our social enterprise information sheet.

Social Enterprise of the Month

The Aldingbourne Trust