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Social Enterprise - the national picture

Government Structure

 

For national structure click here

The Government's Social Enterprise Unit , led by Hilary Norman, is now under the wing of the Office of the Third Sector, within the Cabinet Office. Formerly it was part of the Department of Trade and Industry.

For the structure of the Office of the Third Sector, please click here

The Social Enterprise Unit (SEU) is responsible for promoting dynamic and sustainable social enterprises, contributing to a stronger economy and fairer society.

The SEU defines success as an 'increase in the numbers of businesses that identify with the Government's definition of social enterprise and an increase in awareness of social enterprise.'

Specific policy responsibilities for this unit include:

• Implementing the Government's Social Enterprise Action Plan, launched on 16 November 2006.
• Working with the sector to raise awareness of social enterprise as an alternative way of doing business for social or environmental aims.
• Working with Regional Development Agenciess to ensure that social enterprises have access to good information and advice.
• Working with social enterprise and finance sectors to enable social enterprises to access appropriate finance.
• Ensuring that social enterprises are able to work effectively with government on shared policy objectives.

The Social Enterprise Action Plan, Scaling New Heights

The Social Enterprise Action Plan was launched in November 2006 and states the Government's strategy for social enterprise. It contains commitments from different government departments and aims to:

• foster a culture of social enterprise, especially by inspiring the next generation to start thinking about the social impact of business
• improve the business advice, information and support available to social enterprises
• tackle the barriers to access to finance that restrict the growth of social enterprises
• enable social enterprises to work effectively with government to develop policy in areas of expertise

Click here  to read the Social Enterprise Action Plan.

Prior to the 2006 Social Enterprise Action Plan, the national strategy was the 2002 Social Enteprise, a strategy for success

 

National structure

 

The Social Enterprise Coalition is the national body for social enterprise. It aims to:

• work with its members to inform the national policy agenda,
• showcase the benefits of social enterprise
• share best practice.

Social Enterprise Training and Support (SETAS) is a nationwide organisation that aims to help you find the most appropriate social enterprise training, support or relevant publication

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