A review to shape tomorrow: Looking back over 10 years of the work of Social Firms UK
Created by smcginley on Aug 19, 2010
Last updated: 11/22/10 at 04:12 AM
Tags: social firms social enterprise european year for combating poverty social exclusion sales & marketing job creation for ex-offenders start-up finance social franchising CSR tendering & procurement sroi social accounting disadvantaged civil society
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Social Enterprise Day 2009
Social Firm conference held in Manchester (June) - used CEiS Events
New website launched
Visit programme launched July
First patron appointed (Ben Way)
Sally Reynolds appointed Secretary General of Social Firms Europe CEFEC
Contacted by WRAP to produce a Road Map
Contracted by WRAP to benchmark recycling 3rd sector orgs
Minister launched Wholefood Planet Norwich
Social Enterprise Awards - high Social Firm visibility ( Image - Brighter Future Workshop collecting Social Enterprise of the Year Award)
10 year anniversary dinner with Shadow Minister
Launch of Employment Law Helpline to Full Members
Launch of Working Together Network (Capacitybuilders project)
Moved offices twice in 7 weeks (Furness House to temp September, into permanent October)
http://socialfirmsuk.co.uk/
Social Enterprise Day 2008: video 'What is a Social Firm?' Social Firm conference held Reading (June) - organised in house Helped to externalise Hillcrest Branch from Devon & Partnership NHS Trust (consultancy) Social Firms Japan launched- Social Firms UK honorary advisers Partnered with OSW on joint membership of 3XE project members to Social Firms UK Presence of Social Firms trade stand at VOICE 08 Social Firm Share CIC template mem & art guidance produced Stephen Timms visit to Cafe Nova for Social Firm discussion Sally Reynolds joined CREATE Consortium to lobby for the Community Allowance Initiated links with CLG (resulted in being awarded the Empowerment Fund, April 2009) Initiated links with MoJ Rescue of a Social Firm from going under (through intervention at Board level and micro loan fund) Consultancy undertaken in Greece 3-year membership option launched 2008 Enterprising Solutions Award saw NMC Design a winner
Launch of free online discussion forum - ISFA
Restructure of Social Firms UK Board
Office of the Third Sector strategic partnership
Development of online Trade Directory
Influencing politicians through lobbying
Policy Officer appointed in November
Performance Dashboard reviewed, updated/improved & launches as Third Sector Performance Dashboard
Blue Rocket PR agency commissioned to work with Social Firms UK & raise profile of Social Firms
Soap Co Keswick featured on ITV news
Social Firm company limited by guarantee mem & arts template & guidance produced.
Social Enterprise Day 2007: hip hop track (link below)
Social Firm conference held Edinburgh (July) - organised in house
Mental Health & Social Enterprise Solutions Seminar London (March)
Star Social Firms quality standard launch
Social Firms UK CEO provides consultation for Czech Republic and Serbia
http://www.youtube.com/user/makeyourmark15Nov
Research into governance
Social Firm conference held Warwick (June) organised inhouse
Partnership embarked upon with Remploy to establish the true cost of supporting individuals with disabilities in Social Firms (Remploy TEP scheme)
Agreement that Social Firms employing more than 50% of disabled staff could be featured for Reserved Contracts.
Guide produced on bringing Social Firms out of public authorities
Members online forum launched (ongoing since 2006)
Star Social Firms development and pilot
Definitional change from disability to disadvantage
Gerry Higgins leaves Feb 2006 (end of franchising and replication project)
Travel Matters & NPS both externalise from Surrey Oaklands NHS Trust (with assistance from Sally)
Two international placements hosted: Japanese and Korean professors
Two SROI case studies on MillRace IT and Pack-IT paid for by Social Firms UK (within SEP) and published.
Guide to Charities Creating Social Firms produced.
http://socialfirmsuk.co.uk/resources/research/sroi-social-firm-case-studies-millrace-it-and-pack-it
First comprehensive mapping of the Social Firm sector completed
Social Firm conference held in Glamorgan (June) - organised in house
Addressing Disincentives publication
Co-ordinated (& paid for) 14 Social Firm staff and associates taking course on theory & practice of successful franchising (Glasgow Caledonian University)
Social Firms UK CEO provides consultancy to Finland
Social Firms UK Performance Dashboard developed
SROI research and reports
Social Firms UK as judge on the Enterprising Solutions Awards (annually from 2005)
As SEP partners participated in development & launch of first accredited course in 'Understanding Social Enterprise' for managers and advisers nationally (ILM Award Level 5)
Sally Reynolds instrumental in launching 'European Social Firm of the Year Award' - Pack-IT overall winner, Slovenia
Social Firms UK opens own Social Firms Soap Co Keswick
Social firms Wales is registered as a company
Social Firms UK gets Investors in People
2 Social Firms members runners-up in Enterprising Solutions Award (COPE & Daily Bread Cambridge)
Achieved one of the key recommendations made within 'Addressing Disincentives' being included in Chancellor's March 05 Budget (extension of linking rule from 1 to 2 years from Oct 06)
http://www.thesoapcokeswick.co.uk/
Gerry Higgins helps with the launch of Social Firms Australia
Social Firm conference held - (September, Newcastle) organised in house
Production of Social Firms folders
Sally Reynolds is appointed CEO (Gerry Higgins becomes Business Development Director operating Phoenix Project)
Values- Based Checklist is created and launched
Social enterprise consultants register is developed
2nd round Phoenix Development Fund starts April 04 - Building on the Best (franchising & replication project)
Writing and production of The Extra Elements: A Social Firm Trainer
Lankelly Chase Foundation become funders of Social Firms UK
Commitment to develop quality standard made by the Social Firms UK board
Social Firms UK moved offices from Monson Road to Furness House Redhill
http://bit.ly/dcfBHs
Social Firms UK Board is restructured
Social Firm conference held Leicester (November) - supported by Phoenix & RBS NatWest - used Katalyst Events
Involvement with Judy Scott to assist with benefits guidance (from 2003)
Third Summer School (June) - first support from RBS NatWest and DTI
Consultation starts with members around values and criteria within the values of Enterprise, Employment and Empowerment
http://judyscottconsultancy.com/
Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC) is registered as a company - Social Firms UK founder board members
Social Firm conference hosting European Network held Guildford (June) - used Katalyst Events
Wider acknowledgement is gained of the need for Social Firms to shift to a business model
Financial emphasis for Social Firms UK turns from primarily project funding to longer term, core, charitable trust funding
Political influence through SEC/SEL
Gerry Higgins and Sally Tupe out of the NHS to be employed directly by Social Firms UK
Social Firms UK moves offices from the Kingsfield Centre (NHS Trust-owned) to Monson Road in Redhill
http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk
Social Firms UK registered as a charity (in Scotland)
Social Firm conference in Birmingham (November) - used Katalyst Events
North West Social Firms Network conference held Wigan (June)
Second Summer School (May)
ISB Conference held Ealing (September)
Developed strapline: Enterprise, Employment, Empowerment
First time Social Firms UK seeks charitable trust funds
Informal gathering held to discuss formation of Social Firms Wales
Phoenix Development Funding obtained for regional Social Firm development & feasibility studies
http://socialfirmsuk.co.uk/about-us
Social Firms Scotland registered as a company
Social Firm conference in Glasgow (Nov)
Set up North of England Social Firms Network - promotional event held Leeds (May)
First Summer School organised and held
Gerry Higgins wrote, planned and pulled together parties for Social Enterprise Partnership project (EQUAL)
www.socialfirms.org.uk
Social Firms UK registered as a company (as result of ESF project)
Social Firms conferences across the UK (Birmingham, Inverness, London) - final London one attracted 300 delegates
Regional Social Firm Networks start to be created - driven by Social Firms UK in partnership with members at the regional level
First hard copy UK Social Firm directory
http://socialfirmsuk.co.uk/tradedirectory/a-z
Social Firm conferences held across the UK (London, Newquay, Belfast, Glasgow)
Started the largest social enterprise resource centre in the country
http://socialfirmsuk.co.uk/resources
Social Firm Support Group' EU Horizon project started
The Social Firm Support Group become members of the European Network CEFEC
http://www.socialfirmseurope.org/
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