Bevan Foundation and UnLtd host social enterprise and local government discussion

The Bevan Foundation and UnLtd hosted a roundtable discussion on positive collaborations between social enterprises and local institutions

The Bevan Foundation and social enterprise charity UnLtd recently held an event that brought together a number of local authorities, social entrepreneurs and social enterprise organisations to discuss what kinds of partnerships work for local economic development and social outcomes. It explored some of issues facing social enterprises and local institutions in building supportive relationships as well as sharing good practice.

The potential of social entrepreneurs and anchor institutions in building economic resilience is important as communities look to respond to the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. They will be especially important to those places with pre-existing economic and social challenges that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.

Speaking about the roundtable, Project Officer  Helen Cunningham said “The discussion showed just how varied the picture is across Wales and good practice that is happening in many different places. There’s lots of scope to join it up and to keep sharing what works between places and organisations”

The event heard from three keynote speakers on their experiences in their organisation. Dawn Holt, Commissioning Manager at Flintshire County Council outlined the work the authority is doing with social enterprise and provision of micro-care. Ellen Petts, Managing Director and Founder of Greenstream Flooring shared her experiences of working with local authorities in South Wales, including how it links to creating a circular economy. Jake Henry, Chief Officer and Co-Founder of Vibe Youth CIC spoke about his collaboration with schools and local authorities and the effect of “word of mouth” recommendations of their work.

Look out for a short discussion paper and reflective blog on the event on our social media platforms.