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Social Enterprise and Homelessness

posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 07:17 PM

Looking around me at all the information out there on homelessness and social enterprise I'm afraid I see very little in the way of people who have experienced homelessness being encouraged to start their own SE's.

I see lots of charities starting SE's in order to gain income to provide services but what if we encouraged more people who have been homeless to start their own businesses that would contribute either to the end of homelessness or to some other cause they feel pasionate about? We would then be developing employment for the individual or individuals concerned while at the same time developing the potential for other disadvantaged people to become employed.

I feel there is a lot of work to be done in promoting social enterprise to people who have become disadvantaged in some way as a means of raising their income and self esteem at the same time while also helping their community.

While those who understand the benefits of Social Enterprise and are passionate about it can enter debates and discuss the best methods of delivering results etc I wonder if we're all missing the point somewhat.

Are we including the proposed beneficiaries of those services we hope to provide as well as we might? Are we helping to educate them as perhaps we might or are we just discussing and growing our knowledge with and through our respective organisations and in fact widening the gap between us and those we seek to help?

I think there is much to gain from business and business methods and structure in a personal development sense for individuals who have led somewhat chaotic lifestyles. I also think there is a wealth of untapped talent in this country and a wealth of potential entrepreneurs who will not make it to market if we do not start to look at things a little differently.

Are we creating businesses that will end up giving people fish rather than teaching them how to fish all over again? I hope not!

At Network 2012 we have a strategy for including people who are financially excluded and we are keen to provide sponsored places for those who are marginalised. We will always endeavour to keep the beneficiaries of our proposed bursaries not only in mind but in the discussion, planning and implementation of what we hope to achieve!
Comments
Tommy Hutchinson
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 09:06 AM

Really like what you are doing.

Manpreet (Manni) Pattar
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 09:47 AM

I really enjoyed reading this entry, I would be interested to know how you get around issues such as Management Committee's needing 3 people, 2 signatures of bank accounts, the opening of bank accounts and CRB check etc when working with homeless people....I have enough problems with clients in far more well off positions! Although I think you are being a little unfair withthe fish analogy, being based in East London, I can see that a whole wealth of work is being done to help people empower themselves. I would like to link up and chat a bit further, Manni

Martin Murphy
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 11:28 AM

Thanks for taking the time to read it guys.

Barry Crisp
Monday, September 15, 2008 01:44 AM

It's comforting to know that there are people like you out there! Thanks for sharing with us.

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