Welfare to Work Conference10th July 2012

Zoe Sellers and John BelliBusiness Development Directors

What is Accession Social Enterprise?

Businesses• Horticulture• Print & design• Community shop• Catering• Arts & crafts• Digital archiving• Social enterprise consultancy• Clinical consultancy

Underlying principles• Business model• Only sell if we have high-quality products• Traditional ‘support into employment’ route not worked • Out of the learning disability and mental health ‘ghettos’• Sense of purpose & high expectations

Key aims• To focus on customer service that champions quality of

products and services

• Working with partners to expand routes into employment through social enterprise

• Opportunities for most marginalised:• long term mental health issues • moderate-severe learning disabilities• physical disabilities• those on the autistic spectrum

• Supporting projects to transform into social enterprises

• Encouraging a social enterprise hub in West London

Key aims

First steps• Auditing Social Service and NHS projects • Assessing viability• Premises, equipment and staffing needs identified • Product quality, design, markets, marketing, production• Service User Involvement • Key messages, briefing & communication

Butterfly House at Brent Lodge Park

Capacity of social enterprises•Partnership networks

•Procurement

•In-kind funding

•Business cases & invest to save

Social value & public sector savings•First & foremost a business

•‘Right to Provide’ arrangements

•Modernisation of service provision

•Employment route

Private sector partnership•In-kind support

•Sponsorship

•Offering employment pathways

•Contracts

Managing risk•Essentially no different to any other business

•Reassuring ‘parent organisations’

•Being clear about scope and role

•Negotiating partner arrangements on a case-by-case basis

Questions?