Case Studies

Social enterprises come in all shapes and sizes and operate in a range of sectors...

• Big Issue - a news and current affairs magazine written by professional journalists and sold on the streets by homeless vendors.

• Divine Chocolate - a Fairtrade company co-owned by the cocoa farmers cooperative Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana, who not only receive a fair price for their cocoa but also a large share in the company's profit.

• Digibridge -a pioneering IT resource and training company, connecting communities and people with no internet experience or computer access.

• Greenworks - refashions and redirects office furniture that would otherwise end up in landfill, providing organisations including schools, charities and small businesses with discounted wares. 

• Hill Holt Wood - educates and trains at-risk youth who have been excluded from school, giving them the lasting benefits of education, practical skills, the ability to work in a team, increased confidence and time spent outdoors.

• London Early Years Foundation - runs community childcare centres for children in London where, despite its apparent wealth, extremely high numbers of children are classified as being in need. LEYF supports lower income families by providing subsidised services and helping mums and dads to improve their parenting skills.

• PJ's Community Services - a community hub, working not just in care services but also youth, education, business and the arts.

• Thinking Flowers - ethical floral design company supplying creative flower displays and installations to businesses, events and private clients, including the Tate Modern, BAFTA, Westminster Cathedral, Royal Festival Hall, the Emirates Stadium and British Library.

Here are the stories of nine outstanding social entrepreneurs, the majority of who are still in their early twenties...

• Paul Aiken - co-founder of Global Generation which works with young people, including those from youth offending programmes and homeless shelters on environmental and food growing projects.

• Kamara Bennett - founder of Sew Your Own, a clothes upcycling project involving young people and local fashion students.

• Edwin Bronsi-Mensah - founder of Give Me Tap, which sells branded aluminium water bottles, which can be refilled for free at a growing network of cafes and restaurants.  The majority of the profits go to water projects in developing countries.

• Kelvin Cheung - founder of FoodCycle, an organisation which supports young people to collect surplus food from restaurants and shops in their area. They then cook the food in empty kitchen space and serve it to those in need.

• Lily Lapenna - founder of Mybnk, provides workshops and toolkits to help young people understand money and finance.

• Rui Jorge Ocatavio - founder, of NUTMEG, an organisation running events, debates and festivals to give young people a voice, celebrate their skills and reduce gang culture.

• Leanne Pero - founder of The Movement Factory, a dance company providing street dance classes for young people on housing estates, as well as dance workshops for schools, youth centres and private companies.

• Sebastian Thiel - founder of It’s Upshot, a clothing and entertainment brand focused on spreading positive messages among young people.

• Viviane Williams - founder of Wake Up Campaign, a project which aims to raise awareness of social issues through putting together creative events and campaigns.