About Social Enterprise Places

Social Enterprise Places are areas where social enterprise activity is thriving. Around the UK places are declaring themselves to be social enterprise hotspots committed to supporting the movement towards building a stronger, fairer, greener economy. Social enterprises in each Place work together to grow awareness of the movement and spread the word about sbusinesses on a mission to support people and planet.

Social Enterprise Places involve local councils, businesses, charities, consumers and budding social entrepreneurs –  bringing them together to grow their social enterprise communities.

The Places programme aims to promote, raise awareness, and build the markets for social enterprise at a local and national level.

Current Social Enterprise Places

Alston Moor    Ashford    Bristol    Cumbria    Digbeth    Durham    East of England    Flintshire    Gateshead    Greenwich    Hackney    Liverpool City Region    Newcastle    Northampton    Norwich    Oldham    Oxfordshire    Plymouth    Salford    Sheffield    Solent    Stockport    Sunderland    Sutton  Wigan    Wrexham 

How does my area apply to become a Social Enterprise Place?

Social Enterprise Places are considered Hot Spots of social enterprises.There must be significant social enterprise activity and a Social Enterprise Place steering group.

The steering group is a collection of individuals and representatives of organisations who come together to represent their area. Some Places may have existing networks in place, whereas others may be formed especially for the Social Enterprise Places programme, but there must be a plan to keep the Social Enterprise Place growing and ensure its resilience and sustainability.

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You must be able to commit to:

• Support and grow social enterprise in your ‘Place’
• Share knowledge and best practice with other Social Enterprise Places in the UK
• Undertake and share the monitoring and review of your Action Plan
• Produce an annual report that shares your impact with the rest of the network.

Why apply?

As a Social Enterprise Place, you will be joining a growing network of Places around the UK who:

• Attend Social Enterprise Place network events including our quarterly meetings.
• Have access to resources to help promote social enterprise in your area and nationally.
• Can promote local activities through the Social Enterprise Place programme and Social Enterprise UK.
• Have access to learning and joint working opportunities with other Social Enterprise Places.
• Can access support from other Places in the network to develop your Social Enterprise Place.
• Have access to lobbying, project activity and knowledge exchange generated by SEUK.
• Use the Social Enterprise Place logo and branding.

 The Application Process 

Before making an application to become a Social Enterprise Place please contact the Social Enterprise Place Co-Ordinator Joanna Fianu to discuss your application and access the application pack – joanna.fianu@socialenterprise.org.uk

As part of the application process you will submit the following:.

1. Online Application Form
2. Action Plan

Once the documents have been submitted they will go before an online Panel and you will be invited to present to the Panel as part of the process. The Panel meets quarterly on the following dates:

2024 dates: Wednesday 11 December 2-4pm

2025 dates: Wednesday 12 March 2-4pm and Wednesday 11 June 2-4pm

Gareth Hart – Chair of the Plymouth Social Enterprise Network commented on the impact the Programme has had on Plymouth:

“Plymouth’s Social Enterprise City badge has helped to lever in over £6 million of investment and support for social enterprises in the city from national and local sources. It led to the Council developing commissioning and procurement policies for social value and has seen national organisations like Power to Change, Esmée Fairbairn, Rank Foundation and Big Society Capital coming to, and investing in Plymouth. The Social Enterprise City concept has undoubtedly helped achieve a huge amount for the city but it is still a brand with more potential.”