HSSE Newsletter February 2010

Social Change is People Powered

Students studying at the Hampshire School for Social Entrepreneurs spend 12 months gathering the wisdom and know-how needed to turn their ideas into real social change.

So what does the future hold for these 17 social entrepreneurs? This is the question I ask myself as I watch them empty their souls on funding forms in an exercise designed to consolidate their ideas and get feedback from their peers.

Students, in pairs, become wordsmiths for the day, relaying their passion - like an X Factor audition but with a panel made up of contemporaries. The pressure’s on and what better way to sharpen the mind than the thought of some cash investment and the criticism of your friends, no matter how constructive.

Well, the future’s bright according to the ‘State of Social Enterprise’, a survey by the Social Enterprise Coalition: “Just under two thirds of social enterprises in the poll were making a profit, 18% were in deficit, with many of the rest describing themselves as breaking exactly even, suggesting all profit was being given away”. This, in contrast to the ‘Small Business Barometer 2009’, revealing 43% of private sector businesses of a similar size had seen their turnovers drop and only 20% had seen them rise.

These are crucial times for our students and their drive and enthusiasm is really being tested. As I look around the room seeing passion personified and social change on their agenda, I’m moved by the prospects of transformation these guys will bring to their communities and the strength they draw from one another. Hampshire will be a better place because of them.
Conroy Williams, Programme Manager

Student Profile

Tony Docker
This course is proving to be really valuable to me; not only am I establishing good business contacts, but the expert sessions and tutoring are enabling me to vocalise my thoughts and plans, providing an opportunity for others to comment and critique.

My project is to develop a sustainable model for Rushmoor Healthy Living, a social enterprise delivering health related services.

Part of this strategy is to acquire premises and use them to create multiple income streams, as well as delivering services.

So far, Hampshire School for Social Entrepreneurs is proving to be a good, practical course.

My Week at the Kaospilot School, Denmark.

By Su Cloud, HSSE Student

During the last week in January, several of the HSSE students travelled to Denmark and the Inspiring Kaospilot School. Su Cloud was one of them….

Well, what an amazing time. I didn’t know too much about the course and had never been to Scandinavia before. But what drew me to the idea was to have some time and space to reflect on my project and to learn skills and techniques for my personal and professional development as a social entrepreneur.

The week was intensive. We looked at: How can we navigate in times of turbulence? What resources can we use? We mulled over so many challenging questions !!! Coming out of our comfort zone and into the stretch zone; seeking for whatever creates more possibilities, not just looking at the final outcome. We went out and met inspiring people in Aarhus, and became “curious”. Also we noted success and celebrated those achievements no matter how small.

This and so much more happened at Kaospilot under the expert leadership of Paul Natorp and David Storkholm, and organised by Richard Sant, Centre of Enterprise at the University of Portsmouth, without whom this wouldn’t have been possible. Lastly, but not least, thanks to all the great people I met on the course and for the fun times we had, when not studying and trying to stretch the Krona!

Su Cloud is one of 17 HSSE students studying in Portsmouth and is working hard to set up an Arts Centre in Bognor Regis, for local artists and the community to use art as a vehicle for learning and a means of self–discovery.

HSSE Location Visits

The students recently visited two established social enterprises - Shaw Trust and Dot to Dot - to see first hand the challenges and opportunities that face socially driven business. See the video below...

CEO visits Pompey School - All Welcome

Alastair Wilson, Chief Executive of the School for Social Entrepreneurs, is visiting Portsmouth on 8 March. Alastair is also a Trustee of UnLtd (Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs), The London Funders Group, the Social Enterprise Coalition and the Sheila McKechnie Foundation.

Express FM show their support for HSSE

Our friends at Express FM broadcast a short programme about the Hampshire School for Social Entrepreneurs. If you missed it you can listen again by clicking on the player below.