Themes

This report describes the key actions which government, local authorities and other public sector bodies, funders, social enterprises and co-operatives and we as individuals can all take to grow the new economy.

The Growing the New Economy convention in Oldham on 12th February brought together an exciting mix of ca. 250 key decision makers from local authorities, health and other local public institutions, leaders of co-operatives and social enterprises with funders and investors to explore how the social economy can play a much more central role in […]

As we get ever closer to the Growing the New Economy convention on 12th February in Oldham, we are pleased to share another blog kindly supplied by the Council. A group of Oldham’s main institutions, including the Council, have pledged to work together to build local wealth in the borough. The Council, Hospital, College, Housing providers, Police and the […]

We are delighted that Ceri Cunninton and Sel Williams from Cwmni Bro Ffestiniog will be joining us at the Growing the New Economy convention in Oldham on 12th February, to contribute to the breakout session, Building from the bottom up, which will look at how local partnerships are making a real difference. Thanks are due to Ceri for this […]

So many parts of the UK have been let down by a failing economic model, where growth doesn’t result in rising living standards for large sections of society and the effects of austerity have meant that local services are struggling to meet local needs. There is a growing realisation that a new approach is needed. […]

This national convention brought together an exciting mix of ca. 250 key decision makers from local authorities, health and other local public institutions, leaders of co-operatives and social enterprises with funders and investors to explore how the social economy can play a much more central role in the economic and community wellbeing of places across the country. […]

In March 2019 Oldham Council marked the world’s first Social Prescribing Day by commissioning a pioneering, three-year Innovation Partnership on behalf of Oldham Cares (our integrated care organisation) to a local consortium of voluntary and community organisations to build upon the Social Prescribing network. This Innovation Partnership – a contracting approach available to commissioners since 2015, enabling the development and subsequent purchase of a new, innovative product, service or works without the […]

How to partner with commissioners to support their goals, by combining the power of Community Asset Transfers and public works loans. When E3M member, Rachel Law, took Rochdale’s Adult Social Care provider arm into a fully independent social enterprise, standing still was not an option. PossAbilities CIC was born and since 2014 has grown from […]

A. Where we are Groupe SOS is celebrating 35 years since it commenced its mission of public service innovation being funded by the cost savings of success. Today it is a $900 million super-mature Social Enterprise group. Its virtuous circle of progressiveness began with the analytical insight that free flu treatment for the homeless reduced […]

In April I visited Suara, Spain’s largest services co-operative, employing over 4,000 people and with a turnover of more than 80m euros. Based in Barcelona, Suara provides a range of care and education services across Catalonia. It was formed from a merger of three care co-operatives around 10 years ago, which realised that with competition […]