Building Bridges and Pathways: Bringing social investment to more entrepreneurs from across Plymouth communities.
Thanks to the Barrow Cadbury Trust, PSEN is currently delivering work to encourage more people from underrepresented communities to set up social enterprises and engage in the opportunities our PSEN network offers.
Our members number nearly 100 from across the city and beyond, but there are over 100 more social enterprises and community-based businesses who are not currently part of our network. Furthermore, when we look to our membership list, it does not give a true picture of the diverse city we live in. This project gives us the capacity to ask why?
PSEN are aware that we need to do more to ensure our effectiveness in engaging with underrepresented groups. We need to take positive actions and over the lifetime of this project we will be reviewing, improving and monitoring the impact of our current processes and their effectiveness in meeting our priority target of encouraging more Disabled people, people from Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic communities, and other underrepresented communities to set up social enterprises and engage in the opportunities our PSEN network offers.
This project will focus on Barrow Cadbury’s priority to broaden their portfolio of social investment so you will see events rolling out which raise awareness about how it works and how to access it. However, the lessons PSEN will learn along the way will be invaluable in improving our outreach into the city and building a network that is inclusive and relevant to all purpose driven entrepreneurs and enterprises.
Throughout the project PSEN’s practice as a path finder and gatekeeper to social investment opportunities will be monitored and critiqued by a group of partner organisations. Our intention is to identify adjustments which PSEN can then apply to ‘the way we do things’ which will result in a more open, inclusive and equitable process.
Upcoming Events:
Meet the Investor!
Wed, 21st Feb 2024 – TBC
The next event on the PSEN calendar is Plymouth! Are You Ready For Us? on Wednesday 21st February. This event will be introducing new funders and social investors to Plymouth so come along to tell them all about the amazing work you are doing in the city and to find out what support they can offer you.
– The morning is an ‘open to all’ general information session to spread the word about what social investment is and the opportunities that are available. Anyone at any stage of their enterprise (idea through to scale-up) is welcome.
– The afternoon is for organisations and projects that want to have a serious conversation with funders/investors about social investment and have ‘ready to go’ investment opportunities. If that is YOU, contact Amerie without delay to find out if you eligible for an invitation.
amerie@plymsocent.org.uk / 07421 813979
Past Events:
Get Ready for Investment!
Nov 2023
This workshop covered key points like: simple business planning, clear income generation plans, having a social impact concept and good governance. Attendees completed an investment checklist assessing the strengths of their organizations and areas for development, and looked at sources of available investment.
Show Me The Money!
Nov 2023
This workshop looked at how to find funding; the different types of finance available and the pros and cons of each.
Getting ready for investment
July 2023
This workshop looked at preparing your social enterprise to take on investment. This could be being ready to take on grants, loans, community shares or other forms of finance.
We covered key points like: simple business planning, clear income generation plans, having a social impact concept and good governance. Participants completed an investment checklist to see the strengths of their organizations, identify areas for development and looked at sources of investment available.
Fund your socially beneficial enterprise!
May 2023
Held during our city centre exhibition, this information session on the basics of social investment gave attendees an opportunity to learn all about different ways to finance and fund a social enterprise or community project.
