Twelve years ago, Community Housing Cymru set up an Award scheme to recognise housing innovation in memory of a special person - Pat Chown. Pat gave a big part of her life to helping others and spent much of her working life in helping to meet people's housing needs in Wales.
Gwynedd-based horticulture, catering and joinery social enterprise tells us what makes the business a success, and about its plans to grow the organisation further.
Goals for 2010 - 2013
Over the coming years we have a number of ambitions to help the sector achieve its goals.
The Coalition is committed to putting members right at the heart of everything it does. We encourage members to share their concerns, hopes, ambitions and achievements with us so that we can achieve our own aspiration of being the Welsh Social Enterprise Coalition members richly deserve.
Going forward, we’re keen to explore new ways of engaging with the membership and ensuring that we are representing members in the best possible way.
Given the current financial climate and a growing appreciation from the public that there needs to be a new way of doing business, there is a burgeoning opportunity for social enterprises to provide highly cost effective and innovative business solutions to government, local authorities, private business and the third sector.
The Coalition wants Welsh social enterprises to be in a sound position to take on potential contracts, either on their own or together. And, to increasingly provide products and services to consumers that are currently offered by private businesses.
We aim to do the following:
Improve access to finance
Set up independent support mechanisms so that the financial need for social enterprises in Wales can be met using venture capitalists, equity finance, asset finance and loans (for growth and working capital).
Help social enterprises gain new contracts
Develop good relations with all contract commissioners so that social enterprises can more easily submit tenders for all sorts of contracts, no matter how big or complex.
Forge links with local authorities
Establish sound, open and professional relationships with the Welsh Local Government Association and local authorities throughout Wales.
Improve business support
Ensure, in partnership with our fellow agencies, that there is adequate, professional, appropriate business support, including management training that is delivered by individuals and organisations that have a clear understanding of social enterprise/business and the rigours of the business world.
