BSSEC CIC: Why do we need to consider developing a social investment eco-system in the West Midlands?

14th June 2023

For those attending our first eco-systems Roundtable of the year, it was a topical, lively and insightful discussion facilitated by BSSEC CIC Director, Sarah Beaumont, and joined by a varied panel of experts including:

Carole Donnelly, CJD Consultancy | Melanie Mills, Big Society Capital | Steve Walker, ART Business Loans | Ged Devlin, The Key Fund

Social Investment is a good indicator of the health of VCSE’s in terms of new product and service development, new premises and equipment and increased delivery. There has been low/poor take up of social investment by VCSE’s for many years as identified by the West Midlands Social Economy Task Force and reported in the WMCA framework for Growing the Social Economy. In the West Midlands confidence in Social Investment has been impacted by variable business support especially focused on startup, continued use of grants, national programmes picking the ‘best’ of the brightest to support and a general lack of financial confidence more broadly amongst VCSE’s. These are just a few of the contributing factors.

Together our Roundtable attendees explored the key elements of an effective Social Investment West Midlands eco-system, how key stakeholders can work together to support VCSE access to finance and how this links to the rest of the support provision in the region.

Key questions discussed included…

> How important are market opportunities for social investment?

> What is the role of business support in the social investment eco-system?

> Do we have the products available through social investment that VCSE’s want to use?

Download the Roundtable Report here: BSSEC CIC Roundtable 1 Social Investment Ecosystem REPORT 160523 Blog

Our next eco-systems Roundtable is Tuesday 4th July 2023, 11.00am until 12.20pm online. We will be discussing The Role of Business Support in the Social Economy eco-system.

For many years there’s been little consideration strategically of the importance of business support within the VCSE sector. This July Roundtable will provide the opportunity to consider what’s available, how it connects and more importantly what’s needed.

This BSSEC CIC eco-system Roundtable is aimed at all organisations who provide VCSE sector support, are a social enterprise or charity seeking support and key stakeholders… is this you?

To register for this event and receive your Roundtable event link, please email Sarah.Beaumont@bssec.org.uk.