Building the social enterprise movement: the power of evidence and storytelling
1st July 2022
WELCOME TO OUR GUEST BLOG FROM EMILY DARKO
Emily is Director of Research at Social Enterprise UK
Through our work at BSSEC CIC, we are aware of the importance of evidence regarding our social impact especially for our key stakeholders. We approached Emily as Director of Research at SEUK to give the SEUK perspective on the importance of data and telling stories across the sector.
We are delighted to share with you this Blog… enjoy your 2 minute read!
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Stats and stories are powerful tools of influence. A punchy number that will be remembered, a story that paints a picture.
The social enterprise movement has been built on the compelling stories of founders, of those who benefit from social enterprise activities, and of the impactful products and services created. It has been built on evidence of how social enterprise works and why it is the best way to do business.
At Social Enterprise UK (SEUK), compiling evidence in the form of data and case studies is a fundamental part of our work to support social enterprise to thrive.
Did you know, for example…
…that data provided by social enterprises through SEUK’s State of Social Enterprise survey informed public policy which led to the creation of Big Society Capital and Access – the Foundation for Social Investment, contributing to a social impact investment market of over £6.4billion?
…and data helped social value legislation through parliament, positively influencing £400billion of public procurement each year?
…not to mention that evidence of the contribution of social enterprise has been vital to a wide range of policy support at local and national level, to funding, finance, corporate engagement, and to developing relevant business support.
And that’s just in the UK.
SEUK’s global work with the British Council and many partners around the world has contributed to social enterprise legislation and ecosystem support in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Ethiopia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Jamaica, Viet Nam, Ghana, Singapore, Sri Lanka… supporting a global movement of up to 11 million social enterprises.
Rising Stars Property Solutions CIC are the largest third sector property service company in the Midlands.
Compiling data can be messy.
It can also feel pretty tedious to contribute to – few of us relish the prospect of a long survey or detailed application form. Yet data is a key driver of change – and by not contributing your data, you limit understanding of what your organisation needs – you exclude your version of events. But this isn’t all about providing more data. It is on organisations like SEUK to ensure we make best use of evidence. This autumn, SEUK will launch a new research programme which aims to be a world-class evidence repository for social enterprise and to coordinate and maximise data impact. We look forward to sharing more information about how this will work – and inviting social enterprises to take part.
If headline data and underlying evidence shifts minds, case studies and stories influence hearts.
The aggregate numbers about social enterprise can be powerful. But hearing first-hand the story of how a social enterprise came into being and the difference it makes to people’s lives can be game-changing in encouraging key stakeholders to move from broadly agreeing that the stats look good to becoming personally invested in helping the social enterprise movement to grow.
All social enterprises can contribute – and if you want an example from the West Midlands, you can start by checking out the stats in 2021 West Midlands State of Social Enterprise report – and reading La’Toyah Lewis’s story of Rising Star Property Solutions.
Emily Darko
Director of Research, Social Enterprise UK
Connect with Emily via LinkedIn I Join the SEUK movement
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