The Social Economy Sessions
BSSEC CIC continues to work closely with West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to deliver key elements of the social economy growth agenda and also extend our work with Barrow Cadbury Trust on developing sustainable social economy eco-systems.
Starting in 2023, BSSEC CIC has delivered a series of Social Economy FORUM sessions alongside social economy strategic Roundtables, supported by West Midlands Combined Authority and also Barrow Cadbury Trust. These sessions have both supported a capacity-building element of the VCFSE sector, and also shared frontline and infrastructure organisation insights through session summary papers fed back to the WMCA Social Economy Advisory Group.
The social economy sessions continue in 2024/25, supported by WMCA, with a diverse programme of events to build on first year delivery, and to align with the WMCA Framework for Growth and social economy eco-systems 10 point plan (see above).
GROWING THE WMCA REGIONAL SOCIAL ECONOMY
The Social Economy Sessions are focused on social and purpose-led organisations primarily delivering within the seven WMCA of: Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and/or Wolverhampton.
Session Summary downloads from both the VCFSE organisations attending FORUM meetings and the strategic Roundtables for infrastructure bodies are available as open resources for the sector.
THE SOCIAL ECONOMY SESSIONS 2023/24
FORUM 1: Finding and accessing new market opportunities | Tuesday 26th September 2023, 2.30pm – 4.15pm, online
FORUM 2: Accessing public and private sector contracts through procurement | Tuesday 24th October 2023, 1.30pm – 3.00pm, online
FORUM 3: Partnership working | Tuesday 12th December 2023, 11.00am to 12.30pm (in-person Birmingham)
FORUM 4: Consortium working | Tuesday 23rd January 2024, 11.00am to 1.00pm (in-person Wolverhampton)
FORUM 5: Accessing business support in the WMCA region | Wednesday 28th February 2024, 1.00pm to 3.00pm (in-person, Sandwell)
FORUM 6: People and skills to support of the growth of the social economy | Wednesday 20th March 2024, 11.00am to 1.00pm (in-person, Solihull)
FORUM 7: Developing new products and services, and driving market innovation | Tuesday 14th May 2024, 11.00am to 12.30pm (in-person, Birmingham)
FORUM 8: The Why, What, and How, of Wellbeing in a Social Economy Setting | Wednesday 10th July 2024, 11am to 12.30pm (Better Pathways)
FORUM 9: Financial Planning and your Social Business | Wednesday 18th September 2024, 11am to 12.30pm (in-person, Dudley DY1 1PY)
FORUM 10: DATA 101 for VCFSEs | Wednesday 13th November 2024, 11am to 12.30pm (in-person, Witton Lodge Community Association)
ROUNDTABLE 2023: Developing a Social Finance Eco-system in the West Midlands (16th May 2023)
ROUNDTABLE 2023: Business Support within the Social Economy Eco-system (4th July 2023)
ROUNDTABLE 2023: Strategic Branding for the Social Economy (5th September 2023)
ROUNDTABLE 2023: Social Economy is the Solution (14th November 2023, in-person, Birmingham)
ROUNDTABLE 2024: How can the Social Economy support the achievement of Net Zero? | 24th January 2024, online
ROUNDTABLE 2024: Are Social Economy Organisations making the best use of Technology to grow their businesses? | 12th March 2024, online
ROUNDTABLE 2024: What is the role of the Private Sector in the Social Economy? | 21st May 2024, online
ROUNDTABLE 2024: Routes to Impact: are we chasing figures or positive impact? | 9th July 2024, online
