SOCIAL ECONOMY MEMBER: Access to Business
24th April 2024
At Access to Business, we are excited to be part of the drive to expand the social economy in the West Midlands. Our passion lies in fostering social enterprise growth because we recognise the immense opportunities and impact that the social economy can bring to both the wellbeing of our communities and the local economy.
As a delivery partner for the Social Enterprise Boost Fund (SEBF) West Midlands project, funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), our qualified and experienced Business Advisers provide business advice and guidance to support social entrepreneurs and businesses, helping them to start up and thrive in the social economy sector. Our belief is that empowering social enterprises not only drives economic growth but also cultivates a more equitable and resilient society.
We are also thrilled that Access to Business has been selected as the Wolverhampton Lead to receive Commonwealth Legacy funds from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). This funding marks a significant milestone in our social enterprise growth plans, enabling us to kickstart essential initiatives aimed at supporting the growth of the social economy in our area and is an excellent way to celebrate A2B 20th Anniversary this year.
Our strategic approach involves engaging with local groups, businesses, and residents to identify the specific needs of our social entrepreneurs, ensuring that we can effectively drive social enterprise growth in a way to meet those identified needs. Following conclusion of the needs analysis, an action plan will be developed and used as the basis to identify suitable investment opportunities.
As part of the Social Economy Drive in November 2023, Access to Business hosted a key event showcasing the work that we have been doing with some of our successful social enterprise clients. Guests from key Wolverhampton businesses, stakeholders and public sector organisations heard first hand accounts from our inspiring entrepreneurs about their journeys and achievements. We were thrilled that Taylor Woodrow sponsored our event.
As part of the event, guests were invited to sign our pledge to demonstrate their own commitment to supporting the growth of the social economy. The pledge required those signing to confirm their commitment to invest in the social economy and/or to consider the social economy when looking to buy goods and services. We were also thrilled to recruit our first 28 social economy champions as part of the event. Feedback from attendees confirmed that many were very impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment in the room. The champions generously volunteered to support our growth plans by ‘championing’ the social economy and taking every opportunity to promote the benefits of working with and growing the social economy sector. To ensure effective coordination and progress, a Steering Group has been established to oversee and drive forward our social economy initiatives.
At Access to Business, we are proud to champion social enterprise growth and look forward to continued success in empowering our local economy. Our social economy work aims to ensure that social enterprises thrive, contribute to local communities, and create lasting change. Our objectives align with and support BSSEC CIC’s mission ‘to support individuals and organisations to grow the social economy to address societal problems, inequalities and poverty in the West Midlands and beyond’.
We are thrilled to be on this journey working with people and organisations that share our aspirations and we are immensely grateful for the support we receive from BSSEC CIC. Together, we can build a thriving social economy that benefits all. Together, we can create positive change in our Region.
Josie Kelly | CEO, Access to Business