DESIS UK NetworkEnterprise & Employability

“Social Entrepreneurship on the rise”A National PerspectiveEllen ShipleyPartnership and Support Manager, UnLtd HE Support Programme

Overview

UnLtd: past, present, futureHigher Education: how we work with partnersSupporting an EcosystemPriority areas for the future

UnLtd:

FROM SEEING PROBLEMS TO SEEING SOLUTIONS

Supporting social entrepreneurs

OUR VISION

UnLtd reaches out and unleashes the energies of people who can transform the world in which they live.

We call these people social entrepreneurs.

UnLtd is a charitable company, and is also the trustee of the Millennium Awards Trust, endowed with funds from the UK National Lottery, and overseen by a Protector of the Trust

A world where people act to make it better

OUR WORK

We back around 1000 people each year to start their own ventures for social or environmental benefit, with a mix of cash, development support and networking.

We then support around 50 per year to get to scale, with more intensive support.

We support other agencies in the UK and internationally to develop their own start up social entrepreneur support programmes, creating a learning network.

Backing social entrepreneurs

WHO ARE...

People with: • Potential to make positive change• Passion to solve a social problem

Who have:• An idea for a solution• Entrepreneurial qualities

Who are:• Resilient and resourceful • Determined to make their idea a reality

Social entrepreneurs?

238,000People in UK trying to start a social venture (0.4% of population)

1.7mLeading one now (2.8%

of population)

OUR AWARDSDesigned around the journey

TRY IT

• Up to £500• To test an idea• To develop

confidence and entrepreneurial skills

DO IT

• Up to £5,000• For exceptional

people to start their journeys, building entrepreneurial skill and capacity

BUILD IT

• Up to £15,000• For existing

ventures ambitious to grow, but not necessarily to national scale

FAST GROWTH

• Up to £20,000• Can be given to

ventures at any stage of development

• For people ambitious to scale rapidly

OUR INCUBATORSScaling up and investment readiness

Big Venture Challenge:Cohorts of 10 high potential social entrepreneurs, intensive support plus patient loan funds to match external “angel” investors

Wayra UnLtd:A partnership between UnLtd and the Telefonica Wayra network to create an intensive incubator platform for early stage, high potential digital and mobile tech social ventures

Our Higher Education WorkThe HE Support Initiative – Phases 1 and 2

Social Entrepreneurship and the HE Sector• Social entrepreneurs are more likely to be graduates and come from

disadvantaged backgrounds – “talented disadvantaged”

• Students and staff more socially conscious than ever – attracted to a more blended life : earning a living and doing good.

• World Class Business Schools to more vocationally oriented universities; social venture competitions and incubator programmes are springing up to tap into this energy

• HE sector provides a rich vein of talent and authentic social innovation – fertile ground for social value creation.

UnLtd and HEFCE Partnership – Phase 1 • HE SE awards programme ran very successfully 2009-2011

• 200 new social ventures created by staff and students in 70 HEIs

• Startling achievements after just 12 months each social venture achieved on average 500 beneficiaries, 2 jobs,12 volunteers, and £5,800 in additional income raised

• Evaluation showed social entrepreneurship adds value to HE through enhanced teaching, research impact, knowledge exchange, staff development, benefits which multiplied as they passed to students.

HE Support Programme – Phase 2• Create an effective HEI led eco-system of support for staff and student social

entrepreneurs

• Facilitate collaboration and peer to peer learning opportunities for HEIs to develop effective support for social entrepreneurs, developing resources and sharing best practice

• Identify and directly build capacity of HEIs to establish systems, tools, methods and processes needed to find, fund and support social entrepreneurs

• Develop networks and collaboration opportunities between HEIs and the private sector, brokering pro bono support for staff and student social entrepreneurs

Flexible Support Package• Dedicated Partnership Support Manager• Star Partner Network• Support and Training• Resources

• Systems, Tools, Processes, Methods and Values• Toolkit• Online Case Studies Brochure

• Learning and Networking• Private Sector Support and Relationship Building• Final Conference

Ecosystem Development – Phase 3

ECOSYSTEMSupporting other agencies in the model

Higher and further education:Supporting 56 universities and 23 further education colleges, to develop their own start up social entrepreneur programmes

Disadvantaged communities:Working with the Big Local Trust to build capacity in 150 of the most disadvantaged communities in England, over a 10 year period. UnLtd supports social entrepreneurs in these areas, and works with local organisations to help them start their own programmes of support. Spark:

Already 60% of social entrepreneurs support others, and 20% provide more intensive support eg resource raising. The Santander Spark programme is testing out how we can help more people to deliver better quality support in this viral, peer to peer approach.

Navigation and data commons:As the ecosystem of support develops, these become ever more important factors. UnLtd is leading a consortium of 42 support agencies in the UK to map the sector and develop common metrics.

Phase 3Outcomes so far:

Over 700 award winners funded and supported 20% Undergraduate 1st and 2nd year, 30% Staff, 50% 3rd, 4th

year, PG and PhD 56 SE-ready institutions National learning network Local, regional, national, international partnerships formed

How can we create maximum impact?

1. Institutionally, regionally, nationally 2. Networks, know-how, funding3. Thematically, geographically

Phase 3What is next as part of Phase 3 and what is coming?

• ‘Interim’ Phase 2.5 – 6 months to do more of the same and embed this work whilst thinking and preparing for Phase 3- Up to £9.5k, min. £5k as continuation funding or ‘catch-up’ funding

for new HEIs to catalyse culture change- Increased focus on partnerships and collaborations- 15th October successful HEIs announced

• Phase 3 – step change, over to you… - Partnership & collaboration, innovation, investment, mass engagement and mobilisation - Ultimately strategically and operationally developing and embedding an eco system of support to enable social entrepreneurs to thrive

Phase 3

Proposed key themes:

Funded streams:Scaling up Regional and thematic clustersInnovation Partnerships Graduate Placement schemes

Ecosystem development:PSM and staff expertiseMentoring and Networks offerNational learning network and Data learning centreTraining and leadership programmeInfluencing and demonstrating to effect policy change

Phase 3

10 key future priorities:

1. Capacity-building2. Scaling up infrastructure and targeted investments3. Strategic leadership and planning4. Physical presence and identity5. Learning network – offline and online6. Sustainable long-term investment7. Embedded within the Curriculum 8. Partnerships locally, regionally, nationally, internationally9. Joined-up ecosystem – communities within communities10. Demonstrating impact and influencing change