Social Enterprise Case Study - Financing An Expanding Social Enterprise

The Problem
A town has a tradition of high quality manufacturing at a time when employment opportunities are increasing within the service sector. The same town has little experience of involving Black and Minority Ethnic Communities and the private sector in developing social enterprises.

The Solution
A local hotel develops a training hotel as a social enterprise, which generates financial, employment and technological opportunities for the industry, the town, the community and the stakeholders.

Inside Track's Challenge
To create the space, structures and processes where the public, private and voluntary sector could address local concerns and interests together in partnership.

Why did the social enterprise find Inside Track helpful?

• Inside Track had over 20 years experience of working within and supporting social enterprises, especially those engaging communities and individuals who are excluded from the local economy
• Due to our experience, Inside Track was able to understand specific cultural issues that affected the social enterprise's capacity to respond to change, particularly regarding the reconciliation of social needs with business realities.
• Inside Track had the skills to draw up appropriate options for structuring and planning the business, facilitating potentially challenging meetings and developing mutual trust between different parties in order to manage positive change.

Outputs

• Negotiations leading to the creation of a viable social enterprise
• Events that involved the local community and ensured participation
• Feedback from the community regarding the effectiveness of services
• Improved delivery and range of services