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Mentoring and support
Many social entrepreneurs and community organisations that are planning to enter the social enterprise sector seek support with the business-side of the operations. Providing access to quality business mentoring and support is a key component of PCC’s social enterprise program.
To meet this objective, we have developed a partnership with Social Ventures Australia (SVA) to establish the Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub. The high quality mentoring and business support that this partnership represents sees a big injection of skills, expertise and networks into the Parramatta LGA.
Over time other mentoring and business support activities may be integrated into PCC’s social enterprise program, and this will be determined by the needs of the local social enterprise sector as it develops and grows.
Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub
The Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub is part of Social Enterprise Hubs Australia. Social Enterprise Hubs Australia’s mission is to support the development of the social enterprise sector in Australia. It accelerates the growth of social enterprises by providing them with access to resources that would not otherwise be available or affordable, including mentoring, consulting, pro bono services, management tools and business skills.
The program is based on a partnership model, and Social Ventures Australia (SVA) typically establishes the Hubs with corporate partners and a local government authority. Each partner contributes funding to the Hub, as well as providing guidance in setting the Hub’s strategic direction. See the Social Enterprise Hubs Australia website for more information.
For further information on the Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub, please contact the Hub Coordinator Ruth Johnstone.
What does the Hub provide?
The Hub is being established to support the growth and capacity of Parramatta’s emerging social enterprise sector. Social enterprises are businesses with primarily social objectives. Any surpluses generated are principally reinvested in the business or the community for that purpose. To participate in the Hub program, enterprises must be located within the Parramatta LGA or provide employment outcomes for primarily Parramatta residents, even if the scope of the enterprise falls outside the LGA boundaries.
The Hub will assist social enterprises to establish and/or grow through providing enterprises with access to a range of skills, expertise and resources that would otherwise be unavailable or cost prohibitive.
Hub aims:
- To accelerate and increase the social impact of social enterprises by providing access to a range of skills, resources and expertise.
- To increase the opportunities for social enterprises to compete in the profit-driven commercial sector.
- To create an economically viable and socially sustainable Parramatta social enterprise sector.
The Hub will provide two levels of assistance to local social enterprises – the Accelerator for selected enterprises, and general services for other social enterprises in the local area.
The general services available to all social enterprises in the local area will include:
- Hub Meeting Place – regular meetings for networking, training, guest speakers etc
- Hub Market – identification and access to procurement opportunities and a regular forum to facilitate tendering and networking between enterprises and local businesses
- Hub Connect – web resource to promote connectivity with enterprises across Australia
- Hub Commerce – quarterly business plan review by panel of business experts, also acts as a gateway into the Accelerator.
Hub Accelerator
The Accelerator provides intensive, hands-on support and mentoring to social entrepreneurs and their enterprises. Participants initially enter the program for twelve months, and the benefit of further participation is evaluated at the end of this period with some enterprises continuing their involvement.
The Hub Accelerator provides participants with:
- access to pro-bono legal and accounting services
- mentors for business planning and strategy
- assistance in tendering and support for identifying procurement opportunities
- access to SVA training
- detailed performance monitoring including Social Return On Investment assessment
- in some cases, access to funds for capital investment
- due diligence processes for investment in new and existing enterprises.
Applications for the first round of the Hub Accelerator program closed in December 2007. Assessment has been completed and the first group of participants commenced the program in March 2008 and consists of:
-
Information & Cultural Exchange (ICE)
an existing successful non profit cultural information, technology and arts organisation working with communities and artists across Western Sydney. Aiming to develop a social enterprise component to its operations and also formalise its incubator role with artists from marginalised communities who are working towards becoming self-sustaining.
Information & Cultural Exchange -
Spectrum Employment Services Cooperative -
a successful existing social enterprise that is a self funded, not for profit organisation which creates professional training and employment outcomes for marginalised people. Aiming to expand operations into the Parramatta area.
Spectrum Employment Services Cooperative -
Darug Aboriginal Tribal Corporation
- a cultural heritage and education centre concept aiming to educate Darug people and the wider community on cultural awareness including aboriginal history, art, handicrafts, dance and tours. -
Dare Ops
– aiming to establish a social enterprise that will provide on the job training and employment pathways for marginalised youth in one or more trades such as spray painting/landscaping/carpentry.
Dare Ops
Updates on the progress of the first group of participants will be added to this page as they become available.
Information on the process, application forms and criteria for the Accelerator can be found on the Social Enterprise Hubs Australia website.
Please contact the Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub Coordinator, if you would like more information on the Accelerator or if you would like to discuss a potential application.
Hub Meeting Place
This component of the Hub project is designed to:
- bring together local social enterprises so that they can network and learn from each other
- provide a regular forum for responding to requests from local social enterprises for specific content and/or skills development opportunities
- provide opportunities to learn from ‘case studies’ on social enterprise projects being undertaken elsewhere
- provide opportunities to learn from ‘best practice’ approaches
The first Hub Meeting Place was held on 19 March 2008. The event will be held approximately every two months and details for events will be listed here as they become available.
Please contact Ruth Johnstone, the Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub Coordinator, if you would like to discuss the opportunities available through the Meeting Place or to be added to the invite list.
Hub Launch
The Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub was launched at an event held at Lachlan's, Old Government House, Parramatta Park on 26 September 2007 and approximately 50 people attended the event.
PCC Lord Mayor Cr Paul Barber and Jan Owen AM, Executive Director Social Ventures Australia, addressed the gathering. Robert Pekin also provided a lively and interesting overview on Food Connect, the social enterprise he has established in Brisbane.
- Parramatta City Council media release for the event
- Partnership media release
- Partners & Backgrounder Launch (summary on the partners and the program)
