The NNSE network is here to CONNECT, SUPPORT and PROMOTE social enterprises across North Northamptonshire – Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough, East Northants and the surrounding area.
We are a peer-led network of local social enterprise leaders keen to see social enterprise thrive in the county. We know that if we become stronger, more collaborative and more resilient as businesses we will be able to bring greater social and environmental impacts and benefits to our communities. We choose ‘social enterprise’ to help solve the many issues we face nowadays in financially and ethically sustainable ways – to create a healthy planet, healthy people and a healthy economy.
According to Social Enterprise UK there are over 131,000 social enterprises in the UK, with a collective turnover of £78 billion and employing around 2.3 million people.
What is a Social Enterprise?
A social enterprise is a business (ie an income-earning organisation) with a mission to solve a social or environmental issue.
Social enterprises are ‘asset-locked’ – profits are retained to help achieve the mission and build the business. As well as having no profit distribution, social enterprises can’t be sold for private gain.
They are found in many sectors such as housing, leisure, health services, transport, energy, media, education and more.
Social enterprises come in several forms eg community interest companies (CICs), many charities, housing associations, community sports clubs, credit unions and ‘companies limited by guarantee’. Many of our local social enterprises may not even realise that they are one!
They are independent of the public sector but often work in partnership with local authorities as they have many shared aims.
What can we do for you?
If you already run a local social enterprise in North Northamptonshire, we can help connect you with other like-minded social entrepreneurs, provide free training opportunities, promote your business and speak up for social enterprise to make things easier for you.
Click here to apply to become an NNSE Member and get your social enterprise featured on our website (it’s free).
If you are thinking of starting a social enterprise, we can inspire and direct you to the support you need.
Email us your query and sign up to our enews.
If you are anyone at all interested in learning about your local social enterprises in general – whether a local councillor or council officer looking for solutions to local issues, a student learning about this great way of doing business, a for-profit business leader looking to learn from our sector and collaborate – we can show you how you can play a part too.
Click here to sign up to our enews and find out more about becoming an NNSE Friend.
Did you know there many, many social enterprises in North Northants, including Wicksteed Park, Teamwork Trust, Youth Works and Brightwayz, providing many jobs and a great deal of community benefit to and beyond our county? We’re gradually building up profiles of them all to shout about all the good stuff they do. So if you know of any, please ask them to get in touch.
