Vitalising Purpose: The Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services
We depend on public services for a functioning society. But there are record pressures on our health, social care and children’s services; and those covering homelessness, housing, domestic abuse, education, employment and training, criminal justice and support. Resources are stretched. Demand is escalating.
Traditional approaches, whereby public authorities either do everything in-house, or outsource services with the same process as when they buy goods, are not delivering good outcomes. The market has failed many people-centred services. We can’t just despair at these challenges. We must do better.
Vitalising Purpose investigates how partnerships between public authorities and social enterprises can make a difference to how public services are provided, and to people’s lives.
It gives inspiring examples of the ‘social enterprise difference’, and practical ideas, and accompanies the book, Vitalising Purpose: The Power of the Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services, available in paperback and ebook formats.
Vitalising Purpose: The Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services
Barriers are my business – Rachel Law, PossAbilities CIC
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PossAbilities CIC provides services for people with learning disabilities, people with dementia and young people leaving care.
Formed in 2014, PossAbilities has increased staff from 220 to more than 600, had eight consecutive years of growth and surplus, and grown its capital and reserves from zero to £6 million.
It was formerly the Adult Social Care Provider within Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) and was one of the first 100 social enterprises to be formed by ‘spinning-out’ services which had formerly been run by public sector bodies.
It has become a regional rather than local provider – and much of this, says CEO Rachel Law, is through doing ‘the opposite of what we were used to doing as part of a local authority’.
Its organisational achievements are matched by its outcomes: PossAbilities CIC has used its own surpluses to build high-quality accommodation and to run numerous community initiatives and events, becoming a catalyst in the neighbourhoods it works.
Rachel gives us an honest description of how she and her team overcame barriers and challenges to ‘push the boundaries of what is possible’ as a social entrepreneur and former local authority officer leading a successful public service spin-out.
What next?
- Visit the PossAbilities CIC website: https://www.possabilities.org.uk
- Rachel has written a chapter for Vitalising Purpose – The Power of the Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services.
- A 'must-read for chief executives, heads of transformation, commissioners and procurement officers, and social entrepreneurs,' the book is available in paperback and ebook formats here: https://e3m.org.uk/vitalising-purpose-book/
- And from Amazon here ( https://amzn.eu/d/6f25KJB )
