Mixing social pleasures with business can take many forms, but when it comes to social entrepreneurs, there are certain characteristics that shine through! Their social values drive their entrepreneurial spirit!
Many of our social values can be discovered in our childhood diary�.were you the young person that always helped out fundraising for charities, organising events for your friends or having a stall at your local summer fair�!
If so, what made you get involved?��what was your motivation and your reward for participating in such activities? �
- �was it making others feel good in themselves?
- �contributing to combating an environmental problem?
- �seeing tangible improvements within a local community?
If you are a budding social entrepreneur, and you are trying to identify your motivation, it is good to think back to when you were young to uncover your social values and enterprising qualities, as many will still be within you today�
As food for thought, here are some of the key social values that drive social entrepreneurs�
Social entrepreneurs can be driven by being active in the local community, encouraging social cohesion and participation amongst local residents and business ownersthrough organising local activities, services and events. In a world which is becoming increasingly reliant on information technology, the importance of local connectivity is even more important.
Casestudy: Jess and Eve founded The Lab to provide a music studio that was accessible to the local community especially young people. Jess and Eve regularly deliver music events to local schools, provide music support to the Local Council events, and provide technical support to up and coming musicians in the area.
Social entrepreneurs can be touched by a pressing need in their society to make it a better place for the people who reside in it. This may involve identifying solutions to preventing anti-social behaviour, aiding the homeless, or caring for the elderly.
Casestudy: Hayzel Khokhar set up the The Rise Project to provide young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with a way to exercise and enjoy healthy living. Her focus is to reach out to those who may need extra encouragement or support, financial relief and a more empowering knowledge base so that they can make healthy lifestyle choices.
Social entrepreneurs can be motivated by making the world a better place or tackling climate change, by aiding the development of a cleaner sustainable environment. They will be inspired by developing ways to prevent environmental damage, though innovative renewal technology, waste management solutions, or the provision of recycling.
Casestudy: Jenny White set up Eco-Boudoir an exclusive brand offering sustainable luxury interior home furnishings. The philosophy behind Eco-Boudoir is to create an interiors label that challenges the luxury market in terms of sustainability and the eco-market in terms of design. Jenny researches extensively to find suppliers who source the purest, finest natural materials and whose production processes respect and work with the eco-system that they are produced in.
Social Entrepreneurs recognise the value of empowering others to change their own situation through the development of their personal and professional skills. You will often find the incorporation of training, education and business support programmes within a portfolio of a social enterprise.
Casestudy: Jamie Oliver set up Fifteen Restaurant and Foundation to provide a training academy for disadvantaged young people who want to get into the catering industry. The Restaurants as the commerical arm, generating profits to support the Fifteen Foundation.
