Seminars

Social Enterprise Seminar Series 2008

Aspire to Enterprise is a Scottish Government funded programme offering development support to ambitious social enterprises in Lowland Scotland. As a key part of that programme Aspire is offering a series of FREE seminars on crucial aspects of social enterprise activity.

Strategic Business Planning: Informed by the extensive experience of CEIS and Forth Sector and based on Forth Sector’s highly recommended “A Business Planning Guide to Developing Social Enterprise”
Costing Your Services: How do you decide what to charge for your goods or services? No matter the market in which you operate, the ability to properly cost your goods/services is crucial to determining the price you charge. Let us show you how this can be achieved.
Marketing for Social Enterprises: How does your organization move to a marketing perspective? What strategic and tactical questions do you need to answer and is there an advantage in promoting your social aims? – guaranteed jargon free!

Schedule of Events

Workshop Topic	Target Audience	Date	Venue
1. Strategic Business Planning – planning for new enterprise opportunities and activities	Board Members/ Managers (or equivalent)	17th September	Kilncraigs Alloa
	Board Members/ Managers (or equivalent)	24th September	The Foyer Aberdeen
2. Costing your services – introduction to the techniques used to cost and price products and services to achieve financial sustainability	Managers/ appropriate staff	22nd October	Tweed Horizons Borders
	Managers/ appropriate staff	17th December	Glasgow Opportunities Glasgow
3. Marketing for Social Enterprises - tools and techniques to promote and market your social enterprise activity in a commercial environment	Managers/ appropriate staff	8th October	Dundee International Women’s Centre Dundee
	Managers/ appropriate staff	3rd December	The Melting Pot Edinburgh
4. So You Want to Run a Community Cafe? In partnership with the Development Trust Association for Scotland, this is a one day seminar run by Peter Holbrook of the Sunlight Development Trust. Aimed at those who are thinking of running/have recently opened a community cafe, this event is designed to help you understand why you want a cafe, the business planning process, marketing your cafe and the pitfalls and barriers to success.		9th December 9:30 am to 4:00 pm	Out of the Blue, The Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh
5. Community Benefits in Procurement Run in partnership with Social Firms Scotland, this half day seminar will provide information and improve understanding of the opportunities for social enterprises to encourage and respond to community benefit (sometimes called social clauses) in public procurement. The topic will draw on a new practical guide produced by Social Firms Scotland and Grampian Housing Association and make reference to the Scottish Government’s own Community Benefits Report and guidance note. ‘Community Benefits’ in this context are contractual requirements which deliver wider social benefit within the contract; in particular requirements in relation to targeted recruitment, training and employment outcomes. The event will examine the legal basis for the use of community benefit clauses, discuss the issues of cost and fairness, and suggest how the supply side can be strengthened by encouragement from Housing Associations and public bodies. Types of community benefit clauses and good practice examples will be presented. The usefulness and potential benefits of using community benefits in procurement processes will be highlighted as well as how they can be encouraged and applied. Case studies where community benefit clauses have been used will be presented and the experience of delegates invited.		2nd December 9:30 am to 12:30 pm	Glasgow Opportunities, 36 North Hanover Street, Glasgow

To register for any of these seminars contact aspire to enterprise on 0141 425 2939 or complete the form below:

Seminar registration

All seminars are from 9.30-12.30 followed by a buffet lunch unless specified above

The Supplier Development Programme aims to assist businesses improve their performance in winning contracts with Scottish Public Sector Organisations. We offer information, support, news, events and workshops covering procurement issues and unravel the tendering process.