UNITED KINGDOM
Senscot is a social enterprise umbrella organisation which focuses on supporting social entrepreneurs in all walks of life in business, in government and in particular, creating social enterprises.
Senscot was established in 1999 with the objective of linking up and supporting social entrepreneurs in Scotland. It was hoped that through this activity their enterprises could more effectively address many of the social problems that exist in communities across the country, both urban and rural. Over the last 15 years, Senscot has achieved this through three distinct areas of work.
Senscot’s vision is of a socially just Scotland served by a thriving social economy and the mission is to establish and serve a national network of support for social entrepreneurs and their enterprises.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
1) Connecting and informing the network
The latest (2013) Social Enterprise Census indicates that there are over 5,000 social enterprises, employing 100,000 people across all sectors in Scotland; through regular meetings of networks and our hosting of other gatherings – contact with this activity is continuous.
2) Facilitating Networks
It encourages and facilitates meetings of social enterprises across the country – with particular focus on the operation of Thematic and Local social enterprise networks (SENS); these provide members with opportunities for peer support, collective action and market development. There are currently 6 Thematic SENS. Community Food, Sport, Health, Cultural and Creative, Employability and Tourism. At transnational level, with support from the Scottish Government, SENSCOT participated in a transnational EU social entrepreneurship network (EU SEN) in 2013-15 and re-joined it in April 2017.
3) Developing the Sector
It acts as a third sector ‘intermediary’ – between front line SENs and Scottish Govt. policy makers – developing strategy and action priorities. In response to dialogue with its wider network, Senscot will continue to, with others, incubate and spin out new services, which grow the social economy. In 2015, Senscot initiated along with Social Firms Scotland the development of a Social Enterprise Strategy for Scotland – this led to the development of a co-produced strategy which was launched in December 21016, Scotland’s Social Enterprise Strategy, 2016-2026.
SENSCOT
21 Walker Street,
Edinburgh
EH3 7HX
United Kingdom
Tel: 0141 332 8084
E-MAIL: Mail@Senscot.Net
WEBSITE: www.senscot.net