Business Advice

Support for Social Enterprise in Solihull

The Community & Economic Regeneration Unit provides information and support to companies interested in investing in Solihull, whether new to the area, or an existing company in the Borough.

A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives and whose profits are reinvested back into the business or reinvested to provide benefit the local community.

Social enterprises can take on many forms from home help schemes to healthy living initiatives. Support for such businesses has rapidly become a priority at national, regional & sub-regional levels and a number of documents have been published recently to support the development of social enterprises.

Solihull MBC has been working with a number of partners to support emerging and existing social enterprises in the borough. The authority has recently become a member of the Birmingham and Solihull Social Enterprise Consortium.

Recent publications and information relating to Social Enterprise's are listed below:

• DTI's Social Enterprise Strategy
• ODPM National Procurement Strategy
• West Midlands Social Enterprise Strategy
• Birmingham & Solihull Social Enterprise Strategy (see below)
• A Guide to Social Enterprises for the Voluntary and Community Sector (see below)

In Solihull, with the support of Advantage West Midlands - the Regional Development Agency, funds have been secured to appoint a Business Development worker based at the Colebridge Trust in Smith's Wood. They can provide advice and support to local residents wishing to establish a social enterprise. For more information, advice and support please contact Janet Johnson from the Colebridge Trust on 0121 770 8889.

If you are a Social Enterprise that would like to get involved in Public Sector Procurement, please for read more information on the Central Procurement Service