We at SEL are keen to work with social enterprises across London to develop a coherent, credible analysis to position social enterprise in terms of the commercial solutions it can offer and not simply as a recipient of Olympic philanthropy.
Social Enterprise London (SEL) has a goal to ensure that social enterprises participate in the 2012 Olympics. We believe that participation by social enterprise businesses are the only way of ensuring a genuine legacy for the community, ensuring jobs for local people and ongoing access to new and improved facilities.
SEL has recently undertaken a research project to explore the potential role for social enterprises before, during and after the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Click here to read the report.
Social enterprises across the country, like VCS’s and private sector organisations are excited by the opportunities the Olympic Programme offers. We are confident that social enterprises have an active role to play, and are eager to develop a clear strategy of engagement and evidence-based assessment of what the community can offer.
The Olympic bid identifies the 2012 Games as the ‘major catalyst for change and regeneration in east London, especially the Lea Valley, levering resources, spurring timely completion of already programmed infrastructure investment and leaving a legacy to be valued by future generations’. Community engagement, open procurement and the legacy are critical to achieving this vision.
Social enterprise has come of age. We now have enterprises with credible offers to make like Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) the UK's largest leisure management trust, ECT Group which has scaled up its waste management capacity on a National scale and Coin Street Community Builders, a text book example of managing a landmark site for the benefit of local residents. All of these organisations can 'write the book' on how to achieve excellence and value alongside full community participation.
Community engagement is part of the planning process for the Games bid, and will ultimately help inform the entire blueprint for the Olympic-inspired regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley. The Olympics will provide the opportunity to regenerate its East end boroughs, improve the infrastructure there and most importantly mobilise its diverse communities. Social enterprise can provide a means by which to ensure that Londoners are involved in the regeneration of their community and that the wealth created by investment stays local. Some key areas of community engagement and regeneration will include -community asset development, engagement in the sports agenda, the Thames gateway and its role in developing a transportation hub, skills and employment, environment, children and young people.
For further information please contact 020 7022 1920
