Social Entrepreneurs

What is the Social Entrepreneurs Group?

A network of people involved in developing or leading Social Enterprise in their Village, Town or City.

What does the Social Entrepreneurs Group aim to do?

Develop a forum to connect those Christians involved in social enterprise across the Black Country. It aims to harness the ‘collective capital' of resource and share best practice among its membership.

What activities take place?

The group meets on a regular basis normally monthly. The group is working on the concept of an Association of Christian Enterprise details of which are below.

 

A.C.E: Black Country
Association of Christian Enterprises

 

What is A.C.E.?

The Association of Christian Enterprise in the Black Country is intended to be an organisation that joins together Christians across the region that have a passion to see the transformation of communities through providing a specific service to their community.

The Vision To preach the Gospel to the 1.2 million in the Black Country in word and deed.

The Background
ACE: Black Country comes under the Umbrella of "The Net", an network of Christian churches, organisations and individuals who live and work in the four Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Dudley.

This association is a new initiative, that will partner with the voluntary sector and churches who deliver a range of social care, training, educational, mentoring or transformational projects and consider their work to be a demonstration of Christ's love and service in their locality.

Organisations will vary in size, run by just volunteers or also have paid staff, and may have a variety of income streams.It is also open to individuals with a passion to see communities, transformed, especially in via the medium of Social Enterprise.

§ An infrastructure organisation working more effectively together to deliver service.
§ An intermediary organisation acting as a bridge between faith and public agencies.
§ An innovative organisation generating creative solutions for social change.

What are the benefits of being a part of ACE?

1. To provide a single organisation representing and supporting Christian Enterprise in the region
2. To provide both mutual support and also enable new initiatives to receive support and mentoring form larger and more established groups.
3. To provide a forum for information sharing and prayer support.
4. To publicise to strategic agencies the work that is delivered by the Christian third sector.

We are currently developing ‘Faith Connection's a state of the Art online facility, that will provide ACE members with :

· An Observatory: Providing up to date research about our area in a dynamic format.
· A Meeting Place: Facilitating organisations finding and communicating with each other.
· A Billboard: A place where organisations can publicise what they are doing, where they are doing it and how they are helping their local communities to thrive. · A Trading Post: Improving the promotion of innovative mission ideas, to a ‘untapped' investing market

When will A.C.E launch?

A.C.E has been relationally in existence since 2006, but we plan to formally launch it on Saturday 29^th November at The Net's More Hope 2008 event, at Bethel Convention Centre in West Bromwich, when many Black Country congregations will be present, plus a host of Civic Dignitaries from the four local authorities. Government Minister, The Rt Honourable Stephen Timms MP and Malcolm Duncan of Faith works will be our special guests.

What should I do next?

It is free for you to join ACE!
If you're interested we would like to hear from you with regard to the following:

1. Register by the 19^th September we would like to know if you or your organisation would be like to be part of A.C.E
2. Attend our quarterly networking meetings to begin to develop a better understanding of what churches and christian organisations are delivering.
3. E-mail your full Contact details to Kevin Davis (Interim Chair) at kevin.davis@thevinetrust.co.uk.

How will A.C.E develop in the near future?
In seeking to further develop A.C.E we are looking for new funding. Our Target this year is £50,000 of which £23,000 in-kind has raised by members (to develop the website mentioned earlier, and initial infrastructure) but in the short term we have a need to appoint a project manager who will;

· help develop the association,
· Prepare for the launch and network to ensure we have all the potential organisations in the Black Country on board. (£5,000)

If you feel God leading to help either with the name of someone yu know or financially please can let me know or send your donation to ‘The NET' marked for the attention of A.C.E.C/O the NET October House, 17 Dudley Street, Sedgley, West Midlands, DY3 1SA. (Tel: 01902 885651)