Co-operative Action funds a coalition, which is out to prove that SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MEANS BUSINESS.

Within the next 20 years the social enterprise sector will become "a force to reckon with in its contribution to the economy and its impact on social well-being."

And the Social Enterprise Coalition is in the business of making that happen - says Chief Executive, Jonathan Bland.

The SEC, set up last year, now has its initial three-year strategy boosted by a £50,000 grant from the Co-operative Action fund - which supports the development of new co-operative enterprises.

"The coalition brings together all types of social enterprise organisation in the UK, from co-operatives to social firms," says Jonathan at SEC's London office in Haymarket. "Our objective is to bring about real social and economic change and to provide a coherent voice which shows that social enterprise means business."

The seeds for the coalition were sown in reports that emerged from a number of Government Policy Task Forces, as well as the Co-operative Commission and was buoyed up by massive strategic investment from the Department of Trade and Industry.

"The social enterprise sector embraces all shapes and sizes of new, emerging and established businesses as people and communities come together for economic development and social gain," says Jonathan. "It combines the entrepreneurial skills of the private sector with a strong social mission.

"But, with some long-established exceptions, it is still young and poorly understood by those on whom its growth depends. It's also weakened by fragmentation and insufficient access to shared learning."

This is where the SEC bridges a gap - and provides a national voice for social enterprise.

Drawing on the experience and knowledge of the sector, the coalition plans to achieve broader understanding, business recognition and public awareness of social enterprise, help government, and other bodies, to understand how they can bring about change, encourage a larger, stronger and more sustainable regional sector, and build a comprehensive resource for business support and specialist finance.

Dialogue with the DTI, the Small Business Service, Regional Development Agencies and devolved administrations will provide information and encourage the use of social enterprise solutions in a variety of settings from employee ownership to local community services.

The SEC will not only better inform and advise policymakers in the public and private sector, including government, it will also provide the sector itself with better access to information about national, regional and local strategies.

A programme of exchanging printed and web-based information, knowledge, expertise and business opportunities, networking and other initiatives will now be accelerated by the Co-operative Action grant.

"The coalition embodies all the principles for which the grant and loan funds were set up a year ago with the backing of the Prime Minister," says Stephen Youd-Thomas of Co-operative Action. "Social enterprise is an integral part of the co-operative movement and this initiative promotes he sector in a number of key areas."

Co-operative Action promotes the development of co-operative, mutual and social enterprise solutions. Since the fund was established in 2002, grants and loans of between £5,000 and £50,000 have been awarded to co-operative projects from energy and agriculture to retailing and childcare.

Co-operative Action is funded by the Co-operative Group, Chelmsford Star Co-op, Lincoln Co-operative Society, Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op, Raunds Co-operative Society, United Co-op, West Midlands Co-operative Society, The Co-operative Bank and Co-operative Insurance Society.

For further information about Co-operative Action please e-mail
info@co-operativeaction.coop or see the website http://www.co-operativeaction.coop