The School for Social Entrepreneurs Yorkshire and Humber was launched today, October 1st, at the Shine building in Leeds. The Leeds-based programme is the latest franchise in the School for Social Entrepreneurs’ (SSE) growing network, and will support 20 social entrepreneurs over the coming year to turn their ideas into reality.
SSE Yorkshire + Humber has been made possible by an investment from the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) in their recession action plan, which is also responsible for new SSEs starting in Devon and Hampshire in the coming months. This national government funding has been matched locally and regionally by a whole range of funders and supporters, including Yorkshire Forward, Leeds LEGI, InCommunities Housing Association and the Cultural Leadership Programme.
Alastair Wilson (SSE CEO), Campbell Robb (Director General, OTS), and Saeeda Ahmed (Social Enterprise Ambassador and SSE Fellow) all spoke at the event, along with the co-founder of the franchisee organisation, Todd Hannula of Camberwell.
The students will get tailored personal and enterprise development on the year-long programme, based on the proven SSE support methodology. Social entrepreneurs in this first cohort include:
1) Chris Tremlett – who is establishing TREE, an eco-engineering and environmental business to address fuel poverty and climate change in communities across Yorkshire.
2) Shafique Sheikh – who is looking to expand and formalise his existing work on assisting Muslim communities with their bereavement needs.
3) Rosalind Moffitt – who is setting up Maypole Women, an organisation to support women going through separation or divorce
The SSE Fellowship of social entrepreneurs who have completed programmes, now numbers over 420, with a further 150+ going through in the forthcoming year. The most recent independent evaluation of SSE’s work found that each SSE Fellow creates 3 jobs and 7 volunteering positions on average, whilst 90% experience a growth in confidence and skills to lead their organisation; as a result, 85% of those organisations are still in existence.
SSE Chief Executive Alastair Wilson says: “We are hugely excited to see social entrepreneurs being supported in Yorkshire to both learn and develop new skills and to create sustainable, effective organisations. Huge thanks and congratulations are due to all the partners and individuals who have been a part of making this happen; and, as a former SSE student myself, I look forward to meeting these passionate and committed social entrepreneurs and hearing about their successes in the future.”
