HarvestWISE:Harvesting Wisdom for Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship

the-world-of-a-social-entrepreneur

The term “social entrepreneurship” is being adopted and used more extensively, but its meaning is not widely understood.  In particular, the scope of social entrepreneurship in both business and the voluntary sector has not been mapped effectively.  This paper seeks to do this.  It begins by defining social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship.  Then, using projects considered for a charter award under the Duke of York’s Community Initiative, it looks at what social entrepreneurs do and achieve for the community, at the wide scope of their world, and at the help that is available and needed.  The paper includes two case studies of successful social entrepreneurs as a means of drawing out a number of important issues and lessons.  It provides a new map for understanding the complexity and the many facets of the world of the social entrepreneur and the voluntary sector.  It questions whether the UK government’s stated desire for an “explosive act” of volunteering can happen without more substantial support, and concludes that whilst the growth of this sector is urgent and vital, a number of hurdles remain to be overcome.

social-entrepreneurship-a-new-look-at-the-people-and-the-potential

This article considers the crucial role of private sector social entrepreneurship in the context of a state welfare system stretched beyond its means. Defines social entrepreneurship, recounts a number of key points from relevant research projects, reflects upon current developments and initiatives, describes a number of cases and uses these to draw a set of tentative conclusions about social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship in the context of the current government’s aim of fostering rapid growth in the sector. Concludes that while such growth is highly desirable, a number of hurdles have to be overcome.