SENSCOT MEMBER’S BULLETIN No. 194, FRIDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 2003
Dear
members and friends,
Back
home recuperating. Wounded – holed up in the den – laying low. Anne won’t even let me put out the
buckets. First wee shopping
excursion yesterday – not a success.
Felt that if I fell over – my head might roll away. Cling to lamp post as skateboarders
thunder by. All body systems in
disarray – sleep – appetite – bowels won’t work – bladder won’t stop
working. Painkillers are causing
startlingly vivid dreams – Wednesday nights’ one was based on a story I read
years ago – think it’s Graham Greene………
I’m a young lad again at boarding school – headmaster is telling me that
my father has been tragically killed while walking in the backstreets of Naples
– by a pig, falling from a balcony.
The headmaster is fighting the impulse to laugh. Because it causes amusement I don’t talk
about how my Dad died – it becomes my secret – somehow shameful. But I know I’ll never be able to love a
girl who finds it funny – this becomes the test. I always tell them – check their
reaction. I meet a girl I know I
could love (looks like Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca) – with trepidation tell her
the story – Naples – pig being fattened on third story balcony – collapses
killing Dad. Her eyes fill with tears – “Oh you poor man” – she hugs me. Tremendous joy that she knows my secret
and still loves me…………Wake to Anne opening curtains – sunlight – “How do
you feel today?” – “Oh, it’s you” – “Who were you expecting, Marilyn Monroe?” –
“Sorry”, I say, “I was dreaming – about flying pigs.”
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The
latest research into the mapping of the Social Enterprise sector in the UK
(Ecotec 2003) has produced the crude estimate of a core of around 5000 social
enterprises. These organisations
have three common characteristics; they have a trading income of 50% or above;
they are formally registered (for instance as a company limited by guarantee);
they are actively pursuing social objectives. On a simple population comparison this
figure would indicate that Scotland has around 500 such organisations – which
Senscot believes is not far out.
The Scottish Enterprise Network has indicated its intention to engage
with this core group through its Business Gateway and has a commitment to make a
start with 115 of them this year.
In addition to this core 500, Senscot considers that the Scottish sector
comprises a further 2500 social enterprises at various stages of emergence. Our mission is focused on the people
working in these 3000 organisations.
Our present priority is to get the right kind of help to the start-up,
emergent end of the spectrum. (http://www.senscot.net/LD/Articles/FindingOurBearings.asp)
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Further
to last week’s piece about the extension of the Scottish Land Fund, Catherine
Francis, the funds community land advisor has sent us two interesting documents.
The first is a list of awards made up to
27.08.2003
(http://www.senscot.net/LD/articles/sen%20highlighted.asp). The second is an indicative list of
settlements with populations between 3000 and 10000 which are the subject of the
proposals to come within theremit of the Community Right to Buy provisions of
the Land Reform Legislation. (http://www.senscot.net/LD/articles/ScottishSettlement.asp) Catherine
will be pleased to discuss your ideas with you (0131 221 9095) or contact The
Scottish Land Fund office in Auchtertyre (01520 722988)
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Lynn
Brennan invites consultants to tender for a piece of work – exploring the long
term sustainability of existing fruit barras. Contact chafproject@tiscali.co.uk or 0141
641 6777. Senscot regularly puts
network members in touch with an appropriate consultant by circulating
opportunities to our ‘list’ – at present, 71 mostly freelance individuals. To join this list simply complete the
electronic form at (http://www.senscot.net/LD/consultants/application.asp). This is a
free service. Our new comprehensive
Directory of Services to Social Enterprises is progressing and should be ready
to go on line in October.
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YELLOW
PAGES: Space constraints mean we can’t carry every notice you send. But please
send in any relevant items (before noon Thursday) to simon@senscot.net and we’ll post them on our
site. This
week:
JOBS: 57
vacancies, including posts at The Ark Trust, Venture Scotland, YMCA Paisley,
Volunteer Centre Edinburgh, LetsLink Scotland, Scotland UnLtd, Fablevision,
Visual Statement, New Economics Foundation, Aspire, WDM.
EVENTS:
Social Enterprise Procurement Conference, EDAS conference, Glasgow, 16 Sept;
Multi-faith forum, Edinburgh, Sept 17; Partners in Voluntering awards deadline
Sept 26; Environmental Justice Conference, Edinburgh Sept 27; Upstarts awards 3
now open for entries: http://www.senscot.net/LD/Articles/Upstart3Launch.asp
PUBLICATIONS:
“Care Sector – A framework for social enterprise creation,” “essential new guide
for care sector organisations who want to become sustainable social enterprises”
(see www.sel.org.uk)
For
details on these and more: http://www.senscot.net/LD/Yellow/YellowFrontPage.asp
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This
week’s bulletin profiles an innovative business in Edinburgh set up to help
young homeless people address the difficulties they face through training and
the chance of employment. Dash Coffee is the brainchild of Streetwork, the
Edinburgh based homeless organisation, and has already established its first
stall in Lothian Road. Young people are offered the opportunity of moving into
employment with Dash itself, the Sheraton Grand Hotel, self-employment by
securing a franchise through Dash or employers who match their aspirations.
Funding for the project was secured through the Job Centre Plus Innovation Fund.
Funding has also been secured from Bloombergs who are in the process of
designing their first custom built coffee carts. http://www.senscot.net/LD/Profiles/Menu.asp
(Project Profiles).
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Senscot
is grateful to a small band of correspondents who frequently send us useful
‘stuff’ to put around the network.
One of our regulars is Edward Harkins who has sent his personal
impressions of Scottish Enterprises annual public meeting held on the 2nd
September. Thanks Eddie. (http://www.senscot.net/LD/Articles/ScotEntReport.asp)
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Lorna
Campbell from Inverness wonders if some of our readers may be interested to hear
about changes in Community Action Network (CAN) work in the Highland area and
has written a short note which is attached. Thanks Lorna. (http://www.senscot.net/LD/Articles/CanHighlands.asp)
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Gerry
Hassan founder/director of Big Thinking has joined forces with The Herald
newspaper to promote an ambitious conference on November 24th at the
Glasgow Science Centre. Along with an exciting bunch of native Scottish
thinkers/writers they’re bringing over the American Martin Seligman. Good luck Gerry. (http://www.senscot.net/LD/Articles/GerryHassanConference.asp)
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Karl
Gustav Jung: “I have no judgement
about myself and my life. There’s
nothing I’m quite sure about – no definite convictions. I only know that I was born and exist –
and it seems that I have been carried along – in spite of all uncertainties, I
feel a solidity underlying all existence and a continuity in my mode of
being……………………………………………………………………….I
cannot prove to you that God exists, but my work has proved empirically that the
pattern of God exists in everyone and that this pattern in the individual has at
it’s disposal the greatest transforming energies of which life is capable. Find this pattern in your individual
self – and life is transformed.”
That’s
it for this week. Good luck with your adventures.
Best
wishes,
Laurence.
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have a ‘pay page’ on our site. To give: http://www.senscot.net/LD/Donations/DonationsList.asp