Senscot Bulletin: 25.10.19

Dear members and friends,

Last week, an Extinction Rebellion activist climbed on top of a London tube train; someone posted film of him being dragged down and violently assaulted by angry commuters: then other commuters rescue him. It was a dramatic reminder that human savageness lurks just below the surface.

I encounter my own violence in my choice of light reading – particularly the Jack Reacher novels – of which I’ve read all 23 – twice; does this count as an addiction! This Tuesday (29th Oct) sees the publication of Lee Child’s 24th offering, ‘Blue Moon’. I’m attracted by Reacher’s ‘aloneness’; he wanders the USA – hitching or in buses – sleeping wherever – no luggage – minimal money – no family or partner – he carries a toothbrush. Reacher’s physique and combat training make him invincible; the archetypal hero – the stranger who walks into town – avenges its wrongs – quietly leaves. He’s a clever, resourceful and ultimately moral man – but Reacher is a vigilante – and that’s his, rather shameful, attraction: that without reference to the law or the courts – he’s judge and executioner; if you’re a bad guy, he’ll take you down – violently. Not a wholesome role model.

I’m a fairly predictable middle-class – liberal – leftie, who wants ‘constructive conflict resolution’ to gradually replace brutal incarceration; my fascination with Lee Child’s violent, untamed avenger is a bit embarrassing – because he just ‘flattens’ the baddies. But I’ll buy ‘Blue Moon’ on Tuesday – maybe have it read by Wednesday night. I should not be surprised to discern in myself the underlay of human savageness; did I imagine I was somehow different.

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“Much of the glue that held British society together since the second world war – has been deliberately removed and replaced by a harsh, uncaring ethos”: words from the report of Philip Alston – the United Nations poverty specialist. There is much agitation for second referenda on Brexit and Scottish Independence – but ultimately, these are distractions from the central issue – that too many in our communities can’t afford the basics of a decent life. Tony Blair’s Labour was Thatcherite – but Jeremy Corbyn’s visualises a very different society – one that tries to consider everyone. A general election brings the opportunity for change.

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In spite of all the hype around so-called social investment – it benefits a paltry 1% of third sector organisations: too slow and too expensive. When he was appointed chair of Big Society Capital (BSC) in 2014, Harvey McGrath was explicit – that debt finance is only suitable for a small sub-set of social enterprises; true social investment is a grant – or patient, blended finance. Good article by Richard Litchfield exploring why BSC’s business model has failed our sector. He says that with an effective monopoly of supply of social investment capital in the UK, that’s where fundamental change is required.

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This is a BBC piece about mass protests that have broken out all across the world in recent weeks; what are the common themes that connect them (see short video). Last Sunday, George Monbiot was on the streets of London – to get himself arrested with Extinction Rebellion (successfully). This is his rationale.

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Tomorrow sees the Radical Independence Conference in Glasgow with a long list of impressive speakers.

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With the highest number of drug deaths in the EU, Scotland is desperate for answers; Portugal has turned itself into a world leader in recovery and harm reduction. Spending four days there, the Scotsman’s Dani Garavelli conducted dozens of interviews – composed this longer piece on Portugal’s experience.

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This is the way Raymond Chandler’s iconic detective Philip Marlowe describes himself – shades of Jack Reacher.

“I’m a licensed private investigator and have been for quite a while. I’m a lone wolf, unmarried, getting middle-aged, and not rich. I’ve been in jail more than once and I don’t do divorce business. I like liquor and women and chess and a few other things. The cops don’t like me too well, but I know a couple I get along with. I’m a native son, born in Santa Rosa, both parents dead, no brothers or sisters, and if I get knocked off in a dark alley sometime, nobody will feel that the bottom has dropped out of his or her life.”

We are now inviting applications for this year’s Dragons Den at our SE Conference (25th/26th Nov) – from social or community enterprises looking to develop new services or products – or amend existing ones. The format remains the same – with folk ‘pitching’ their idea – and highlighting its intended impact. Closing date for entries is Friday 15th Nov (5pm) – 5 ‘pitches’ being selected to go before the Dragons. Our Programme is just about there (Delegate Packs available soon) – with the theme being ‘Community Wealth Building – the role for social and community enterprise’. Keynote speakers include Aileen Campbell (Cab Secretary); Neil McInroy (CEO, CLES); and Joe Cullinane (Leader, North Ayrshire Council). See background info on Community Wealth Building. Places filling up fast so, if you’d like to join us – see Registration Form

NOTICES: We can’t flag all notices here, but more jobs, events and tenders available on our website.

Further SE Action Plan Consultation events took place this week – in Dumfries & Galloway and in Edinburgh; 8 have now taken place – with 5 to follow – and a final session at our November Conference (see above). Trends emerging are fairly consistent: greater emphasis on channelling resources to a local level; greater transparency and communications on what/who gets funded; introduction of a direct investment programme; and, increasingly, opportunities for more peer-to-peer learning/support. All feedback will be shared with Govt as they draft the new Action Plan as well as a list of ‘Guiding Principles’ – to reflect how frontline organisations see the manner in which the Action Plan is delivered. See Emerging Themes.

At the SE World Forum (see below), Aileen Campbell (Cabinet Secretary) announced latest round of awards.

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Earlier this year, InspirAlba hosted an event in Oban at which the idea of forming a Rural SEN was agreed. Since then, InspirAlba has set up its Rural SE Hub – officially launched by Aileen Campbell (Cab Sec) in August. As part of this work and to build connections with SEs in other rural areas, a Community Learning Exchange to the Scottish Borders has been organised – providing an opportunity to learn and share the experience of SEs operating in rural areas with a particular focus on their involvement and success in developing employment opportunities for local young people. If you’d like to participate – see full details.

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This year’s Social Enterprise World Forum took place this week in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. This is the 12th SEWF – all starting back in 2008 in Edinburgh. This year’s event will see a couple of dozen delegates from Scotland join colleagues from around the globe. You can see 2019 Programme details on SEWF Website.

One early session shared the findings of this survey on the ‘best place’ to be a social entrepreneur – with this report giving a bit more insight into the UK situation – including an honourable mention for Scotland.

 

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Frontline News: Places still available for CRNS’ Annual Conference at Radisson Blu in Glasgow on 13th November. In advance of the conference, CRNS has also, this week, produced a new members leaflet:

Cultural SEN members will be interested in last week’s Creative Industries Policy Statement that includes a commitment to “develop and strengthen creative clusters, local collaborations, social enterprise”:

Scottish Enterprise is hosting an innovation workshop for social enterprises on 19 Nov in Glasgow – focusing on new product or service commercialisation. To sign up – see full details.

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This week’s bulletin profiles a Glasgow-based social enterprise – operating as a ‘pop-up’ restaurant that aims to provide employability opportunities in catering and hospitality for female refugees and asylum seekers in Glasgow. Rise:Glasgow seeks to equip women with the skills and confidence they need to enter the workplace; empower them by giving them ownership in the direction of their training and in the production of food and menus; and enable them to integrate into their communities and join the workforce to support themselves and their families. Rise:Glasgow aims to act as a community hub, where people from every ethnicity, culture and background can find friendship, belonging and ownership by sharing in the making and eating of food.