if, like me, you may need help and advice on how to go about good things give this a try....You can now apply for this year's Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme

I'm currently doing this and can't recommend this highly enough to anyone who feels they need help develop their ideas, and skills, to make good things happen.

It is not really for people who follow along or may be doubtful about what they do or ideas they have, positive thinking and attitude may be essential.

Strangely enough I don't think confident go-getters need it really, the support and fab workshops are really for people who need the boost along the road of  doing good stuff. I think the name as a 'School' does show what it is about.

The 'witness' system is a way to get an insight into someone who has already been there and done it, usually with a back to earth message. We've had a so many from dancer to ex gang leader. My opinion is that we (a group of 20 young and old entrepreneurs all with a fairly well thought through idea for social change that need not be thoroughly planned, just past the scrap paper stage) may be our own best witness's, that is the amount of shared experiences and ideas we have as 20 people all going through the same sort of process has clear practical benefits.

There is also a session on public speaking, governance and structural implications, fund-raising. We get experts all the way along with a mentor and tutor.

If anyone needs the real prompt look no further than the £4000 grant for your project expenses, not wages.

A couple of thoughts. Don't be put off by the idea of a 'school', it's a growing concept and approach for taking the mystery out of setting-up a social, co-operative business not intended to diminish the impact but heighten the value of the 'enterprise'. 

As an environmental project with natural connections on a wide range of issues (health, activity, education) my suggestion is to focus on specific areas and set them out well with research and case studies. Over complicating may dilute the strengths. Also keeping things simple helps.

If anyone is thinking of applying I would happily talk through experiences so far. I would not want to be critical in any way. 

also see http://www.the-sse.org/case-studies

Laurence

Your Idea Starts Here

Apply now for a grant and a fantastic year long learning programme

You can now apply for this year's Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme. If you are successful, you will receive a place on a year long learning programme, along with a grant of £4,000 if you are starting a social enterprise, or £15,000 if you are hoping to scale an existing organisation.

We are running taster sessions across the country in February and March and we will be receiving applications until 3pm on April 3rd.

http://www.the-sse.org/schools/26/lloyds-banking-group-social-entrepreneurs-programme?utm_source=SSE+newsletter&utm_campaign=b6d617f7a7-Lloyds_2014_open_for_recruitment2_6_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_37ebc0341a-b6d617f7a7-325419093