A Good Practice Guide for Practitioners

Developed by IPPR, this presents a practitioners' guide to supporting community enterprise in deprived areas, based on the findings of a research project undertaken in Spring 2010.

The terms 'community enterprise' and 'social enterprise' aere defined and the government's policies relating to community enterprise are outlined.  The guide sets out the key factors that help community enterprises make the 'enterprise leap':

• carrying out an organisational review;
• becoming more business-minded;
• securing contracts and assets;
• building networks and marketing the organisation;

• working with local authorities.

It discusses the importance of strong leadership, the development of a core team and the skills required to nurture community enterprise and uses case studies to highlight the importance of local authority policy and strategy which supports community and social enterprise.  Also, the key elements of support needed by community enterprises are set out, such as access to marketing advice and developing organisations to enable the transfer of public assets.

        A Good Practice Guide for Practitioners