Case study
Key theme: governance/sustainability
Developing a social enterprise model of sustainability
Staffordshire’s Cheadle and Westwood extended services cluster opts to create a social-enterprise community-interest company in order to ensure long-term sustainability of extended services collaboration.
Summary
<p>Cheadle and Westwood Community and Learning Partnership, a Staffordshire cluster of schools from both primary and secondary phases, is developing a community-interest non-profit limited company in order to sustain the cluster&#8217;s core offer of extended services to their community. Called Social Enterprise at Moorlands (SEAM), its aim is to enhance the development of extended services to a widely dispersed community of families and children across North East Staffordshire.</p>
Key learning/outcomes
Before
<ul><li>large rural area: many young people have restricted access to extended and health services</li>
<li>predominantly low-paid employment</li>
<li>low aspirations</li>
<li>initial lack of engagement of Roman Catholic schools in the cluster</li></ul>
After
<ul><li>Full engagement of Roman Catholic schools in the cluster</li>
<li>Planned activities through SEAM include:
<ul><li>childcare</li>
<li>support for local childminders</li>
<li>family health services</li>
<li>information for parents</li>
<li>wider community access to available services</li></ul></li></ul>
Background
<p>At the start of the National College&#8217;s Promoting Collaboration project, the Cheadle and Westwood cluster of schools was well established as a local authority phase 1 community and learning partnership. The partnership was set up to bring together schools, children&#8217;s centres, health services, family support and other community groups in order to plan for extended services at local level, identify needs and gaps in services and organise delivery of provision. A strong cluster co-ordinator, funded by the local authority, now has a good overview of and commitment to the local community.</p>
<p>Staffordshire Local Authority has developed a clear vision for its community and learning partnerships. It has committed time and resources to their development, as well as having pioneered the social-enterprise model across the Staffordshire Moorlands district with another cluster &#8211; ahead of Cheadle&#8217;s involvement as the second partnership to take this on.</p>
<p>In both Cheadle and Westwood, the collaborative leadership structure, following the Staffordshire Local Authority model, is built around a multi-agency management advisory group. Representation on this group includes the schools, children&#8217;s centres, health services, youth services, and vulnerable children&#8217;s services. The cluster co-ordinator is employed and line managed by the local authority.</p>
<p><a href="promoting-collaboration-videos/promoting-collaboration-videos-cheadle-westwood.htm" title="Cheadle and Westwood">Short video on the establishment of the social enterprise</a></p>
Key challenges and issues
<ul><li>How to ensure sustainability; eg, ability to employ cluster co-ordinator when funding runs out.</li>
<li>How to generate additional funding to meet needs of the community.</li>
<li>How to formalise governance arrangements.</li></ul>
Solution or approach
<p>The community and learning partnership&#8217;s solution to the above challenges is Social Enterprise at Moorlands (SEAM), a not-for-profit community-interest company. Its aim is to deliver social change through communities. Staffordshire Local Authority is promoting this as a formalised governance structure to enable its community and learning partnership clusters to:</p>
<ul><li>consult with the community in the development of services</li>
<li>be responsive to need</li>
<li>attract social and commercial investors</li>
<li>create a strong brand identity for the cluster</li>
<li>enhance services available to the community</li>
<li>sustain universal and targeted service and delivery</li></ul>
Next steps
<ul><li>Consortium bids in line with core offer</li>
<li>Revenue-targeted delivery; particularly rural delivery</li>
<li>Enrol other members from across the Moorlands clusters' management advisory groups</li>
<li>Staff recruitment</li></ul>
Further information
<p>For further information contact:</p>
<p>Dawn Forester, C&amp;LP Co-ordinator; 01538 483835 or 07976191289</p>
<p>Barbara Hine, District Development Officer (Newcastle &amp; Moorlands); 07976191006</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cheadleclp.co.uk" title="www.cheadleclp.co.uk">www.cheadleclp.co.uk</a> </p>
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