Background
In May 2003 the North West Development Agency completed a survey of social enterprises in Cumbria. The objectives of this survey were to:
- complete a practical survey of social enterprises within Cumbria
- identify gaps and barriers in the provision of support to social enterprises in Cumbria
- inform a full co-ordinated programme of proposals with partners and social enterprise support agencies for overcoming barriers or filling gaps in support provision
The North West Development Agency announced that funding would be made available to support the social enterprise section in the four sub-regions of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Cheshire. Social enterprises and community businesses were seen by the North West Development Agency as offering “an alternative model for expanding economic activity whilst securing social gains and building community capacity” and recognised the sub-regional Social Enterprise Partnerships as key organisations in delivering those aims.
The Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership
This strategy for the Partnership was developed by the Cumbria Social Enterprise Steering Group, a partnership of Cumbrian social enterprises, development trusts, support agencies, local government, urban and rural regeneration companies to other stakeholders. The strategy is aimed at growing and strengthening a dynamic and sustainable social enterprise sector and to help to create an inclusive and growing Cumbrian economy.
The Action Plan was developed over an eighteen month period by the Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership and set out to co-ordinate the efforts of all partners in Cumbria supporting Social enterprises and to allocate the available resources to maximum effect. This is implemented and managed by the Cumbria Social Enterprise Steering Group with the North Pennines Heritage Trust acting as the accountable body.
To join contact: info@socialenterpriseincumbria.org
