The Brighton and Hove Social Enterprise Strategy has been commissioned by Brighton and Hove City Council in order to offer guidance on the growth and development of the social enterprise sector in the city of Brighton and Hove. It is a wide brief with a wide range of organisations from the public, private and third sectors involved. The City Council are keen to recognise that all these sectors can both contribute to, and benefit from, a Social Enterprise Strategy that delivers social, economic and environmental benefits to the city.

Strategic development is being led by the Business Community Partnership (BCP). This is because BCP has extensive experience supporting social enterprises in the city, growing out of Routes to Social Enterprise, a collaboration with the University of Brighton which began in 2005.

BCP and the City Council established a Steering Group to be a catalyst for mobilising the involvement of different groups of stakeholders from different sectors. The role of the Steering Group is to endorse the strategic approach and nurture ideas amongst the wider networks of stakeholders.

1 Background research, feasibility and first round of stakeholder consultation (June to December 2007)
Background research, concept development and initial stakeholder consultation
Click here to read the background reports

2 Creating Momentum (January – March 2008)
Creation and distribution of strategic summary and Wiki invitation to a wider network of stakeholders. Thestrategic summary outlines the approach and also invites stakeholders to contribute to an on-line wiki website. The website offers a framework for contributions, a structure for recommendations that for the City Council, and a home for the background research that has informed the strategy.

3 Completing an effective final proposal (March 2008)
This will capture opportunities and activities, primarily for Brighton and Hove City Council, but in a format that makes it easy for connections to take place between other groups of stakeholders as well.

4 Hitting the ground.
From April 2008, the proposals in the strategy will be delivered to theCity Council and activities can begin to be put in to action.