You might remember that I asked – a month ago – if I should send a letter to David Cameron. The letter (and my article) focused on the frustrations of launching a profitable, far-reaching social enterprise for young people and communities that is scaleable, profitable, fantastic value for money with rave reviews from our potential clients.
I talked about the need for a relatively small amount of start-up funding which would be quickly recouped – and about the numerous social investors who shout loudly about their interest in working with social entrepreneurs but in fact don't support start-ups – even if you have an excellent track record and high profile supporters. I told you that countless letters to all the big wigs came to nothing.
The resounding response to my article was 'YES' – send that letter. So I did.
Unfortunately I have had no reply. Nothing. Not even a standard acknowledgement. But do you know what? I was incredibly moved by the phone calls, emails and tweets from many other bright, motivated and driven social entrepreneurs who, like me, had had hopes repeatedly dashed. All at a time when the Big Society Bank has been delayed till "sometime" next year.
Paula Askew wrote and told me of her Merseyside social project My Doula. Her plans involve supporting pregnant teenagers and other vulnerable mothers. She believes the Big Society Bank is nothing more than a publicity stunt.
Saverio Bongo told me about Greg Peachey, the founder of FREdome who has successfully run his project for eight years with almost no support from any government body. Peachey's mission is to connect the goodwill and good sense of caring people at grass roots to what happens in society. But can he continue with no support?
Matt Barraud operates as a CIC in Plymouth, offering sailing tips to young people. Councils have stopped funding for the local youth services and now he can't volunteer his services for them. That's mad!
And what about U-do.com? Social media-savvy with big plans to bring small to medium sized businesses, individuals and communities together. Nicola Holbrook MD is building a mutually beneficial model that provides a platform that facilitates everyday services like shopping, news, and social media networking.
Interestingly, our mutual ambitions have shown potential partnership between our project and U-do.com and perhaps we may even have a solution that will boot our projects off the ground; who knows? I'll come back to you on that one.
There were many, many more. All striving to provide different, socially interested models to help our society to be a better place to live.
And all those projects have real people behind them. Not politicians. Not the rich and famous. Not big businessmen. Just ordinary folk like me and like my Dad before me. I told you about the youth club he ran (two actually – once when he was an older teenager himself and once in his forties). That youth club was the centre of our world in a both troubled and idyllic community. I can still smell the mouth-watering salt 'n' vinegar crisps from the tuck shop and the mustiness of the damp, tiny, creaking old hall we used.
It was noisy and hectic. But it was normal and safe for the local kids who were desperate for someone to let them do the stuff they wanted to do. The locals were grateful that at least once a week all of us kids were guaranteed to be in one place – where there wasn't any alcohol.
I ran a youth club myself for three years – a massively different task these days to back then in the 70s. Huge amounts of red tape and rules and regs. But I wanted to carry on my Dad's mantle – I felt that the old Lock Keeper (as Dad was back then) wouldn't want to think it was all wasted.
And now, me and many others like me, want to take our passions for communities much further, but are struggling to either start or keep our projects afloat.
So, Sir Ronald Cohen. I truly believe you have the right intentions and are also driven to build a more successful society (albeit from a better starting point than the rest of us!). But we need that help now – not next year.
And Mr Cameron. I laid my heart out on the table, along with a strong business model – will you give me that chance to change young people and their community's lives on a national scale? I'm still waiting to hear your answer to that one.
Sally Higham is the director of Higham Consultancy Services Ltd
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