If you work in local government you can't have failed to notice initiatives such as Sunderland city council's entrepreneurial scheme which was set up to find innovative public sector staff with the talent to start their own social enterprises. With crippling cuts driving councils to search for ways to avoid mass redundancies, the government's ideas of social liberation and local decision-making may sound plausible in theory but can taking the plunge from life-long public sector worker to being your own boss really be as easy as it sounds?
Outsourcing is nothing new to local government, but expecting your employees to run the show underneath the glossy exterior of 'power to the people', is a radical, and some might say unachievable, idea. Some social enterprises set up in the past have been short-lived with owners lacking the financial skills essential to a healthy business. Former public sector workers, tend to put doing good in the community above making a profit, it's why they joined the public sector in the first place. However, in the real world this is a commendable but financially crippling approach, social entrepreneurs need to balance both.
Venturing out from the local government safety net is an intimidating prospect so alongside having the right guidance and support in place to help you succeed, you also need to consider whether it is really the right option for you. If your boss seems to be suggesting this is the road you take it's worth analysing whether you have the skills required and questioning the government further about the affects their sugar-coated proposals will have on service delivery.
Our first live Q&A looks at these issues, discussing the overall viability of jumping to the other side, the best ways to make the transition, the problems you may face on the way and the skills you will require. Post your questions in the comment section below, now.
Our Panel:
Rosie Farrer is project manager on NESTA's Age Unlimited Lab. Age Unlimited explores ways of generating innovative new public services for people in their fifties. Nicola is working on 11 prospective service user projects, advising on service design, testing and prototyping techniques.
Matthew Jarrett is membership & communications manager at Social Enterprise London (SEL). Matthew authored Transitions, the first guide for local authority workers wishing to establish social enterprises out of the public sector and has worked developing the social enterprise movement across the UK for a number of years.
Nicola Bacon is director of local and advisory projects at the Young Foundation. Nicola is responsible for the Young Foundation's work with local authorities and other partner agencies on local social innovation.
Dave Rippon is head of organisation development at Sunderland Council. Developing a new initiative to avoid mass redundancies, Sunderland Council is recruiting entrepreneurial staff to lead social enterprise businesses intended to take over some of the services it runs.
Ross Griffiths is a director at law firm Cobbetts, specialising in the public sector and working specifically with employees making the transition from the public sector to private organisations providing public services. Prior to joining Cobbetts, Ross was a lawyer and manager in local government and public transport.
Dave Briggs is a community evangelist for Learning Pool, the public sector learning community. Having worked in local government before starting his own consultancy business, Dave has first hand experience of moving between sectors. He is currently writing a book about the use of social technology in public services.
Nigel Carruthers is national programme manager for the Local Government Improvement and Development (LGID) at the Local Government Group. Nigel has worked for and in local government for over 20 years. He is currently responsible for the LGID's workforce programmes, providing advice, guidance and practical support to councils.
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