Social Enterprise Sector Research Articles

Experiences of integrating social prescribing link workers into primary care in England: Bolting on, fitting in or belonging.

Following the 2019 NHS Long-Term Plan, link workers (LWs) have been employed across primary care in England to deliver social prescribing (SP). To understand and explain how the LW role is being implemented in primary care in England. Realist evaluation undertaken in England. Focused ethnographies around seven LWs from different parts of England. As part of this, we interviewed 61 patients and 93 professionals from healthcare and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. We reinterviewed 41 patients, seven LWs and a LW manager 9-12 months after their first interview. We developed four concepts around how LWs are integrated (or not) within primary care: Centralising or diffusing power; Forging an identity in general practice; Demonstrating effect; Building a facilitative infrastructure. These concepts informed the development of a programme theory around a continuum of integration of LWs into primary care - from being 'bolted on' to existing provision, without much consideration, to 'fitting in', shaping what is delivered to be accommodating, through to 'belonging', whereby they are accepted as a legitimate source of support, making a valued contribution to patients' broader well-being. SP was introduced into primary care to promote greater attention to the full range of factors affecting patients' health and well-being, beyond biomedicine. For that to happen, our analysis highlights the need for a whole system approach to defining, delivering and maintaining this new part of practice.

Social enterprises and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): a means to an end

AbstractGhana is regarded as one of the main nations driving social enterprise development in all of Africa, despite the lack of a policy for the social enterprise sub-sector. Regardless of these trailblazing initiatives, the sub-sector is still young and vulnerable. As a result, the time is right for the government to implement policy reforms to expedite the growth of the sub-sector, which offers an alternative business model for the achievement of the social and environmental goals embodied in the global goals. All nations are urged to take immediate action in response to the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which offer a global framework for achieving global development while balancing social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The methodology adopted is qualitative in nature, whereby focus group discussions were held, bringing together key stakeholders from the social enterprise sector, industry, academia, and civil society organisations (CSOs) to provide insights into how social enterprises will contribute to SDG achievement. This paper aims to generate new insights into how social enterprises can provide a solution to the UN’s SDGs from the Ghanaian perspective. Our findings reveal a strong link between solving social problems through social businesses and achieving the SDGs, and that social enterprises represent an ideal business model for achieving the SDGs. Their mission-driven approach, innovative solutions, focus on empowerment and inclusion, utilisation of market mechanisms, collaboration and partnership, and understanding and knowledge of local contexts collectively position social enterprises as powerful catalysts for sustainable development.

How did the Pandemic Crisis Affect the Financial, Economic, and Social Performance of Social Enterprises? Insights from Italian Social Cooperatives

Abstract The COVID-19 crisis affected the world’s economic and social system in many ways. Social enterprises (SEs) play a necessary role in delivering social value during such crises (Bacq, S., and G. T. Lumpkin. 2020. “Social Entrepreneurship and COVID‐19.” Journal of Management Studies 58 (1): 285–8; Sarma, S. K., K. K. Kumar, and S. K. Mishra. 2022. “Strategic Response to COVID-19: How Do Social Enterprises Navigate Crisis Situations?” Social Enterprise Journal 18 (4): 626–42; Weaver, R. L. 2020. “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Social Enterprise Sector.” Journal of Social Entrepreneurship 14 (2): 177–85). However, there is still a lack of empirical evidence that analyzes the impact of the pandemic on the performance of SEs and how that performance differs from traditional, non-social companies. Therefore, the purpose of this contribution is to fill this gap. This study compares two types of organizations in the same Italian context: social cooperatives and private limited companies. We present and compare their performance using ratio analysis in a three-dimensional perspective: economic, financial, and social, where the latter concerns the ability to create and distribute value-added to stakeholders (Riahi-Belkaoui, A. 1996. Performance Results in Value Added Reporting. Westport: Quorum Books), with particular emphasis on distributional fairness (Haller, A., C. J. van Staden, and C. Landis. 2018. “Value Added as part of Sustainability Reporting: Reporting on Distributional Fairness or Obfuscation?” Journal of Business Ethics 152: 763–81). In addition to policy recommendations, this study provides guidance on how to use existing accounting data to approximate social elements in business.

The consequences of micro-discretions and boundaries in the social prescribing link worker role in England: a realist evaluation.

Social prescribing addresses non-medical factors affecting health and well-being. Link workers are key to its delivery by connecting people to relevant support, often in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. Funding from the National Health Service means that link workers are becoming a common part of primary care in England. To explore and understand the implementation of link workers in primary care in England. A realist evaluation addressed the question - When implementing link workers in primary care to sustain outcomes - what works, for whom, why and in what circumstances? Link workers and staff associated with seven primary care sites across England. Researchers spent 3 weeks with each link worker, going to meetings with them, watching them interact with patients, with healthcare staff and with voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. In addition, interviews were conducted with 61 patients and 93 professionals (voluntary, community and social enterprise representatives and healthcare staff, including link workers). Follow-up interviews were conducted with 41 patients and with link workers 9-12 months later. Data were coded and developed into statements to identify how context around the link worker triggers mechanisms that lead to intended and unintended outcomes. We found that link workers exercise micro-discretions in their role - actions and advice-giving based on personal judgement of a situation, which may not always reflect explicit guidance or protocols. Our analysis highlighted that micro-discretions engender positive connections (with patients, healthcare staff, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector) and promote buy-in to the link worker role in primary care. Micro-discretions supported delivery of person-centred care and enhanced job satisfaction. Data also highlighted that lack of boundaries could place link workers at risk of overstepping their remit. Our research focused on link workers attached to primary care; findings may not be applicable to those working in other settings. Data were collected around seven link worker cases, who were selected purposively for variation in terms of geographical spread and how/by whom link workers were employed. However, these link workers were predominately white females. Enabling link workers to exercise micro-discretions allows for responsiveness to individual patient needs but can result in uncertainty and to link workers feeling overstretched. Poor link worker retention may, in part, be associated with a lack of clarity around their role. Research to explore how this shapes intention to leave their job is being conducted by authors of this paper. This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme as award number NIHR130247.

Patient buy-in to social prescribing through link workers as part of person-centred care: a realist evaluation.

Social prescribing link workers have become part of primary health care in recent years. They help patients to recognise non-medical factors affecting their health and identify sources of support, often in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. They form part of wider work to strengthen person-centred care, which actively seeks to engage individuals in decision-making about their health, taking into account their medical, social, psychological, financial and spiritual circumstances. To understand how buy-in to social prescribing and the link worker role is established for a patient, and how this relates to person-centred care. A realist evaluation. Patients engaging with link workers in seven different parts of England were involved. As part of data collection, we observed link workers interacting with 35 patients. We also interviewed 61 patients and re-interviewed 41 of them 9-12 months later. Data were coded and developed into context-mechanism-outcome configurations, which were used to produce a programme theory. Data highlighted how patients might be uncertain about the link worker role but agree to a referral as they sought assistance with their non-medical issues. Patients talked about experiencing a sense of hope through the trust they developed in a link worker. This trust was established through the communication skills and knowledge demonstrated by a link worker, and by their ability to act as an anchor point when required - a reliable, consistent source of support to whom patients could offload. The link worker role also involved connecting patients to external support, which called for sensitivity around how ready someone was to move forward; this was shaped by a patient's motivation but also their capacity to make changes given other demands in their life. Connecting patients to external support could be affected by structural factors outside the link workers' control (e.g. housing options or employment opportunities). We did not interview patients who had rejected the offer of social prescribing, and most had a positive view of meeting with a link worker. Person-centred care is engendered by link workers through their skills, knowledge and ability to respond to the individual readiness of patients to engage with external support. It can be curtailed by structural factors outside link workers' sphere of control, such as access to housing or caring responsibilities of patients. This can hinder patients' ability to 'connect to', leaving link workers to continue 'connecting with' patients as they act as an anchor point. Exploration is required of factors affecting patients who interact with a link worker but do not access external support. Longitudinal work with a cohort of patients, speaking to them on a regular basis, may provide further understanding in this respect. This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme as award number NIHR130247.

How can health systems approach reducing health inequalities? An in-depth qualitative case study in the UK

BackgroundAddressing socioeconomic inequalities in health and healthcare, and reducing avoidable hospital admissions requires integrated strategy and complex intervention across health systems. However, the understanding of how to create effective systems to reduce socio-economic inequalities in health and healthcare is limited. The aim was to explore and develop a system’s level understanding of how local areas address health inequalities with a focus on avoidable emergency admissions.MethodsIn-depth case study using qualitative investigation (documentary analysis and key informant interviews) in an urban UK local authority. Interviewees were identified using snowball sampling. Documents were retrieved via key informants and web searches of relevant organisations. Interviews and documents were analysed independently based on a thematic analysis approach.ResultsInterviews (n = 14) with wide representation from local authority (n = 8), NHS (n = 5) and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector (n = 1) with 75 documents (including from NHS, local authority, VCSE) were included. Cross-referenced themes were understanding the local context, facilitators of how to tackle health inequalities: the assets, and emerging risks and concerns. Addressing health inequalities in avoidable admissions per se was not often explicitly linked by either the interviews or documents and is not yet embedded into practice. However, a strong coherent strategic integrated population health management plan with a system’s approach to reducing health inequalities was evident as was collective action and involving people, with links to a “strong third sector”. Challenges reported include structural barriers and threats, the analysis and accessibility of data as well as ongoing pressures on the health and care system.ConclusionWe provide an in-depth exploration of how a local area is working to address health and care inequalities. Key elements of this system’s working include fostering strategic coherence, cross-agency working, and community-asset based approaches. Areas requiring action included data sharing challenges across organisations and analytical capacity to assist endeavours to reduce health and care inequalities. Other areas were around the resilience of the system including the recruitment and retention of the workforce. More action is required to embed reducing health inequalities in avoidable admissions explicitly in local areas with inaction risking widening the health gap.

“We might not have been in hospital, but we were frontline workers in the community”: a qualitative study exploring unmet need and local community-based responses for marginalised groups in Greater Manchester during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe response to the COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant increase in demand for the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector to provide support to local communities. In Greater Manchester (GM), the VCFSE sector and informal networks provided health and wellbeing support in multiple ways, culminating in its crucial supportive role in the provision of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout across the GM city region. However, the support provided by the VCFSE sector during the pandemic remains under-recognised. The aims of the study were to: understand the views and experiences of marginalised communities in GM during the COVID-19 pandemic; explore how community engagement initiatives played a role during the pandemic and vaccine rollout; assess what can be learnt from the work of key stakeholders (community members, VCFSEs, health-system stakeholders) for future health research and service delivery.MethodsThe co-designed study utilised a participatory approach throughout and was co-produced with a Community Research Advisory Group (CRAG). Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely between September-November 2021, with 35 participants from local marginalised communities, health and care system stakeholders and VCFSE representatives. Thematic framework analysis was used to analyse the data.ResultsLocal communities in GM were not supported sufficiently by mainstream services during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in increased pressure onto the VCFSE sector to respond to local communities’ need. Community-based approaches were deemed crucial to the success of the vaccination drive and in providing support to local communities more generally during the pandemic, whereby such approaches were in a unique position to reach members of diverse communities to boost uptake of the vaccine. Despite this, the support delivered by the VCFSE sector remains under-recognised and under-valued by the health system and decision-makers.ConclusionsA number of challenges associated with collaborative working were experienced by the VSCE sector and health system in delivering the vaccination programme in partnership with the VCFSE sector. There is a need to create a broader, more inclusive health system which allows and promotes inter-sectoral working. Flexibility and adaptability in ongoing and future service delivery should be championed for greater cross-sector working.

Poverty proofing healthcare: A qualitative study of barriers to accessing healthcare for low-income families with children in northern England.

Poverty impacts negatively on children's health and future life chances. Access to the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is based on clinical need rather than the ability to pay but horizontal inequities in access exist. Children North East, a charity supporting children experiencing poverty, are working with partners to reduce the impacts of poverty on NHS access. This collaborative study aimed to understand barriers to healthcare access faced by families living on low incomes to validate and support further development of a Poverty Proofing© healthcare tool. Twenty-four parents and eight Voluntary Community Social Enterprise sector staff participated in qualitative interviews or focus groups. Data were analysed thematically, and three main themes were identified as impacting access to healthcare: hidden costs, securing appointments and developing relationships with healthcare providers. We conclude that low-income families experience both financial and other barriers to accessing NHS healthcare and that these barriers are exacerbated for low-income families living in remote/rural areas.

Experiences of support for people who access voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations for self-harm: a qualitative study with stakeholder feedback

BackgroundPrevalence of self-harm In England is rising, however contact with statutory services remains relatively low. There is growing recognition of the potential role voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) organisations have in the provision of self-harm support. We aimed to explore individuals’ experiences of using these services and the barriers and facilitators to accessing support.MethodsQualitative, online interviews with 23 adults (18+) who have accessed support from VCSE organisations for self-harm in the Yorkshire and the Humber region were undertaken. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo software.ResultsParticipants described how a lack of service flexibility and the perception that their individual needs were not being heard often made them less likely to engage with both statutory and VCSE organisations. The complexity of care pathways made it difficult for them to access appropriate support when required, as did a lack of awareness of the types of support available. Participants described how engagement was improved by services that fostered a sense of community. The delivery of peer support played a key role in creating this sense of belonging. Education and workplace settings were also viewed as key sources of support for individuals, with a lack of mental health literacy acting as a barrier to access in these environments.ConclusionsVCSE organisations can play a crucial role in the provision of support for self-harm, however, pathways into these services remain complex and links between statutory and non-statutory services need to be strengthened. The provision of peer support is viewed as a crucial component of effective support in VCSE organisations. Further supervision and training should be offered to those providing peer support to ensure that their own mental health is protected.

“I’ll meet you at our bench”: adaptation, innovation and resilience among VCSE organisations who supported marginalised and minoritised communities during the Covid-19 pandemic in Northern England – a qualitative focus group study

BackgroundThe Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and increased adversity and challenges for vulnerable and marginalised communities worldwide. In the UK, the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector play a vital role in supporting the health and wellbeing of people who are marginalised or experiencing multiple complex needs. However, only a small number of studies have focused on the impact that Covid-19 had on the VCSE sector.MethodsAs part of a Health Inequalities Impact Assessment (HIIA), we conducted qualitative focus groups with staff and volunteers from five organisations to examine short, medium and longer-term impacts of Covid-19 upon the VCSE sector in Northern England. Nine online focus groups were conducted between March and July 2021.FindingsFocus group transcripts were analysed using Framework Analysis and yielded three central themes: (1) exacerbation of pre-existing inequalities, adversity and challenges for vulnerable and marginalised populations; (2) the ‘price’ of being flexible, innovative and agile for VCSE staff and volunteers; and (3) the voluntary sector as a ‘lifeline’ - organisational pride and resilience.ConclusionsWhile the voluntary sector ‘adapted at pace’ to provide support during Covid-19 and in its continued aftermath, this resilience has potentially come at the cost of workforce and volunteer wellbeing, compounded by political obstacles and chronic shortage in funding and support. The VCSE sector has a vital role to play in the post-lockdown ‘levelling up’ agenda. The expertise, capacity and resilience of VCSE organisations, and their ability to respond to Covid-19, should be celebrated, recognised and supported adequately to maintain its resilience. To not do so threatens the sector’s sustainability and risks jeopardising attempts to involve the sector in addressing the social determinants of health.

Child protection and family support: Experiences in a seaside resort

Effective Early Help services are key to halting rising rates of children in care in the UK. Yet despite family support and child welfare interventions being unequally distributed across the country, the role of ‘place’ has received limited attention in the children’s social care arena. This paper examines the connections between coastal challenges, Early Help and child welfare interventions, drawing on embedded research undertaken within a Local Authority on England’s coast with elevated levels of children in care. We focus on families’ experiences raising children in a seaside resort area as well as professionals’ perspectives on the place-based challenges faced delivering effective and accessible Early Help support. The study generated data from ethnographic observations, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups with local parents/carers (n = 57), service managers and frontline professionals (n = 14), and the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector (n = 22). The findings highlight how the socio-economic challenges associated with many seaside resort areas, including housing pressures, a seasonal and low-wage economy, and the transience of the population, present difficulties for parents/carers in raising and supporting their children. For professionals delivering Early Help, high levels of housing instability, elevated inward migration, resource constraints and challenges around recruitment and retention presented challenges to delivering services. This paper recommends increased emphasis in regulation and resourcing around family support that considers the spatial and geographic dynamics that influence the incidence, structuring, and experiences of child and family welfare.

СОЦІАЛЬНЕ ПІДПРИЄМНИЦТВО В УКРАЇНІ: СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНА ЗНАЧИМІСТЬ ТА МЕХАНІЗМ ПІДТРИМКИ ВНУТРІШНЬО ПЕРЕМІЩЕНИХ ОСІБ В УМОВАХ ПОСИЛЕННЯ ЗАГРОЗ

The article discusses the socio-economic importance of social entrepreneurship, particularly as a means of supporting internally displaced persons in the face of growing threats and challenges. The author argues that the social entrepreneurship sector in Ukraine lacks legal regulation and support. Due to the lack of official data on the social entrepreneurship sector in Ukraine, this paper examines the trends and features of social business development in the national economy based on various analytical reports and expert assessments. The author analyses the regional distribution of social enterprises in Ukraine, as well as their distribution by main areas of activity. The study also explores the significance of the social enterprise sector in creating jobs and employment. A comprehensive analysis was conducted to determine the impact of social business on the national economy in terms of GDP, taxes paid, turnover, profit, and labour productivity. The analysis includes updated indicators for 2020-2022 based on our own calculations. The sentences and paragraphs create a logical flow of information with causal connections between statements. The article demonstrates the positive social significance of the social entrepreneurship sector, which is expressed not only in job creation but also in financing social and environmental programmes. The language used is clear, objective, and value-neutral, with a formal register and precise word choice. The paper presents and analyses the results of a survey of experts on the importance of organisational and managerial measures, including the promotion of social entrepreneurship, to meet the needs of IDPs and ensure their integration into communities. It was found that almost one-third of the experts consider it appropriate to stimulate the development of social entrepreneurship as a mechanism to support IDPs. It presents a map of the socio-economic importance of social entrepreneurship in meeting the basic needs of IDPs and identifies the main directions for stimulating social business in Ukraine. The article argues for the promotion of social entrepreneurship in Ukraine as an effective mechanism for supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs)

The role of the voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector within integrated care systems (ICSs) and its contributions to health outcomes – a logic model

The voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector should be a key partner in the design and delivery of health and care services, alongside statutory partners (e.g., NHS, local authorities) and local communities. However, there has been limited discussion of how the VCFSE sector feature in integrated care models and what outcomes their involvement can contribute to. This study developed a logic model to articulate the potential role of the VCFSE sector within integrated care, by reviewing existing evidence, and engaging with a range of relevant stakeholders. This logic model could be usefully applied as a framework to plan and evaluate future projects and activities which involve the VCFSE sector in integrated care.

Impact of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Organisations Working with Underserved Communities with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in England.

The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector offers services and leadership within the health and care system in England and has a specialist role in working with underserved, deprived communities. This evaluation aims to identify best practices in self-management support for those living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to develop a theory of change (TofC) through understanding the impact of VCSE organisations on diabetes management. An appreciative inquiry (AI) was carried out and co-delivered using qualitative interviews and an embedded analysis with VCSE partners. A voluntary service coordinated seven VCSE organisations who assisted with recruiting their service users and undertook interviews to identify the impact of existing activities and programmes. People living with T2DM were interviewed about services. Themes were as follows: (a) individual and group activities; (b) trusted services and relationships across the community; (c) long-term engagement; (d) sociocultural context of diet and nutritional choices; (e) experience of adaptation; and (f) culturally appropriate advice and independent VCSE organisations. The structured educational approach (DESMOND) for T2DM was accessed variably, despite these services being recommended by NICE guidelines as a standard intervention. The VCSE offered continuity and culturally appropriate services to more marginalised groups. This evaluation highlights the importance of targeted engagement with underserved communities, particularly where primary care services are more limited. The TofC is a unique insight into the impact of VCSE services, offering bespoke support to manage T2DM, suggesting areas for improvements in capacity and offering the capability to sustain the VCSE sector as an essential element of the T2DM care pathway in England.

Placing Irish Social Enterprise Ecosystem within the wider European Landscape

Abstract The launch in 2019 of Ireland’s first National Social Enterprise Policy has meant a significant milestone for the institutitonalisation of social enterprise within the country. However, this milestone needs to be placed within a wider framework which encompasses the Irish social enterprise ecosystem and the European landscape of social enterprises. This paper explores different elements of the Irish social enterprise ecosystem, including its policy context, definition adopted and legal forms. Moreover, it explores the private recognition through certification and marks, the development of support and advocacy networks and organisations, academia and research, and funding/financing mechanisms. These elements are contrasted with the situation in other European countries to provide a contextualized picture of the Irish social enterprise sector. The paper concludes that Ireland’s social enterprise ecosystem presents some specificities, such as the CLG as a dominant legal form and the predominance of the WISE model, but generally aligns with wider social enterprises trends at European level.

The role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Early Help: Critical reflections from embedded social care research

AbstractThe independent review of children's social care (2022) has proposed a radical reset of England's children's services, shifting a remote, assessment heavy system towards one that works alongside communities to help prevent statutory interventions. However, notions around the harnessing of community resources to deliver Early Help are often underpinned by assumptions regarding the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and the ease with which such organizations can be integrated into preventative strategies. This paper reports findings from embedded research within a unitary authority in Southwest England during remodelling of its Early Help service to work more collaboratively with local VCSE organizations. The study generated data from ethnographic observations, semi‐structured interviews and focus groups with 95 participants, including local parents, service providers, VCSE organizations and Council leaders. The findings illustrate that families value the compassionate, responsive and flexible support available within many VCSE settings. However, differences in practice cultures, regulatory pressures on statutory providers, the need to (re)build trust in communities and sensitivities around power‐sharing and resourcing meant negotiating VCSE sector integration was fraught with complexities. Few studies have gained such privileged access to a Local Authority's remodelling of Early Help services, and this paper has significant insights for the debates surrounding the independent review of children's social care (2022) and its recommendation to bring services ‘closer to communities’.

Exploring the Distinctiveness of Social Enterprises Delivering Adult Social Care in England

Social enterprises, which are businesses with social objectives, have been championed by the UK government as an opportunity to deliver more innovative, socially oriented, and commercially sustainable public services. However, very little is known about them, especially in a social care context. This paper therefore aims to answer the following three questions: (1) What are care social enterprises?, (2) What are their distinctive qualities?, and (3) How can they contribute to the adult social care sector? It presents evidence from a “mapping” of care social enterprises in three English local authorities, and from interviews with 35 stakeholders from across the social care and social enterprise sectors. Drawing on an institutional logics framework, we explore the influence of different norms, goals, and practices on care social enterprises and the extent to which they are aligned with those of the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. We found that their unique combination of business and social logics, along with an entrepreneurial mindset, may make them more flexible, innovative, and able to diversify their income than public and not-for-profit care organisations. They were also considered more trustworthy than private care services. However, their competing social and business logics can create internal tensions and bring uncertainty about what organisational model they are. These tensions can make it challenging for us to define what a care social enterprise is and in turn for social enterprises to promote themselves and attract funding.

Social entrepreneurship and the nature of the impact achieved

Society's most pressing needs all over the world have raised concerns which are comprehensive, deep and quick. The development of any nation depends on its social and economic strength as well as the contributions of its citizens. Their contribution now has an important place, but is only relatively recently that this contribution has been recognized by writers outside mainstream economic thinking. As attention has become more focused on the importance of entrepreneurship for economic security and the creation of employment opportunities, greater attention has been directed at the social enterprise sector. Thus, the new innovative culture has additionally spread to the social area. Progressively higher expectations are being set on social entrepreneurship in ameliorating social issues facing the world at large. Social entrepreneurship is a concept that covers the individual motivation and leadership behind the pursuit of social objectives. This can be best represented as the activity of pursuing social objectives through entrepreneurship. Accordingly, social business ventures can include a somewhat expansive scope of associations and organizations which acquire assets to implement social objectives. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of social entrepreneurship in addressing social issues facing the world. It will explain the importance of social entrepreneurship, its concepts, social issues as well as impacts of social entrepreneurship. Additionally, Nigeria was cited in most cases as an example of such an impact. Keywords: Social entrepreneurship, social economy, sectors, social enterprise.

Determinants that Enhance Resilience and Performance of Social Enterprises in Malaysia: A Conceptual Framework

Social enterprise movement has emerged as a forceful social innovation paths to eliminate or address social problems. Aligned with the 11th Malaysia Plan and Transformasi Nasional 2050, Malaysia is committed to building a sustainable and equitable people-centric economy. To achieve the goal, the Malaysian government had set up Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Social Entrepreneurship (MaGIC) Unit in 2013, to propel the social enterprise sector and bring significant societal well-being to the disadvantaged groups. However, it is still at the nascent stage. As most of the social enterprises in Malaysia are still confronted with critical survival and performance challenges, it has become imperative for these entities to formulate strategies to enhance their resilience and performance. Hence, the main research objective is to examine the role of internal capabilities (i.e., management vulnerabilities and situation awareness) and external capabilities (i.e., training and financial support) influencing social enterprise performance in Malaysia. A mediating variable adaptive capacity was adopted to reflect the relationship between the predictors and the level of resilience of social enterprises in Malaysia. Due to the borderless nature of challenges and fluctuating environmental and unpredictable market condition, this research focuses on how Malaysian social enterprises would be able to adapt to the turbulence condition by resilience build, from the lens of Resource Dependence Theory and Resource Based View Theory. This study will employ a quantitative analysis to establish an explanatory model and more comprehensive understanding of this emerging field. The findings would advise the social enterprise's practitioners on their organisation’s strategic direction and offer a guiding model to the social enterprise investors, policymakers and future researchers.

Evaluation of a training programme for critical incident debrief facilitators.

Critical incident debriefs are a commonly used occupational health tool for supporting staff after traumatic work incidents. However, there is a dearth of literature evaluating training programmes for debrief facilitators. To evaluate a 5-day training programme to equip healthcare, social care and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector staff to act as post-incident peer supporters and debrief facilitators. A mixed-methods, single-arm, before-and-after study. Data were collected at baseline and post-training. The quantitative outcome measure was 'Confidence'; the sum of two items measuring confidence in (i) supporting peers after critical incidents and (ii) facilitating post-incident structured team discussions. At post-training, quantitative and qualitative feedback regarding experiences and perceptions of the training was also gathered. We recruited 45 participants between October 2021 and January 2022. Confidence in supporting peers following incidents and facilitating post-incident structured team discussions increased significantly following the training, t(35) = -6.77, P < 0.001. A majority of participants reported they would do things differently because of the training and that they found the training relevant, useful and engaging. Summative content analysis of qualitative feedback indicated that participants (i) believed the role plays were an important learning tool and (ii) thought it was important that the trainer was engaging. Some participants would have preferred in-person delivery. Participants valued training in post-incident peer support and debriefing skills. Organizations implementing post-incident support pathways could usefully include this training and ensure optimal uptake and engagement by (i) providing in-person and online delivery options and (ii) including role play as a learning technique.