Social Enterprise Organizations Research Articles

The delivery of creative socially prescribed activities for people with serious mental health needs during lockdown: Learning about remote, digital and hybrid delivery.

Social prescribing interventions connect mental health service users to community resources, to support physical and mental wellbeing and promote recovery. COVID-19 restrictions impacted the delivery of socially prescribed activities, preventing face to face contact for long periods. The aim of this study was to understand how Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations working with a local NHS mental health Trust responded to the challenges of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This understanding will be used to make recommendations for future practice, post-lockdown. Using a convergent mixed methods design, we surveyed VCSE providers of socially prescribed activities intended to be accessible and appropriate for people with severe mental health needs. Follow-up interviews explored further how they adapted during the first year of the pandemic, the challenges they faced, and how they sought to overcome them. The survey and interview data were analysed separately and then compared to identify convergent and divergent findings. Twenty VCSE representatives completed the survey which provided a snapshot of changes in levels of connection and numbers reached during lockdown. Of 20 survey respondents, 11 participated in follow-up interviews. Interviews revealed that lockdown necessitated rapid change and responsive adaptation; activities were limited by resource, funding, safeguarding and government restrictions; no single format suited all group members; connection was key; and impact was difficult to gauge. VCSE organisations commissioned to deliver creative socially prescribed activities during the pandemic rapidly adapted their offer to comply with government restrictions. Responsive changes were made, and new knowledge and skills were gained. Drawing on experiences during lockdown, VCSE organisations should develop bespoke knowledge, skills and practices to engage service users in future hybrid delivery of arts, sports, cultural and creative community activities, and to ensure that digital activities offer an equivalent degree of connection to face-to-face ones. Additionally, more effective methods of gaining feedback about patient experience of hybrid delivery is needed.

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.

Deepening Insights Into Social Entrepreneurship by Leveraging Service-Dominant Logic

Social entrepreneurs operate in highly complex social and institutional environments where dual economic and social missions create paradoxes, conflicts, and challenges. To achieve their goals, social entrepreneurs are frequently dependent on the resources and engagement of numerous other actors as diverse as funders, policymakers, accelerators, investors, volunteers, universities, supply chain partners, NGOs, and of course, customers and beneficiaries. To understand these complexities, a holistic and systemic perspective is required. In response, this study leverages the service-dominant (S-D) logic of marketing to offer a path to deepening insights in social entrepreneurship research. Specifically, the paper draws on four key concepts related to S-D logic that offer interesting avenues for future research: (1) service ecosystems, (2) value co-creation, (3) institutions and institutional arrangements, and (4) actor engagement. To enrich the conceptual arguments, illustrations are provided using the Melbourne-based social entrepreneurial collective, Moving Feast. The collective emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and involved numerous social enterprise organisations, support organisations, funders, and community organisations. The paper concludes with a set of future research avenues.

Experiences of Community Connectors Supporting Activities During COVID-19

ABSTRACT During the COVID-19 pandemic, community connectors (CC’s) were key to continuing to offer opportunities for engagement in activities yet frequently this involved rapid reorientation of services and working through significant change and disruption for workers themselves. The aim of this research was to explore how CC’s from two Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organizations in the UK continued to engage people in activity during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative design was developed with CC’s participating in three focus groups between May 2020 and August 2021. Data were analyzed thematically, with the final themes of “Disruption,” “Exploration” and “Rebuilding” mapped to the grief-construct of Kubler Ross (1969). The findings describe responses and coping strategies during COVID-19 and can support CC’s and organizations to reflect on wider periods of change and growth. Findings also emphasize the central role of VCSE workers during continued rebuilding of community activities following COVID-19.

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORTING FAMILY CARERS OF OLDER PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA

Abstract This paper aims to present findings from a primary qualitative study that explored the role of social enterprise organisations (SEOs) in delivering co-produced support for family carers of older people living with dementia (PLWD). Defined in the UK, as businesses with a social or environmental purpose, SEOs are increasingly recognised as occupying a unique space in the landscape of adult social care delivery. In Wales, devolved legislation requires public bodies to collaborate with SEOs - this provision is intended to create a mixed economy of care with co-produced user-led services. To date, however, there is little firm evidence of SEOs delivering co-produced care solutions within the policy framework in Wales, which can be understood to be particularly permissive of SEO involvement, or of how the sector is involved in the delivery of support for family carers of older PLWD. Findings gathered through five focus groups with a purposive sample of family carers, and SEO care providers in South Wales, show how co-produced family carer support programmes are navigated and enacted, as well as how the individual agency of service providers, PLWD, and their carers are involved in these processes. Adopting an ethics of care approach, and utilising reflexive thematic analysis, key themes identified include competition between and within organisations, parochialism, capacity, and organisational barriers. This study highlights implications for policy and practice related to the rhetoric of co-produced support services for family carers, SEOs’ views on delivering that support, and family carers’ experiences of navigating and receiving SEO-delivered services.

Support worker’s experiences of self-disclosure within domestic abuse support services and women’s voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organizations: a qualitative enquiry

ABSTRACT This article examines the experiences of self-disclosure of women’s support workers within domestic abuse support organizations in England. This research considers the voice of women support workers from a feminist epistemological perspective using thematic analysis , and invites the consideration of who decides readiness to work in the sector, and the appropriateness of organizations making this decision for women who wish to work in the milieu of domestic abuse support work. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were held with twelve women support workers who identified their lived experience of surviving domestic abuse. Three key themes were generated through thematic analysis (ibid.): women’s choice in making a disclosure regarding lived experience, the impact of non-disclosure policies of women’s organizations on practitioners and the sense of hope emanating from practitioners with lived experience of domestic abuse. The findings from this study make a useful contribution to an under-researched and overlooked area within research on violence against women, that of the women who undertake such vital work in the sector.

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.

Community-based volunteering in response to Covid-19: people, process and planning

PurposeThe Covid-19 pandemic saw a dramatic rise in the number of people volunteering to support older people shielding at home. This study aimed to determine the processes by which volunteers were rapidly engaged in their communities and their impact on the older people who were supported and health and social care services.Design/methodology/approachThe study took place in South East England between May–August 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 88 participants including health and social care practitioners (n = 12), leaders of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations (n = 25), volunteers (n = 26) and older people receiving volunteer support (n = 25). Policy and procedure documents were sourced from the VCSE organisation leaders. Data were analysed thematically according to a framework method.FindingsThe authors identified key themes of People, Process and Planning. People: volunteers had a significant, positive impact on older people in their communities, with volunteers themselves, also benefiting. Process: VCSE organisations needed to work together and with health and care providers to avoid gaps and duplication of services. VCSE organisations were able to act quickly, by-passing many complex operational procedures. However, there was a need to ensure the safety of both volunteers and older people. Planning: Looking forward, there were concerns about the long-term funding of VCSE organisations and the availability of volunteers.Originality/valueThis study took place during the first wave of the pandemic, hence, it provides a snapshot of how voluntary organisations operated at this time and highlights the importance of integration with health and care statutory services.

Social enterprise as a model for change: mapping a global cross-disciplinary framework

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, social enterprise has experienced a renaissance. In public policy circles, entrepreneurship and innovation are perceived as economic development tools, and in many parts of the world, as catalysts for change that can have a real impact by increasing employment in communities as well as environmental challenges. At a local level, entrepreneurship and innovation enable communities to stay vibrant due to social enterprise organisations offering much-needed goods and services. Social enterprise has been acknowledged as a solution to social inequality and environmental issues in society as it develops new areas of empowerment in local communities. Central to the success of social enterprise is education, training, and the engagement of the higher education sector. Traditionally, entrepreneurship and innovation have fundamentally been entrenched within the business subject area, but have now emerged within other disciplines such as criminology, health and social care, geography, sociology, and politics. The aim of this paper is to map out a new, global, cross-disciplinary framework from a teaching and learning perspective. The authors of this paper call for global empowerment of entrepreneurship education in the higher education sector, using examples from different countries across the world, specifically Ghana, India, and the UK. This paper sets out the vital importance of entrepreneurship in teaching and learning, by showcasing what can be achieved. In this paper, the authors develop and propose a new pedagogical social enterprise model that incorporates and emphasises the ethos of ‘think globally, act locally’ in a sustainability context.

COVID-19 and the role of Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises in northern England in responding to the needs of marginalised communities: a qualitative focus group study

BackgroundThe Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise sector has a crucial role in supporting the health and wellbeing of people who are marginalised or who have multiple complex needs. We aimed to understand perceptions of those working in the sector and examine the short-term, medium-term, and long-term effects of COVID-19 on Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise organisations in northern England as they respond to the needs of marginalised communities. This research formed one component of a regional multiagency Health Inequalities Impact Assessment. MethodsWe conducted qualitative focus groups with staff and volunteers from five organisations between March and July, 2021, via a video conferencing platform. Eight of nine focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. One focus group was not recorded due to concerns raised over anonymity and safeguarding, but non-ascribed fieldnotes were taken. Focus group transcripts were analysed using framework analysis. FindingsOne organisation supported children and young people; two organisations supported vulnerable women, young people, and families; one organisation supported refugees and asylum seekers, and one organisation supported disadvantaged individuals to improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing. Three central themes were identified: the exacerbation of pre-existing inequalities, adversity, and challenges for vulnerable and marginalised populations; the cost of being flexible, innovative, and agile for Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise staff and volunteers; and the voluntary sector as a lifeline (organisational pride and resilience). InterpretationThe considerable expertise, capacity, and resilience of Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise organisations and the crucial role they have in supporting marginalised communities has been clearly shown in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise sector therefore has an essential role in the post-COVID levelling-up agenda. The implications of these findings for service provision are that the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise sector must be recognised as an integral partner within any effectively functioning local health system and, as such, adequately resourced to safeguard sustainability and to ensure that attempts to involve the sector in addressing the social determinants of health are not jeopardised. FundingNational Institute for Health and Care Research (Applied Research Collaboration North East and North Cumbria (grant reference NIHR200173) and Public Health England. SSo is supported by a Health Education England and National Institute for Health and Care Research Integrated Clinical Academic Lecturer award (reference CA-CL-2018-04-ST2-010) and Research Capability Funding, National Health Service North of England Care System Support. VJM is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research School for Public Health Research (grant reference PD-SPH-2015).

Youth resilience and training programmes in Australia and the US: Beyond neoliberal social therapeutics

ABSTRACT In a world where opportunities are increasingly limited, young people are encouraged to become resilient and entrepreneurial in their pursuit of the traditional markers of adulthood. Social enterprise and community organisations dedicated to supporting young people seek to recast these expectations by providing supportive work and training environments and cultures and encouraging young people to find passion and hope in economic conditions that have failed to deliver the security and wellbeing that was promised. These organisations identify and respond to complex issues like unemployment and disengagement, homelessness and housing precarity, and provide personal development, support, education, training and employment options. In this paper, we explore how youth-focused social enterprise and community organisation programmes shape dispositions of resilience and entrepreneurialism. Drawing on the work of Butler and Anthanasiou and Dey and Mason, we argue that social organisations re-imagine the ‘social therapeutics’ that young people may require in relation to their participation in neoliberal forms of governmentality. We hope to challenge conceptualisations of such interventions as purely bounded by neoliberal and pro-capitalist therapeutic logics, by identifying the complex and sometimes contradictory goals that community organisations and social enterprises work towards in supporting young people to navigate a precarious economic landscape.

Does Mandatory Disclosure Matter? The Case of Nonprofit Fundraising

Do donors seek out potentially adverse information about organizations making fundraising appeals? Do they react when it is readily available? Do they draw negative inferences when critical information is not available? To answer these questions, we consider previously unexamined large-scale natural experiments involving U.S. charitable organizations—tax-exempt organizations that file Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 990. Using standard difference-in-differences designs, we find that donors penalize organizations with high fundraising costs when there is mandatory disclosure or involuntary disclosure by a third-party reporter. Organizations with lower fundraising costs fundraise more successfully in the presence of these disclosures. The contrast with donors’ behavior when such information is not available suggests that donors do not draw correct inferences when potentially consequential information is not disclosed. Disclose-on-request requirements, in contrast, apparently do not have any significant impact on donors’ or organizations’ behavior. We then sketch implications for the regulation of donations to charities and their modern cousins, such as crowdfunding and social enterprise organizations.

The Paradox of Employee–Volunteer Interchangeability in a Supported Social Enterprise

This research examines the paradox of employee–volunteer interchangeability as a core resource in a nonprofit social enterprise organization. Specifically, the research investigates a) how the human and social capital derived from employee–volunteer interchangeability drives strategic intent, and b) how challenges associated with employee–volunteer interchangeability hinder strategic intent. The research provides insight into how employees and volunteers value outcomes that are dependent on the inherent paradox of interchangeability. The findings reveal that while employee– volunteer interchangeability can be a core resource, a social value, and a driver of competitive advantage, it can also hinder organizational strategies and growth—especially for nonprofit social enterprise organizations.

Evidencing the contribution of social enterprise to health and social care: approaches and considerations

PurposeAs the provision of public services in many advanced welfare states has increasingly come to be marked by competition, social enterprises have actively been encouraged by governments to become involved in the delivery of public services. While the evaluation of complex public health interventions has arguably become increasingly more sophisticated, this has not been the case where social enterprise is concerned: evaluation of the actual impacts of social enterprises remains significantly underdeveloped by comparison. This study aims to support the establishment of a robust evidence base for the use of social enterprise as a policy instrument.Design/methodology/approachThis paper assesses the potential of three methodological approaches common in the evaluation of complex public health interventions and applies them to the complex realm of community-led social enterprise.FindingsOnly through the involvement of different comparator groups, based on the research questions addressed, would it be possible to disentangle the embedded characteristics of organisations such as social enterprises. Each of the methods adopted in this research is time-consuming and resource-intensive and requires the researcher to possess advanced skills. Public officials should recognise the complexity and resource-intensive nature of such evaluation and resource it accordingly. If the aim of policymakers is to understand the added value of social enterprise organisations, an integrative research approach combining different research methods and design should be implemented to improve generalisability.Originality/valueThis study applies a range of favoured approaches to evaluate “complex” public health interventions include systematic reviews, realist evaluation and quasi-experimental investigation. However, such evaluation approaches have rarely been applied before in the context of social enterprise.

Hybrid goals: institutional complexity and ‘legacy’ in a global sporting mega-event

ABSTRACT Definitions of social enterprise and hybrid organizations are compatible and allow application to a variety of organizational forms. We analyse the not-for-profit enterprise formed specifically to deliver the regional element of a global mega-sporting event: The 1994 FIFA (soccer) World Cup. The organization planned a sporting spectacle with commercial objectives to provide long-term benefits for society and a short-term economic boost. This longitudinal case traces the evolution of the organization and its emergent institutional complexity as it aligned commercial and societal goals.

Annual reporting by social enterprise organizations: “legitimacy surplus” or reporting deficit?

PurposeDrawing on an accountability framework developed for social enterprise organizations (SEOs), this paper examines the annual report disclosure practices of SEOs in the United Kingdom in order to investigate the types of accountability disclosed by SEOs.Design/methodology/approachAfter developing a SEO database, and utilizing a bespoke document coding checklist, the annual reports of 129 SEOs were examined.FindingsThe results indicate that while SEOs would be expected to account in line with normative stakeholder theory, many do not provide constructive and voluntary accountability information to their stakeholders, at least through the annual report, and that their focus is on satisfying legal obligations.Originality/valueIn response to calls for research to better understand accountability in new organizational contexts, this paper makes two contributions: firstly, by extending prior accountability research in the NFP sector to consider organizational hybrids, it raises questions about organizational accountability and how it is discharged in situations where an organization operates as a business and yet is accountable for its social mission; secondly, assuming these organizations are driven by their business and social logics, the findings suggest that SEO accountability disclosure practices are inconsistent with the social objectives on which they are based.

Does Mandatory Disclosure Matter? The Case of Nonprofit Fundraising

Do small-dollar donors seek out potentially adverse information about organizations making fundraising appeals? Do they react when it is readily available? Do they draw negative inferences when critical information is not available? To answer these questions, we consider previously unexamined large-scale natural experiments involving US charitable organizations – tax-exempt organizations that file IRS Form 990. Using standard difference-in-differences designs, we find that donors penalize organizations with high fundraising costs when there is mandatory disclosure or involuntary disclosure by a third-party reporter. Fundraising efficacy for lower fundraising cost organizations is greater when disclosed in these ways. The contrast with donors’ behavior when such information is not available suggests that they do not draw correct inferences when potentially consequential information is not disclosed. Disclose-on-request requirements, in contrast, apparently do not have any significant impact on donors’ or organizations’ behavior. We then sketch implications for the regulation of donations to charities and their modern cousins, such as crowdfunding and social enterprise organizations.

‘Social’ value creation as care: the perspective of beneficiaries in social entrepreneurship

PurposeThis paper aims to characterise the “social” in social entrepreneurship (SE) by examining social value creation (SVC) from the perspective of vulnerable beneficiaries within a developing country context. It uses the lens of care ethics to garner insights into SVC based on what beneficiaries care about in their work engagement with social enterprises.Design/methodology/approachThe exploratory paper implements a multiple case study approach to theory building, which considers the rich, real-life developing country context wherein much SVC occurs. Data collection primarily uses in-depth interviews with beneficiaries in accordance with socially sensitive research methodologies involving vulnerable participants.FindingsThe findings offer an ethical view of SVC that is premised on what is of value to beneficiaries in SE. The authors find that SVC is a multi-dimensional and reciprocal process that is shaped as beneficiaries work for social enterprises. The reciprocal nature of the process engenders beneficiary altruism, which may heighten vulnerability and lead to the dark side of SE.Social implicationsMany of the problems SE tries to address are situated in developing countries. The findings may enable social entrepreneurs, policymakers and social enterprise organisations to develop more responsive and more impactful solutions to social problems in developing countries. They further suggest that beneficiaries must not be looked upon merely as passive recipients of value but as active participants in the SVC process.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to critical SE discourse by giving voice to beneficiaries in SE.

The Creative Business Model Canvas

PurposeCreative and cultural producers, like social enterprises, operate in a complex business environment where the value proposition is difficult to define, and the organisational motivations are not always financially driven. In the case of Australian visual artists, low incomes and limited access to government funding magnify the importance of developing sustainable business models. This paper aims to present the Creative Business Model Canvas (CBMC), a reinterpretation of Osterwalder and Pigneur’s CBMC (2010), for the benefit of a visual artist’s business planning.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study uses data from semi-structured interviews to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of the Osterwalder and Pigneur’s BMC (2010) for use by creative artists to understand the value of their artwork beyond traditional profit-driven business models. A modified canvas is presented to capture a clearer snapshot of creative arts practice with a focus on value propositions that possess dimensions of symbolic value.FindingsThis study found that the symbolic value of an artist’s practice is difficult to capture using Osterwalder and Pigneur’s CBMC (2010). An artist value proposition is composed of the artifact, artistic services and the artist’s identity. The creative CBMC, as a modified CBMC, captures aspects of the artistic identity such as professional achievements, personal life and the artist’s authenticity.Originality/valueThis study builds on Osterwalder and Pigneur’s CBMC and reimagines it for use by visual artists and art-based social enterprise organisations where the notion of value can be challenging to articulate.

Corticosteroid injections in the management of subacromial pain: Experiences and decision making of physiotherapists

BackgroundDespite ongoing debate in the literature regarding their efficacy, corticosteroid injections remain a common treatment intervention for physiotherapists to consider for patients with subacromial pain. Very little is known about what factors and how clinician's experiences inform decision making in this area. ObjectivesTo investigate the experiences and decision making of physiotherapists in relation to the use of corticosteroid injections for subacromial pain. DesignA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, which were then analysed using thematic analysis. SettingA social enterprise organisation delivering NHS primary care musculo-skeletal physiotherapy services. ParticipantsNine physiotherapists. ResultsThree broad codes were identified: (1) initial management; (2) patient factors; (3) therapist beliefs. Within these three codes, seven sub-themes were identified. Confidence in diagnosis and satisfaction that conservative management had been attempted was important. Features of a patient's presentation were key to decision making, i.e. pain severity, function and effect on sleep. Patient engagement with rehabilitation was also considered important, as was consideration of the effect of psychosocial factors. Therapist beliefs and experiences around the efficacy of corticosteroid injections was also considered influential on decision making. Some dissuasive factors were also discussed. ConclusionSome of the key factors in the decision making of physiotherapists in relation to the use of corticosteroid injections for subacromial pain have been identified, such as patient presentation and engagement, clinician experience and consideration of current literature. Further research is indicated to explore this subject further to enable better understanding around clinical decision making and the use of corticosteroid injections.