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MSocSC Third Sector Management Summer School 2011
A very successful Summer School on the MSocSc Third Sector Management programme and co-ordinated by Centre for Co-operative Studies staff took place from March 31st to April 2nd.
Guest speakers included Peter Couchman, Chief Executive of the Plunkett Foundation who outlined with great gusto the role of the Foundation in supporting rural communities in the UK to seek economic solution to create social change. Peter told us how communities today are following Horace Plunkett’s maxim of Better Living by taking control of issues that are important to them through community ownership. The fictional community-run Village Shop which features in the Archers radio show reflects the increasing number of real communities in the UK which have taken on the running of their local shop, pub or post office.
Deirdre Garvey, CEO of The Wheel, presented findings from the Wheel’sIndependent and Interdependent research report and discussed the role of the community and voluntary sector in Ireland in the context of a vastly diverse sector, heavy funding cuts, a new government but also new opportunities. Jim Boyle explained the role of Clann Credo as a provider of social finance in Ireland followed by a very enlightening workshop on funding proposals for social finance. Donal Traynor outlined the approach of Ulster Community Investment Trust (UCIT) in providing social finance and the role that plays in social enterprise development. Dr. Rory Ridley-Duff of Sheffield School of Business stimulated us to examine the first strategic choice facing a social enterprise; what identity should be projected and how can the legal form of the enterprise support this ? He presented several models that work for groups working in different circumstances. We were also joined by a number of graduates of both the MSocSc and our MBS Co-operative & Social Enterprise who presented overviews of the research conducted for their minor theses.