Social Firms UK

 In conjunction with Concilium and the regional social enterprise networks NOMS are organising a series of events designed to encourage and facilitate dialogue between NOMS and the sector.

Each event will aim to produce a clear action plan that will seek to ensure that social enterprise has a strong voice within NOMS and a clear way in which to engage.

NOMS want to encourage as much participation as possible from the sector and see this as just the start. We want diversity in size, focus and history – even if you are a new and developing enterprise, please get involved.

 Social Finance invites commissioners, social service providers and investors to three conferences in Glasgow, Birmingham and London in March 2011. They would like to work with you to build the marketplace for Social Impact Bonds. Speakers will include leading social investors, government representatives and voluntary sector practioners. 

For some people, unemployment is not a phenomenon of the recession, but a long-standing fact of life. We know from examples across the East of England that if this goes unaddressed, the effects of unemployment can be destructive to both individuals and their communities. We also know that the economic costs of unemployment on the public sector are enormous, especially when considering the wider social impact.

There are many factors affecting the most complex cases of unemployment across the East of England, including disability, age, ethnic background and the rural nature of our region – but across the third and public sectors there is a genuine commitment to address this issue, which has only been strengthened in tough economic times.