Those that want to set up Social Firms can gain significant information that is generic to all businesses by accessing these courses. There are a considerable number of training providers around the UK operating courses on social enterprise start-up, in addition to the many mainstream business support agencies doing their courses on small business start-up.
SETAS The Social Enterprise Training Consortium holds several databases on their website which may prove useful to those seeking Social Enterprise training courses and materials. Their website also includes the national Consultants Register and Guidance for Using Consultants which Social Firms UK led on within the Social Enterprise Partnership (GB) EQUAL project. Link to www.setas.co.uk to access the database of training providers, funding sources for training, business support providers and consultants - all for the Social Enterprise sector.
National Occupational Standards There are also new National Occupational Standards that have been developed for the following target markets: a) Social Enterprise Managers b) Business advisers to the Social Enterprise sector. A new online directory of National Occupational Standards can be found at http://www.ukstandards.org/ The directory contains the recently developed guidelines for social enterprise advisers and managers, as well as the standards for community workers and more.
Social Enterprise Coalition Social Enterprise Coalition has a resource centre which includes useful learning and training materials about social enterprise: www.socialenterprise.org.uk.