Executive Summary
This report presents research conducted with London South Bank University to evidence the social impact being created by RNIB and Action for Blind People's two social firms, Concept Conferencing Centre and Viewpoint. These are social enterprises that provide employment and training opportunities to blind and partially sighted people.
The research methodology involved interviewing ten current and past employees and trainees at both organisations to gather evidence of how employment had changed their lives. In addition five interviews were held with the social firm managers and commercial clients, and a short questionnaire with three of the employees' families.
The results showed increases in employees' and trainees' confidence in themselves and in the workplace, improvements to their family's lifestyles, and at Concept, challenged attitudes of sight loss in the workplace. In addition employment of these individuals saved the government money in welfare spending and increased income from tax receipts from salaries and trading.
It was found that the factors creating these changes were empowerment, supportive management, peer support, new physical environments and direct client contact. Many of these were unique to the social firm model and may not be found in the external labour market.
In addition, a Social Return on Investment analysis was undertaken on Concept and estimated that for every £1 invested in Concept, £4.80 is returned in value. This includes social outcomes to employees, trainees and in changed attitudes (valued at £3.29 per £1). Economic outcomes to the government in reduced welfare spend in and increased tax income (valued at £1.52 per £1).
This research begins to set out a compelling case for social firms within the employment service portfolio of RNIB and Action for Blind People. With powerful factors implicit to the model, social firms represent a mechanism of vocational rehabilitation that could help create the social outcomes required to bring those furthest from the labour market back into employment and society as a whole.
