Social Enterprise Scotland announces Digital Showcase Line up and Bursary Awards Recipients
Posted: 28 October 2020, in Press Release
Social Enterprise Scotland will be hosting a unique and free Digital Showcase event next week on Tuesday November 3rd to highlight the efforts and impact of the social enterprise sector as it addresses the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Social Enterprise Digital Showcase is a chance for social enterprises and supporters of the sector to come together and hear from some of the individuals who were able to bring additional support to their local communities as the country was placed under lockdown restrictions.
Aileen Campbell, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, is also taking part in the online event, and will be sharing her insights into how the social enterprise sector has fared over the past nine months.
The Digital Showcase will highlight the work of 19 social enterprises that received a £350 bursary from Social Enterprise Scotland to help tell their impact stories during lockdown. Three of these enterprises also received additional support by way of a short film, which will be aired at the Digital Showcase and subsequent follow-up events.
With a geographical spread from the Northern Isles and Western Isles to the south of Scotland and across the central belt and north-east coast, the Social Enterprise Digital Showcase will highlight a range of organisations that supported their local communities during the pandemic.
From supplying remodelled laptops and online health support to improving food distribution and helping parents care for their children, these enterprises, and many others like them, were able to demonstrate remarkable agility and resilience. Many have also successfully adapted their services to continue to deliver impact and support, as leaders demonstrated bold decisions, staff and volunteers stepped up, and as a community we all learned how to work better together and how to adapt to a more digital world.
As well as hearing from a range of speakers, the event will include a series of “fireside chats” that will feature question and answer sessions, while a breakout session will enable participants to meet other social enterprise and sector members and network together.
Chris Martin, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise Scotland, said:
“In one week we will be hosting our Social Enterprise Digital Showcase where we will be sharing just a few of the very many inspirational stories and powerful experiences we saw as the sector rose up to the enormous and difficult challenges brought about by the Covid pandemic. This has not been an easy time for anyone, but the work of the social enterprise sector has had such a positive and profound impact across the country that we are extremely proud to host his sector-wide snapshot and to take this unique opportunity to shine a light on 19 of those enterprises.
We opened the application process for only two weeks and the fact that we had to choose from a long list of 65 demonstrates the high number of positive impact stories out there. While we will be focusing on the positives, we will also be reflecting on many of the challenges that remain. I’m delighted to be welcoming the Cabinet Secretary, Aileen Campbell to speak at the event, and I am grateful for her continued support for our community.
I would also like to personally thank our five sponsors: Firstport, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Keegan & Pennykid, Social Enterprise Academy and South of Scotland Enterprise, without whom hosting this event would not have been possible.”
The 19 bursary-winning social enterprises taking part in the Digital Showcase include: Edinburgh Remakery, Lanark Community Development Trust, Locavore Community Interest Company, The Furniture Project (Stranraer) Limited, Findhorn Bay Arts, The Haven in Stonehaven, Food Train, Tsukure Hub CIC, Projekt 42, Space & Broomhouse Hub, Isle Develop CIC, FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland, Cyrenians, The Bike Station, Community Food Initiatives North East, Point and Sandwick Trust, Thorn Athletic Community Trust, The Libertie Project, and the ALICE Theatre Project.
Stay in the loop with the Digital Showcase by following the #SocEntShowcase hashtag on social media and book your free place now to join the event.