Social Enterprise Spotlight – Kinlochlovin’
Posted: 08 December 2020, in News
Our newest Social Enterprise Spotlight is Anna McBride and Kinlochlovin’. Kinlochlovin’ support all young people in the Kinlochleven High School catchment area to participate in enhancing activities to promote health and wellbeing, social inclusion and social justice. Read and share their Q&A interview below! Get in contact with Anna on kinlochlovin@outlook.com.
What’s your social and/or environmental mission?
Our aim is to have a positive social impact upon the mental health and wellbeing of young people in our local area.
How do you do it? (client group, practical daily work, customers etc)
We offer all our services for free to ensure we are fully inclusive, these services include art and creative workshops, 1:1 therapeutic work and cultural experience and trips.
What’s your personal motivation for being a social entrepreneur?
I love working with young people and believe that extra-curricular and support services really enhance their wellbeing. I felt there was a gap of such important services due to budget cuts and barriers in education, hence I wanted to find a way of ensuring all young people were supported.
What are your current projects?
We are trying to push the independence and social skills of our young people as social entrepreneurs involving them in the design and production of products to sell for sustainability. Alongside this we are trying to increase the amount of therapeutic work we can offer as it is in demand.
What exciting things do you have coming up?
Supporting community groups over the festive season to provide cheer over the holidays. Hopeful of busy winter markets with young people’s goods on sale and outdoor experiences for families to appreciate their environment.
Who do you want to work with more?
We would like to expand out therapeutic services to give more direct 1:1 support to more vulnerable young people.
What’s your biggest challenge?
Funding for professional services is limited, we rely heavily on voluntary working and goodwill. This is fantastic and makes us morally so proud but it’s a constant strain when we know demand exceeds our capabilities.
What top tips would you give to other social enterprises?
Do what you do because you believe in it and genuinely love it. The value of positive social impact outweighs profit and profile. The difference you can make to even one person makes all the hard work worth it.