Social Enterprise Scotland is growing a strong, inclusive voice for social enterprise after being chosen by The Scottish Government to deliver the new ‘Single Enhanced Intermediary’ (SEI) for Scotland from 1st July.
As part of our commitment to deliver this in partnership with the entire sector, including grassroots social enterprises, we have established a Transition Group to ensure a seamless process.
Role of the Transition Group
We are proud to be creating a relationship of trust and confidence, with full transparency and flexibility, as we prepare for the continuity of current services and implementation of the Single Enhanced Intermediary.
The role of the Transition Group is to ensure that future policies and activities reflect the needs of the wider sector. The group has a strong breadth of representation from across the movement and all parts of Scotland. The membership fully reflects grassroots social enterprises, stakeholders, the Social Enterprise Networks (SENs) and other knowledgeable experts.
The group has a six-month remit to report back to the SES board with recommendations. It is the role of the SES board to consider all Transition Group recommendations, in accordance with our existing governing documents and membership. The recommendations will be shared transparently with the full membership for consideration.
Membership of the Transition Group
We are delighted to announce the complete membership of the Transition Group, who have been tasked with advising Social Enterprise Scotland as it delivers the Single Enhanced Intermediary (SEI).
Please click on the names below to read a short biography of each Transition Group member.
Professor Ian Welsh OBE was Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, the third sector strategic intermediary for health and social care organisations for 12 years. He recently stepped down from that role but continues to offer advice and support to the ALLIANCE leadership team. He has extensive experience in the public, private and third sectors.
His early career was in teaching and during this period, he served as an elected member leading Kyle and Carrick District Council and then became the first Leader of South Ayrshire Council before serving briefly as MSP for Ayr.
He was Director of UK Services for the Rehab Group, leading a family of charities, not-for- profit organisations and social enterprises working in care, supported employment, rehabilitation and training. As Chief Executive and Board member of Kilmarnock Football Club, he led the club through business and footballing success building a number of innovative community programmes. He served as a non-executive Director of the Glasgow Prestwick Airport and as Executive Director of Human Resources and Public Affairs.
Over the last two decades, he has served on a number of Scottish Government Programme Boards and, in other public appointments, he served on Ayrshire and Arran Health Board, chairing its Staff Governance Committee, was the first Chair of the East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership, sat on the Board of Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire and was Chair of the Court the University the West of Scotland. A former Chair of the Microtech Group, he currently Chairs the Ayr Gaiety Partnership, Dementia Friendly Prestwick, C-Change Scotland and sits on the Board of Ayrshire Cancer Support.
Professor Welsh has led, or been involved in, a number of activities on behalf of the Scottish Government. After the Penrose Inquiry, he was invited by the Cabinet Secretary, Shona Robison MSP, to Chair the Contaminated Blood Financial Review Group. He was invited by the Scottish Government to Chair its GIRFEC Practice Development Panel, reporting to the Deputy First Minister in March 2019 on issues relation to the Named Person legislation. Most recently, he was appointed by the Cabinet Secretary, Jeane Freeman MSP, to sit on the Advisory Panel for the Independent Review of Adult Social Care whose recommendations formed the impetus for the developing National Care Service.
In November 2016, he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the University of the West of Scotland and is currently an Honorary Professor with that institution.
Ailsa founded Inspiralba, a social enterprise with charitable status, in 2009, having previously worked in youth and community work and economic development locally, nationally and internationally. There is a huge amount of passion, energy and determination within rural communities to address needs and issues. Turning ideas in to reality and taking business growth forward can be challenging, with organisations often working flat out to ensure sustainability.
Inspiralba provide a range of services, to assist organisations to build resilience and income which in turn delivers a range of environmental, social and economic benefits for communities.
The range and diversity of enterprise activity across rural communities, continues to provide learning, where significant social impact is delivered by a broad range of, often small, social enterprises. This gives an insight into the challenges and opportunities and highlights the important role social enterprise has in sustaining our rural communities.
Inspiralba also deliver employability and learning activities for young people and those facing barriers to work, seeing first-hand the impact of Covid lockdowns as well as increasing poverty levels for those most vulnerable in our communities.
Ailsa regularly advocates for the rural perspective and has worked with partners across Scotland and internationally to bring learning from this context via the RuralSEHub.
Originally trained as an accountant, Angus changed direction and retrained in social work before working on a number of community led regeneration initiatives during the 1980s in the large housing estates that sit on the fringes of Edinburgh.
In the early ’90s he worked in schools with a focus on improving home-school relationships before moving to a city-wide post with a focus on the integration of services for children and families across Edinburgh. More recently, he was responsible for establishing Development Trusts Association Scotland and worked as CEO.
He is currently Director of Scottish Community Alliance, a group of national community sector networks which has been formed to advance the community agenda in Scotland.
Claire holds a Diploma in Community Education (youth and community work) with merit in applied social sciences, an MBA with overall distinction and is a Fellow of the RSA. She has been CEO of ESE for 6 years.
With a background in community development and youth work, Claire has worked in two local authorities, leading multi-disciplinary teams and partnerships to address barriers experienced by some of the most disadvantaged communities in Edinburgh and the Lothians, including bespoke employability programmes, international youth exchanges, community planning and armed forces community covenants. Participatory democracy and social justice underpin Claire’s work ethic.
Claire leads on Edinburgh’s Social Enterprise Strategy. Within the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, Claire is regional representative for social enterprise and wider third sector, Chair of the Regional Enterprise Council and a member of the ESESCRD Joint Committee, engaging regularly with TSIs and SENs in the region to ensure cohesive representation.Claire was Chief Officer of Craigmillar Adventure Project, a social enterprise that used outdoor, adventure education to support community activists, community groups and young people build personal and inter-personal skills and social capital. She still has a strong sense of adventure, enjoying travelling, hillwalking and skiing.
Irene is the Founding Director of ImPerfect Foods. A social enterprise whose mission is to reduce waste innovatively and responsibly in the food supply chain.
Irene has several years’ experience in a variety of social projects, conflict resolution and negotiation. She has a strong background in community and cross-boundary leadership. In addition to Imperfect, she also leads Knowledge-Bridge which is an organisation that promotes cross-cultural exchanges, inclusion, diversity, and race equity.
She’s also fellow at the Royal for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) area councillor for Scotland.
Currently completing an MSc in intercultural Business Communication.
Jennifer joined GSEN in October 2020, and as Director has overall responsibility for the day to day management of the organisation. Overseeing all aspects of GSEN’s operations, Jennifer brings a wealth of third sector and social enterprise experience from her previous role working across the three Forth Valley Third Sector Interfaces (TSI’s), delivering social enterprise development and support. During her tenure in Forth Valley Jennifer worked with and supported many social enterprises of all sizes and stages of development to achieve their social and/or environmental aims and maintain sustainable businesses.
Jennifer also overseen the establishment of the Forth Valley Social Enterprise Network (FVSEN), the first regional social enterprise network in Scotland, and the development of local social enterprise strategies for both Stirling and Clackmannanshire.
Previously a lecturer in Communication and Media Studies, Jennifer is a founding Director of BCMD CIC, a Director of Pause and Breathe CIC, and recently joined the Board of Directors of Cambusbarron Village Nursery CIC to support their expansion, and the development of a new woodland play nursery and hub.
With a passion and commitment to the development of the social enterprise sector in Scotland, Jennifer believes in the power of social enterprise to bring about innovative, real and lasting transformational change within communities, and the opportunities that provides to address the inequalities and poverty suffered by our most disadvantaged individuals and communities.
Jennifer lives in Falkirk and enjoys spending her spare time with her twin grandkids, taking trips up to the Highlands whenever possible, and pursuing her passion and interest in ancient history.
James describes himself as a social enterprise troublemaker having worked numerous community asset transfers, renewables projects, community benefit funds, community shops, land acquisitions and has an established a wide range of social enterprises over the last 23 years using many different legal structures. With former roles as chair of a regional Social Enterprise Network, Board member of the regional Third Sector Interface and CEO of Mull & Iona Community Trust, James now provides social enterprise consultancy but spends most of his time delivering leadership, governance and entrepreneurial programmes for the Social Enterprise Academy.
Now in his sixteenth year with the Academy, he is one of its longest serving Facilitators.
James Hilder became a Trustee of Foundation Scotland in 2018 and currently Chairs the Coastal Communities and Wild Salmonid Grant Fund Panels and serves on the Boards’ Risk & Impact Committee. Prior to moving to Argyll in 1998, James’ early career spanned operational management in visitor attractions, retail and leisure facilities, management consultancy and training for private and charitable organisations across the UK.
James lives in Strontian (Ardnamurchan) where he is a Community Councillor and a volunteer Director of the Sunart Community Company & local care charity Urram.
John is CEO of the social enterprise Community Renewal Trust and Chair/co-founder of Caledonia Funeral Aid CIC. His campaigning work focuses on changing systems for commissioning and delivery at a neighbourhood level as part of rethinking approaches to ending persistent poverty and inequity. He has been a Trustee of SENScot since 2017.
Martin is Group CEO at Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEIS.) CEIS are the UK’s oldest and largest social enterprise business support agency. Their mission is to develop a more inclusive economy in order to reduce inequality and make Scotland a better place to live and work.
Martin moved to CEIS in August 2021 from Kinning Park Complex (KPC) where he was previously the Director. KPC are a community anchor organisation that own and manage a multi-use community centre and who work towards the promotion of community, creativity a citizenship.
Martin was previously a Board Member of SURF, Scotland’s Regeneration Forum and is currently a Board Member of Community Land Scotland. He is passionate about community wealth building and the role that community enterprises can play in building a more inclusive economy that ensures that wealth is more evenly distributed and that provides Scotland’s communities with the assets and services that they need to thrive and develop.
Polly is the CEO and co-founder of Impact Hub Inverness, a co-working space run by HISEZ CIC that is part of an international network. She is also an accredited coach and has onboarded 10 new teams for Impact Hub Global. At a local level she is a business adviser under the various contracts delivered by Impact Hub Inverness, delivering support on business planning and growth, organisational and governance health checks, and training. She was also recently part of the Rural Lives research team along with of Newcastle University and SRUC. Prior to joining HISEZ she worked in the Third Sector Division of Scottish Government.
Having worked in the broad area of community development in the Highlands and Islands for 30 years, she has a proven track record in working constructively to support change in rural communities. She has developed good working relationships and networks with local agencies and community groups, as well as gained a good knowledge and understanding of the area and the complexities of working across a large and diverse geography.
Yvonne is currently Chair of the Social Enterprise Academy Board and a member of its International Board. She was formerly a Deputy Director in the Scottish Government with responsibility for Equality, Human Rights and the Third Sector. As part of that remit she worked to support the strengthening of social enterprise in Scotland and the development of a longer-term strategic approach to the sector.
In the period prior to joining the civil service she was a senior full time official with the TGWU and was involved in a range of civic and public activities including being a (non Exec) Director of the WISE Group (social enterprise) and a Board member of Scottish Enterprise. She was awarded a CBE in 2015 and received an honorary doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2018.
A message from the Chair
“Scotland is home to many ground-breaking and entrepreneurial approaches from its growing social enterprise sector.
“This dynamic, ethical and more sustainable way of doing business is a model for the future of Scotland’s economy, and the transition to a single intermediary for the sector will amplify the voice of all social enterprises.
“I look forward to chairing the transition group which will make recommendations to ensure the process is seamless and delivers on our ambitions for the sector.”
Professor Ian Welsh OBE, Chair of the Transition Group
Updates from the Transition Group
Terms of reference
Transition Group meetings schedule
Transition Group Q & A
Transition Group Report
Transition Group Recommendations – SES Implementation Plan
Transition Group Meeting 1
Transition Group meeting 1 Presentation
Transition Group meeting 1 minutes (July 4th 2022)
Transition Group Meeting 2
TG Meeting 2 Paper 1 – Values, Roles and Ethos of the SEI
TG Meeting 2 Paper 2 – Mapping the Landscape of Social Enterprise Support
Annex to Paper 2 – The Social Enterprise Eco-system Map
TG Meeting 2 Paper 3 – SEI Membership
Annex to Paper 3 – Membership Comparisons
Transition Group meeting 2 minutes (July 29th 2022)
Transition Group Meeting 3
Consolidated Position Paper
Final Minutes – 19 August
TG Meeting 3 – Engagement Paper
Transition Group Meeting 4
Final Minutes – 23 September
TG Meeting 4 Paper 1 – Options Appraisal
TG Group External Engagement Plan
Transition Group Meeting 5
TG Meeting 5 – Agenda – 10 October
TG Meeting 5 – Paper 1 – Regional Engagement – Key Themes
TG Meeting 5 – Draft Recommendations Discussion Groups
TG External Engagement Presentation
Transition Group Meeting 6
Final Minutes – 24 October
TG Meeting 6 – Paper 1 – Engagement Events – Key Themes
TG Draft Recommendations Survey Results
Read the latest update on the single enhanced intermediary for social enterprise.