Why you should apply to the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland
Posted: 13 July 2021, in News
We are entering deadline week, with just seven days now before the deadline for applications on Monday July 19th. Are you thinking of applying to the awards this year?
In today’s blog post, we are sharing insights from past winners who were recognised in our 2019 awards and encouragement from our board and staff to put your social enterprise forward. We’d love to hear from you and hear your story of impact.
“The Social Enterprise Awards Scotland is an annual event that showcases some of the amazing work social enterprises in Scotland are doing. It is a great opportunity for social enterprises to have their stories told and their work highlighted to a national and international audience. In addition to raising the profiles of social enterprises, the awards are well-known throughout the sector and being a winner or shortlisted candidate is a great achievement that can help organisations with their future promotion, apply for new contracts or funding applications. But most importantly, the awards provide a platform for the groups social enterprises are working with and provide awareness about the social issues in our communities. In a year that has been particularly challenging for many, we’ve seen social enterprises step up to help those in need and doing everything they can to support their local community. The awards will recognise the hard work of these social enterprises so if your organisation has been going above and beyond make sure you apply!”
Clarrie Murdoch, Community Host at Impact Hub Inverness and Board Member at Social Enterprise Scotland.
“CFINE recognised the prestige and profile which would come from winning the award and was integral in raising further awareness to the continued development of CFINE’s activities. The application was very smooth and the team at CFINE were delighted when they received the news we had been shortlisted. Winning the award was an extremely proud moment for everyone involved in the organisation, not just the staff and our board of directors, but it was especially rewarding for the hundreds of volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure what we do on a daily basis has a positive impact on our community. Two years on, we are still very proud and we continue to “shout” about this prestigious award!”
Fiona Rae, Deputy Chief Executive at Community Food Initiatives North East, Winner of the Social Enterprise of the Year Award in 2019.
“The Shieling Project was keen to enter the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland to try and get our name out more widely, and show the work we had done in sustainability education, and sustainable building and management of our education centre. We were very pleased to be short-listed and excited to come down to the Scottish Parliament for the awards – which was a big trip for us coming from the North of Scotland. It was a shock to win, and we were over the moon! It was such a friendly event, and an easy process to apply, we’d recommend it to everyone. The award was a big boost to our confidence, and definitely a factor in more recent successful funding bids. Plus we have the lovely award itself sitting in pride of place in our office.”
Sam Harrison, Executive Director at The Shieling Project, Winner of the Environmental Social Enterprise Award in 2019.
“As a new social enterprise, it was vital that we built our reputation and profile in the Scottish business community. We were aware that the Social Enterprise Scotland Awards are widely considered the most prestigious across the sector, meaning we were delighted to submit our nomination. The process was extremely straightforward and allowed us to showcase the progress our team had made since we opened in 2018. The award ceremony was the highlight of our year, giving us the opportunity to meet a diverse range of business and social enterprise leaders as well as local and national policy makers and ministers. It really helped elevate our status within Scotland and would highly encourage any Scottish social enterprise to apply!“
Michelle Ferguson, Director at Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, Winner of the One to Watch Social Enterprise Award in 2019.
“I was shocked and humbled to win the Social Enterprise Champion award, especially given the calibre of the other finalists. Winning this award has been a fantastic experience and I would say it has given my colleagues at Community Renewal and I increased confidence and perhaps our more radical and ambitious ideas are gaining more traction with stakeholders as a result.”
Paul McColgan, CEO and Founder of Community Renewal Trust, Winner of the Social Enterprise Champion Award in 2019.
Is it your time to shine? Don’t delay and send us your application for one or more of the seven award categories available this week. If you have any questions at all or need support with your application, you can reach out to our team by contacting Jonathon by email at awards@socialenterprise.scot or by phone at 07 419 213 466.