Social Enterprise Coalition has rebranded as Social Enterprise UK and will launch a new website with a 'raft of services' in September.
The new identity follows a change in direction for the organisation which is known as a lobbying force for the social enterprise movement.
"The Social Enterprise Coalition started up as a coalition of third sector organisations who were very successful at putting social enterprise on the political agenda," said Celia Richardson, director of communications at Social Enterprise UK.
"But 'coalition' no longer describes what we do - we're not just a lobbying organisation. Lobbying and representation are still critically important, but we're a broad outfit providing lots of services," she explained.
Along with the rebrand, developed by Spencer Dubois, the marketing creative agency which has previously worked with Cancer Research UK, Sense and Hope and Homes for Children among its charity clients, Social Enterprise UK will expand its online presence launching its new website in the middle of September. It will include a Q&A noticeboard where members will post their issues relating to social enterprise, podcasts relating to social enterprise pulling knowledge from members and staff, and a forum will follow later in the year. The existing directory will also be further developed as a 'marketplace', advised a spokeswoman for the organisation.
The organisation received funding from the Office for the Third Sector (now Office for Civil Society) for its previous website, but a spokesperson advised the new site is being paid for by themselves.
Growth in Social Enterprise
Interest in Social Enterprise has been growing fast, the organisation advises. Visits to the website have doubled in the last year and membership has risen to 450. Richardson said:
"The UK now has a thriving, growing movement that is gaining power, momentum and support...We're looking to grow markets for all social enterprises and really power up the movement. Our membership is growing fast and we are inundated with enquiries from the UK and abroad."
A spokeswoman for Social Enterprise UK advised there are "no immediate plans" to branch out of the UK but advised that "lots of countries look to the UK for leadership in social enterprise...particularly countries in the East, such as Korea and Japan". Peter Holbrook, Social Enterprise UK chief executive visited the World Forum in Africa earlier this year and has also been to San Francisco spreading the social enterprise message.
