Nineteen social entrepreneurs have graduated from SSE Cornwall’s first Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Trade Up programme in partnership with School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) and jointly funded by Big Lottery Fund.
The programme is aimed at entrepreneurs who have been running a social enterprise, charity or impact project for at least a year.
SSE Cornwall was one of three schools in the UK network, along with SSE London and SSE North West, to be able to offer a Trade Up programme this year, made possible with support from Cornwall & Isles of Scilly LEP and Cornwall Council. The programme offers a transformational learning journey and mentoring to help entrepreneurs strengthen their business model and grow their social or environmental business.
In addition to training and support, graduates also receive a Match Trading grant. Match Trading is an innovation in grant funding created by the School for Social Entrepreneurs, with the support of pioneer partners Lloyds Banking Group and Big Lottery Fund. The Match Trading grant matches an increase in annual trading income, pound-for-pound.
This year’s graduates from the programme include charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs) working in areas such as health and wellbeing, social care, criminal justice, environment, education, family cohesion and food poverty.
Charlotte Hill, chair of SSE Cornwall said: “Graduation marks a significant milestone in the journey of our students and SSE Cornwall. It is the culmination of hard work, passion and commitment to realise the potential of their social businesses designed to address complex issues and offer creative alternatives to meet economic, social and environmental challenges.”
SSE Cornwall is one of 11 schools changing lives across the UK, Canada and India. Every year, they help more than 1,000 people learn how to transform their communities and help people in need.
