Supplying Devon Shared Prosperity
Could local suppliers bring more value to public sector spending? Could they help build a fair and inclusive economy in Devon as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic and encounters disrupted global supply chains?
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Are you part of an enterprise or organisation interested in providing goods or services to local institutions or for public good? Perhaps it is supplying the public sector with food products, providing services related to housing, health and wellbeing, cleaning, recycling or admin?​ Or perhaps you’re a procurement or commissioning professional concerned to gain value for money and create social value through working with social entrepreneurs?
What is the Supplying Devon Shared Prosperity programme?
Supplying Devon Shared Prosperity (SDSP) programme is a free funded programme for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations and co-ops in rural Devon* and for social entrepreneurs and public sector procurement professionals and commissioners. The programme supports social enterprises in becoming providers for local institutions, or extending this role where they are already providers, and in winning new public sector contracts. The programme not only supports quality livelihoods for our communities, it also contributes to growing local supply chains that secure a sustainable local economic recovery and resilience to economic or climate disruption.
Who is this programme for?
Social Entrepreneurs
Our workshops are chiefly for those already providing services for the public (eg for health and well-being) funded through local authorities and would like to expand or extend this work, or who are interested in finding new customers by supplying local institutions (local authorities, educational institutions, NHS trusts, public services etc). Our workshops can give you a head start and help you develop your enterprise and capacity to generate revenues in this direction.
Public Sector Professionals
Two of the workshops are particularly designed for public procurement and commissioning professionals who want to build social value in Devon and understand the needs, barriers and opportunities for working with social entrepreneurs in the VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations and co-ops) Sector .
*North Devon, Torridge, West Devon, Mid Devon and South Hams.
The programme
The Devon Social Entrepreneurs Programme runs from April- June 2022.
Do you have an enterprising idea to improve the communities or environment in Devon? Are you a more established social enterprise looking to increase your impact and income – or supply the public sector?
From April to June New Prosperity Devon ran a programme called Supplying Devon Shared Prosperity as part of the Devon Social Entrepreneurs Programme. This series of workshops for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations and co-ops in rural Devon, and for social entrepreneurs and public sector procurement professionals and commissioners. Watch replays of some of the presentations here.
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Upcoming is the Devon Rural Housing Futures event from New Prosperity Devon here.
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Some of our partners are still offering free events and workshops for start-up or more established social enterprises. Dozens of practical learning, coaching and networking opportunities are happening around the County until June – and they’re all free!
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Find out more about the remaining workshops on the Devon Social Entrepreneurs Programme. ​​
Enterprise with Purpose: Supplying the Public Sector
Friday April 22nd 10.45 am – 1 pm, Online
Wednesday May 4th 12.00 noon – 2.15 pm, Barnstaple
Friday May 6th 12.00 – 2.15 pm, Okehampton
NEW DATE**
Tuesday 14 June, 12:00 - 14:15, Online
A workshop for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations and co-ops.
The workshop will help your organisation:
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Explore the potential benefits and pitfalls of being a provider or supplier for the public sector
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Prepare to bid for contracts or accessing finance
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Understand public sector procurement processes and how bids for contracts are assessed
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Discuss ways to evidence the social and environmental value you will create
Purchasing for Prosperity
24th May,12:30 - 2pm, Online
How the spending power of institutions can support communities and build a safer future. A workshop for public sector procurement and commissioning professionals.
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A strong local economy can boost local incomes, reduce the impact of disrupted global supply chains, and cut climate impacts. How are Devon local authorities and organisations integrating these concerns?
The workshop will include:
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Updates from experienced managers from rural and urban local authorities on how they are measuring and leveraging social value with their spending, and cutting their climate impact;
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Implications of the new guidance PPN 06/20. It's now mandatory to consider Social and Environmental Value in public sector spending;
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How the social economy (the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector) can contribute to enhancing jobs and wellbeing in a resilient, inclusive and sustainable post-Covid economy.
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Speakers: Rosanna Wilson, Head of Procurement Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon; Phil Symons, Procurement Governance and Systems manager Plymouth City Council.
Facilitator: Gill Westcott, Director of New Prosperity Devon, and member of the Devon Net Zero Task Force.
Value for Devon: Meet the social economy
Friday May 13th 12 noon – 2.15 pm, Online
A workshop for both Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations and co- ops, and public procurement and commissioning professionals. How can public sector supply chains make the most of the VCSE sector to meet the needs of our communities?
In this workshop we will:
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Explore the obstacles and potential for progress in the sector, including how changes to commissioning and procurement processes and co-design elements can improve social and financial value
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Hear successful examples of social entrepreneurs and charities supplying the public sector, with discussion on how the relationship can be most productive for both parties
Devon Rural Housing Futures Strap: Community- Led solutions to the housing crisis.
Wednesday June 29th, 6:45 - 9pm, Online
The event is to inspire, support and catalyze action working towards community led, and other solutions to the lack of rented, affordable homes and skyrocketing prices. This all occurs in the context of inflating energy prices, rising fuel poverty, climate and ecological emergencies, and a need for policy and action to ensure sustainable local supply chains, and energy efficiency in new and existing buildings. Housing shouldn’t cost the earth! Hear from social entrepreneurs in the housing sector and plan next steps to finding community led solutions to the housing crisis. Find out more and sign up here.
Speakers on the programme
22nd April
Gareth Hart, Director, Iridescent Ideas CIC; Director of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network and Chair of Plymouth’s Inclusive Growth Group
Julia Darby, Executive Director Community Care Connect CIC
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4th May
Gareth Hart, Director, Iridescent Ideas CIC; Director of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network and Chair of Plymouth’s Inclusive Growth Group
Claire Balsdon, Home Visit Project Manager, 361 Energy CIC
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6th May
Gareth Hart, Director, Iridescent Ideas CIC; Director of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network and Chair of Plymouth’s Inclusive Growth Group
Julia Darby, Executive Director Community Care Connect CIC
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13th May
Fiona Carden, Joint CEO & Director Learning & Innovation, Co-Lab Exeter
Martin Slocombe, 361 Energy CIC
Jane Williams, The Turning Tides Project CIC
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24th May
Rosanna Wilson, Corporate Procurement Officer Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon District Council's
Phil Symons, Procurement, Governance and Systems Manager Plymouth City Council
Director, Iridescent Ideas CIC; Director of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network and Chair of Plymouth’s Inclusive Growth Group
Gareth is the founder and director of Iridescent Ideas (a social enterprise business advice firm) and has been a champion of the social enterprise movement in Plymouth and the South West of the UK. He was the elected chair of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network for seven years 2013-2020 and chairs Plymouth’s Inclusive Growth Group. Gareth led Plymouth’s successful bid to become the UK’s first ‘Social Enterprise City’ and has a history of working successfully with a range of social enterprises from tiny start-ups to national organisations on issues such as governance, social investment and social impact.
He represents Plymouth on the national social enterprise places programme run by Social Enterprise UK and regularly speaks at local, national and international conferences on social enterprise and inclusive economy themes. Gareth was the Social Entrepreneur in Residence at Plymouth University from 2016 to 2018 and lectured on social enterprise. He writes frequently for national and local newspapers and media about social enterprise related topics.
Fiona Carden has many years of experience working in the VCSE sector. Fiona is Joint CEO and Director of Learning, Colab Exeter and a fellow of he RSA. CoLab is a multiagency wellbeing hub with a shared mission to create the conditions for people to lead their best lives, and do their best work; and for organisations to achieve their greatest impact and value. CoLab brings extensive experience of collaboration across sectors in creating services and support for people complex lives, facing multiple disadvantage.
Fiona Carden, Joint CEO and Director of Learning, Colab Exeter
Rosanna Wilson, Corporate Procurement Officer Teignbridge District, South Hams District and West Devon Borough Council's
Graduating from the University of Exeter in 2009 Rosanna dabbled with teaching and realised it wasn’t for her so took on an Assistant Buyer role as a “stop gap” job to give her time to realise what she wanted to do with her life. Turns out she loved the Assistant Buyer Role and Procurement in general.
Since then she has worked in both public sector and private sector procurement with a lot of changes happening over the years. She is now Corporate Procurement Officer for Teignbridge DC, South Hams DC and West Devon BC and is excited to see what will happen in the future world of Procurement.
Jane is the founder and director of The Turning Tides Project ( TTTP). TTTP is a CIC established in May 2014 and aims to make equal access to music, the arts and life a reality for people with ‘learning disability’ or ‘autism’ labels.
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Along with running community music projects, Jane wrote and delivered ‘Why Music?’ Workshops for Social Care providers and wrote a book called Music and The Social Model.
Jane Williams, Director, Turning Tides Project CIC
Martin Slocaombe, 361 Energy CIC
After a 30 year career in the print industry, in 2015, inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Martin decided that he wanted to do something worthwhile and save the planet. In 2017 he met (Rainforest) Phil Williams, the Welsh Sustainability Champion and they have worked together on a range of workshops and projects for the last 5 years.
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Martin retrained to become a Charter Environmentalist, Non-Domestic Energy Assessor and STEM
Ambassador. Over the last 12 years Martin has had the pleasure of working with Care Homes, Hospitals,
Shopping Centres, Sports & Leisure Centres, Car manufacturers, Churches, Parish and Town Councils and a whole host of interesting SMEs, Community Interest Companies and Charities, helping them improve their energy efficiency, reduce their carbon and save money.
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Martin joined 361 Energy when he moved to Devon in 2019, and worked right through this period writing and reviewing resource materials and STEM challenges. Winning the Green Apple Sustainability Ambassador and World Green Apple Ambassador awards.
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Outside of work and home there are two other organisations that Martin is proud to work with.
They are PlayPlace CIC (Croydon Youth Clubs) and Hope, Health, Action (Medical Centre in Haiti).
How is this project funded?
The funded support on this programme is available as part of the Devon Social Entrepreneurs Programme. ​ Devon Social Entrepreneurs Programme is led by the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) in partnership with Devon Communities Together, Stir to Action and New Prosperity Devon. It is funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund, which is managed by Devon County Council within the Devon area.
