Blogs
Start-up School Case Study: Cory Jones, WASaBED
Cory Jones is the Founder of WAsaBED, a social enterprise that aims to be at the heart of the circular economy by recycling retired bed linen into useful products. From creating job opportunities to reducing pollution, it is great to see the impact of social businesses across the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
Start-up School Case Study: Cara Cameron, Lochview Rural Training
How could 1-1 coaching, networking sessions and webinars help you develop your social enterprise? Cara Cameron shares her new community-focused business which helps people come together to learn a variety of rural and employability skills, and how the Start-up School has provided valuable business support.
A full moon reflects on the ink blue water
David Bryan, SEA Highlands & Islands Hub Manager, shares insights into the future of tourism, with communities and social enterprises taking the lead.
Social Enterprise Day 2020
#WhoKnew that since April 2020 we have supported more than 755 learners create change in their organisations and communities! Our Scotland team is shouting out to inspiring social enterprises who have shown resilience and created an amazing positive impact.
Local communities aim to be leaders in Scottish tourism
November 2020
Sixteen community group representatives from Shetland to Galloway will be expanding their horizons digitally this weekend as they look at the future of Scottish tourism.
Sport Social Enterprises – part of the solution, not part of the problem
David Bryan, SEA Highlands & Islands Hub Manager, reflects on how the disruption created by the Covid pandemic provides an opportunity to rethink society. A society in which everyone can be supported to have good health outcomes, to experience great health, to feel part of a community which values them.
Enterprise support programme to help 60 UK heritage organisations build sustainable futures
20 October 2020
A new Social Enterprise Academy initiative backed by National Lottery Heritage Fund will offer 60 UK heritage organisations support with strategic leadership and income-generating skills as a way to safeguard their futures.
Funding to support communities re-imagine a future
1 October 2020
The Academy has been awarded National Lottery funding to deliver Visioning Rural Communities, an innovative programme that invites learners to dream of a renewed society.
How are you? (really)
Sally Robertson is an associate facilitator with the Social Enterprise Academy. Here, she shares three tips she has learnt to have more meaningful conversations with colleagues during these uncertain times.
Students as Change Agents Programme
Learning programme supports students to tackle sustainable tourism and youth homelessness in Edinburgh.
Rural communities offered tourism expertise to support local recovery
4 July 2020
A new programme has been launched with the aim of helping community development organisations and social enterprises support the recovery of rural Scotland’s tourism sector.
Welcome to the Future: Big Issue 2020
This years Social Enterprise Academy and Big Issue collaboration, celebrating the work young people are doing across Scotland. Happy reading everyone!
Lockdown, learning, and leaving no young person behind
Our Head of Education, Emily Mnyayi, shares the importance of focusing on lifelong, rather than linear, learning during lockdown and beyond to support young people in Scotland to reach their full potential.
2020: Time for structural change and racial equity
23 June 2020
As leaders, we have a responsibility to engage in honest dialogue about how to dismantle structural racism and address issues of discrimination and inequality within our own organisations and beyond.
SEA & Emerald Works partner to support social change leaders
28 May 2020
This partnership will give Social Enterprise Academy learners free access to Emerald Work's award-winning Mind Tools toolkit, helping them to put learning into practice and develop the key skills needed to thrive in a post-COVID world.
Inner Gold. Blog 9: Possibility
How could being bold & brave expand your world of possibility?
In Karen's final 'Inner Gold' blog she shares how we can overcome the limitations of our mind to make surprising things possible.
Inner Gold. Blog 8: Transformation
In busy lives in a busy world, how do we allow ourselves time and space to experience transformation?
Join us for this weeks 'Inner Gold' blog as Karen takes us on a virtual adventure through the Atlantic Coast, exploring some of the key ingredients for transformation.
SEA featured as one of top 100 social enterprises in UK
14 May 2020
We're excited to announce that the Social Enterprise Academy is featured as one of the top 100 social enterprises in UK in the NatWest SE100 2020! You can read the full list of social enterprises in this year's list below.
What Critical Qualities Do Leaders Need in this VUCA World?
COVID-19 definitely meets the definition of a VUCA environment; Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous.
How does the VUCA leadership model (developed originally by the US Army in response to the Gulf War) offer insights on what we need to draw on as people and as leaders in this current crisis?
Inner Gold. Blog 7: Joy
In this week's Inner Gold blog, Karen takes a look at the definition of joy.
Reflecting on her travels around the world, she notices that in simplicity lies inner gold. Read this week's blog to learn the difference between happiness and joy, and through doing so, connect with some of your 'inner gold'.
Inner Gold. Blog 6: Love
Love: a vital force, a component of every facet and corner of life, something we all desire but rarely give to ourselves...
In this inspirational blog, Karen shares some reflections on self-love and loving others.
Inner Gold. Blog 5: Gratitude
Karen's fifth blog explores how the practice of gratitude is a powerful ingredient for transforming our mental wellbeing and our positive experience of life. Learn how you can connect with some of your 'Inner Gold' through simply feeling grateful each day.
A coaching response to Covid-19
23 April 2020
David Bryan reflects on the power of re-establishing relationships and how coaching can help build the long-term resilience of Scotland’s third sector.
Learn, Un-Learn, Re-Learn
This importance of learning and adaptability could not be truer right now. As we try to navigate through uncertainty and upheaval, life is offering us the perfect classroom, with so many opportunities to innovate, learn and grow on a daily basis – both individually and as organisations.
Over the past month, the Academy has been on its own learning, un-learning and re-learning journey…
Inner Gold. Blog 4: Freedom
Freedom is a word more pertinent now than perhaps ever in our lifetimes. With the lockdown that Covid-19 has brought to the world, most of us have either limited or no freedom to enjoy being outside. We notice the absence of things we all too often take for granted, as well as appreciating some things that we don’t normally have time to notice.
We all have different ideas of what freedom means…
Inner Gold. Blog 3: Vulnerability & Superpowers…
A mind and soul supporting blog series to help us transcend difficult stuff, and connect us with some of the ‘inner gold’ we all have inside.
Karen's third blog explores how we can use vulnerability to learn, adapt or develop resilience and come back stronger than before. Read the blog for a few simple strategies that may help…
How do you respond in a crisis?
David Bryan, Social Enterprise Academy's Highlands & Islands Hub Manager, takes a look at The Change Curve, a very useful tool when managing individual or team change. Knowing where an individual is on the curve can help when deciding on what type of support someone needs and when they are ready to take on new challenges.
Inner Gold. Blog 2: WIBA’s & Beliefs…
A mind and soul supporting blog series to help us transcend difficult stuff, and connect us with some of the ‘inner gold’ we all have inside.
The second blog in Karen's 'Inner Gold' blog series explores how creating a positive 'Wouldn't It Be Amazing' (WIBA) can help generate incredible focus, momentum, action and learning.
Inner Gold. Blog 1: To be an explorer…
A mind and soul supporting blog series to help us transcend difficult stuff, and connect us with some of the ‘inner gold’ we all have inside.
Karen's first blog shares what it means to be an explorer today and some key ingredients needed to understand how we can change and influence our reality and our world from within.
Tourism workshops getting under way in Thurso
6 March 2020
A SERIES of tourism information workshops will be delivered in Thurso during March. The events are being run by Thurso Community Development Trust with subject areas ranging from slow tourism to information sharing.
SEA Q&A with...Rona MacKay from Community Energy Scotland
How can we empower more women to take on leadership roles? We caught up with Rona, Chair of Benbecula Community Council and Head of Operations & Governance at Community Energy Scotland.
Courageous Conversations for Women in the Highlands
We’re supporting WEA’s Women in the Highlands project, who are enabling their members in the Inverness area to get involved in their own communities. Our Courageous Conversations programme inspired by the empowerment of women in rural areas offers a safe and supportive space to take strength from one another.
The Perfect Balance: a film about Rwandan Fair Trade coffee
28 February 2020
The Perfect Balance: Fairtrade Fortnight celebrations kick off with the premiere of new film highlighting links between coffee farmers in Rwanda and coffee-drinkers in Scotland.
Hopes encouraging collaboration in Moray will help region reach potential
25 February 2020
Charity TSI Moray is preparing to host its annual conference with the aim of pulling groups together to help realise the region’s potential.
Communities Leading in Tourism
Tourism is changing. Across the world visitors are looking to take time to really understand a place, its culture, local food, folktales, music, how people there make sense of the world. Communities are at the heart of this, designing and realising the sort of tourism they want to happen locally.
Accreditation Q&A
Our Accreditation Manager, Gail English, answers some of the commonly asked questions about gaining accreditation and the benefits of taking part in an accredited programme.
Unleash the Power of Others
Evidence shows that taking a coaching approach can help create proactive and confident individuals. People who are more motivated, engaged and productive. And you don’t need to be a qualified coach to adopt this approach in your leadership.
Sector Representation on Social Enterprise Boards
Graham Bell OBE, former Chair of the Social Enterprise Academy board, reflects on his 12 years as a trustee and his hopes for the future of social enterprise boards in Scotland.
Release of Social Enterprise in Scotland: Census 2019
4 September 2019
Aileen Campbell, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, announced the Census’s key findings this morning at the annual Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEIS) Policy and Practice Conference in Glasgow.
Social enterprise hub launched in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
19 July 2019
The Community Partnership based in Balloch has launched a new social enterprise hub in partnership with the Social Enterprise Academy, with its first Growing Enterprising Communities event taking place on 28 August 2019.
#IYIL2019: Connecting language, culture and social enterprise
As part of the International Year of Indigenous Languages, David Bryan reflects on the role that social enterprise can play in promoting indigenous langages and cultures, while increasing their economic development.
Social Enterprise in Education Awards 2019
Forty schools received a Social Enterprise in Education Award from Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education & Skills, John Swinney MSP to recognise the success and sustainability of their social enterprises.
Highlands & Islands Social Enterprise in Education Awards 2019
This year, innovative young people across Scotland have been setting up businesses to tackle the social and environmental issues that matter to them. 21 schools from the Highlands and Islands have received a national award to recognise the success and sustainability of their social enterprises.
Just Enterprise: Third sector partnership wins £5m contract
27 May 2019
Scotland’s social enterprises are set for a £5m fillip from the Scottish Government to help social firms boost their presence. The cash will be administered by the Just Enterprise consortium, including CEIS, the Social Enterprise Academy, Firstport and Impact Hub Inverness.
We are the Future: Big Issue Schools Edition
Read all about some of the brilliant social enterprises in schools across Scotland
SEA Q&A with...Wendy Fleming from Financial WorX
What is it like to take time out and develop your leadership practice? We caught up with social entrepreneur Wendy Fleming to find out.
Pupils become Big Issue vendors for the day in a special edition sell-off
19 March 2019
Pupils in Scotland today turned into enterprising Big Issue vendors as they took part in a sell off of a special edition of the magazine that they helped create. Five pupils from Mary Russell School in Paisley became Big Issue vendors and tried their hand at selling the magazine at Renfrewshire House.
Teaching social enterprise: Scotland leads the way
19 March 2019
Should social enterprise be on every school curriculum? It will be in Scotland by 2028. We find out what pupils and teachers think about a groundbreaking programme led by the Social Enterprise Academy and the Scottish Government.
School pupils to help sell special edition of The Big Issue
18 March 2019
Scottish schoolchildren have helped create a special edition of The Big Issue and will this week help sell the magazine as street vendors. Fifteen pupils visited the editorial headquarters on Glasgow’s Bath Street to help create the issue and a social enterprise-inspired supplement.
School pupils create and sell a very special edition of The Big Issue
Pupils at 14 schools across Scotland will be selling the special edition this week after we partnered with The Big Issue to give young people a platform to raise awareness of the big issues they care about
New Scotland-Canada partnership to support social enterprise
9 February 2019
An international agreement to grow and sustain social enterprises in Scotland and Canada has been announced by Nicola Sturgeon on a visit to Toronto.
Education Winter Newsletter 2018
Get a copy of our latest Social Enterprise in Education Newsletter, read on to find out how to enter our Big Issue competition and how schools got on in the Social Enterprise World Forum.
How can we be more kind as leaders?
Research shows that just one random act of kindness each day can make a significant difference to our ability to deal with challenges at work. How can you re-capture the art of kindness today?
A cuppa, cake & kindness: Bargarran Primary’s community café
Our education coordinator James went to visit Bargarran Primary to find out how they are connecting their community through social enterprise.
Forget Nessie, local schools are selling goodies at Urquhart Castle
3 November 2018
This is the outcome of the ‘Meet the Buyer’ project launched by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Social Enterprise Academy to inspire young entrepreneurs as part of the Year of Young People 2018.
Pioneering business support group reaches out to world
24 October 2018
IT was founded in Scotland 14 years ago and has since helped almost 3,000 social enterprises to reach their full potential. Now, a pioneering organisation set up to support not-for-profit businesses north of the border is to roll out a franchise into more countries worldwide.
SEWF 2018: Scotland’s young people make a lasting impact
Opening the Social Enterprise World Forum, St Alberts Primary, Glasgow and Broughton High School, Edinburgh showed exactly why Scotland should be proud of its young people.
New Horizons shared on the Long Island
As the Rural Symposium came to an end David Bryan shares the challenges and solutions found across the world in rural areas.
Internationalism at the SEA Global Gathering 2018
Social Enterprise Academy Co-Founder, Jim Bennett, reflects on the international thinking that has helped shape the Academy.
Ask a #SocEnt School: BRO Enterprise
BRO tell us what inspired them to set up and start changing the lives of people in their community.
8 ways to develop your courageous leadership
Courageous leaders are able to create a culture of trust and respect, which makes those around them be prepared to follow them. What does courageous leadership look like to you?
Social Enterprise in Schools Awards 2018
We take a look around this year's Social Enterprise in Schools Awards in Inverness!
Sponsored by: SQA, Kibble, Big Issue Invest & British Council.
Innovation and Insights: Could we benefit from a global mindset?
As a community of social changemakers, how can we benefit from a global mindset?
How Pakistan's universities are growing social enterprise
David sits down with Rehmat Khan, Social Enterprise Incubator Manager at BUITEMS Business Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center-BBIEC, to chat about how Pakistan's universities are supporting rural social enterprise.
What type of leadership does Scotland's Third Sector need?
9 April 2018
Lara Friedman, Head of Innovation and Learning at the Social Enterprise Academy, discusses the importance of effective leadership within Scotland's Third Sector.
What type of leadership does our sector need?
With the effects of austerity and increasing demand for services providing us with new challenges and opportunities - what type of leadership does our sector need to thrive?
SEA Meets: Ewan Aitken | Cyrenians (PT4)
To celebrate the launch of the brand new Chief Executive leadership programme, we spoke to Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive at Cyrenians, about the importance of living your organisation's values.
Ask a #SocEnt School: Blairhall Bakes
Blairhall Bakes give us behind the scenes access to their social enterprise!
SEA Meets: Ewan Aitken | Cyrenians (PT3)
To celebrate the launch of the brand new Chief Executive leadership programme, we spoke to Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive at Cyrenians, about ensuring his decision making empowers, rather than blocks, front line staff.
Ask a #SocEnt School: Crosshouse Cares
We found out how Crosshouse Primary School is getting on with their social enterprise Crosshouse Cares.
Women in Leadership: Time to try something different?
Dona Milne, Chair of Youth Scotland's board, shares how the organisation has achieved their 50:50 gender split three years ahead of schedule.
SEA Meets: Ewan Aitken | Cyrenians (PT2)
To celebrate the launch of the brand new Chief Executive leadership programme, we spoke to Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive at Cyrenians, about what it was like being part of a network of peers with other Chief Executives.
International Women's Day 2018: Join the webinar!
What role can social enterprise play in progressing gender equality? Join us for a free webinar, where we'll be exploring this year’s International Women’s Day theme - #PressforProgress.
The 'Forever Projects': Learning from community ownership
Highlands & Islands Hub Manager, David Bryan, reflects on the inspirational story of North Assynt, as well as the opportunities and challenges of community land buyouts.
SEA Meets: Ewan Aitken | Cyrenians
To celebrate the launch of the brand new Chief Executive leadership programme, we spoke to Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive at Cyrenians, about how Chief Executives can help their organisations to thrive.
Young entrepreneurs shine in competition
5 February 2018
ENTERPRISING youngsters have raised around £6000 for the Highland Hospice as part of an Apprentice-style competition. Children from schools all over the Highlands created products and then sold their wares and services with the help of their teachers and guidance from the Social Enterprise Academy.
Reflect on your 2017 'lollipop moments'
Stories give us great insight into how small actions can make a huge impact – leadership is made up of lots of these potential 'lollipop moments'
Social Enterprise Roundtable with SEA Australia
Social Enterprise Academy CEO Neil McLean and the team from SEA Australia, spoke to Kibble Podcast Network about how social enterprise in Australia compares to Scotland.
Learning Lunch: How are you spending your time?
This month, we’re looking at how senior leaders can make sure they’re using their time effectively and are creating opportunities to nurture and grow the talent in their organisations.
Scotland & Malawi: Sparking Social Enterprise Collaboration
Sam and Karen discuss how collaboration and shared learning are igniting social enterprise ecosystems and creating real social change in Malawi and around the world.
Learning from Scotland's Rural Social Enterprises
Inspired by a visit from our colleagues at SEA Australia (from rural Victoria), we look at how Scotland has become a leader in rural social enterprise - identifying 3 underpinning themes that have contributed to this success.
Social Enterprise in Education Awards 2017
It's been another incredible year for Scotland's young social entrepreneurs. Here we share some of the highlights from this year's awards in Edinburgh and Inverness.
Connecting Communities ‘From Over the Hill’
To tie in with the launch of our LEADER funded programmes in the Cairngorms National Park, David looks at the rich history of this area and how solutions to local challenges may be found just 'over the hill'.
If at first you do succeed - analyse, learn and succeed again
When was the last time you analysed a project that went well? Lara looks at how we can potentially learn more from our sucesses than our failures.
Getting to the Heart of Community Leadership
Following a recent Academy programme in rural Pakistan, David reflects on the community leadership revolution in rural Scotland and what factors have contributed to its success.
4 TED talks to help you reconnect with information
This week, we share 4 TED talks that explore how ‘conscious information use’ enables us to have more personal and social impact.
5 ideas to build reflection time into your day
Our staff and tutors share a few simple ways you can promote reflection to help ensure that you’re making the right kind of impact with your work and relationships.
Your Year on Twitter with @SocEntAcademy
You have had a busy year! From starting up school social enterprises to leading change in organisations and communities, here is a little snapshot of what you've been up to.
60 Seconds with Elspeth McCoull
As Head Teacher of Glendale Gaelic Primary, Elspeth reflects on the leadership challenges facing Gaelic speaking teachers and educational practitioners in this 60-second interview.
SEWF 2016: Reflecting on Scotland's social enterprise ecosystem
Reflecting on this year's Social Enterprise World Forum in Hong Kong, Neil shares his thoughts into the importance of having a strong ecosystem of support (and appreciating when you have one).
5 podcasts to get you thinking
Evidence shows that a powerful story can have a significant impact on our thinking - so how can podcasts challenge our assumptions or shift our perceptions and behaviour? Give these five a go and see.
Positive Prison? Positive Futures: Adapting leadership styles
"For most of the people I work with the experience of being treated as an equal is new. They often tend to feel they are disadvantaged or only see what they can’t do. Suddenly their voice is heard."
YWCA Glasgow Centre: Embracing change
“Turns out I am the world’s biggest reflector! It made me wonder if I expected the people I work with to be the same, but having been on the programme, it helped me to consider what their learning style was and consider their views to develop our services as a team.”
Peebles CAN: Building community resilience
“Motivating people is a big part of my job. What I learned on the programme gave me a better understanding of myself. I am a natural starter and love to initiate new things but am not so great at finishing! So I look out for that.”
St Andrew's First Aid Training & Supplies Ltd: Building a vision
I understood that I couldn’t change everything and I couldn’t make everything all right all of the time... We had an open conversation about how we worked. I walked away and thought it doesn’t matter if I can’t fix it. What’s important is that we have been open and we can adapt.”
Social Enterprise in the Periphery
The issues facing rural communities are all too familiar. But as the tide turns in Scotland through a rise in community-led and social enterprises, what could be behind these changes in the periphery?
Starting with the end in mind
Exploring the 'Flight of the Buffalo' concept by James Belasco and Ralph Stayer, we're reminded that there may be more we can do as leaders to prevent the 'herd getting wiped out'.
How young people are embracing the power of connection
Young people are empowered by opportunities to turn their ideas into action, and they're using the power of connection and partnership to make sure it has an impact.
In Memory of Chris Higgins
Chris Higgins, our friend and Board member, sadly passed away on 31 May 2016. This is a tribute to a man who had enormous impact and was a great supporter of social enterprise in Scotland.
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