EUKN - United Kingdom - The experience of the Community Links Social Enterprise Zone

The experience of the Community Links Social Enterprise Zone

Introduction

JRF findings paper detailing the experience of the UK's first Social Enterprise Zone (SEZ) which took the principles behind Business Enterprise Zones (BEZ) and looked at whether the same approach could be applied to the delivery of community services.

Description

This summary paper draws out the key findings from the full report into the experience of implementing a SEZ – a concept developed by Community Links - in Newham, east London.

In this study, those involved in running the SEZ report on the lessons from its first years. The paper discusses how the SEZ worked in practice and the implications of this for policy and practice.

Background information

The UK's first SEZ, based in Newham, east London, was established in 1998. It built on the BEZ model, where designated areas are freed from a range of statutory regulations obstructing economic growth, and applied this to community services.

The SEZ is a test bed for new policies and services tackling regeneration in deprived areas. Users of public services and front-line workers generate all the ideas.

JRF and venture capital firm 3i supported the setting-up of a pilot SEZ. The concept of SEZ was developed by Community Links, an inner city charity running community-based projects, who also coordinated SEZ implementation.

Conclusions

Design public policy at the centre but in collaboration with those with direct experience of the issue policy is aiming to tackle.
Use national minimum standards to set out the expectation for any policy and monitor these centrally.
Include an element in policy budgets designated for local managers to allocate on the basis of local needs.
Enable policy to take account of local distinctiveness, changing conditions and demands.
Ensure that public sector workers are motivated by the successful achievement of policy objectives rather than overwhelmed by the minutiae of the policy delivery process.

Contact info

Joseph Rowntree Foundation
publications@jrf.org.uk

Publication date

Project finished

//2004

Researcher

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Links

Visit the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website Read the 'Community Links Social Enterprise Zone' Report (ASP)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Keywords

Community development