What do you think?
Rate this book
Vitalising Purpose: The Power of the Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services
We depend on public services for a functioning society. But there are record pressures on our health, social care and children’s services; and those covering homelessness, housing, domestic abuse, education, employment and training, criminal justice and support. Resources are stretched. Demand is escalating. Some services are at risk of collapse.
Traditional approaches, whereby public authorities either do everything in-house, or outsource services with the same process as when they buy goods, are not delivering good outcomes. The market has failed many people-centred services. We can’t just despair at these challenges. We must do better.
Vitalising Purpose investigates how partnerships between public authorities and social enterprises can make a difference to how public services are provided, and to people’s lives. Its contributors have worked in central and local government, the NHS and some of the UK’s leading social enterprises which deliver services. They also include a public benefit lawyer, a strategic public procurement advisor, and experts in behavioural finance, impact measurement, social investment, and auditing mature social enterprises.
They were asked whether social enterprises have made things better in public service delivery; if social enterprises have generated better outcomes for people and places, what are they; and what holds social enterprises back from doing more?
Vitalising Purpose contains inspiring examples of the ‘social enterprise difference’, and practical ideas about collaboration, commissioning, social investment, impact, risk, equality, culture and leadership.
It is for all ‘custodians of local democracy’ – chief executives and senior officers in local government and integrated care boards; commissioners of services; procurement and legal officers; councillors and other elected officials; policymakers; MPs; social investors; and people leading and working in social and community enterprises. It will enable readers to maximise social value, public benefit and good outcomes for people and places when delivering public services.
Traditional approaches, whereby public authorities either do everything in-house, or outsource services with the same process as when they buy goods, are not delivering good outcomes. The market has failed many people-centred services. We can’t just despair at these challenges. We must do better.
Vitalising Purpose investigates how partnerships between public authorities and social enterprises can make a difference to how public services are provided, and to people’s lives. Its contributors have worked in central and local government, the NHS and some of the UK’s leading social enterprises which deliver services. They also include a public benefit lawyer, a strategic public procurement advisor, and experts in behavioural finance, impact measurement, social investment, and auditing mature social enterprises.
They were asked whether social enterprises have made things better in public service delivery; if social enterprises have generated better outcomes for people and places, what are they; and what holds social enterprises back from doing more?
Vitalising Purpose contains inspiring examples of the ‘social enterprise difference’, and practical ideas about collaboration, commissioning, social investment, impact, risk, equality, culture and leadership.
It is for all ‘custodians of local democracy’ – chief executives and senior officers in local government and integrated care boards; commissioners of services; procurement and legal officers; councillors and other elected officials; policymakers; MPs; social investors; and people leading and working in social and community enterprises. It will enable readers to maximise social value, public benefit and good outcomes for people and places when delivering public services.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2023
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 27, 2024
A timely and encouraging prompt to help 're-set' economies, services, and communities - and all without having to re-invent wheels or create more debt, from harnessing proven models and movements.
Displaying 1 of 1 review