The term "collaborative working" is becoming more widely used. What is it?
Q. The term "collaborative working" is becoming more widely used. What is it?
A. Many social enterprises reach a point in development whereby a decision to progress may involve working with other enterprises or charitable companies in biding for contracts to deliver services. The term collaborative working is used in such instances to describe joint working by two or more, on a project or venture in order to fulfill their purposes, whilst remaining separate organisations or businesses. However, sometimes a decision to work together can lead to a formal merger. This involves the transfer or combination of the assets and liabilities of everyone involved which results in some or all of the parties restructuring or dissolving. In such cases, either a new social enterprise or charitable company is formed or one assumes control of another. There are professional and legal bodies well positioned to give instruction on this matter, one of which is The Charity Commission who have issued a new guidance (CC34) on collaborative working and mergers which includes helpful case studies of various forms of collaborative working as well as highlighting the key legal and other issues. This may be a good starting point for reference when deliberating the general points to be considered when thinking of working collaboratively or when exploring different formal and informal types of collaborative and partnership working. http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/cc34.asp
SES Resources
Knowledge limitations can be a harsh reality for many organisations operating in the social enterprise sector. But a clear understanding of the resources that are available – and how to acquire them – can be a distinct advantage on the road to sustainability. After all, the key factor in Social Enterprise is all about long-term survival, and in order for individual enterprises to become sustainable, they must develop their organisations meaningfully over time. To do this means continuously searching for new opportunities to create revenue, as well as for ways to improve existing products and services. Therefore whatever your experience is, start-up or longer term support, passing on your knowledge will not only assist in the creation of new Social Enterprises, but will help existing organisations move up the ladder
