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If you are looking to start a social enterprise in the South East, then you have come to the right place!
There is an abundance of support and advice available across the region and in lots of different formats - from training courses, workshops, events, seminars, business advice clinics, etc. Therefore, as a starting point, top tip number one is to contact your local social enterprise network for help.
To access support on your doorstep and find your local social enterprise network, click on the following area where you are based:
- West Sussex
- Brighton & Hove
- East Sussex
- Kent & Medway
- Surrey
- Berkshire
- Oxfordshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Milton Keynes
All of the local social enterprise networks are linked in to key partners and organisations in their area that support the development and growth of social enterprises - so give them a call to find out how they can help you!
If you are not based in the South East, but want help starting a social enterprise, please contact your nearest Regional Partnership (scroll down the page to Other Regional Partnerships).
Further links to help in starting a social enterprise
(Links open in a new window. The se² partnership do not accept any responsibility for items and content published on external web pages)
Other Support Organisations
- Development Trusts Association - body representing Development Trusts
- Co-operatives UK - body representing Co-operatives in the UK
- Social Firms UK - body representing Social Firms in the UK
- Abcul - body representing Credit Unions
- National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
- RAISE - Regional Action and Involvement South East
- ViRSA - body representing Community Shops
- Shop Social Enterprise - body helping social enterprises break into the retail sector
Useful documents/downloads for starting a social enterprise
- Set up a social enterprise - A Business Link guide which outlines the differences between the various forms of social enterprise
- Startup & Change the World: Guide for Young Social Entrepreneurs - Youth Social Enterprise Initiative (YSEI) has developed a guidebook dedicated to young innovators who are equipped with great ideas and are intent on unleashing them to change the world.
- "Built to Last Toolkit" - Unltd; a very useful guide to project planning and sustainability developed by UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs in the UK.
- "Becoming a social enterprise: essential business understanding for VCS boards":
- Introduction: Understanding and using the materials [PDF 87KB, 4 pages]
- Module 1: Being a social enterprise [PDF 598KB, 18 pages]
- Module 2: Planning [PDF 738KB, 17 pages]
- Module 3: Marketing [PDF 452KB, 22 pages]
- Module 4: Money [PDF 410KB, 18 pages]
- Module 5: Social enterprise boards [PDF 579KB, 29 pages]
- "Setting up and financing a social enterprise" - Department of Health
- "The Social Enterprise Starting Point Guide" - Social Enterprise London
- "Marketing your Social Enterprise" - Social Enterprise London
- "A business planning guide to starting a social enterprise" - Forth Sector Development
- "State of Social Enterprise Survey 2009" - Social Enterprise Coalition
- "Keeping it Legal - a guide to legal forms for social enterprises" - Social Enterprise Coalition guide to legal structures
- "Healthy Business - A guide to social enterprise in health and social care 2nd Edition" - Social Enterprise Coalition
- "There's more to business than you think" - Social Enterprise Coalition
- "Frequently asked Questions" - Social Enterprise Coalition














