Northeast

Objectives

	To establish a new social enterprise partnership in the North East region (NESEP) to deliver the SEP project
	To develop regional infrastructure to provide a new democratic structure and regional policy voice for social enterprise in the region.
	To promote and raise awareness of social enterprise in the North East region
	To train and mentor business advisers to improve the business support environment for social enterprises
	To train social enterprise practitioners trainers) to improve skills and knowledge
	To pilot social accounting tools in the North East region, working in partnership with the national SEP project.

Delivery Approach

A new regional partnership, the North East Social Enterprise Partnership (NESEP) was formed to deliver the EQUAL project. NESEP is a wide partnership of 15 members with a board comprised of the following organisations, Comecon, Social Enterprise Sunderland, Cleveland CDA, Social Firms North East, the DTA (North East), Business Link County Durham and Economic Partnerships Ltd. The project is co-ordinated by Economic Partnerships Ltd. The NESEP board meets monthly and the wider membership meets on a bi-monthly basis. Individual projects and activities are assigned to members and sub-contractors.

Partners

	Economic Partnerships Limited
	Social Firms North East
	Development Trust Association (North East)
	Cleveland Co-operative Development Agency
	Social Enterprise Sunderland
	Comecon Limited
	Business Link County Durham
	Shaw Howarth Associates
	STRIDE
	Anybody Can
	Sunderland North Community Business Centre
	North East Chapter of Credit Unions
	Angier Griffiths

Outputs

	Formation of NESEP – North East Social Enterprise Partnership as a company limited by guarantee
	Production of the Social Enterprise Regional Action Plan (SERAP) in partnership with One Northeast (RDA)
	Formation of a new regional social enterprise federation with sub-regional local networks and a wider regional network (Federation of North East Social Enterprise (FONSE)
	A new social enterprise training programme for business advisers, piloted and delivered to 50 advisers in the region and is in the process of being accredited
	Regional social enterprise promotional materials, web-site and events programme
	A stronger and more robust social enterprise sector following training, practitioner development and limited business support