Building bridges: Manchester Salford enterprise initiative.
Enterprise support and engagement in deprived communities pilots: final evaluation report and recommendations towards a model for developing enterprise culture in deprived communities

Vasilieva, E; Avramenko, A; Heinze, A; MacLean, C; Rouse, J; Crompton, H

Abstract

Enterprise is increasingly seen as a key factor in the successful regeneration of areas of deprivation and communities. Partners within the public sector, including regional development agencies, local authorities and educational institutions, are tasked with developing innovative ways to do this. One problem that faces policy makers and implementers is that we do not currently have a shared understanding of what is meant by ‘enterprise’. A basic way of defining enterprise might be as starting a business, becoming self employed, as venture founding, or entrepreneurship. However, a broader definition encompasses notions of enterprise culture, behaviours, attributes and capabilities. This Report focuses on the first definition but the analysis has relevance for understanding the latter.

Six Pilot projects were commissioned by Manchester and Salford City Councils on behalf of the Manchester & Salford Enterprise Board to support people that are currently out of the labour market to help them to consider enterprise and self-employment as an option. The University of Salford in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University were commissioned to evaluate these projects. The evaluation work was funded by the North West Regional Development Agency.

The findings of the evaluation are centred on a Model for Developing an Enterprise Culture in Deprived Communities. The key message of the model is that commissioners of enterprise support need to work together to ensure that an integrated pathway is in place to move people along the enterprise journey. The model proposes seven key themes:

•Creating enterprise readiness including critical understanding of business opportunities
•Raise financial, human and social capital
•Engage the disadvantaged through enterprising ‘lifeplanning’
•Adopt a ‘lifecourse’ approach to resource development
•Integrate services with a range of non-business agencies
•Support the management of longer-term risks
•Commission an integrated and innovative enterprise pathway

We evaluated the six pilot projects against these themes. Individually, none of the pilots delivered support that covered all of these themes, but when taken together the pilots provided support that covered some aspects of the model. In particular, the pilots created enterprise readiness through raising aspirations and confidence, some elements of human and social capital, ‘lifeplanning’ and some good partnership working.

The pilots were not so strong, however, in developing a critical understanding of business opportunities, supporting the management of longer-term risks and raising financial capital. This was largely because this is not what the pilots were commissioned to deliver. The commissioning process, whilst displaying elements of innovation and collaboration, did not set out to commission an integrated and innovative enterprise pathway.

In light of this the report concludes that in order to create a system of support that can help move disadvantaged groups along their enterprise journey it is absolutely crucial that those commissioning initiatives collaborate to ensure that all seven elements of the model are included in integrated and innovative enterprise pathway.

Citation

Enterprise support and engagement in deprived communities pilots: final evaluation report and recommendations towards a model for developing enterprise culture in deprived communities

• Report Type: Project Report
• Publication Date: Jul 3, 2008
• Deposit Date: Jan 16, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 16, 2009
• Additional Information: Corporate Creators : Salford City Council, Manchester City Council, Northwest Regional Development Agency