1. Can social enterprise, given the way that they are, and the way they operate, contribute to better health and well-being in communities internationally? Community Development Journal 50 th Anniversary Conference Edinburgh 01 – 03/07/15 Alan Kay and Clemmie Hill-O’Connor

2. CommonHealth Research Programme… One research strand in Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University Looking at the links between social enterprise and health/well-being Funding: Medical Research Council (MRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Started 2014 - will run for five years

3. A working model… SOCIAL ENTERPRISE: -social mission -trading -no share ownership -etc. ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY Improved health and well-being ASSETS AND CHALLENGES INDIVIDUAL Social capital Cohesive/ connectedness

4. What does the programme look like? Projects 1 and 2 (years 1&2) –more conceptual Projects 3-5 (years 2-4) –empirical and qualitative Projects 6 and 7 (years 3-5) –comparative Project 8 – drawing lessons together

5. Contested terms… Social enterprise? Primary purpose for the common good achieved through trading to some degree; not for individual benefit but for social or common benefit; includes being a good employer, democratic, empowering communities, co-operation, social justice… eg. NPOs, NGOs, Voluntary Organisations, Third Sector, etc. Health/Well-being? Much broader than ‘not ill’ – feeling well within a contented community and leading a fulfilling life Social capital? Trust, reciprocity, social networks, shared values/norms Internationally – wide range of understanding…

6. Summary of programme… Further information on the sheet http://www.gcu.ac.uk/yunuscentre/hewps/ ‘Global issues, local solutions: rethinking wealth and health through the lens of social enterprise’

7. Case study: Passage from India… In the ‘Passage from India’ project, run by the Church of Scotland, 13 women from the 6 most deprived parishes in Glasgow have been selected to study women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and associated social business practices in India with the aim of promulgating the principles and practices of such groups in their own communities under the operating banner of ‘WEvolution’. describe the establishment and evolution of SRGs in Glasgow and identify the facilitators and barriers they face to sustainability, other goals set for themselves and ultimate outcomes; investigate the impact of SRG involvement on the employment, well-being and confidence of participating women.

8. Key Findings… They offer an alternative to the negative feelings associated with being unemployed, health issues and social isolation Limited financial impacts in terms of employment or regular income but savings and loans are a source of pride and security for SRG members Characteristics of an SRG: small group of women with shared experiences, productive activity, internal savings and loans, fixed membership and a signed group agreement SRGs create a space for women to get out of the house, spend time with peers and feel ‘productive’

9. Health and wellbeing… Physical Health ‘Coming here and having a cup of tea with the lassies, going about your day and sitting down and talking makes me forget about the pain’’ Mental Health Space away from home ‘I can’t stand being stuck in the house. Drives me mad.’ ‘I just feel totally relaxed, nice and comfortable ‘ Social support Within SRG Wider community

10. Group discussion… 3 groups… Group members take an international perspective and share international experience on health and social enterprise – this is about knowledge exchange Key questions: (record 3 key points on a flipchart) Group 1: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE and WELL-BEING Can social enterprise (and community owned enterprise) contribute to well-being in communities? If so, how? If not, why not? DISCUSS Group 2: SOCIAL CAPITAL and HEALTH High levels of social capital are believed to contribute to health and well- being. Is this true? And how? DISCUSS Group 3: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT and SOCIAL/COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE What can contemporary community development thinking contribute to our understanding of social/community enterprise? DISCUSS