Sound Therapy

Decoda’s a social enterprise. The problem is that the vast majority of people still say A what when told that. I’m curious as to why that is. It’s such a wonderful concept, bringing together the best of the charity and business worlds. The idea behind it is that you operate as a business but with the intention of benefiting the community.

We’re called “not for profit” but that’s not really true. If an organisation doesn’t make a surplus it won’t survive but in the case of social enterprises any profit is ploughed back to help the people we work with - in our case people with profound disabilities.

Four years ago when we became a social enterprise there was hardly any help available apart from the informative Social Enterprise Coalition website. At that time social enterprises came under the DTI, now we’re part of the so-called Third Sector which even has its own government department and minister.

So why do I feel slightly cynical now about something I believed in so passionately. Is it to do with the number of sheriffs - the army of consultants, advisors and academic experts that have appeared. Last year I was invited to an event organised by the Treasury, a chance to have an input into policy on social enterprise. We talked in small groups about certain topics and I was only once in a group with another social entrepreuner. All the other people were from the groups I mentioned.

Now I read on the website that “Academic experts in social enterprise, productivity, innovation and ethical markets are invited to help generate innovative and imaginative ideas to inform government policy on social enterprise” So, leaving out the social enterprises all together this time………

If you’d like to read any more about social enterprise you can download the booklet I wrote, A What Enterprise on the main part of our website. The new Charities Act and Companies Act mean it will be out of date soon but people still tell me they learn a lot from reading it.