UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, have launched a film about the impact social entrepreneurs are making across four areas that UnLtd has been supporting thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery: North Staffordshire, the South Wales Valleys, Brighton and Dundee.
Since 2018 UnLtd and Postcode Innovation Trust have been working on the Resilient Communities programme. Together they have been enabling social entrepreneurs to develop their impact in these communities: funding social business ideas, building collaboration, and providing access to investment, and opportunities to influence externally.
They’ve made a short documentary, “Changing Places”, about a few of the inspiring social entrepreneurs in each place, including Janis from Cynon Valley Organic Ventures, who provides education and employment opportunities to local people in a community garden as they develop the land. When she watched the film, she said, “it brought tears to my eyes, you have captured our values and mission perfectly.”
Although this was produced well before Covid-19, these times have only shown how community-based ventures are incredibly valuable. With the blossoming of mutual aid groups and NHS volunteering, there is a terrific energy for supporting one another in our neighbourhoods. Many social entrepreneurs are pivoting, trying new things, responding to local need.
Gemma Hallett of miFuture and Janis Werrett of Cynon Valley Organic Ventures are running 2 very different social ventures to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in the area, and creating pathways to education, opportunity, and wellness.
We hope that showing their stories will also help local authorities and other decision-makers choose to support social entrepreneurs in this crucial time.
South Wales Valleys footage: https://youtu.be/DcVHVDilHJM
Brighton sports community footage: https://youtu.be/fe3zrs2igd8
