Support for co-operatives
You can contact Co-operatives SW, but you may find more appropriate support contacts on this page...
Co-operative Support Bodies (CDBs) offer advice and support to new and existing co-ops and those interested in setting them up in the South West. For more information please contact the agency active in your area - see below. For other counties please contact RISE SW (Regional Infrastructure for Social Enterprise)- their details are at the foot of this page.
A consortium of these CDBs was formed in 2009 called South West Co-operative Support (SWCS), to deliver training and advice throughout the region supported by the Co-operative Enterprise Hub (CEH). SWCS member organisations are listed below and Co-operative Enterprise Hub advisers and consultants are also listed on the CEH website.
- CDA (BRAVE Ltd.), formerly Avon CDA (covering Bristol and former Avon Council area)
- Co-operative Futures (covering Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire in the South East)
- Somerset Co-operative Services formerly Upstart (a workers' co-op based in Somerset)
- Co-operative Assistance Network (a workers' co-op based in Bristol, and also providing some services in Dorset)
- Community Enterprise Unit (a workers' co-op based in Devon)
- Social Economy & Co-operative Development Cornwall trading as Kabin (a workers' co-op based in Cornwall)
If you're a co-operative or want to pursue the co-operative model of business you can apply for free advice and training from The Co-operative Enterprise Hub. Click here for an application form.
South West Regional Devlopment Agency
Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) were set up in 1999 to encourage economic development, improve skills and promote employment in each of the nine new English regions, including the South West RDA.
Following consultation with subregional social and economic partners including the SW Co-op & Mutual Council (now called Co-operatives South West), the South West RDA agreed a new Corporate Plan with priorities for work from 2002 to 2005 with the (then) SW Regional Assembly. This was of particular interest since RDAs were given more discretion about how they spend the funds allocated by central government and one of the beneficiaries of the new funding regime was the RISE partnership.
In 2009, the Regional Assemblies were abolished. In their place, to bring about some accountability for the RDAs, there are Local Authority Leaders' Boards and Regional Select Committees. The Social, Economic and Environmental Partners (SEEPs) within the former Regional Assembly are now known as the South West Stakeholder group as a way for civil society organisations to have their views represented to the RDA.
As a member of this stakeholder group, Co-operatives SW can be influential in shaping policy in the region. And if you are a member of Co-operatives South West, you too can make your voice heard through us. We welcome your views.
Government Office for the South West
Government Offices exist in all English regions to carry out work for central government departments. The Offices enter into contracts to ensure regional delivery of programmes with the aim to foster competitiveness and sustainable development, social inclusion and regeneration. They work with the RDAs so that policies and programmes in each region are co-ordinated.
The Government Office for the South West (GOSW) administers a range of European funding streams, such as ESF (objective 1-3), Leader+ for rural areas and EQUAL. The work of Co-operative Support Bodies can be funded through some of these programmes.
Regional Infrastructure for Social Enterprise (RISE) SW
RISE is a membership organisation which supports and promotes social enterprise development in South West England. Members include Co-operative Support Bodies, Rural Community Councils and social enterprises. Social enterprises are businesses with social aims: they are generally understood to trade, have social aims and democratic ownership; they include co-operatives at their centre. RISE is promoting the Social Enterprise Identifier to social enterprises, as an identity that will promote recognition and understanding of how social enterprises are different to private business. RISE has been working with the South West RDA and Business Link to develop a region-wide specialist business advice service for social enterprises.
Other social enterprise support organisations
Together with, for instance CDBs and Small Business Service franchises, other organisations that provide specialist support to social enterprises have formed the RISE partnership in the South West. One set of partners are the Rural Community Councils in the region who have worked to strengthen the social economy through the now discontinued CRISP partnership, funded through the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB).