photo by indi.ca

The government set up the office of the Third Sector in May 2006 to recognise the important role that the third sector plays in our society and economy. The amalgamation of the Home Office’s Active Communities Directorate and the Department of The Trade and Industry’s Social Enterprise Unit, the Office of the Third Sector now has the responsibility for driving social enterprise in the UK.

It is responsible for national policy on social enterprise and developing and funding programmes to support the government’s 2006 Social Enterprise Action Plan. This plan sets out the governments vision for the role of social enterprise and has 4 clear themes:

1. fostering a culture of social enterprise
2. improving the availability and quality of business advice, information and support
3. removing barriers to accessing finance
4. enabling social enterprise to work effectively with government

These themes are reflected in the services and programmes that the Office of the Third Sector can offer, their website can give you information on:

• the governments definition and view of what a social enterprise is
• the governments vision for social enterprise in the UK
• information on government awareness raising activities (Social Enterprise Ambassadors Programme, Social Enterprise Day)
• information on government funded research into the social enterprise sector (business support for social enterprise, social enterprise research tools, reports on: social enterprise and its relationship with innovation, ethical markets and employment practice; access to finance for social enterprises; the effect of social enterprise on society)

For more information and links to other key social enterprise organisations please click the link: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/social_enterprise.aspx