Faith and Enterprise at EntComm…
Faith based organisations and enterprise
We are specialists in working with faith groups to promote ethical, community enterprise.
There are a number of reasons why faith based organisations may wish to engage with enterprise and two of the main reasons can be seen as;
- Support for communities by providing additional activities and services.
- Creation of revenue and development of economic sustainability.
Fundamentally, the concept of combining activities and service for our communities and at the same time creating an income for the community or organisation, is a source for good.
However, in some areas there is a resistance to the creation of business style activities alongside a faith based organisation which is focused on worship and prayer.
Faith based organisations are also about support for their people and in creating an environment whereby people are cared for in a loving family. The development of services and activities which are either funded at source or by the creation of revenue can provide a sustainable organisation which has more control over its development and future.
Social action, social enterprise, social business, social justice, social cohesion are all part of our work within faith based organisations. To enable these to be supported there are times when we need to consider routes to funding and easy to generate income in order to support our communities.
How to start?
The project can start from:
- Members of the organisation with an idea and concept.
- By people, from outside the organisation, who could deliver projects held in the organisations venues.
- From the leader or the organisation behind the faith group with an initiative or concept.
Who we need to involve?
Most faith based organisations have a complex structure of governance. The idea will need to be considered as part of their normal process and meeting arrangements. These can appear to be lengthy but have the advantage of security and support as the project develops.
In the Church of England the bodies that need to be informed and proposals forwarded to, include,
- Parochial Church Council
- Churchwardens
- Lead Priest
- the Diocese
As the churches will work within the parish boundary system there are also other organisations that will need to be part of the decision.
From parish church to cathedral
The scale of the project can be a small childcare arrangement to a large cathedral shop, but the concept is the same.
It can be delivered from the organisation itself or as an additional arm/structure to allow a uniqueness whilst remaining within the organisations aims and objective.
There are many areas to consider and not least of which is the ethical and socail dimension to the project and how it fits within the community.
Information can be obtained from the two sources below:
The Faith Based Regeneration Network
The Church of England – Faith in Action!