Opp2mise Programme

The Opp2mise programme (Opportunities to Move into Social Enterprise) is a partnership between CEiS and Cunninghame Housing Association which aims to support the growth and development potential of local social economy organisations in North Ayrshire.

Opp2mise aims to:

• Help create and move existing social economy organisations on the journey to becoming successful social enterprises, increasing their employment potential and diversifying their funding base.
• Explore new ways of working and delivering services and improve networking, joint working and exchange of information and ideas.
• Move the social economy on as a vibrant and expanding sector within North Ayrshire and develop links between the public and private sector in support of the social economy.
  

Clients

Our advisors will work with organisations that intend to, or are currently working to not-for-profit aims and objectives. To access support through Opp2mise organisations should meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Operating within key growth sectors, such as housing issues, care, employability/training, childcare or financial services.
• Assets acquired/Turnover of £100,000 per annum.
• Currently employing, or have the potential to employ staff.
• Earning at least 20% of their income from sales.

Project Partnership

The Opp2mise partnership between Cunninghame Housing Association and CEiS provides access to a dedicated resource of experienced team members with extensive knowledge of the sector and the ability to deliver a range of tailored services.

Cunninghame Housing Association

In recent years Cunninghame Housing Association's Community Regeneration Unit have been involved in creating initiatives such as North Ayrshire Fab Pad; Intermediate Labour Market initiatives in North and East Ayrshire; a Working for Families Childcare Initiative and the Michael Lynch Centre Enterprise in Ardrossan. In 2006 Cunninghame Housing A ssociation were awarded the Inspiration Award for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises by Scottish Business in the Community to reflect its commitment to the community and integration of corporate responsibility into its business practices.

Following the establishment of the Opp2mise programme Cunninghame Housing A ssociation have recruited 2 new Social Economy Advisors to provide capacity building support to local organisations.

CEiS

CEiS has over 20 years experience working in the field of economic development and in successfully creating and managing a number of action-based enterprise and employability projects over that time. CEiS have a strong track record in providing practical support for local organisations and add value by transferring skills and understanding of the business process involved

Through the Opp2mise programme clients have access to consultancy support from CEiS business advisors.

Progress To Date

An independent evaluation of the programme was carried out by EKOS Ltd in November 2007.

Overall, the evaluation established that clients experience a high level of satisfaction with the information, brokerage, advice provided by advisors in the Cunninghame Housing A ssociation Social Economy Support Team.. Clients have reported that the advisors offered clarity, helped to highlight areas for improvement and helped them focus. They highlighted the ease of access to Cunninghame Housing A ssociation advisors and speedy response to enquiries as particularly good..

EKOS found similarly high levels of client satisfaction in relation to the specialist business support provided by CEiS advisors and found them to be very professional. The CEiS advisors have helped clients to unwrap some of the terminology around financial planning and options appraisal and this has been helpful. Clients also felt that the CEiS advisors offered tailored support and provided a good ‘sounding board’ for new ideas/ways forward.

Contact Details

Cunninghame Housing Association
The Michael Lynch Centre for Enterprise
71 Princes Street
Ardrossan
KA22 8DG

Colin McKee - Social Economy Advisor

Tel 01294 606001
Email: cmckee@chaltd.org

Sharon Genis - Social Economy Advisor

Tel 01294 475601
Email: sgenis@chaltd.org

CEiS - Ayrshire
Sovereign House
Academy Road
Irvine
KA12 8RL

Tel: 01294 322707

Email: ceisayrshire@ceis.org.uk
Web: www.ceis.org.uk

 Funders Acknowledgements

Cunninghame Housing Association would like to acknowledge the support of our funding partners without whom the development of our Opp2mise programme would not have been possible:

• North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership
  
• North Ayrshire Council
  
• Western Scotland European Objective 2 Programme 2000-2006