Community Ownership: How to Get Started

From pubs and farms to launderettes and lidos, communities are creating democratically controlled, viable, and sustainable businesses. According to Power To Change, there are 7,800 community enterprises in England alone, and the Community Shares Unit reports over 500 businesses established using community shares in the last 10 years. As public funding recedes and the charity sector shrinks, community enterprises provide a creative way to address local needs, with democratic control by the community at the heart of what they do.

Drawing on past successes and good practice, this practical workshop takes a look at how groups can be successful in developing their own community enterprise, introducing critical success factors, top tips, and useful approaches.

Get a free copy of STIR Magazine when you book on this webinar.

‍Prices are on a sliding scale. Low Income tickets are limited.

What to expect

• An introduction to community ownership, including the sectors in which they operate and the different models and approaches
• A step-by-step exploration of how to set up a community business: community engagement, legal structures, governance models, finance and fundraising

What I’ll leave with

• Knowledge about what’s going on in this exciting and expanding sector
• Understanding of how a community enterprise model might be applied in your area.
• Knowledge of how community enterprises can be financed beyond grants
• Understanding of what the community enterprise start-up process looks like and what support is available

Who’s it for?

• Communities exploring whether a community enterprise model is suitable for their situation
• Groups looking to set up a community enterprise to save or maintain a community asset
• Practitioners and institutions actively supporting community enterprise through their role in the public or private sector
• Employees of local authorities and development bodies who are interested in the role of the community business within their work.

The facilitator

Claudia Limpert is a Project Manager at the Wales Co-operative Centre, and leads on the Community Shares Wales Resilience Project. She is a fully licensed Community Shares Practitioner and has worked with a wide range of social enterprises, with a particular specialty in community ownership.