Social Enterprise
in Scotland
Census 2015
CSDP Charity and
Third Sector Data Event
27 January 2016
About The Census
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A decade of investment
In search of better evidence
A collaborative approach
A baseline to build on
Multiple interests
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To better understand the ‘sector’
To validate assumptions
To make the case (or justify) investment
To refine established priorities
To make smart choices (invest, support)
Big Lottery Fund, Community Enterprise in Scotland, Co-operative
Development Scotland, Firstport, Highlands and Islands Enterprise,
Glasgow Caledonian University, Nesta, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish
Government, Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum, Senscot, Social
Enterprise Academy, Social Enterprise Scotland, Social Enterprise UK,
Social Firms Scotland, and Social Investment Scotland.
The Focus:
Social Enterprise
• There is a recognisable marketplace
• Trade primarily for a social or
environmental purpose
• No share capital (asset locked) – profits
reinvested, assets reallocated on closure
• They aspire to financial independence
through trading (no clear bar set).
• They operate outside of the direct
influence or control of public bodies.
In Context
Methods
Identifying
the
Population
Financial
Review
•Define parameters
•Access accounts
•Access data
•Strip out data
•First filter
•Analyse
•Cross-match
•Purge non-SEs
•Screen and verify
•Circa 4,000
•Purge non-SEs
•Circa 30,000  6,000
Census
Survey
•Online survey
•Telephone boost
•Analyse
•Purge non-SEs
•Circa 1,100
Final
Analysis
•Combine data
•Economic analysis
•Grossing up
Challenges
• Availability and cost of data
• Availability, cost, accessibility
• Managing scale and complexity
• Diverse interests, dataset size, common-sizing, scheduling, time
• Exercising professional judgement
• Definitional grey areas, deciding to include, interpreting financials
• Securing participation
• Local /gatekeeper involvement, a representative response
• Sharing the results
• Data ownership/control, ethical concerns in open access
The Results
Using the data
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Managing the resource
Sharing the evidence
Shaping policy priorities
Interrogating topics and themes
Tracking change over time
Thank you