miEnterprise

1. miEnterprise • & personalised funding

2. miEnterprise is a social enterprise that specialises in supporting people to .... • Plan, set-up, run and develop micro businesses with the potential for growth ....... • Supported self-employment. A highly individual and flexible route into work and social inclusion

3. It is a CIC and operates as a marketing co-operative. It is a mutual. • The first site is in Herefordshire • Other sites are now setting up around the UK including N Tyneside, Leicester, Lincolnshire & Lothian

4. Member businesses trading or setting up include: • Cake making, art, pastries, grounds maintenance, fruit pies, cycle repair, an Avon round, garden products, a micro market, ice cream, weaving, consultancy, livery services, website design and chocolate

5. miE Herefordshire was modelled on personalised funding and that is now it’s only form of revenue • It has not been without it’s challenges! • And these challenges have been encountered elsewhere! • Which means we are learning a lot!

6. So what is personalisation • How does it work - in brief • What are the opportunities.... • ......and the challenges

7. See briefing note re how it should work • The challenges are that it doesn’t always work that way! • Can be overly complex, slow (process)and underfunded • Some LA’s see employment support as not their responsibility ..........

8. ...... some are better than others at developing a market (some have a market development officer) • Some may favour existing or larger providers rather than start-ups? • Some may defend in-house services? Others are trying to get rid of them!

9. The opportunities can include; • Increasing independence for members • Enhanced outcomes • Therefore potential for lower costs • Opportunities from meeting perennial challenge of alternatives to day services, bowling, etc

10. For miE ........ • A chance to innovate • To be much more flexible (outcome based) • To have closer working relationship with people including families and friends who can engage with a business too • Arguably a better business model

11. PB’s - Based on eligible needs - FACS criteria • Some myths: • No such thing as an eligible person or an eligible service • LA cannot prioritise needs within a band • LA needs to meet the eligible need • It’s not just about personal care

12. Substantial – when • there is, or will be, only partial choice and control over the immediate environment; and/or • abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur; and/or • there is, or will be, an inability to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines; and/or • involvement in many aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained; and/or • the majority of social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained; and/or • the majority of family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.

13. ‘Provider’ challenges include: • People have more choice • Need to engage with people directly • Need to market to a range of people - not just commissioners • Engage in planning with people

14. Develop a (limited) range of products • Find balance between simplicity & flexibility • Financial modelling on PB’s rather than larger contracts ~ including the nuts & bolts ~ invoicing, etc. • May also need to look outside PB’s

15. And a range of ways personalised funding can be delivered • Frameworks • Direct payments, ISF’s, brokered services, managed funds, individually commissioned • Right to Control

16. We are writing a short paper on the key issues for social enterprises entering local personalised markets • We can offer replication programmes, workshops on key issues for personalised funding for employment support • And we are building a web platform to support the growth of miE & it’s members

17. Thanks • jon@mienterprise.org.uk