Social Enterprises in the City Setting: A Study of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore (2006)

1. Social Enterprises in the City Setting:A Study of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore (2006) An initiative of the CAFO network Presented by Dr Gillian Koh Senior Research Fellow Institute of Policy Studies, Singapore

2. Objectives • Comparative review of the social enterprise sector in three Asian cities • Assess impact • Identify challenges • Propose measures to increase SE impact in Asia End game: social inclusion and development

3. Outline What is success? Performance Why the success? Innovation How to grow further success? Capital

4. Models of Social Enterprises • Work Integration, Social Inclusion • MentalCare Connect, HK • Mobile Cleaning Crew, St James’ Settlement, HK • Sunshine Car Wash, Taipei • Syinlu Foundation Gas Stations, Taipei • Bizlink, Singapore • Ikhlas Catering, Singapore

5. Models of Social Enterprises • Empowerment • St James’ Settlement, HK • Information Technology Resource Centre, HK • Taiwan After-Care Association, Taipei • Cultural and Educational Foundation for the Blind, Taipei • TYEM, Singapore

6. Models of Social Enterprises • Intermediation • Senior Citizen Home Safety Association, HK • Long-Yan-Lin Community Development Association, Taiwan • SCORE, Singapore The resource mobilisation strategy is a common but not usually a stand-alone objective.

7. Performance Profit or sustainability? • Profits • Resource mobilisation • Discipline and accountability • Motivation • Sustainable innovation • Sustainability, and other bottom-lines • Recidivism • Work placement • Empowerment and self-reliance • Community-building

8. Performance Limitations of the profit-based bottom line • Cultural context – discounted rates • Low risk, low returns business • Nature of the beneficiary base A different, not level playing field

9. Performance • Employment in an SE, a middle station between unemployment and employment in the mainstream economy Bizlink, Sunshine, Syinlu and Foundation for the Blind • Innovation • Special licensing

10. Performance Points to consider in weighing performance: • Sustainability, not profit • Meaningful but measurable social goals • A different, rather than a level playing field

11. Innovation Sources and forms of innovation • Role of the Government • Licensing and new markets • Seed funding • Vendor / client • The Social Innovators • New market • New process • New context

12. Innovation Challenges • Competition • Need for constant innovation • Are social workers up to the challenge? • Can business leaders be persuaded to take it up? • Capacity-building much needed

13. Innovation • The source and force of innovation can come from anywhere including the Government • Constant innovation needed in a competitive city setting • Business and strategic planning is needed too

14. Capital Bottomless pit or virtuous circle? • Concept of SE avoids the bottomless pit syndrome • Sources of funding • The Government • Philanthropists • Good CSR How about an innovation to fund innovation?

15. Capital • Exploring the idea of a social venture fund • Business discipline and accountability • Capacity-building • Mentoring • The Cash

16. Conclusion • In developed urban economies, SE more focused on work and social integration • Think of creating ‘new’ playing fields • Weigh performance differently from businesses and VWOs • Need constant innovation because of competition • Can social venture funds help to grow the sector?

17. Thank You