Social Firms Scotland provides a range of support to people and organisations wishing to start up or grow from their current activities to a social enterprise.  Quite often we have found that people really struggle with the culture shift from running a project and being driven by their social mission to achieving that mission through commercial activity.   

Social Firms Scotland, in partnership with DTA Scotland, have developed a one day intensive workshop designed to provide people with an understanding and feel for moving from having an idea to testing its viability and turning this into a sustainable social enterprise.   

§        The Process 
The day begins with establishing 3/4 teams with approximately 4 people in each team.  The first session looks at idea generation with the teams having to come up with an idea that they wish to explore.  The second session will concentrate on the teams testing the feasibility of their idea followed by a session on developing their pitch for the dragons den.  It culminates in making your pitch to a panel of 'dragons' in return for investment.   Dragons are drawn from the private, voluntary and social enterprise sectors. 

§        Learning Objectives 
It is intended that all participants will: 
-         Develop an understanding of business idea generation
-         Develop an understanding and appreciation of testing an idea for commercial viability
-         Increase their understanding of what investors might look for in an idea
-         Increase their understanding that commercial activity and making a profit is a great way of achieving a social aim