New social enterprise goes live in Shropshire

Created by Sam Hine, Communities Can will specialise in community capacity building, project management and business support services for social enterprises, charities, voluntary sector organisations and local town and parish councils.

Sam is well known in Shropshire, having worked in the county for more than fifteen years, leading on community regeneration and economic development for South Shropshire District and Shropshire County Councils. Her achievements range from securing and managing multi million pound market towns programmes; initiating and encouraging local partnership working; influencing and developing strategic policy; implementing local action plans; and building up capacity within communities by bringing individuals and groups of people together to make a difference.

Sam explained the vision behind Communities Can, “As the funding cuts really bite, and public services deliver less and less, communities will begin to face real challenges. Communities Can will help local people to take some control over what’s important to them, to build up confidence, and to shape a better future for their towns and villages. Communities Can offers practical support to local groups, individuals and organisations, helping community leaders and social entrepreneurs to grasp opportunities, to achieve more and to deliver much needed local services at a time when others are withdrawing.”

Sam is really excited at the prospect of working both in Shropshire and across the country. “It’s not a good time economically, but often when times are hardest people pull together, and I am a firm believer that with the right help and encouragement Communities Can.” She is also keen to point out that Communities Can is not just another consultancy – it’s a social enterprise company, with a very different approach. It offers hands on support, experience and advice, always with the aim of making a difference to the lives of local people.

Communities Can will be working over the coming months with a number of organisations including the South Shropshire Furniture Scheme http://www.furniturescheme.co.uk.

Chief Executive Jean Jarvis MBE said, “I love the idea of the services Communities Can is offering. The idea of an extra pair of hands or another brain appeals hugely, especially as it’s Sam Hine having worked with her for many years and seen, and been involved with, many examples of her success. Sam has entrepreneurial skills which allow her to truly understand the issues of social enterprises and the voluntary and community sector. So enthusiastic are we at SSFS about Communities Can, we’re going to be one of the first customers!”

Communities Can will also be supporting miEnterprise, a social enterprise founded in Herefordshire by Jon Pitts.

miEnterprise supports adults with learning disabilities to consider self employment as a genuine work choice and economic opportunity. Communities Can will be helping miE to roll out this innovative scheme nationally, setting up and supporting the miE model across the country.

Communities Can is a new venture, based on firm foundations and many years of experience. It has been created to meet the needs of people and organisations that are looking to make a positive difference to the lives of others.
The success of Communities Can will be judged on the success of others reaching their potential and achieving great things, because together Communities Can.

If you would like to find out more, or think that you could benefit from the services available from Communities Can, please contact Sam Hine on 07974 772840, or email her on sam@samhine.co.uk

More details can be found on the website www.communities-can.co.uk and you can also find Communities Can on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @CommunitiesCan