Welsh claim proud social enterprise history ahead of Voice10

Social enterprise is based on 'Welsh principles', according to the new Welsh assembly member responsible for social enterprise.

Speaking in a statement ahead of Voice10, the Social Enterprise Coalition annual conference which takes place in Cardiff on 1-2 February, Carl Sargent said: 'I believe that social enterprise is a business model based on distinctly Welsh principles and is very much fit-for-purpose in the 21st century.'

Sargent replaced Leighton Andrews in December as assembly member for social justice. He had held the post of Labour chief whip and deputy business manager. Andrews is now the assembly member for children, education and lifelong learning.

Sargent added: 'When we think about social enterprise in Wales, a number of iconic figures stride into view: Robert Owen, the mill-owner from Newtown and the grandfather of the co-operative movement; Aneurin Bevan, whose vision for the NHS was modelled on the Tredegar Workmen's Medical Aid Society; the miners of Tower Colliery, who pledged £8,000 from their redundancy payouts to buy back their pit.

'From Owen to Bevan to Tower, Wales has been at the forefront of delivering co-operative solutions - social enterprise solutions. More recently, the tenants of RCT Homes - a community housing mutual in the local authority area of Rhondda Cynon Taf - have maintained this tradition to deliver tangible, economic and social results.'

Sargent said he had invited delegates at last year's Voice in Birmingham to 'come to Wales so they could see for themselves what is being achieved'. He added: 'I'm delighted that the invitation has been accepted.'

He said: 'There is a sense in Wales that there is a huge potential for social enterprise to enter the mainstream of public service delivery with attendant economic and social benefits. So it's timely that the Social Enterprise Coalition is staging its sixth annual conference, Voice10, in Wales for the first time.

'The conference will be an opportunity for the Welsh assembly government - as Voice10's principal sponsor - to demonstrate its support for social enterprise as part of its policy agenda in post-devolution Wales.'

Speaking to Social Enterprise magazine, John Bennett, CEO of award-winning Welsh social enterprise Pack-IT and chair of the new Welsh Social Enterprise Coalition, said: 'Leighton Andrews was popular and many are sad to see him go. It will be interesting to see what happens with new minister Carl Sargent. From a social enterprise perspective we are not familiar with him in Wales, so we are interested to hear more about and from him.'

Charlotte Galsworthy, founder of fledging social enterprise community centre Calkadies, based in Cwmavon, south Wales, said Sargent joined her as a Facebook 'friend' several months ago and had shown 'a real interest in her ambitions and aims for the business'.