Learninglaunchpad

What makes social enterprise models different to traditional charity models?

Social enterprises are often able to efficiently solve more than one problem or gap in society. These can be commercial, environmental or social – together known as the triple bottom line. Traditional charity models might be effective in terms of solving the social problem but social enterprises can address the same social problem in a more sustainable and scalable way, through the development of a business model that is not dependent on grant funding.

I recently visited a great example of this called Rising Sun Energy Center in Berkeley, California. Their California Youth Energy Services employ young people to carry out ‘green house calls’ in the San Francisco Bay Area. Young people are recruited for the summer, often from poor black and latino communities, fully trained in domestic energy efficiency and paid $9 an hour to help Californians make their homes more efficient.

The youth energy specialists visit each house armed with energy efficient light bulbs, tap airators and washing lines. The employees are also trained to offer advice to the home-owners on the further measures that they can take to increase their homes energy efficiency.

And here’s the triple bottom line:

• Young people from disadvantaged communities gain important employability skills
• Californian home-owners save money on their bills
• Greater energy efficiency helps to mitigate the dangers of climate change.

Find out more about California Youth Energy Services here: