RE:SOURCE on Pirate FM

The RE:SOURCE team were visited today by Holly Day from Pirate FM.  She brought along some doughnuts with her as a treat for all their hard work and found out about the great work we do at RE:SOURCE.  The volunteers were a little nervous about being interviewed for the radio but we think that they did a fantastic job telling everyone what they do to help out (and I'm sure the dougnuts helped persuade them!!)

Listen to their interviews here:

Peak Oil...does it mean anything to you?

...well if it doesn't then think again...a new Gaurdian article raises fresh concerns that the Saudi oil reserves could be as much as 40% overstated...of course many will dismiss this as scare mongering, but whether its true or not, oil is in ever increasing demand and prices continue to fluctuate and rise, so why not be prepared!

So what is Peak Oil? 

Check out this video which explains all...a bit alarmist?  Make your own mind up...  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT-ZpYgaHgc

So what can we do about it if it is true.  Well, becoming more self sufficient and using less fuel would help and it will save you money as well.  As oil prices soar, the price of all goods will go up and up, so the more we can protect ourselves against that through self sufficiency and being frugal, the more we will be able to lessen the impact.

Here are a few things you can do and organisations that can help:

1. Make sure your home is well insulated and your energy usage is minimised: http://www.cep.org.uk/info-for-you/info-for-households/insulation/

2. Once you've done that, consider generating your own energy:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SeOjxkGwic

3. Grow you own: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=19803

4. Bike 2 Work - encourage your employer to sign up to the Cycle2Work scheme and get money off a bike for commuting (and private use)  http://www.bike2workscheme.co.uk/

5. Drive smart - less heavy on the pedal and you save fuel!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqWnFD2oB3s

And if it isn't true?  Well you've saved a fist full of cash by being a smarter consumer...

ReZolve People...Jack the Cycling Fanatic!

ReZolve has some great people working behind the scenes...and they seldom get their chance to be in the limelight...so we've put some 60 second interviews together...well, Jack has...he's done all the hard work.  Jack's a great guy and came to us as a Future Jobs Fund placement.  He did so well we offered him a job, doing what he does best, marketing and publicity...Jack was pretty nervous when I asked him to become an interviewer...but we think he's done a great job...

Is Social Enterprise really that confusing...

I got an email this weekend from the authors of a new book which aims to demystify social enterprise and help people to develop their own definitions of what a social enterprise is.

Is it me or have we inadvertently created an industry that surrounds social enterprise that justifies its existence through perpetuating the notion that there is ‘confusion about social enterprise’.

Does that confusion really exist....and does it really matter if it does.  Let’s be honest, how many people on the street know the difference between a PLC, a LTD company, or a Cooperative?

Surely what matters is that people understand the objectives of any company and its products or services...

I think there is a danger that in creating an industry around demystifying Social Enterprise, we ironically make it more complex!!

If I was writing a book about social enterprise and what it means....it would be a quick read, and probably a picture book!

Line  1 – Social Enterprises have positive social and/or environmental objectives

Line 2 – Social Enterprises reinvest their profits so they can do more good

Line 3 – Social Enterprises aim to be self-financing, not reliant on the state or grant funding.

Page 2 – Nice pretty pictures of Social Enterprises doing what they do....helping disadvantaged groups, protecting the environment, making great products.

KISS (Keep it simple, Stupid!)

Jon Rolls

Chief Executive

Cornwall unemployment rises: No surprises...

So why do we potentially face losing an award winning programme that gets long-term unemployed in to employment...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-12227844?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

The Cornwall Works for Social Enterprise programme, funded through ESF and delivered by a range of innovative Cornish Social Enterprises  has been heralded by many, and nationally by DWP! as best practice...collaboratively the programme will place nearly 500 people into employment at a success rate of well over the national average of 20%.

Moving the goal posts and delays in decisions on next rounds of funding means Cornwall faces losing the highly experienced staff that have been delivering this programme....and potentially organisations as well....

And guess what...you can bet your bottom dollar that the programme will have to start up again later in the year...meaning we all have to re recruit to get staff to deliver the programme...at what cost!

Sometimes it is very frustrating that 'business as usual', when it is performing very well, is not seen positively...and that we have to constantly re-create programmes, re-design them and generally tinker...and the only people that suffer are those that depend on the services and the organisations that deliver the work who offer so much other added value that doesn't get counted.

Rant over...its a lovely sunny day and I need to talk to our fantastic manager of a great little social enterprise solution to disabled children's incontinence issues....

Cornwall 170th out of 203 in UK Waste League Table

Cornwall came 170th in the UK Council League Table for Recycling and Residual Waste (waste to landfill) with a recycling rate of 37% compared to the England average of 39.7% and with waste to landfill per person at 328.8 kg per person per year compared to the England average of 277.6

There are all sorts of caveats attached to this, so to see more detail go to: http://www.resource.uk.com/article/Latest/Zero_Waste_Race_local_authority_residual_league_table

Cornwall "Local Social Enterprise Partnership"

There has been much talk in the press this week about the LEP and plans for developing it...but I've seen little mention of how it's going to link with the Big Society so far.

If the Coalition is serious about Big Society and its role in shaping the future, then surely its central to our economy.

For me that means the "E" in LEP is even more important because it directly relates to "Social ENTERPRISE".

We must ensure that Social Enterprise is a core part of the LEP and I hope you'll support this by letting the decision makers know that this is the case...if we don't include Social Enterprise at the strategic level then the Big Society is not achievable...this is not an opportunity to be missed.