Helping others help themselves in an ethical way

Jun 15 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

As we hurtle through uncertain economic times, a new world order is taking shape, where social enterprise is king and co-operation is key. Andrew Mernin meets a man who aims to change the world by helping others help themselves

After working for the council, the Northumberland resident set up social economy research and development consultancy Economic Partnerships with his friend Geof Cox.

In the 15 years since, he has watched the organisation play a major role in changing the fortunes of individuals and entire communities.

Turnbull now works across the UK as a social economy consultant helping create business plans, managing projects and leading training sessions.

Under numerous guises – including director of homecare social enterprise Care & Share Associates (Casa) – he has witnessed at close hand the power of social enterprise.

One of the earliest co-operative businesses he helped create was North East Care Limited.

“There was also a lot of unemployment at the time so we placed an advert in the newspaper asking people if they would like to work in care. People thought it was for an interview and 40 people came along, but we told them there’s one hitch – there isn’t a job yet but if you do this co-op training course, at the end of the three months you will be a part-owner in a care enterprise – and half the people stayed.

With his long-time associate Walter Young, Turnbull also created Team Fostering North East – a not for profit company which recruits, trains and supports foster carers throughout the North.

Turnbull describes as a defining moment, the day the organisation’s directors turned down a lucrative bid for the enterprise from private sector investors.

“There was nothing legally to stop the directors selling up but it was quite a defining moment when they turned the bid down.”

Today Casa retains an 11% stake in all related social enterprises to protect them from private sector takeover.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the windy wilds of Shetland stands a shop which has become a social and economic star of the local community.

The Shetland Soap Company was created in a matter of days thanks to the business nous of Turnbull, the help of fellow social enterprise champion Frank Millsop and, apparently, at least three bottles of wine.

The shop works to help people with disabilities gain skills and experience in a real commercial setting.

But it would never have come into existence if not for circumstance and a drunken leap of faith.

Turnbull had flown to the island to meet Millsop, of the Community Opportunities for Participation in Enterprise (Cope), and within hours they had found a premises for a new ethical business.

“We had secured the shop premises, designed how the shop would look and were due to meet the bank manager the next morning to borrow money to kick the thing off.

“The business model was based on the number of bars of soap we needed to sell to break even but whatever we did we just couldn’t get it to add up.

“It was 2am and I think we were on the third bottle of wine at least so we thought to hell with it, double it, double the bars of soap. We did, we saw the bank, talked about the strength of the business plans, secured the loan, kicked the business off and we hit our annual forecast in month three.”