We have two upcoming roundtable discussion events for social entrepreneurs, organisations interested in seeking social investment and others with an interest in the development of the UK social investment market:

Birmingham – Monday 15th December – 11am-1pm – with Impact Hub Birmingham – details here.

East of England – Thursday 18th December – 10am to 12pm at Room 1, Castle Hill Community Centre, Highfield Road, Ipswich
Venue Details: here.
Further information: from Nikki Wilson or email socinvalternativecommission at socialspider dot com

If you’re not able to get to a roundtable event you can have your say online here.

The aim of the Alternative Commission on Social Investment is to investigate what’s wrong with the UK social investment market and to make practical suggestions for how the market can be made more accessible and relevant to a wider range of charities, social enterprises and citizens working to bring about positive social change.

One of the ways we’re doing this is through a short online survey.

The survey is made up of open questions designed to help understand people’s experiences of seeking social investment and ideas for improving the market, rather than to generate quantitative data.

Please complete the survey yourself and pass on the details to others who may be interested.

The closing date for responses is Friday December 19th 2014.

Here’s some blog post by the Alternative Commission team:

The end of the beginning: As social investment wholesaler, Big Society Capital, celebrated its 2nd birthday earlier this year, Commission team leader, David Floyd, reflected on the gaps between rhetoric and reality in the UK social investment story so far.

How to make social investment more social – and more financially viable: As doubts grow about the possibility of making social investment models work in the UK, Commission adviser, Dan Gregory provides: ‘8 constructive suggestions that might help get us out of this mess‘