Social enterprises are a melding of a business outlook and community focused goals. They will engage in commercial activities, creating products or providing services, but any profits generated will be put back into the organisation, so they can continue giving back to the community.

Social enterprises can set out to deal with any number of issues. Some will focus on problems of economic disadvantage, others will try to deal with environmental issues. Often social enterprises will have tight links to their local community, leading to knock on effects as they work with local businesses, creating more employment.

The nature of social enterprises mean they each have specific skill demands, depending on what sector they’re operating in. Social enterprises working on renewable energy will need scientists and engineers, those working on helping the disadvantaged will have more need for care workers.