Methodology

Community Enterprise

Methodology

The diagram below represents the suggested structure of a fully developed Community Enterprise, which may have developed over several years. This structure has been developed based on 30 years experience of community enterprise development. The Community Enterprise is structured into five units. The units are described in terms of what they do, their functional role within the organisation and how they relate to each other. Personnel may overlap between units.

The structure is designed to be flexible and represent the whole community, while at the same time enabling individuals and small groups to initiate their own activities and ventures. The Community Enterprise operates through the five units that are linked through shared overall vision and strategies from which each unit prepares detailed criteria and activities. Each unit undertakes their work and also contributes to the overall vision.

The Community Enterprise uses the Social Audit method to engage the community in planning and managing the organisation; uses Project Cycle Management to develop and implement new initiatives and a financial system based on mixed receipt accounting to permanently account for both grant funds and commercial income. It uses central strategic planning with individual components that are self-managed by individuals or groups of people. The text, following the diagram, briefly explains how each unit works.