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Charles Rapson takes us on a fascinating journey through his accidental discovery of social enterprise and his current mission as Social Economy Growth Lead at West Midlands Combined Authority. With refreshing candour, he shares how he's leveraging his position to champion a sector that employs over 100,000 people and engages 200,000+ volunteers across the West Midlands.

The conversation reveals how Charles has successfully shifted perceptions of the social economy within regional government, securing £2.5 million in funding and ensuring social enterprises feature prominently in strategic planning. His innovative place-based approach is rebuilding vital infrastructure by supporting nine organisations to become community hubs where relationships, trust, and partnerships can flourish.

We dive deep into the challenges of social value procurement, with Charles articulating a compelling vision for moving beyond tick-box exercises to measuring real impact. His practical strategies - breaking down large contracts into manageable lots, making social value contractual and measurable, recognising intrinsic value alongside additional value - offer a blueprint for procurement that genuinely supports inclusive growth.

Looking ahead, Charles outlines his comprehensive ecosystem approach to growing the social economy, encompassing everything from business support and access to finance to education initiatives modelled on Scotland's successful Social Enterprise Academy. His determination to map and understand the region's 9,314 social economy organisations demonstrates a data-driven approach to strategic investment.

Whether you're a social entrepreneur seeking opportunities, a public sector professional interested in procurement innovation, or simply curious about how regional economies can become more inclusive, this conversation offers valuable insights into transforming systems from within. Visit the West Midlands Combined Authority website and join their Social Economy Forums to learn more and help shape the future of social enterprise in your region.

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Hi, I'm Heidi Fisher, the host of the Make an Impact Podcast. I'm an impact measurement expert, passionate about helping you make a bigger impact in the world by maximising the impact your services have.

I can help you to measure, manage and communicate the impact you have better to funders, investors, commissioners and other stakeholders, and to systemise your data collection and analysis so that it frees up time and doesn't become an additional burden.

I love helping you to measure social and economic impacts, including Social Return on Investment or value for money assessments, as part of understanding the change you make to peoples' lives.

You can get in touch via LinkedIn or the website makeanimpactcic.co.uk if you'd like to find out more about working with me.