Health & Social Care Accelerator

Supporting Racially Minoritised Social Enterprises and community organisations to grow and support the health, wellbeing and care needs of their communities!

This Health & Social Care Accelerator is targeted to support community-based social enterprises and charities who work in health, wellbeing, and social care and feel ready to grow and scale.

Our programme is delivered as part of the Bristol Local Access Programme, an innovative programme created to develop stronger and more sustainable social enterprises in Bristol and who recently launched a second round of funding and support, injecting a further £1.3m into the sector over the next 12 months. First launched in 2021, the Bristol Local Access Programme has played an important role in supporting the growth of social enterprises in the city, providing around £2.5m funding in the form of small grants, repayable loans, and business support to around 130 locally based social enterprises. 

Our mission is to support community-led organisations to embrace commercial opportunities within public and private sector procurement. We intend to build upon our successful and innovative ‘Make it Work Programme,’ enabling Bristol City Council to diversify its adult social care provider network.

Who is this programme for?

  • Black and Racially Minoritised registered charities and social enterprises who support and deliver services in the Health, Wellbeing, and Social Care sectors.

  • Have been trading for a minimum of 12 months. 

  • Aspire to expand their impact by scaling their organisations.

  • Want to enhance their contract and investment readiness.

This programme will benefit charities and social enterprises who have a vision and mission to deliver positive community impact through accelerated growth and enterprise. Our aim is to give you the knowledge, connectivity, and confidence to accelerate and find the investment you need to grow.  We welcome applications from organisations working across key areas such as:

Health & Wellbeing

  • Community Health Services

  • Delivering counselling, therapy, and support for individuals dealing with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and trauma

  • Offering guidance and advice on nutrition, meal planning, and dietary choices to promote healthy eating habits and improve overall health

  • Providing sessions promoting mental and emotional wellbeing

Social Care

  • Community Support Services

  • Domiciliary care

  • Supported living

  • High Support Needs (HSN) for young people

What does the programme offer?

  • An opportunity to apply for grant support of between £5,000 and £10,000.

  • Access to 1-2-1 expert advice and coaching, mentoring, and networking opportunities.

  • The ability to connect to a unique Peer to Peer learning experience.

  • The ability to engage directly with service commissioners and procurers to expand your network,.

  • A chance to pitch to social investors and potentially secure the social investment you need to grow.

At the end of the programme, you will walk away with:

  • Exposure to market opportunities and new or improved skills to run your organisation.

  • Practical knowledge of how to navigate the procurement platforms

  • Insight on contract readiness and registration on the platforms

  • Understanding of key aspects of framework applications e.g. calculating your social value, business continuity, sustainability, etc.

When does the programme run?

This core programme will run mainly on Tuesdays from 9.00am - 4.00pm throughout June and July 2024, with ongoing coaching and mentoring support. The deadline for applications is Monday 20th May 2024, at 11.00pm.