DELIVERY of a number of key public sector services across the region is set to be transformed with the graduation of the first group of students following the Accelerated Learning Programme in Social Enterprise, based at the Eastern Enterprise Hub (EE Hub) in Ipswich.

The programme, the first of its kind in the UK, is a partnership between the EE Hub and Improvement East, a partnership of public authorities, which brings together senior public service managers from the counties of Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and Bedfordshire.

The 11 students involved in the fast-track course all hold responsibility for leading the transformation of a service currently delivered by the public sector into sustainable enterprise. Services represented included probation, planning, adult and social care and transport.

Designed to assist managers in leading the transformation of their service into a sustainable business model, the programme included modules on business planning, the latest policy context, the process of taking services out of public sector control, tendering for contracts, TUPE and media and communication, all delivered over a period of three months.

The new social enterprise intensive programme is in direct response to the increase in demand for information about the social enterprise business model by public bodies all over the country as they address significant funding and organisational challenges.

Social enterprise is being considered more and more by public sector bosses as a means of sustainable and quality service delivery.

”This is all about tackling head on the funding and organisational challenges facing public sector service delivery,” said Celia Hodson, EE Hub chief executive.

“This programme will enable leaders in the public sector to embrace the required culture shift, new market opportunities and equip them with all the business skills necessary to transform key public services into sustainable enterprises.”