Small Good Stuff now has over 200 members
Small Good Stuff is an initiative developed by Community Catalysts C.I.C. which aims to help small community initiatives and enterprises to get going and keep going. It also helps people who need care or support to link with local community enterprises who can offer what they need.
Community Catalysts is a Community Interest Company that works through local partners to help enterprising people and community organisations to offer care and support to local people. The care and support they offer is always on a very small (micro) scale, really personal and often delivered in creative and quirky ways. In this way we help people to get the care and help they need to live the life they want www.communitycatalysts.co.uk
Over the last few years we have worked directly in over 30 communities including Nottinghamshire, Wigan, Hertfordshire, Worcestershire, Ayrshire, Southwark, Somerset, Dudley and Barking and Dagenham. Despite this we get really frustrated that we can’t support small community enterprises everywhere – especially as we often get calls for help from some amazing and sometimes desperate folks across the UK.
We turned this frustration into energy and used it to develop Small Good Stuff a website which helps people running small community care enterprises and links them with people who need care or support to live their life
Small Good Stuff offers an accessible web directory that is free of charge and gives small community care enterprises a chance to show people the splendid things they can offer. Secondly Small Good Stuff offers advice, information, resources and publicity (for those that want it) to small community care enterprises. Since its launch 206 small enterprises have joined SGS and 125 have chosen to be featured in the directory for example:
Bodster Equine Assisted Community Interest Company
Bodster are a C.I.C. based on the Isle of Wight. They help people develop communication skills, and self-esteem by offering experiential equine assisted learning exercises. Bodster work with anyone from 6 to 90 years, including people with learning or physical disability, Autism, or mental health needs. While there is no riding involved by working with horses on the ground and developing skills which enable communication between people and horses, learners can become more self-aware and confident and then transfer this learning and confidence to other situations.
Olivia began attending Bodster after being ill in hospital and feeling very low. Olivia has cerebral palsy and has had a stent fitted. During her Equine Assisted Learning sessions, Olivia completed tasks with the ponies on the ground, such as leading a pony around an obstacle course and problem solving how to have a pony walk into a circle of rope. As a result, Olivia’s confidence began to grow, her motor skills improved and she became more self-aware and clearer in her communication and ability to listen to both horses and people. Olivia learned new skills by undertaking an NOCN Level 1 course in Developing Personal Confidence and Self Awareness, became a Learning Champion, encouraging others to gain new skills and became a volunteer at Bodster. ‘I now feel that in a year or so I could do a part-time job – I never thought I would be able to say this’ explained Olivia
Jo from Bodster said
‘We saw a link to ‘Small Good Stuff’ via our LinkedIn site and so took a look. Why we chose to join was the way it encourages small community initiatives such as ourselves and when we read about what they do we felt they really valued small enterprises. It was particularly the offer of support and advice which appealed to us as it is really useful talking to someone such as the staff at ‘Small Good Stuff’ for their ideas on for example how to grow and develop. They also are a very friendly team and prompt in replying to queries’
https://www.smallgoodstuff.co.uk/provider/bodster-equine-assisted-community-interest-company/
Van Gogh said ‘Great things are done by a series of small things brought together’ and here at Small Good Stuff we couldn’t agree more!
If you’re running (or planning to run) a small community enterprise with a care or support focus we would love you to join the Small Good Stuff gang. If you help or advise small enterprises please signpost them to Small Good Stuff. If you or someone you know is looking for a quirky, local care or support provider or are simply curious….take a look! https://www.smallgoodstuff.co.uk/