4 July 2012 - In partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund, Nesta brought together park practitioners, civic innovators, local authorities, community entrepreneurs and those in associated sectors to discuss pressing areas for innovation.

1. Innovation in Green Space Management
A Social Enterprise Model
Sue France,
Green Estate.

2. Green Estate - Who are We?
• A social enterprise that started
life in 1998 as an area wide
environmental regeneration
project in an area of severe
multiple deprivation in South
Sheffield, UK.
• Our journey to find more
sustainable solutions to problem
urban green space has allowed
us to develop innovative and
entrepreneurial approaches that
deliver multiple benefits.

3. Our Starting Point

4. 13 Years Later….and still learning
But with a model that is working for us
• Self supporting income through Green
Business
• Employment for about 50 people – helping
to break local cycle of intergenerational
worklessness
• Profit generated is used to subsidise
ongoing restoration, parks management and
new initiatives to build social capital
• Ongoing responsibility for a number of
significantly improved local greenspaces
• Large and varied Team of Volunteers
• Establishment of a more inclusive approach
to place management
• Reaching 1000’s also through events,
activities, training and school work
• Continuing to influence and support green
space thinking

5. Our Approach : To Humanise Public Spaces and stimulate more enterprising
solutions that are really at the heart of our local community

6. But how do we make this happen?
Sometimes there is a strong ‘bottom up ‘
movement - but in many cases it needs
creative support and guidance
In all cases we must approach management
in a way that nurtures Place and People
over time
It helps to have a good strategic
understanding of what makes and
sustains great neighbourhoods and
places.
There is no ‘One Size Fits all’ – but capacity
building takes time and effort and
Managers must embrace risk, change and
power sharing

7. Putting Our Estate Back to Work

8. Introducing Beauty on a Budget

9. Helping people to think differently about what’s
possible

10. Telling Great Stories

11. Being Prepared to Take Time

12. Making Management more Interactive

13. Allowing people to be needed

14. Putting People back into Places

15. Build it and they will come