HR&S RISE Support Centres
HR&S aims to provide researcher, innovators and social entrepreneurs in Sub-Sahara African countries with the opportunities required for them to implement their ideas and thereby positive change.
The objective with the HR&S Research, Innovation and Social Enterprising (RISE) Support Centres is to provide robust institutional infrastructure, practical strategies, financial support and capacity strengthening training and coaching in order to facilitate social enterprising start- and scale-up support.
Membership
Scientific researchers, innovators and social entrepreneurs are welcome to become members of the RISE Centres. Members pay a membership fee.
National HR&S RISE Centres
HR&S RISE Support Centres are continuously established in Sub-Sahara African countries.
Cross-cultural
The centres are cross-cultural with the aim to combine good Swedish values with good values of the country of the Centre.
Services offered to members
Each RISE Centre is unique and offers some or all of the services compiled below. As members we target small and medium scale social business leaders and social entrepreneurs with innovative ideas or scientific findings that would benefit from implementation.
Strategy for change
New members are coached through the Strategy for Change tool.
Business model
New members are coached through developing, maintaining and updating a business model, a business plan and a business venture.
Accountability management
New members are coached on developing an accountability management programme tailored to fit their own business situation and context.
Investment capital
Members are offered investment capital loans with 10 % interest. The interest is co-funding stipends to coaches and auditors.
Potential entrepreneurs undergo a screening process composed of a mini-course, an exam, a workshop, a loan-taker agreement and a coaching agreement.
Coaching
Each RISE member with a loan is coached by local coaches on evaluation planning, evidence-based impact assessment, accounting and public relations.
Auditing
Each RISE member with a loan is benefits from annual auditing by a professional external local auditor.
Company registration
Our members are supported by our local coaches to manage the national registration of a for-profit company.
Expert advice
Access to the HR&S network of expert advisers.
Seminars & Workshops
Seminars and workshops are offered on a variety of topics; strategy for change, business model, business plan, outcome evaluation planning, evidence-based impact assessment, finance administration and accounting, transparency and accountability in ethics and governance, website development, social media management, intellectual property rights, patenting and copyrights, stakeholder analysis and cross-cultural understanding.
Networking
A platform for networking, nationally and internationally.
Network relations are promoted through joint workshops and social gatherings.
Physical location
We aim to offer a physical location with co-working space, meeting venues and a physical business address. The co-working space may offer; desks, computers, storing facilities, electricity, printers, scanners and glasses.
Access to the internet
When funds allow we connect the RISE Centres to satellite internet distributors, such as Econet. The annual cost is expected to be around Euro 400. Econet, officially known as Econet Global Ltd, is a diversified telecommunications group with operations and investments in Africa and else where.
Technical equipment
Retail shop and/or link to agreed suppliers targeting: computers, vehicles, solar panels, mills, scientific equipment etc.
HR&S RISE Support Centre management
All RISE support Centre have the same structure and is guided through agreements with H&S Sweden. HR&S provides continious workshops to empower the structure. The Centres are separate financial units and registered as small companies during the start-up phase and then as afiliates to HR&S Sweden.
The RISE Centres are social enterprises units by themselves.
RISE Centre assignments
RISE Centre Internal support & control
Manager / team leader and chair of management meetings.
Deputy manager / deputy team leader
Secretary.
Accountant.
RISE Centre management team. The management team includes manager, deputy manager, accountant, and other relevant stakeholder. The management team meets bi-monthly and shares the minutes from the meetings in a folder on RISEsupport.se.
RISE Centre External support & control
External auditor for the RISE Centre.
Board of trustees.
Other stakeholders. Other stakeholders may include representatives from the social community; family leader, community leader, religious leader, other authorities. Other stakeholders can also be partners and national authorities.
RISE Centre member support and control through coaching & auditing
Evaluation planning.
Survey management.
Branding & Public relations.
Accounting.
External auditor.
Agency for change
The programme introduces change, thus the key partners and staff must be persons that are driving change. HR&S claims that agency for change has to be based on a volunteer approach, it cannot be forced, and that is why finding the right agency is key. Actually, very few individual in a populations are drivers of change.
The change is expected on four aspects;
i) implementing new user driven social good,
ii) starting new or scaling already established social enterprises,
iii) international equal partnership rather than traditional aid as well as
iv) genuine accountability and transparency.
Stakeholder analysis
Stakeholder analysis is the process of assessing a decision’s impact on relevant parties. The stakeholders are organised into a grid with different matrices according to their interest and their power. Power mapping provide a theoretical framework and a set of tools to tap the power needed to make things happen. Power mapping is helpful in coalition building; with whom should we develop a relationship. Stakeholder management is used to assess how the interests of the stakeholders should be addressed in a programme. Stakeholders with high power, and interests aligned with the project, are the people or organisations it is important to fully engage and bring on board. Stakeholders with high interest but low power need to be kept informed. Those with high power but low interest should be kept satisfied and ideally brought around as supporters.
Assess attitudes
We see attitudes are a combination of the initial attitude at the start of the collaboration, and influence from the practical startegies and partners. We assess attitudes through questionnaires and interviews. The questions concern for example: Equal partnership, Identifying Agency,User driven, Strategy for change, Social enterprising, Accountability, Evidence impact assessment, Passion for driving the programme forward.
Start-up reflections
In the process of introducing a new business we discuss the below with the social entrepreneur.
- Who initiates the programme/ whose idea is it? Who proposes the implementing strategies?
- Do you have previous experiences from running a business? Did you start a business already? If you did, what is the present status? Are you generating profit? If so, please share confirmation documents. If not, what were the challenges?
- Do you have a financial business model and plan?
Do you agree to start small activities with low cost before scaling up the business? This will be good in order to see how the implementing strategies goes and to make sure if pre-set goals are achieved as well as to secure good collaboration between us.
Do you agree with not considering aid as a business idea? HR&S is not an aid institution and we do not provide donation nor do we pay salary. Why do you not look for an aid grant for your programme instead? - Accountability management often requires a strategy, do you have a strategy already? What do you have in place in terms of financial accounting, bookkeeping, auditing and reporting? Do you have a bank account?
- Do you have previous experience from international collaboration? What is your view on international equal partnership? Equal partnership is defined by HR&S as a work relation where the partners share inputs, responsibilities, risks and benefits equally. Please share your approach to equal partnership. Who will do what and when?
- Who are the stakeholders? Do you have people who have positive interest and power to influence the programme (mention some)? Do we have any legal authorities or community support system who we can contact and discuss the situation in cases of unforeseen challenges (mention some)?
- Do you have a physical location? If yes, where is it located and what is its function.
- Do you have employed staff or other members of your team? If yes, who are they and what is their function?
- What are your problem-solving methods?
- Would you appreciate to work with HR&S coaches in an integrated manner? What would be your stand-point and criteria?
- Please share freely about this proposed collaboration, about HR&S, about your dreams and passion and more.
- Please ask questions, give comments and share recommendations with HR&S.
Follow-up reflections
Follow-up meetings by the Evaluation planning coach can address the below, as well as other issues that comes natural as a result of the process.
social good
The social business idea What kind of service or products will the programme provide? Who are the (expected) users and the customers? What was the situation prior to the initiative? What is your implementation plan? What are the expected outcomes and impact?
Vision & mission for the programme, please present.
Background & related activities Please present, include national plans, policies and legislation as well as the scientific state-of-the-art. Also mention the main stakeholders and make a stakeholder analysis.
Evaluation planning method Please write a short text explaining the needs, the ambitions, the challenges, the stakeholders, the activities and the expected outputs, outcome and impact of the Programme.
Business model, plan & venture
The ROPE Programmes shall have a sustainable economy.
Please share about the business model for this programme; products and services offered, customers, costs, start-up capital, income and profit.
- Value proposition and Customer segments Please present.
- Key activities & resources Please present the key activities and resources as well as the stakeholders in charge.
- Customer relation & distribution channels Please present.
- Revenue model Please present.
- Costs Please present.
The add numbers to the business model and present the business plan.
Then move into practicalities and actual operations and present the business venture.
Value principles
Our relationship needs to be based on honesty, transparency and accountability, in ethics and governance, in relation to programme social good and in relation to finances. Which of the HR&S policies and procedures are already in place within your organisation, and which would you be interested in to implement during our collaboration?
Accountability management
Strategy for change Develop and implemented a strategy for change that ensures: i) Social impact. ii) Sustainable economy, and iii) Transparency and accountability.
Activity plan and milestones Agree on and implement activities and milestones.
Measurable indicators Agree on and measure indicators including Progress markers.
Impact assessment Agree on and implement how to collect, compile and analyse monitoring data, when and by whom.
Reporting Agree on and implement how to generate and share reports, when and by whom.
Financial Policies & Procedures
General statement on transparency and accountability. Internal control. Bookkeeping. Bank statement audit. Financial statement audit. Annual financial and programme reports. Monthly financial reports. Business model and business plan. Cash management. Transfer of funds. Investments. Petty cash. Accounts receivable collection. Procurement standards. Events. Receiving items. Accounts payable. Cash disbursements. Payroll. Payroll taxes. Property management. Overhead and administration costs. Travel expenses. Per diem. Entertainment expenses. Leased vehicles. Employee expenses and advances. Related party transactions. Record retention.Personnel files.
Team management
How do you manage your team?
Public relations & Branding
How do you handle public relations and how do you brand?
Deepening the coaching
After start-up and follow up reflections, our evaluation planning coach will go deeper into a number of aspects:
-Strategy for Change
-Business model
-Evaluation planning, deep
