Make Good: mission entrepreneurship

Make Good is a social/missional enterprise accelerator to help you turn your ideas for social change in to action.

The Make Good course in missional entrepreneurship looks at how pioneering mission can become financially self-sustaining.

It aims to draw together pioneer practitioners for encouragement, motivation, discussion and learning, and points towards practical outcomes for you by the end of the week.

“Best course I’ve ever done, helped me to think really clearly about the missional dimension of YEAST Scrapstore which I was starting at the time – now we are a charity which owns our own building and are gathering all sorts of people around us through being intentionally missionary whilst not being churchy.”

Diana, pioneer priest

You will be given practical advice on writing a mission statement, devising a strategy for implementing your innovation, how you can effectively and appropriately evaluate success and the options available for securing funding to turn your dream into reality.

There will also be inspiring stories of Christians who have already turned their missional activities into successful enterprises and lots of opportunities to engage with God and share your hopes and struggles with other pioneers.

Who runs the course?

Make Good has been developed by Goodmakers Society, Pickwell Foundation, and Church Mission Society. The week is led by a team headed up by Catherine Pearson, Steve Baker and Sarah Clarke. Catherine heads up Goodmakers Society, an umbrella for social enterprises. Steve is a serial entrepreneur and currently runs social enterprises in the renewables and social housing sectors, among other things. Sarah leads the undergraduate pioneer programme at CMS.

Tangible outcomes

Ideas that were moulded and shaped on the mission entrepreneurship week are now being brought to life. Liane Kensett has set up a project called Orts. Orts is an old fashioned word meaning left over scraps. Her idea was born out of a six week placement with Lighthouse in Hull, working alongside and supporting women in the sex industry, particularly those working the streets, or trying to move out of prostitution. Then she spent time at the Edinburgh Fringe and heard about a “celebration of orts” being coordinated by a Venture FX minister in the city.

“The course gave me everything I needed to get started and the inspiration to adapt and shape my ideas into something real. I couldn’t have got started without it.”

Andy, founder, Space to Breathe

Liane takes up the story: “The blending of the two things has stuck with me and grown and developed. The week on the course helped move these thoughts into a potential business plan. Upcycling left over scraps into beautiful items we can sell, with the emphasis being the process and helping all involved to discover the beautiful value that they have too.

“Thanks to the generosity of Pickwell Manor we have secured the use of an old pharmacy in the parish hall right in the area we want to be in. Gradually it is filling up with donated craft resources and fabric scraps. We hope to get the table this week so we can actually begin making.

“Steve and Diane from the Imagine Foundation came to see the base and as a result of their help we are about to open a bank account and draw up a kind of constitution. It feels like a really big and defining step! Hopefully we will begin to build up a stock of lovely homemade crafts ready to sell at Christmas. Keep your eyes peeled for the Orts label!”

How much does it cost and how do I book?

Please see our fees page for up to date prices.

If you are in a foundation and would like to take part to support initiatives get in touch.

To book a place please get in touch with us by email. You can also call Helen on 01865 787439 for more info.

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