Having a 'can-do' attitude, overcoming challenges and implementing ideas is at the heart of effective community and economic development and is more important than ever in today's tough economic climate.  Knowing how to foster enterprise skills and enabling enterprising behaviour to flourish is critical for any organisation such as ours whether we are working with partners to develop new business start-up or business growth programmes, or whether we are developing new social action projects and volunteering initiatives to enable communities to have a greater say and a greater sense of ownership of their own affairs.

Richard Parkes says "As someone who built from scratch and sold a successful business I know from first-hand experience about the challenges that entrepreneurs face.  It was the toughest thing that I ever did professionally - but we decided to do it all over again at Rinova - and we're enjoying the challenge of joining the growing ranks of social entrepreneurs in the UK".

Our leading staff have designed and delivered innovative entrepeneurship programmes, social inclusion and capacity building initiatives that have benefitted over 20,000 pre- start and start up businesses, voluntary groups and social enterprises.  Our current work in this area includes:

• Business coaching for start-up and small businesses
• Entrepreneurship initiatives for young people
• Reaching communities
• Volunteering and social action initiatives
• Youth empowerment
• Capacity building and support for social enterprises
• Developing an international network of cultural industries and creative, non-formal learning partners