“They have a depth of belief in people which I haven’t seen in other organisations; a conviction that if you work well or build the capacity of people then change will happen. They are radical and enthusiastic and do build capacity of communities.”
Senior Youth Worker
“…. the people that run them(social enterprises) are the real entrepreneurs – as dynamic and as forward thinking as the like of Richard Branson and Anita Roddick.
In North Tyneside recently, I met the people who run RE:generate, which creates community activists by going door to door, listening to people’s concerns…. Social enterprises like these are dealing with some of the most intractable problems facing society, family breakdown, chaotic home environments, persistent unemployment, drugs, crime. Just as business entrepreneurs have helped cure the British economic disease, so social entrepreneurs can help cure Britain’s social malaise…. They are vehicles of innovation.
Leader of the Conservative Party
“The work of RE:generate is now absolutely essential to our policing reassurance program. This organisation reaches the parts others do not and they very effectively engage people. The fact that the staff are not from the Police service means that an effective bridge can be built with the public and effective multi-level dialogue can begin without RE:generate, or the people they train, compromising principles or values. The work is citizen focussed, as opposed to been driven from a professional perspective, so what RE:generate contributes to our understanding is a wider and crucial perspective to the transformation of public service delivery. This work is about real cross community safety partnership in action.”
Inspector, West Midlands Police
“I can’t believe how this has changed my life and the life of my family and friends. I was completely against the council, the agencies and the Police. I really hated where I lived. I blamed everybody for the mess and then I realised that I was just as responsible for what was going on. I was blaming everybody else so I decided to do something. Now I am training others. I can’t believe it. We have created 14 different projects that involve hundreds of people. I am so proud of what we’ve done. We’ve got some people from a Plymouth Housing estate visiting soon.”
Newcastle resident
“You can’t force the healing process,anymore than you can become instantly fit after a days exercise. RE:generate recognises that and invests in the long term. Any agency or authority or indeed political party that is looking to redefine their work should talk to these people. I judge organisations by results, and RE:generate delivers results.
Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament
“Their work is refreshingly challenging, it holds a mirror up to us, that’s you and me. It’s uncomfortable at times and I think they are brave. Somebody has got to do this because there are too many talking about it. If you want action this is the organisation to talk too.”
County Councillor
“I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve worked in local authorities for 40 years and sometimes it challenges and upsets – but we need this! Things do need to change and RE:generate’s work and approach is waking us up to what we need to face up to and do”
Senior Officer, Local Authority.