BUSINESS experts are set to lend a helping hand to social enterprises in Huddersfield.

A series of free workshops will be held throughout the region by Business Link Yorkshire to help social enterprises – businesses that reinvest their profits into local communities.

They include workshops which will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm and from 1.30 to 4.30pm on Wednesday, September 17, at the Media Centre, Northumberland Street, Huddersfield.

Antony Radley, head of social enterprise at Business Link, said: “Social enterprise is recognised as an increasingly important business model.

“Young entrepreneurs in particular are often motivated by the ethical perspective of ploughing profits back into communities.

“Ideas can be as diverse as recycling schemes, services for older people or innovative childcare. Increasingly, social enterprises might be providing services for the public sector,” he said.

“The common factor is that profit is reinvested into communities in order to have greater social impact, as opposed to being divided amongst shareholders.

“However, social enterprises still need the skills to compete in a commercial market and face the same challenges as more traditional businesses.”

Workshop topics will include business ideas for social enterprises, legal issues and governance, business planning, how to find finance, how to win public sector work, employment, marketing, social accounting and developing opportunities in the heath sector.

To register a place, call 0845 6048048 or go to www.businesslinkyorkshire.co.uk