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Small Charity Week Spotlight: First Steps

Small Charity Week is a nationwide celebration of the remarkable impact small charities have in communities across the U.K. The campaign shines a spotlight on their work, amplifies their voices, and connects them with the support they need to thrive. Because when small charities are strong, so are the communities they serve.


Small voluntary organisations play a vital role in the sector, providing crucial services grounded in local knowledge, trusted relationships, and personal experience. However, they often encounter systemic challenges that hinder their long-term viability and impact.


Financial resilience is a fitting theme for this year, reflecting the needs and realities of small charities today. To mark the occasion, we’re proud to share stories from our members who are receiving support through Social Economy West. Their experiences highlight how this initiative is helping them work differently, become more sustainable, and increase their impact. By sharing these journeys, we aim to celebrate their achievements, elevate their voices, and inspire continued recognition for the vital role small charities play across the region.


Next up is First Steps, an organisation that has consistently demonstrated resilience over the years. Despite the challenges of a constantly shifting funding and economic landscape, they have shown that with collaboration and innovative thinking, it is possible to not only sustain their work but also expand their impact.


Can you tell us a little bit about your small charity?

First Steps (Bath) is a charity and social enterprise dedicated to working with children and families to improve learning outcomes, strengthen communities, and transform lives. Our mission is to increase life chances for children living in overlooked areas of deprivation across Bath by providing high-quality, inclusive childcare and holistic family support. Through nurturing, welcoming environments, we help children thrive in education while also supporting parents to re-engage with learning, training, and employment. Many of the families we support face not only financial hardship but also the additional challenges of raising children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).


What do you think are the main challenges you are facing as a small charities?

Funding is one of our biggest challenges whilst there is increasing demand for our services. Financing our services through contracts and grants has become trickier. It has also become tougher to hire and retain qualifies staff with high demand and relatively less resources.


How has being part of the Social Economy West Project impacted you?

The support through Social Economy West has been essential in helping us gather factual evidence to make strategic changes and explore realistic options to generate a surplus, ultimately increasing our impact.


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Check out the First Steps website here to learn more about what they do!


First Steps have received support through our Social Economy project. They were working with one of our consultants on exploring new opportunities to support their Social Enterprise Model. They also focused on new strategy and increasing their capacity to deliver their services.


Social Economy West is a West of England Mayoral Combined Authority initiative, led by Business West and delivered locally by 3SG in the Bath and North East Somerset area. This programme builds on our ongoing work with the School for Social Entrepreneurs and the Bath Social Impact Network, continuing our commitment to strengthening the region’s social economy.


The aim of the project is to support third sector organisations, social enterprises, and co-operatives to become more financially sustainable and resilient in today’s challenging economic landscape. We do this via 5 key support activities:


Through Social Economy West, we’re offering access to tailored support, practical resources, and expert guidance to help organisations:

  • Identify and explore opportunities for sustainable impact

  • Navigate increasing demand for services

  • Build financial resilience and embed environmental sustainability

  • Strengthen risk management practices

  • Diversify income streams and reduce reliance on short-term funding


If you’re a charity, community group, social enterprise, or co-operative working in Bath and North East Somerset, we encourage you to apply.

Apply now by completing the application form here: https://www.businesswest.co.uk/grow/social-economy-west


If you have any questions or would like to talk about the programme in more detail, please get in touch with our Project Manager - Alfiya Khan at 3SG: alfiya@3sg.org.uk.


Find out more about Small Charity Week here: https://www.smallcharityweek.com/


Small Charity Week defines a small charity as a voluntary organisation with a social or charitable purpose with an annual income of less than £1 million. This includes registered charities, community groups, community interest companies (CICs) and other structures.


If your small charity would like to become a 3SG member, you can find more information here. Alternatively, please get in touch and we'd be happy to have a chat - contact@3sg.org.uk


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