With the political focus so firmly on the economy, it’s a surprise to me that the third sector gets so little notice. As a percentage, the public sector is too big, being responsible for over 70% of total spend. And yes, the way to fix that is to grow the private sector. But there is a third, potentially vital sector, the social economy. Remarkably, the social economy is relatively small in Northern Ireland.
So, a pleasure to be involved in the opening of a social economy shop by FASA, the community-based organisation providing services for those directly or indirectly affected by Substance Misuse or Suicide/Self Harm. FASA started in the Greater Shankill area and has spread out to North Down and the Ards peninsula. Appropriately, the first shop is on the Shankill, in the Argyle Business Park.
So, what’s so good about it? For the customer, it provides goods they may not be able to afford through conventional, private sector retail. And for FASA, it lowers the organisation’s dependency on government grants and charity donations – part of a more solid foundation for a future where FASA’s core services will, unfortunately, remain in demand. www.fasaonline.org
