SOCIAL enterprises arguably have a rather touchy-feely reputation. But the view from those running them in Liverpool is that they are as commercially focused as any other type of business.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said that the growth of the social enterprise sector is key to his Big Society agenda.

Most social enterprises are run in the same way as any other private business, the main difference being that all profits or surplus are ploughed back in – rather than going into directors’ pockets.

Blackburne House chief executive Claire Dove says being profitable is the best way to ensure its good work can continue.

The award-winning Blackburne House, located in Hope Street, in the city centre, turns over around £2m a year and offers training, education and consultancy services, mainly to women.

The organisation started out in the 1980s as the Women’s Technology and Education Centre, based in nearby Hardman Street, with 30 students and seven employees.

Now it employs around 80 people and offers more than 1,000 learning opportunities for women, and a small number of men.

It runs a number of other businesses on-site including a cafe bar, a nursery and conference facilities.

Ms Dove said: “When we started out back in the 1980s, our aim was to give opportunities to women who had been failed by the education system.

“We do make a profit and we invest that back into what we do and into our wider environmental aims.

“We decided that we did not want to rely on grants.

“Of course, we do look beyond the bottom line but we operate as a normal business.

“We do not work in isolation – we work very closely with business.

“We always keep an eye on changes in the market to see where the skills gaps are.

“Liverpool is crying out for more entrepreneurs.

“The women we have trained have enhanced their lives and are now making a major contribution to Liverpool’s economic renaissance.”

As well as running Blackburne House, Ms Dove chairs the Social Enterprise Coalition.

This is a national umbrella organisation which represents the interests of the sector.

“I think we are like the CBI for social enterprises,” she said.

“Our manifesto has been adopted by all the main political parties.

“The Government has made a pledge in the Queen’s Speech to grow the number of social enterprises.”

Ms Dove believes the sector will become increasingly important within the UK economy and says it is vital to work hand in hand with mainstream businesses.

She added: “I believe the business sector can learn from us and we can learn from them. We all need a buoyant economy.”

Ben Donnelly has fought his way back from addictions to drink and drugs to set up and run what is now regarded as one of the most successful social enterprises in the country – Elixir Foundations.

Elixir employs around 150 people across sites in Kirkby and Bootle. Most of its employees are ex-offenders, addicts or long-term unemployed.

Its main activity is the recycling of PVC doors and windows and paper and cardboard.

Its other division deals with property services such as maintenance, refurbishment and external improvements.

The firm is also shortly to open a centre for which will offer assistance and accommodation to addicts.

Mr Donnelly said: “We are really growing the business now.

“We have moved into 100,000 sq ft premises at Kirkby and we have invested more than £250,000 in new recycling equipment.

“This has allowed us to start recycling paper and cardboard and we are looking for contracts from public sector organisations like schools. The accommodation will be finished soon and that will allow us to offer a complete package to people.

“The property maintenance side has been difficult – there is not a lot of work out there at the moment and we have lost some contracts, but we aim to build that up again.”

Elixir employs mostly men, with just a handful of women on the books, although Mr Donnelly hopes they can start offering help for single mothers.

He added: “We also want to set up a training academy so we can offer the people working here proper qualifications.

“I think the main difference with us being a social enterprise is the social agenda – those objectives and values are always at the forefront of our minds.”

Robbie Davison strongly believes that business acumen is as vital in social enterprises as it is in any other business.

He runs the Can Cook cookery school in Speke, a venture which grew out of the local Sure Start centre. Community cafe chef Tony Evans was producing delicious and healthy dishes and people became interested in how to make them.

Mr Davison said: “People’s diets were awful, but they were saying ‘we don’t know how to cook good food’.

“We started to tackle that and it made a real impact – and it occurred to me there was a business model in this.”

Can Cook teaches anyone, from individuals to schools or companies, but the emphasis is on healthy eating – two books are available, including one on healthy takeaway cooking.

Robbie also plans to set up kiosks in Liverpool and other cities selling healthy food.

Robbie is unsure about David Cameron’s claims that social enterprises can fill the gap left by public sector cuts.

He added: “The problem is a lot of the people working in the public sector will not have the skills to run a business. Social enterprises can be part of the answer, but they are not the whole answer.”