Dundee social enterprise aims to help connect third sector

The first dedicated mobile social enterprise in Scotland, Good Call aims to remove the mobile communications barriers facing charities, social enterprises and community groups, potentially saving them hundreds of thousands of pounds in the process.

Founded by mobile communications entrepreneur Colin Loveday, who has 25 years’ experience running successful mobile phone businesses, the community interest company (CIC) is offering low-cost mobile communications solutions to charities, social enterprises and community groups in the form of handsets and contracts, together with expert, trusted advice.

Good Call will return profits which a normal supplier would make straight back to the charity in the form of lower line rental, better equipment and direct payment. Longer-term, Good Call will also generate ‘direct social impact’ by recruiting staff from disadvantaged or marginalised group and providing ‘supplier’ training to charities.

Mr Loveday, who set up the enterprise following a collaboration with Cyrenians, said: “We are a social enterprise with one mission, to ensure that ‘not-for-profits’ have the lowest cost mobile phones, leaving their staff worry-free to support their beneficiaries.

“We are passionate about supporting organisations to make more of an impact and concentrate on the job at hand.  We are therefore on a mission to ensure that this happens, while ploughing all profits made back into our clients’ local communities.

“Our work with Cyrenians revealed that, even with good referrals, charities worry about dealing with commercial companies and don’t have the resources or knowledge to secure the best deals.  By removing the buying process friction point, we can return hundreds of thousands of pounds back into the charitable sector, while allowing charities to focus on their key objectives, carrying out the work that is so important to them.”

Since its formation, Good Call has attracted a number of clients ranging from a young person’s mental health charity looking to improve communication with its young people during weekends and school holidays, to a charity supporting vulnerable people excluded from family, home, work and community.

Meanwhile, West of Scotland Housing Association has also come on board, as part of its mission to improve the lives of tenants.

Jennifer Cairns, head of corporate services, said: “We are committed to ensuring value for money and are pleased to have chosen Good Call as the new supplier of our staff mobile phones. Using Good Call will provide us with a good service whilst saving money, and as it is a social enterprise, it understands our needs.”