Our history
Eco-Actif was created in 2000 as a self financing department of the London Borough of Sutton. At the time, activity was concentrated on New Deal programmes, in particular the Environmental Task Force, which trained disadvantaged young people in horticulture and building skills. This led to a long history of working in partnership to tackle unemployment and social exclusion, particularly among ex-offenders and people recovering from alcohol and substance misuse.
Progress2Work
In 2002, Eco-Actif won contracts for Progress2Work and Progress2Work Link-Up, expanding its services, creating innovative programmes catering for the needs of disadvantaged people right across South London and working in partnership with a wide variety of organisations and several local authorities. To an extent, we became victims of our own success, in that this geographical spread meant that we were less and less seen as part of Sutton’s core business and last year the tough decision was taken to close us down as a borough department.
‘Going it alone’
However, five of Eco-Actif’s staff took the bold decision to ‘go it alone’ and formed Eco-Actif Services CIC, a social enterprise that builds on its parent organisation’s excellent reputation and will, as a Community Interest Company (CIC), have the freedom to create a vibrant business with a social purpose. We were incorporated as a CIC on Valentine’s Day this year and, in a few short weeks, have gained Jobcentre Plus accreditation, moved into our new premises and secured contracts that will enable us to carry on improving the lives of people in South London.
