Westminster collaborates with Social Enterprise UK to support wellbeing of people working with vulnerable groups

Leaders and decision-makers from social enterprises across the UK attended the workshop at the University of Westminster on 19 November titled Enhancing Well-Being for Social Enterprise Employees Working with Vulnerable Populations. The event was hosted by Westminster Lecturers in Management and Marketing Dr Gemma McGrath and Rita Joshi in partnership with SEUK, the national membership body for social enterprises.

Attendees included senior members of social enterprise organisations who support vulnerable groups and whose teams often experience stress, burnout and fatigue due to the challenging nature of their work. Dr McGrath and Joshi led a range of activities which explored how the participants can promote and protect wellbeing at their workplace, including methods to identify wellbeing challenges and opportunities as well as co-creation strategies to support more sustainable, resilient workplace practices in the social enterprise sector.

The workshop forms part of Dr McGrath and Joshi’s work at the RCPP, which was launched in 2024 to deliver transdisciplinary solutions to issues confronting peripheral populations. The RCPP have joined forces with SEUK to host previous events such as a networking session for organisations supporting asylum seekers and refugees to build connections and explore partnerships to further support those in need.

This workshop highlights the University’s Being Westminster strategic priority of wellbeing and its institutional commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Through research and achievements like the work undertaken at the RCPP, Westminster is dedicated to making the world a more sustainable, healthier and better place.

About the event Westminster Master of Business Administration (MBA) student Samuel Joyner said: “Having the opportunity to sit in and observe people who truly care about making a positive social impact while existing in the business world gave me a lot of hope for the future. The decision makers at the workshop as well as the University of Westminster professors were focused, passionate and honest about making a real impact which left me inspired to ensure whatever I do in my future work experience, it involves making the world a more socially conscious place.”

Chris Morgan, Membership Manager at Social Enterprise UK, commented: “The workshop hosted by the University of Westminster was a great example of how the partnership with Social Enterprise UK is bridging the gap between academic expertise and the challenges faced by social enterprises, in turn helping these businesses increase their social impact. It was an engaging session, providing an invaluable opportunity for social entrepreneurs taking part to pause and reflect on how to improve both their own and their employees’ mental health.”

Dr McGrath added: “Well-being is key to productivity at work. This is even more important when working with vulnerable populations, and this includes the employees helping them. It was a real pleasure helping to design and facilitate the delivery of this pilot workshop, as more exploration into this important area is needed.  I am excited to be involved in creating more research with the RCPP and helping leaders of social enterprises shape sustainable changes for themselves and their communities.”

This workshop contributes towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 3: Good Health and Well-being, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.

Find out more about the Research Centre for Peripheral Populations at the University of Westminster.