• The Workspace Group
• Self Employment / Small business in NI
• Supporting Start Up Businesses
• Self Employment support on Steps to Work / Steps 2 Success
Established in 1985 to support self employment in Magherafelt District
Set up in 1989 to provide employability programmesHome
insulation
Heat recovery systems
Energy efficient lighting
Recruitment Agency
Community sports facility
After school facility for children
Grants for local projects
• 130 staff, six offices/bases in NI, one in Republic of Ireland, one in Wales and two in England
• An enterprising / commercial charitable organisation
• NI is a micro / small business economy
• Total 114,200 businesses (BIS, 2012)
Self Employment / Small Business in NI
• 41% of NI businesses unregistered
• 86% of NI businesses employ less than 5 staff
• 94% of NI businesses employ less than 10 staff (micro)
• 99% of NI businesses employ less than 50 staff (small)
• 202 employ 250+ (70 of which are in Belfast)
Business Profile in NI
• Business birth rate in 2011 6.5% • Lowest in 12 UK regions – average 11.2%
• Business death rate in 2011 8.6%
• Lowest in UK – average 9.8%
• NI 5 year survival rate 50.5% - highest in UK
• NI 1 year survival rate 86.9% - one of lowest in UK
Business Churn
• Level of early stage entrepreneurial activity in NI has risen throughout downturn (GEM report)
• NI rate of female/male entrepreneurial activity (38%) is lowest in UK (England 47%, Scotland 49%, Wales 51%)
Interest in starting a business
• March 2013
- Claimant Count 64,800
- Estimated no. unemployed 72,000 ( 13,000 in 12
months)• % unemployment rate 7.1% (2nd highest in UK
regions – average 4.7%)
• 790,000 in employment - Lowest % across UK regions
• High dependency on reducing public sector
Unemployment / Employment in NI
So where will the jobs for Steps 2 Success participants come from?
• Create your own job – self employment
• Steps to Work 08/08 to 06/11
Self employment participants 811
Started up 449 (55%)
Sustained 13 weeks 382 (47%)
• We can do more!
(1.7% of total participants)
3.5% of total moving to employment
Two former participants
Self Employment as a (part) solution
Roisin Ryan-Egan, Magherafelt• Administration, redundancy
• Franchise opportunity
• Steps to Work
• Now The Creation Station Mid Ulster• 1500 customers during Test Trading period
• 16 event tenders won
• 12 children’s birthday parties
• 3 weekly Little Explorers classes
Brian McCracken, Cookstown• Joiner, unemployed
• Enterprise Allowance Scheme
• Mentoring, counselling
• Now BA Components• 100+ staff• T/O £25M+• Acquired English competitor in 2012• 100% export to Great Britain etc.• Steps to Work partner
Who does what
(1) Invest NI
- Regional Start Initiative
- NEETS, Neighbourhood Renewal- Export Growth Programme
(2) Local Enterprise Agencies
- Enterprise Awareness
- Exploring Enterprise- Regional Start Initiative- Enterprise Loan Fund- Tradelinks- Steps to Work Self Employment
(3) Princes Trust
- 16-30 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds
Supporting Start Up Businesses
Current Self Employment Provision
Basic Awareness
Test Trading26 weeks
£25
Lead in AssessmentBusiness Plan WorkshopBusiness Plan
Additional 1:1 support
£150
£750Minimum monthly
progress/review meetings
13 weeks £100026 weeks £500
Regional Start
Initiative(LEAs)
• Determination
• Enterprise skills
• Business idea
• Encouragement (careful!)
• Mentoring / guidance / signposting
• Challenging
• ‘Business Plan’ development
• Test Trading period
• Start up capital
• Business skills
• Location
What do our customers need
Is Self Employment a viable option?
For customers
Yes & No
For Steps 2 Success
Yes
For Northern Ireland
Yes
Finally