Backing for new business
Workshop aims to help start-ups
Lifeline 151015shopmob_03
Nearly 100 local social enterprises have been helped by Business Gateway Lanarkshire this year.
Since September 2015 75 social enterprises have been helped to grow while 14 new ventures have used advice to get started.
Now, due to increasing demand, Business Gateway has launched a social enterprise start-up awareness workshop.
Taking place on November 3, the seminar will cover everything from what a social enterprise is to legal structures.
The workshop, which runs from 6-8pm in the Atrium Business Centre, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge, will be delivered by Business Gateway Lanarkshire’s social enterprise adviser Claire McLaughlin.
Claire said: “People start social enterprises for a number of reasons.
“They may have had personal experience of disadvantage and want to make things work better for other people or they’ve spotted a need for a service or solution within their community that currently doesn’t exist but at the heart of every idea is the desire to give something back.
“The social enterprise sector in Lanarkshire is dynamic and growing and currently provides a wide array of services to some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups living in our communities.
“Providing business support and guidance to them is incredibly rewarding and we hope the new workshop will inspire others to launch social enterprises.”
For 14 years Business Gateway Lanarkshire has been providing support to individuals looking to start up a social enterprise as well as help existing ones grow.
Over the past year its advice and support has helped organisations generate more income and reduce their dependence on grants, undertake business development reviews and fine-tune their business plans.
For Shopmobility East Kilbride, which provides a range of services for people visiting EK shopping centre, including mobility equipment and a mini-bus service for those with restricted mobility or a disability, Business Gateway’s one-to-one support helped to identify new funding streams.
Lesley MacIntyre from Shopmobility said: “We initially went to Business Gateway to find out what support was available to us. Working with Claire gave us a clear idea of what we wanted to achieve and her advice has proved invaluable to us.
“Over the past year we’ve been working towards a relaunch of the charity which will include our meeting place in the town centre, where older and disabled people can meet, have a cup of coffee and enjoy the activities and information sessions that take place.
“This will help us support even more people and provide us with more opportunities to tackle isolation within the local community.”
For more information on Business Gateway Lanarkshire visit www. bgateway.com/lanarkshire or call 01236 884825.