December 2009

Employers in Northumberland could be missing out by not taking advantage of a government initiative offering an alternative to the traditional recruitment process.
 
Jobcentre Plus is contacting hundreds of employers across the region to raise awareness of Work Trial schemes and recruitment subsidies.

Research by the organisation shows that only 36% of employers in the North East are aware of Work Trials, which could save them thousands of pounds in recruitment costs. The scheme, which helped around 2,200 people into work in the region last year, means people on Jobseeker’s Allowance and other benefits can try out a vacancy for up to six weeks while continuing to get their benefit payments. They get the chance to demonstrate their skills and suitability – with a possible job offer at the end of the Trial. The scheme also offers a possible solution for employers looking to find the right people for their vacancies.

And through the ‘Golden Hello’ scheme, which was introduced in April this year, employers can also get up to £2,500 for taking on jobseekers who’ve been unemployed for six months or more. This is made up of a £1,000 recruitment subsidy plus access to up to £1,500 of in-work training.

Claire Frost, Jobcentre Plus manager based in Alnwick said:

“Research tells us the cost of filling a vacancy is now more than £4,000, so the chance to try out an employee for a short test period is an ideal way to fill a post with minimum risk.

“With the current economic downturn we’re seeing a lot of people coming into Jobcentres who’ve worked in the same industry, and often company, for many years. I frequently see good candidates, but their CVs just don’t reflect their potential, because it’s hard for their attributes to come across on paper. It’s good when we can get the package together that fits both the employer and the jobseeker equally well.”

For more information on these – and other – services available free to employers, contact your local Jobcentre Plus office or visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk.

November 2009
NBSL (Northumberland Business Services Ltd) played its part in inspiring enterprise in the region by holding and participating in a number of events as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009, helping to drive economic growth now and for the future.
Events began with Start Your Business 2009, a full day of organised activities which took place at Alnwick Gardens on Saturday 14th November. The event was dedicated to giving people the advice, information and guidance they require to develop their business ideas. On offer were Expert Advice Clinics, Exhibitions, Workshops and the opportunity to network with others in similar situations.  Mr Phil Green an NBSL Client from Rennington near Alnwick said ‘’he thought the event was superb and offered exactly what he was looking for’’.
 
NBSL organised and Co-ordinated Events in Ashington, Blyth, Hexham, Berwick and Morpeth where the Morpeth Business Advice Centre hosted a series of Workshops throughout the week including  ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ an event which gave Clients who have worked with NBSL a chance to display and promote their Businesses when members of the public were given the opportunity to meet them and hear their experiences.

The week of events was brought to a close with an Open Day on Wooler High Street on Saturday 21st November which was organised by Glendale Gateway Trust. The event was organised to showcase the Activities of the Glendale Gateway Trust including their partnership with NBSL in offering an Outreach Centre for those seeking advice on going Self Employed in the Glendale Area.

These events were just a few out of hundreds which took place across the region as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (16-22 November) a worldwide entrepreneurial movement that aims to encourage people to unleash their enterprising talents and turn their ideas into reality. Scott Cain, Deputy Chief Executive of Enterprise UK, who helped Co-ordinate the National Campaign said: “Events such as those hosted by NBSL will help inspire people to take control through being entrepreneurial and collectively will have a long term positive impact on people in Northumberland. It’s our enterprising people that will help drive economic recovery’’.

Global Entrepreneurship Week takes place from 15 - 19 November 2010.  Its a worldwide movement of entrepreneurial people with the UK at its heart.  It will see millions of us unleashing ideas and turning them into reality.

During Global Entrepreneurship Week thousands of events are run in the UK and across the world to encourage people to be entrepreneurial.  It creates mass participation and exposes people of all ages and abilities to quality enterprise experiences  - from school students to university graduates and from employees to enterprising people looking to get back to work.

As part of Enterprise Week, NBSL will be hosting various events within our branches throughout Northumberland, a summary of events happening near you will follow shortly.

November 2009

Every first Saturday of the month, Newbiggin Arts Centre hosts free Start-Up Business Advice sessions with NBSL (Northumberland Business Service Ltd), the local enterprise agency helping budding entrepreneurs to think about and set up in business. 

The free sessions run at the Arts Centre in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea from 10am to 2pm, offering both drop-in facility and pre-booked, private half-hour meetings with Laura Mathieson, Business Adviser with NBSL, herself an active business woman, resident of Newbiggin and with a keen interest in creative industries.

Newbiggin Arts Forum run a variety of arts based workshops from the Newbiggin Arts Centre (formerly the Healthy Living Centre on Woodhorn Lane) for the community, including marginalised, older people and young people ‘at risk’.  Art forms practiced include performing arts, visual art and photography, to name a few.  Catherine Scott, Community Arts Development Worker and experienced dramatic arts performer, said “Knowing Laura’s expertise in start-up business advice, I thought it would be great idea for her to effectively have a base in the Centre from which to assist the local arts community and anyone else who may want to find out about running their own creative industry business.

“People come into the Centre all the time, and it’s so obvious that there are so many creative people out there who enjoy their hobby but don’t realise that the pieces of work and items they are producing have real value, and that their talent could be helping them earn a living, simply by enjoying what they do!”

Laura added “Catherine and the Newbiggin Arts Forum is giving people from around the area the chance to pop in, see what goes on at the Centre, what it has to offer them and, in a very relaxed environment, meet with people similar to themselves who are making a go of having their own business by simply doing what they enjoying doing anyway!

“NBSL is keen to support any one who thinks they may want to find out what having their own business is all about, and these ‘first Saturday’ sessions are exactly that – I’m looking forward to meeting as many people as possible for a chat about their options, and to encourage them to get involved in creative activities which really do enrich lives.”

If you would like to find out more about Newbiggin Arts Forum or about exploring the option of starting your own business whether in the creative sector or any other, either call along to the Centre at Woodhorn Villa, Woodhorn Lane, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, on 3rd October between 10am and 2pm, or to pre-book an appointment with Laura please contact Catherine at the Arts Centre on 01670 851833 or via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

  October 2009
From the beginning of October NBSL are partnering up with The Glendale Gateway Trust to offer an outreach service to individuals in the Glendale area.  Instead of having to travel to the NBSL Business Advice Centres in Alnwick or Berwick for Advice on going self employed or starting a business, people in Glendale will now be able to pop into The Cheviot Centre any Thursday afternoon from 2pm to speak to the Business Start up Adviser, Melanie Thompson-Glen.

It is an ideal opportunity for anyone who is considering self employment or thinking of setting up a business, large or small to drop in for some FREE advice.  Business Adviser, Melanie Thompson-Glen commented “Having the drop in sessions in Wooler are a perfect opportunity for anyone in Glendale who is considering going self employed; it isn’t always easy for people to arrange an appointment in Alnwick or Berwick and so they put off making a start on their idea.  Now they can pop in and see us on a Thursday afternoon.”

John Davidson, Project Manager at The Glendale Gateway Trust, added “We are surprised at the interest already and are very pleased to be able to offer this service to local people from The Cheviot Centre.”

NBSL’s enterprise programme is part financed, through the regional development agency One NorthEast, by the European Union’s ERDF Competitiveness programme 2007-13 which supports innovation, enterprise and business support across the North East.  The ERDF programme offers FREE advice to anyone considering self employment.  As well as one to one advice sessions they run series of business skills workshops including trading on ebay and manual book keeping.

For more information on the workshops running in your area or to book and appointment at the Advice Centres or a one to one session with Melanie at the Cheviot Centre please telephone Aileen on 01289 330805.