Our Experience

Our Experience with previous programmes:

Switch onto Leadership

Switch onto Leadership was aimed at businesses in east London affected by the Olympics.

This free and innovative programme of support and management training provided local businesses with the encouragement and information they needed to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the Olympics and overcome any hurdles, such as relocation, that they faced.

The Olympics are not just a challenge for our athletes but for London’s businesses too.
This programme encouraged local businesses to assess their options, boost the skills of their workforce and maximise productivity. Employers received one-to-one support from an experienced InBiz business adviser and were signposted to a range of business workshops, such as Managing Change and Expectation and Preparing and Implementing a Strategic Plan. The programme ensured businesses and employers capitalised on the benefits and growth that the Olympics present.

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Inside Out

Having a prison record can make it difficult to find employment. Offenders and ex-offenders who have served, or are serving, a custodial sentence have barriers to work, such as employers’ attitudes, lack of experience and skills, low self esteem, motivation and difficult personal circumstances.

We believe that people deserve a chance. The Inside Out programme, available in a number of prisons across the North East, provided information and support for offenders and ex-offenders to overcome their barriers and become self employed.

Individuals were given the opportunity to discuss an idea or think about potential business ideas with an experienced InBiz business adviser before deciding that it was the right option for them. If they opted to proceed with self employment, they were supported by their business adviser every step of the way to develop and implement a comprehensive business plan as well as being signposted to awareness sessions, workshops and training opportunities.

If at any stage self employment didn’t work out or wasn’t right for the individual, we worked with them to find an alternative mainstream provision, such as sourcing training opportunities, starting an Apprenticeship, doing voluntary work or moving into a sustainable job.

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Breaking the Cycle

This programme aimed to encourage the most disadvantaged, unemployed individuals to consider self employment as a route back to work, or move into a sustainable job. Delivered across six South London boroughs (Lewisham, Wandsworth, Bexley, Lambeth, Southwark and Merton) and funded by the LDA and ESF, the programme provided information, advice and guidance and skills development to break the cycle of worklessness.

Delivered from June 2007 to June 2010, the programme provided pre-start up business training including finance, marketing, legal issues, business planning, environmental issues and entrepreneurial activity. Individuals were able to access professional advice and guidance, one-to-one support and mentoring and tailored individual support to move closer to self employment or a job.

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Up and Running

This programme was designed to reduce unemployment amongst disadvantaged people facing barriers to work and those who are economically inactive, encouraging them to consider self employment as a route back to work. InBiz delivered the self employment option for the programme, working in partnership with prime contractor Work Directions, across South London.

Funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), the programme provided individuals with the skills needed to run a business and ensured they were aware of the business support available, as well as promoting flexible working through self employment. Working closely with an experience InBiz business adviser, individuals had access to pre-start up business training including finance, marketing, legal issues, business planning, environmental issues and entrepreneurial activity. In addition, throughout the programme, they were offered one-to-one support and mentoring as and when required for the duration of their business start-up and beyond.