Brian Murray

• 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

Self Employment / Small Business in NI

98,00486%

• 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

Thank you