|
About Impact:
Impact is a unique Gosport initiative that provides opportunities for young people, local businesses (and their employees) to develop the skills and abilities needed to ensure personal and business success.
The project comprises representatives from the Borough's three secondary schools, FE College, three primary schools (one from each secondary cluster), Portsmouth University, Business Link, Enterprise Agency, Essential Skills Support Unit, SEEDA, Portsmouth & South East Hampshire Education Business Partnership and Gosport Borough Council.
The project employs 2 workers, one supporting start-up businesses and encouraging development of existing businesses (Shaun Farrell, business broker) and one that works closely with the schools and local businesses to develop work-related learning and enterprise competencies in young people (Lyn Wakefield, education co-ordinator).
The business side of the project looks at ways in which help and support can be provided to the local business community to assist them in getting started and growing their business for success. It does this through one to one support sessions, where a whole host of issues are discussed; from finding premises, securing a change of use, identifying local markets and supply chain links, to the more traditional areas of business support, such as marketing, staff training, HR issues and finance. Many businesses, particularly those starting up, have very diverse needs and find it difficult to get the right support. The business broker can demystify this and point individuals to the right individual or organisation that can help.
The business broker also runs events in Gosport, delivering seminars in response to the needs of the local business community. To date, these have included networking, marketing, financial awareness and website development.
Impact has also been the catalyst for setting up Gosport’s very first business awards. The first year was a tremendous success with over 75 entries being received from companies across the borough. The overall winner was Flight Data Services, who were presented with the award by Shaun Farrell, Business Broker.
The education side of the project looks at forging stronger links between local businesses and schools in the local area. Every business needs skilled employees, and the links forged with local businesses are helping to enthuse young people about the world of work, as well as raising awareness and developing skills needed to enter the workplace.
Overall, Impact is here to help the local area and if you want to be apart of this, please contact one of the 2 workers to find out more.
Finally a baseline study was commisioned for the project from the outset and details of these findings can be found here.
|
