Full Version - Home - Business - Education - Contact - Links
About Impact:
The Impact project is a 3-year project 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 has received funding from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), which has enabled two project workers (Shaun Farrell and Lyn Wakeford) to be employed. Other project partners include Gosport Borough Council, Portsmouth University, local schools, St Vincent College and business support organisations, such as South Hants Enterprise Agency and Business Link.
Knowledge of what could be done to improve the local skills base has been helped by the completion of a baseline study, which has captured the views of a range of businesses and young people in the Borough. This gives an interesting insight into attitudes towards skills, business support and living and working in Gosport. Click here for a copy of the report to find out more.
In addition to improving the local skills base and contributing to the growth of the local economy, the project aims to improve links between businesses and education. One recent example of this working successfully has been the development of this website.
Website Challenge
Pupils at Bay House School were asked to design a website that would help promote the project. They were given a brief, a copy of the project’s logo and two months to complete the task. Working either individually or in teams, the students then applied their own creative thinking and technical expertise. This was then put to the test by a panel of judges at the grand finale at Bayside Cabin on 17th January. One local business, having got involved in the project, not only took time to act as a judge for the website challenge but has also since offered to visit Bay House School and work with IT students.
Eleven entries were received for the website challenge from Year 10 and the Sixth Form, with David Linfield (aka Sputnik) being the overall winner
Exporting Business Opportunities event –7th February 2007 8.30 – 10.30am at Gosport Business Centre
Shaun Farrell, the Business Broker, is available to help and support existing or potential businesses. He can advise them of opportunities and solutions that will benefit their business and then assist them by bringing in the most appropriate expertise to help. The support provided by the Broker is FREE and any other expertise or training provided may also be provided free or at a subsidised rate.
Over 100 businesses in Gosport have already benefited from support provided during the second half of 2006 and Shaun has been instrumental in developing business-to-business networking, increasing trade between local companies and encouraging new businesses to form. As well as providing confidential advice and referrals to partner organisations, including the Enterprise Agency and Business Link, funding is being used to help businesses grow and develop the skills of their staff.
From consultation with businesses in the Borough, a number of events have already been run to improve the profitability and skills of their workforce. These have included networking opportunities, legislation awareness workshops, pitching your business idea to others, how to close a sale and how to reach out into new markets abroad. The feedback from all the events so far has been very positive: - “Really great way to meet local people with businesses. It gets you thinking about how you can help them!”, “Wasn't sure what to expect, but really enjoyed it”
Events to be run in the Spring include: -
• Business Strategy/Essential Leadership skills
• Financial security for your business
• Marketing for the 21st century
• ICT as a competitive advantage
• HR – Effective staff management
• Customer Service – Knowing what your customer wants
For more information on any of these, please contact Shaun on 01329 848601 or shaun@impact-gosport.co.uk
Lyn Wakeford, the Education Coordinator, is working closely with the schools, St. Vincent College and local businesses to seek to broaden the pupils learning in order to raise achievement, aspirations and ambitions.
By forging stronger links between local business and education providers in the Borough, the Impact project is beginning to see the benefits of early activities. Every business needs skilled employees, and the links forged with local businesses are helping to enthuse young people about the world of business, as well as raising awareness and developing the skills needed to enter the workplace.
There is no better way for businesses to prepare the workforce of tomorrow than to meet with the young people whilst they are still in education. These links create the opportunity to give pupils tips and pointers that will help equip them for their future lives. Not only do business volunteers give of their time and expertise but the experience can also contribute to their own personal development.
Pupils really do appreciate working along side visitors from the business community who often bring a totally different perspective to their learning.
Tel: (01329) 848 601
Fax: (01329)848 701
Mobile: 07947 833 375
E-mail: shaun@impact-gosport.co.uk
Tel. (01329) 848 601
Mobile: 07738 594376
E-mail: LWakeford@PortsmouthEBP.co.uk
Unit 8. Gosport Business Centre,
Frater Gate,
Aerodrome Road,
Gosport,
Hants,
PO13 0FQ
Click here to see the office on Google Maps
If you wish to ask a question about the project, please contact one of the staff members above.
For technical enquiries, please use this address: shaun@impact-gosport.co.uk