One of our amazing participants Julie Siddiqi who created Together We Thrive empowering women in faith communities to be the best they can be, working together to really thrive.

She has been awarded an MBE as mentioned in an article here in the Windsor Observer 

Mrs Siddiqi is also the Founder of Sadaqa Day which she started in 2015 - with the aim of encouraging mosques, community groups and individuals to give something back to the areas where they live.
Sadaqa Day provides a focus for busy people who cannot devote too much time to volunteering.
It is a day of social action - one date in the calendar when individuals, mosques and other places of worship, schools, women’s and community groups, scouts and guides groups can get involved - undertaking ready-and-waiting small tasks that one volunteer can deal with in a day.

We couldn't be more proud and inspired by her achievements. 

We share below a case study from one of our participants.

In May 2019 I became unemployed after a 46-year career as a Dental Technologist. After 6 months on job seekers, no interviews, and no work I was put in touch with the “Shaw Trust” for further help. During one of my meetings the subject of my hobby of painting was discussed and I was told that I could be referred to Enterprise Exchange for business start-up support if I wanted to start my own company.

Enterprise Exchange gave me a “Planning and Starting your business” workbook and a timetable with targets to reach, arranged phone calls from a Business Adviser & Case Manager. Between the book and the calls, I was given guidance of things to do and not do, given goals and organised into starting my own company over the period of 3 months, with backup consultation for another 6 months assistance if needed.

The whole course has been of great help to me, organising me to where I have got to so far in my new career. I am sure without this aid things may have been different, mistakes would have been made, time and money wasted.
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Now I am a self-employed artist with my own company selling artwork on a regular basis, by doing this I have extended my career and bypassed the problem of long-term unemployment.

Jessica Moody – J.MOODESUK CIC. 
 
Introduction 
I am Jess, I am 26 and have 3 children (one stepchild) and a fiancé. When I was deciding to try and start my own business, I didn’t have the first clue where to start. I was a single mum of 2 and just knew I didn’t want to go back to work and miss out on my youngest's growth. I had no experience other than that I knew I loved helping people and I wanted to do something to make a difference to peoples lives. I initially wanted to set up a play café, but the idea of a mental health café came after having my son. I suffered with PND with him and when I was better I knew that I wanted to help others not feel the way I did.  
 
How Enterprise Exchange helped 
Enterprise Exchange helped hugely. Without them I wouldn’t have even got off the ground. They gave me the knowledge and confidence in my business that I needed to make the steps to becoming my own boss. Phil was an amazing support and always gave me tips specific to my business, so that I knew what I was doing when I had to go it alone. I only met Benna once as my son got poorly during the process, but she was a great help too in getting me driven to do the next steps needed without rushing ahead of myself. I can't thank you enough! 
 
How things have progressed 
During the process I had set up a website, Facebook and Instagram page, ready for when my business was up and running. I qualified as a CBT Practitioner and I created a logo to get myself known and also handed out business cards where I could. Just before COVID I ran my first event which although not many people showed up, it got my name out there more and gave me the confidence to go for it! Since the process finished I have paid someone to create me a logo and made new business cards and have adjusted my plans and scaled down. I managed to raise just over £1000 from a crowdfunding scheme set up by NatWest. This money is what has allowed me to actually start my business as I had no savings at all. 

I have been running free Zoom sessions and got my first client (although not a paying client due to not being registered, but she has agreed that she wants to carry on as a paid customer too). I have purchased a workspace for my garden to run sessions from there. I have added a little candle business as a sideline to start getting my name out elsewhere too, which are calming candles I will also use in my sessions too. I registered yesterday as a CIC and it has already been accepted so I am officially registered and ready to go. Now is time to try and get the clients in! 

I am so pleased with how far I have come, although it's been slow and steady, I got the understanding of how to run a business successfully and with a lot of obstacles in the way, with my son being hospitalised and I still managed to get to where I am today!   
 
"Thanks to Thames Valley Housing for allowing me to join a course with Enterprise Exchange, they have changed my life!  Without them I would be having to look at going back to a 9-5 job, which would feel impossible for me with an ill child that needs me. They have given me the freedom, the confidence and the knowledge to run my own business and make it a success. Thank you to Phil from Enterprise Exchange, for believing in my idea and helping me to get to a reasonable scale to allow this to happen for me! Truly amazing people! Couldn’t recommend you more!" 
 
Social media links 
Instagram: @moodesuk
​Facebook: moodesuk  
Website
Work number
Work email
 
"Thank you again so much for your support along this journey. You truly have changed my life for the better and I am so grateful!"
 
 
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We are very excited to announce our new remote self-employment training programme, which is a remote course using augmented reality (see below video), that can be completed online and via the phone, making it accessible without traveling to a location. We can make this service bespoke to your client group. For example, each person could be allocated a business advisor to support with the practicalities of business set-up and a case manager to help with general organisation and building self-confidence.

The course is aimed at the following people who:

• Have a business idea and require support with planning, forecasting, sales and marketing​
• Need help to complete a business plan and all financial forecasts, before the business launches​
• Is motivated to be gainfully self-employed

 
What is included:

• Participants will receive an augmented reality business start-up workbook (see below video), all essential business templates, a weekly timetable template and a business checklist with the top 10 tips for setting up a business
• Participants will receive our innovative, easy to use, enterprise reality platform, where throughout the workbook, they will be able to access training, information and support videos via a specialist app which they can download onto their smartphone and/or tablet
• Fully trained and experienced business advisors will give phone and email support to enable your participants to put together a realistic business plan and give them all the confidence needed to start their business

• One to one video conferencing support via Teams or Zoom
• All participants will be assisted with accessing funding via the government start-up loan scheme or Fredericks Foundation if appropriate

This remote self-employment programme is already being delivered across the UK as part of the Work and Health Programme and is the first of its kind. In the current climate, this programme will deliver the best quality self-employment support to your participants at the highest level.

The current course we are delivering is a 9 month support programme, including peer to peer support groups and in-work support. We can tailor our programme to suit your organisation and participant needs, either for the short or longer term.

Please see an overview of our core self-employment programme content here.
For further information please email us here.

Phil Ashford and Benna McCartney, our directors at Enterprise Exchange, joined Matt Smith from the Centre for Entrepreneurs, serial founder Oli Barrett MBE, actor and investigative journalist Ross Kemp and the Governor of for a Dragon's Den style pitching day at the prison.  ​
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This was filmed as part of an ITV documentary looking at how inmates at Belmarsh are offered the chance to rehabilitate, through business and entrepreneurship education. 
 
Enterprise Exchange are a specialist agency focusing on helping people with additional barriers, such as prisoners or ex-offenders into self-employment. Research by the Centre for Entrepreneurs has shown that prisoners often possess an entrepreneurial mindset, and self-employment is an ideal route for their rehabilitation.  

We are very happy and proud to share that we are #Overtoyou Employer Registered. 

We have joined a powerful movement of forward-thinking and responsible businesses and organisations committed to making the workplace safer for everyone! 

Our director has been on a management training course, we have a policy set up in place and shared with the team, it  basically sets a high standards of care, respect and empowerment. 

More about Survivors Network
Looking to turn the #MeToo movement into further palpable change, Survivors’ Network has created a Kitemark for local businesses and organisations to demonstrate the active work they are undertaking to challenge sexual harassment and violence in the workplace.

While the kitemark does not guarantee no sexual harassment will take place, it ensures better safeguards will be in place and, hopefully, that staff will be better prepared to believe and support survivors.

Hooray for all the support that is in place.

Enterprise Exchange specialises in helping people with additional barriers become self-employed or start a business to transform their lives. One of our current projects is Restart in which (alongside our colleagues at Beating Time and Enterprise Inspiration), we provide business support to offenders approaching release and help develop plans for self-employment. Beating Time also offers offenders the chance to improve their self-confidence and self-belief through joining a choir and using the power of singing.
 
Over 80,000 people come out of UK prisons each year. Around half re-offend. 

With Restart, we help reduce the cycle of re-offending by supporting offenders to develop the skills they need to start their own small businesses or find work on release.  
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However, for many ex-offenders it’s a long journey of re-building lives, self-confidence and trust. 

The following organisations all offer help and support in various areas: 
 
Nacro offers a wide range of services to equip young people and adults with the skills, advice and support to move on. There is information on the website, or a resettlement helpline - 0300 123 1999. Calls are free for those with inclusive call minutes, otherwise the call is charged at a local rate. 
 
Turn 2 Us is an organisation offering financial support for people (including prisoners) when times get tough. 
 
Apex Trust is a local specialist charity based in the North West of England which supports offenders into employment, training, education and voluntary work. 
 
Women in Prison provides support and advice in prison, through-the-gate on the day of release, and continued support in the community. 
 
St Giles Trust works in prisons to help serving prisoners successfully rehabilitate and pursue crime free lives. 
 
Unlock is a charity that provides a voice and support for people with convictions who are facing stigma and obstacles because of their criminal record, often long after they have served their sentence. 
 
Working Chance works with some of the UK’s biggest private and public sector companies, finding jobs and with real career prospects for hundreds of women ex-offenders and young care leavers.  
 
Working Links is a leading provider of tailored services to help people from all backgrounds maximise their potential. In particular, the organisation has rehabilitation services in Wales and the South West for offenders. 
 
Shelter can offer vital advice if an ex-offender has nowhere to live on release. 
 
If a person with convictions has worked in the construction industry, been self-employed, been in the armed forces or wishes to become self-employed, RIFT social enterprise can help resolve tax issues, and provide guidance around the financial issues to do with self-employment. 
 
Catch 22 provides support in prison through to release and resettlement into the community to reduce the risk of re-offending.
 
BehindBras offers support for women both in prison and on release into meaningful employment in the fashion, retail and creative industries.  
 
 
Please share this blog post with anyone you feel would benefit from these resources. 

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become something of a buzz word in business over the past few years. Such initiatives take organisations beyond their legal duties and can see them contributing to projects which make a difference to society. 

“88% of consumers said they were more likely to buy from a company that supports and engages in activities to improve society.” * 

In short, CSR is good for business and it’s good for the world around us. 

It can be difficult though to see how to build on corporate social responsibility and keep the business on track too, especially if you are running a small business. But CSR has been shown to increase employee retention and job satisfaction, so it’s worth looking at ways to incorporate it into a business plan. 

Here are five simple tips to use CSR: 

1. Let your employees choose or lead on your CSR involvement 
It’s empowering to be asked your opinion. It’s also rewarding to know that you are helping causes you care about. Employees may already be involved in charities and causes outside of work and will value the chance to continue this support. It also offers team leaders an insight into employees outside interests. 

2. Think local, instead of global 
There’s a lot to be said for supporting a local cause. Your team is likely to be more motivated to know the organisation is supporting something where they can see the difference, rather than going into a bigger pot. It also means that you’re more likely to find something which is close to the hearts of many more employees as they can really identify with the issues and see the end results.  

 3. Make sure that senior team members are visible 
CSR programmes that are entered half-heartedly don’t work and risk the possibility of clients and customers thinking that the initiative is simply a marketing ploy. By showing that every single member of the team is involved demonstrates commitment. This message is also important to staff as well; seeing senior staff contributing too will show that it’s a level playing field. 

 4. Shout about it! 
The success of a CSR project is something to be proud of, so make sure you share your news far and wide. This pride in the initiative will pass to employees too and they will be encouraged to spread the word in turn. Naturally, it’s also great for the causes you’re supporting. 

5. Communicate the impact internally 
You will want to make a difference; that’s why your business is taking prioritising corporate social responsibility in the first place. Ensure that you have some strong markers in place to show the impact of the work so that progress can be shared with employees. A CSR initiative should never be just a tick box exercise so consider regular updates which can be used as an incentive when an extra boost is needed. 
 
At Enterprise Exchange, we also have a management development programme where we train managers to become mentors to individuals in the local community who need support, advice and encouragement to start their own business. These individuals include offenders, ex-offenders, long term unemployed, people with mental health issues, people with disabilities and lone parents. More details  can be found here, or please contact info@enterpriseexchange.org.uk to start the conversation.
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Sources: Simply CSR, Forbes, The Borgen Project 
 
 

Enterprise Exchange Directors Phil Ashford and Benna McCartney recently celebrated a work anniversary. The occasion helped them reflect on what brought them together in the first place, and what drives them to continue to reach out to people they can support.

Phil and Benna met ten years ago while in working in Newhaven, East Sussex. Phil was working with Business Link and Benna Chichester College SEED Project. They were working with a similar client group but it was a link made by someone else which brought them together and helped them see each other’s qualities.
 
John Orr was the Resettlement Partnership Manager at HMP Lewes (now retired) and asked Phil and Benna independently to work there. John had identified that self-employment was often the only option for most people once through the gate, and was keen to provide training.
 
Although this was a short-term project, the seeds of a partnership had been sown and redundancy offered Phil and Benna the opportunity to start a business together and build on their new understanding of each other’s skills.
 
The next step was to organise focus groups in HMP Lewes and HMP Ford to ask what support the men felt they needed if they were to set up their own businesses. This feedback helped Phil and Benna get  funding through Serco and run a successful 18 month programme, working with 89 men, of which 40% ended up in self-employment or employment afterwards.
 
Over the past nine years, Enterprise Exchange has grown into a substantial business offering self-employment support to those on the edges of society.
 
The main drive for Benna to begin this work was due to previous challenging life experiences. She has had eight businesses since the age of 18, so understands the additional challenges that women in business face, which gave her empathy for other groups who have additional barriers to enterprise and a passion for helping people overcome them.
 
As a qualified business advisor running the East Sussex Enterprise Gateway (a programme to enable hard to reach people access start-up business support), Phil found his vocation by linking his specialist skills with a desire to increase opportunities for those with challenges.
 
Enterprise Exchange now has nine staff members working across the UK and has established a reputation as being the pioneer of self-employment support for those for whom mainstream business support is not fit-for-purpose.