Target for the number of people to be engaged in the project achieved
The total number of people entering the project was 24, achieving the target number of people to be engaged. In addition to those entering the project a number of enquires were received later in the project indicating the escalating interest. Make up of the numbers were: -
Women made up 64% of the people in the pilot and 38% excluding the single parent group
The numbers in each of the groups were almost equal, 9 in the single parent group, 8 in the ex-offender group and 7 in the BEM group.
There were eleven people with multiple barriers. These barriers were twofold.
Six people from across the range of groups had a disability.
Five people from the BEM communities were also either single parents or ex offenders.
Engagement more difficult than envisaged
The original plan was to have engaged with all participants by the end on April 2007. In reality the last people coming into the pilot did so at the end of July. There seem to be two main reasons for this: -
Although good relationships existed with the referrers’ details of the pilot took longer to be assimilated by them and their networks.
Enterprise Gateways and the Empower project run by Women’s Wisdom have a wider remit to engage with under-represented groups rather than being specifically disadvantaged. Many of the people therefore coming into their programs of support were not within the description required for the Social on Business project which required people to be either on benefits or suffering other financial hardship and or in danger of social exclusion.
An analysis of the referral pattern is shown in the following graph
1. Referrals from OLASS team or Probation Service - 7
2. Referrals from Empower project - 9
3. Referrals from Gateways - 6
4. Other sources - 2
50% positive outcomes achieved
The original plan was for 50% of the participants moving into economic activity, primarily to start a business. At this point in time the results are represented in the following graphs: -
1. Number of positive outcomes - 12
2. Number of people awaiting finance - 2
3. Number still working on business ideas - 4
4. Number of Non finishers - 6
1. Number of business starts supported - 2
2. Number of people starting a part time business and employment - 3
3. Number of people entering employment - 5
4. Number entering voluntary work - 1
5. Number of people entering training - 1
1. Number of businesses awaiting confirmation of finance - 2
2. Number of people continuing to work on the business idea - 4
3. Number of non-finishers because of illness, family issues - 3
4. Number of other non-finishers - 3
Notes to above statistics
1. In total 12 people completed business plans and or carried out market research.
2. The people now running their businesses, both women are in the short term in receipt of tax credits and child allowances to supplement the income from the business.
3. It is believed the two people awaiting confirmation of the granting of a loan to finance the start of the business will be successful. These people will remain on benefits until the trading commences.
4. The three people running a business in their part time had examined the business idea and decided that in the short term it will not provide sufficient income. They decided that they would seek a job and develop the business in the longer term
5. The people continuing to work on the business idea will be supported in the short term outside of the project.
6. A number of those people able to find employment did so following discussions about the business idea and the realisation their ideas would not come to fruition. It seems from feedback that the discussions helped them to move forward to find employment.
7. For the “other” category of non-finishers one returned to custody, with the others contact was lost.
