Member Article

NBSL’s Alnwick branch partnership with Learning Choices

Moving offices (like moving house) can be a stressful experience, but when moving in with a new ‘partner’ change can actually bring many positive opportunities and new horizons, whether it’s a business or a personal move.

NBSL’s Alnwick Business Advice Centre is about to benefit from such positive opportunities and a much closer working relationship with one of its local partners, Learning Choices, by co-locating in their premises at Greenwell Road, Alnwick.

There is already some cross-over between the work of the two organisations and their ethos. Learning Choices (Northumberland) Ltd is a charity that helps people choosing to change their life and career direction by offering a range of training opportunities that can help put them back on the path to employment. NBSL on the other hand, is a BIS approved Enterprise Agency that works on a not-for-profit basis to assist pre-start, new and existing businesses by providing information, advice and support on running and developing a business.

Both organisations provide a free service to their clients (subject to certain eligibility criteria) with the emphasis being on supporting them to find a new way forward to generating a sustainable income. Each has a number of centres throughout the county in addition to the one at Alnwick – in the case of Learning Choices training is also available at Berwick and Blyth, whilst NBSL also has dedicated business advice centres in Ashington, Berwick, Blyth, Hexham and Morpeth.

Learning Choices are currently providing introductory IT and Internet training through UK Online; support in finding a job through ‘Work Clubs’; information, advice and guidance on training, Learndirect online learning opportunities and workshop type training in employability skills, literacy and numeracy and other IT qualifications for unemployed adults. Additionally they are delivering a small project, in conjunction with IGEN, which supports young people aged 14 to 19 who are experiencing difficulties progressing towards completing schooling or finding a job or training opportunities.

Complementing this, NBSL provides free and confidential support to people wishing to start a business by offering one to one advice and also workshops on topics such as marketing, book keeping and using social media in your business. Support is also available to people needing assistance in generating ideas; establishing the viability of an idea; understanding regulatory issues; business planning and cash flow forecasting.

The NBSL business start up project is being part financed by the European Union’s ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007-13, securing £1.07m ERDF investment. Working in a consortium led by North East Enterprise Agencies Ltd (NEEAL) local Enterprise and Development Agencies in the North East have matched this ERDF investment with £1.07m of their own funds.

By NBSL co-locating with Learning Choices in Alnwick, the available support for people looking for a new direction will be broadened considerably and the premises at Greenwell Road will become a ‘one-stop shop’ for anyone looking for help in job-seeking or starting a business.

Linda Hannam, Chief Executive of Learning Choices said, “We recognise that typical business models are currently subject to change and we are seeing an increasing need to collaborate with others over service provision and funding/income streams. This partnering with NBSL could actually provide us with new opportunities for using resources and funding/income in a more efficient way. Both of our organisations have attended a workshop to better understand collaborative relationships and we are benefitting immediately from sharing information. We know so much more about each other now and we are able to provide a better service for those of our clients who are aspiring towards developing their own business. Additionally we have some new work colleagues who already have fitted into a working environment in which we value and aim to support all of our team members”.

On behalf of NBSL, Sylvia Grainger, Director of Enterprise Services added,

“We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Learning Choices as we feel that our services will be complementary to each other and that this will be extremely beneficial to our clients as a result. Anyone wishing to consider starting a business will now find it even easier to develop their skills by utilizing the services offered by both organisations from under one roof. This can only be a positive move if it enables more people to start sustainable businesses and generate an income during difficult economic times.”

NBSL’s Alnwick Business Advice Centre, its staff and clients are also destined to benefit from this excellent partnership working opportunity with Learning Choices therefore, and the opportunities presented for mutual referrals, joint working and collaboration. So moving, (once the hard physical work is done) far from being stressful, can certainly bring great rewards for everyone.

For more information about how NBSL can help you to start a business, wherever you are based in Northumberland, contact us on 01670 813322 or visit our website at www.nbsl.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Phil Langton .