Brian Murray

The Workspace Group Self Employment / Small business in NI Supporting Start Up Businesses Self Employment support on Steps to Work / Steps 2 Success

Established in 1985 to support self employment in Magherafelt District Set up in 1989 to provide employability programmes Home insulation Heat recovery systems Energy efficient lighting Recruitment Agency Community sports facility After school facility for children Grants for local projects 130 staff, six offices/bases in NI, one in Republic of Ireland, one in Wales and two in England An enterprising / commercial charitable organisation

NI is a micro / small business economy Total 114,200 businesses (BIS, 2012) Self Employment / Small Business in NI

98,004 86%

41% of NI businesses unregistered 86% of NI businesses employ less than 5 staff 94% of NI businesses employ less than 10 staff (micro) 99% of NI businesses employ less than 50 staff (small) 202 employ 250+ (70 of which are in Belfast) Business Profile in NI

Business birth rate in % Lowest in 12 UK regions – average 11.2% Business death rate in % Lowest in UK – average 9.8% NI 5 year survival rate 50.5% - highest in UK NI 1 year survival rate 86.9% - one of lowest in UK Business Churn

Level of early stage entrepreneurial activity in NI has risen throughout downturn (GEM report) NI rate of female/male entrepreneurial activity (38%) is lowest in UK (England 47%, Scotland 49%, Wales 51%) Interest in starting a business

March Claimant Count 64,800 - Estimated no. unemployed 72,000 ( 13,000 in 12 months) % unemployment rate 7.1% (2 nd highest in UK regions – average 4.7%) 790,000 in employment - Lowest % across UK regions High dependency on reducing public sector Unemployment / Employment in NI

So where will the jobs for Steps 2 Success participants come from? Create your own job – self employment Steps to Work 08/08 to 06/11 Self employment participants 811 Started up 449 (55%) Sustained 13 weeks 382 (47%) We can do more! (1.7% of total participants) 3.5% of total moving to employment

Two former participants Self Employment as a (part) solution Roisin Ryan-Egan, Magherafelt Administration, redundancy Franchise opportunity Steps to Work Now The Creation Station Mid Ulster 1500 customers during Test Trading period 16 event tenders won 12 children’s birthday parties 3 weekly Little Explorers classes

Brian McCracken, Cookstown Joiner, unemployed Enterprise Allowance Scheme Mentoring, counselling Now BA Components 100+ staff T/O £25M+ Acquired English competitor in % export to Great Britain etc. Steps to Work partner

Who does what (1) Invest NI - Regional Start Initiative - NEETS, Neighbourhood Renewal - Export Growth Programme (2) Local Enterprise Agencies - Enterprise Awareness - Exploring Enterprise - Regional Start Initiative - Enterprise Loan Fund - Tradelinks - Steps to Work Self Employment (3) Princes Trust year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds Supporting Start Up Businesses

Current Self Employment Provision Basic Awareness Test Trading 26 weeks £25 Lead in Assessment Business Plan Workshop Business Plan Additional 1:1 support £150 £750 Minimum monthly progress/review meetings 13 weeks£ weeks£500 Regional Start Initiative (LEAs)

Determination Enterprise skills Business idea Encouragement (careful!) Mentoring / guidance / signposting Challenging ‘Business Plan’ development Test Trading period Start up capital Business skills Location What do our customers need

Is Self Employment a viable option? For customers Yes & No For Steps 2 Success Yes For Northern Ireland Yes Finally

Thank you