Get your idea off the ground with our help
Friday, 20 September 2019
With our partners, Community Catalysts, we're looking to help local people to start up small businesses or community ventures designed to care for and support other people in their local area.
Community Catalysts, which is a social enterprise already delivering successful schemes across the UK, offers advice, support and direction for people who want to set up a small business (or micro-enterprise) but perhaps don’t know where to start.
One such person was Tanisha Pemberton. Tanisha had experience of being a carer and support worker for older people and adults with a learning disability. She realised that people in her local community needed help at home that was highly personal and tailored to their needs and circumstances. She said:
I wanted the freedom to provide support that was tailored to a person’s needs and not trying to fit circles into a square hole
Now Tanisha supports people through her own local community micro enterprise – Niche Care.
Another is a new music group run by Music24, set up in Biggleswade for people with learning disabilities, that not only reduces isolation but offers valuable learning and sensory experiences.
Councillor Carole Hegley, our Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Housing Operations and Customer Services, said:
We want to find creative ways to offer highly personalised care and support for those in our area, and finding ways for people to get the help they need to live the life they want. And what we’re finding is that there are a lot of talented people in our communities who already have all the skills they need to both set up a business, and to help others – they just need a bit of information and help to make it a reality.
So, if you have an idea that could help older people at home, or to help disabled people live life their way, please get in touch. Maybe you already do something like this but want to take the next step in making it into a business. It’s a really exciting initiative that everyone benefits from: the person setting up a business, people receiving local care, and us too, because our social workers can refer to these businesses and know that they’re getting quality care.
If you have an idea, Community Catalysts can offer you a friendly and supportive point of contact to explore ideas, support you to develop your community enterprise, give you practical information on regulation, training and opportunities in the health and social care sector and direct you to other organisations who can help.
For more information about the project contact Alistair Bucknall the local Community Catalyst on alistair.bucknall@communitycatalysts.co.uk or 07741 260675.