The north east’s leading magazine for enterprise and change November - December 2005 YOUR FREE COPY

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

CHASING DREAMS OF ENTERPRISE - We look at what’s taking place during National Enterprise Week

ENTERPRISE TO ENTREPRENEUR - Why the catalyst effect is so important to the North East

ENTERPRISE HERE TO STAY - Find out what Enterprise has to offer YOU...

GIVING TO GAIN - It’s been the Year of the Volunteer but where can YOU fit in?

Informnorth is a totally unique and independent publication that is brought to you in association with:

“Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises” Demosthenes

Editor Miles Crofton 0191 5866 010 [email protected] Executive editor Jackie Marston [email protected] Contents Staff writers Toni Scott, Mark Burton, Helen COVER STORY Miles, Paul Seales, Helen Smithson 6 CHASING DREAMS OF ENTERPRISE - November 14th - 20th welcomes Advertising & accounts National Enterprise Week and informnorth’s Toni Scott offers a few hints and tips for any budding Richard Bransons or Tenacious Trump types who may just be waiting to Andrew White: 0191 5866 040 turn their big idea into a reality. [email protected] [email protected] FEATURES Senior researcher 28 THE ENTREPRENEURS’ SPIRIT - informnorth’s Jackie Marston takes a look into Michelle Ho the psyche of the modern entrepreneur and uncovers just what it is that sets them [email protected] apart from the humble worker. We speak to northern entrepreneurs to find out what really floats their boat and makes them tick. Proofing services Sue Wrightson 48 THE YEAR OF THE VOLUNTEER - 2005 hasn’t just been all about nauseating Inserts & subscriptions Crazy Frogs, an increase in applications for the post of Jude Laws nanny or the Heather Hardy biggest global rock concert of our time. 2005 is also Year of the Volunteer, so we [email protected] investigate the impact that volunteering has on individuals and society as a whole.

Design & production 31 BOOST YOUR BUSINESS - The NorthEast Euro Info Centre has recently become David Gregg & Eric Lee the English National Contact point for eMarket Services but just what are they and [email protected] how can they benefit you and YOUR business? Informnorth explains... SPECIAL

Informnorth magazine is published bi-monthly by mike storey Are you the shy and retiring wallflower type or and informnorth creative services which is a community interest 44 INTROVERT OR EXTRAVERT - company. All content is © informnorth. While the publisher has a raving sunflower demanding cobstant attention? Steve Cave takes a closer look at taken all reasonable care to ensure that all material is accurate at the time of going to press, they can not accept responsibility the importance of personality types and explains what’s what... for errors or omissions and no liability is accepted for omission or failure from any cause. The publisher welcomes contributions but opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of informnorth. Additional professional advice should be sought before making any commitment to business transactions detailed within informnorth magazine. All advertisements are accepted only on the grounds that they for the comply with the terms of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 and all other relevant legislation. Inclusion of an advertisement enterprising cannot be construed as an endorsement of an advertiser or North East a product by the publisher, their employees or their agents. North East The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any transactions between readers and advertisers. No material in this publicationinformnorth may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher. Printed by Potts Printers Ltd. 300 Jobs to Be Created Through New Digital Institute MONOLOGUE: Nearly 300 new jobs will be created in the Great idea’idea’ss region with the construction of a new Institute of Digital Innovation (IDI).The multi-million pound Institute on the Teesside university site will house high-tech facilities for research and innovations in digital media and digital technology. enterprise culture a The resulting products will be brought to the market through new or existing companies, and could lead to 130 new companies by 2010. an you tell that we are huge accordingly - fans of the latest blockbuster movie and by that I Ambitious Development Cfrom Aardman and their much- mean much, loved clay-animated dynamic duo? much better. Plans Unveiled On Wearside It’s been great to witness the stir that In time, with A multi-million pound development on has been created and the positive public Wearside featuring offices, apartments and the right a hotel has been unveiled by Sunderland arc. reaction to the cheese-loving Wallace and self-belief, Up to 200 new jobs could be created by the his ever faithful dog Gromit. skills and £30million development.The development It just goes to show as the two enterprising above all includes two crescent-shaped multi-storey chums cash in with their humane pest- else, more buildings, separated by a landscaped courtyard, control business, “Anti-Pesto” that winning individuals overlooking the River Wear and Galley’s Gill idea’s can come from almost anywhere with greater on the old Vaux brewery site. Construction and any direction. levels of is due to start on site in Spring 2006 by In real life, just as in the short film acumen, “I’m delighted to Manchester-based CTP. where the outfit operate from their West knowledge and report that in the Wallaby Street home - filled to the brim understanding, North East we Greggs to attract call with captive rabbits - that a strong belief then indigenous are winning - in your own enterprising idea and northern and in a big way” centre lunchtime market capabilities, accompanied with the right businesses Bakery group Greggs is to create 350 jobs application, are often all that is needed would be unable across the region in the next five years as it to turn your dreams to reality. to do anything continues its strategy of opening stores away from the high street.The Newcastle-based A great idea and inspiration can come other than take company already has a stronghold in most of from almost anywhere and hit you at advantage, grow and prosper. the region’s high streets, so is looking instead to almost any time. What has been quite startling though open in industrial estates and near call centres Nick Park of Chicken Run fame - the is finding out there are so many great and will invest about £5m over five years to original creator of Wallace & Gromit - has examples of just where we have gotten it open another 35 outlets. taken a lot of skill and quite simply what right here in the North East. is a winning idea, on to the next level. This month as in previous years, we throw Regeneration Plans Take And this is something that all budding our full support behind National Enterprise enterpreneurs seem to do and the best Another Step Forward Week within the magazine and highlight of them, seem to do very well. all that it has to offer as an important and Regeneration plans that could bring around In the last issue I suggested that if we much needed catalyst for the North East - 2,000 new jobs to Darlington took another started at to push the ‘enterprising stride forward with the submission of a in fact, for the UK as a whole. agenda’ much more strongly at Primary planning application.Tees Valley Regeneration’s Having quite rightly adopted the enterprise and Secondary School level and we application for the 75 acre site at Central Park and self development agenda so fully actually worked much more closely includes 300,000 sq ft of space, 600 new when we began ourselves, it has been together in true partnership to help inspire homes, with conference facilities and other heartening to see all of the activity taking children and younger adults, that it could community amenities. place - not just for a week - but actually, only be for to the good. all year round. I believe that we should put in place As we have delved deeper to look at Businesses should act now the systems and support services that are National Enterprise Week and the work to pre-empt rising fuel costs crucial in aiding a single, focussed Businesses across the North East that are objective and push the real benefits of that is going on it has been noticeable facing autumn electricity contract renewals enterprise awareness. that many of the organisations, agencies, businesses and indeed individuals involved should adjust budgets now to reflect the On the way I think we should aim to inevitability of higher costs, a leading business are, with very few exceptions, the same drive better, far quicker and far more group is warning.The North East Chamber of one’s that often feature within our pages - drastically (levels of basic skills and Commerce says that organisations should also not in one ‘special’ issue - but all year qualifications achievement) and do it all consider buying early and locking into longer round. contracts to beat the anticipated far more efficiently and in the longer term, September/October price increases. much more effectively. It’s only right that enterprise is being given We could put in place all of the help the support and push that it really needs and it is good that we seem to be learning Rise in flights that’s needed - exactly when it’s needed - a real foundation for the future and there so quickly as we go along through sharing by no-frills airlines could be a series of structured development best (and where need be, worst) practice. The low-fare airline boom is continuing, with a programmes for every single person. We It’s with this in mind that National large increase in the number of no-frills flights. would better help and inform individuals, Enterprise Week is such an important Of the 113,000 flights in and out of the UK so event and should be embraced by us all. far this month, nearly a third are being operated letting them see what opportunities actually by low-cost carriers.The total of 5.5 million lie ahead of them and highlight the hurdles Not for just one week of frantic events and low-cost airline seats on sale this month on that they are definitely going to have to activities but far more generally and all flights to and from the UK is a 24 per cent face. And we’d do it all in a no-nonsense year round. increase on the total for October last year. fashion, help arm the next generation If we can show more individuals of all 4 November 2005 informnorth Walking Guide Encourages Visitors to ‘Get on the Move’ ’ss andand North East Tourism bosses are hoping that the launch of the of the second walking guide for North East England, will encourage visitors get out and about and enjoy the region’s breathtaking countryside.The new 68 page free guide steps up are alive and well... the activity for the hugely successful North East England walking campaign which consists of the new guide together with a £100,000 national marketing campaign.

NHS ‘can improve our economic development’ Highlighting how healthcare systems can improve regional economic and social development is the aim of a new North East-based initiative.The £1m Health ClusterNET project involves 13 partners from 12 countries across Europe and is being led by regional development agency One NorthEast. Part funded by the European Union there are four main areas of work: procurement, employment, capital expenditure and technological developments. Students aim for a step up Thirty University students in their penultimate year of studies have given up their eight week summer break to take part in the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP). One of this year’s STEP students is twenty year old Laura Doyles who is studying Mechanical Engineering and French at Newcastle University, Laura will undertake a project for Ponteland based Lawson Fuses.

Winning Students celebrate with TEDCO ages, abilities and backgrounds, from as and using informnorth magazine as the Three students from across Tyne and Wear are celebrating after winning awards from the Shell young an age as possible - as I am sure medium that we can achieve much more. Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP). we will - what enterprise really is all about It may be a cliche but we are strong Stuart Keeble won the main prize, scooping the and the opportunities it affords them, then believers in the adage that “If we do what I’m convinced that in turn we will create Shell STEP Award for the ‘Most Enterprising we’ve always done, we’ll get what we Student’ in Tyne and Wear based on his work at greater numbers and more successful have always got”. If you agree with that northern entrepreneurs. Expedient Training.Also celebrating were David then you can probably better understand Milligan and Ivan Zamprianov on the “Inside If we are shown what we are capable of why it is so very important to us. Track” programme. at every turn then eventually our brains To be done properly it has to be a real become ‘hot-wired’ and that’s really what joined up and top-down approach. I’m Young entrepreneurs helping enterprise and all of this is really about. delighted to report that in the North East we are winning and what’s more, the hand into business world This is one of the main goals that occasions where we are winning are more Seven young people in Darlington have informnorth has had since inception, frequent and gathering pace too, to find successfully started running their own businesses combined with the strong desire of getting out more just read on. in the last year as a result of a motivating project as many education, training, business and supported by One NorthEast.The regional support organisations as we possibly can, To become more involved, see how we may be able to help you more or just development agency provides funding through working together, spending YOUR money, its Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) for sound off then drop me a line or email more wisely by adding extra value where Darlington Community Works to assist new me direct: [email protected] we can. businesses in the area, boost employment and We’ve always been unique, believing that Miles Crofton, further training to create a more sustainable by working together with more organisations editor community.

Informnorth Mission Statement: Informnorth is unique. We exist as a partnership of private and public sector organisations working together with the third sector, including voluntary, charitable and community organisations as a community interest company. We collectively help to signpost, stimulate and empower individuals to greater levels of self-development, enterprise and entrepreneurship, publishing a freely available regional magazine in order to promote and help achieve our collective goals and objectives.

informnorth November 2005 5 A QUESTION OF ENTERPRISE

recognise, remember, learn from, manage, Sugar, Branson, Trump…YOU! It’s National and understand emotions. Enterprise Week and informnorth’s Toni Scott Intuitive intelligence: The ability to learn complex skills and solve problems on a has some hints and tips on turning your subconscious basis. ideas into a reality and becoming the next You may be at the stage where you know exactly what your ideas are, it may be a multi-millionaire entrepreneur. hobby that you can envisage developing into a profitable business, or you may be particularly talented in a specific area and elevision programmes such as engaged in growing their own idea, want to use your talents to a commercial Rebel Billionaire, Dragon’s Den and exploiting an opportunity, or developing advantage. The Apprentice may congratulate a new way of doing things’. T However you still maybe struggling with themselves for inspiring many a budding There have been many studies conducted many ideas and still looking for the right entrepreneur to become the next Henry researching the qualities and personality one for you to run with. If this is the case Ford. However for these reality TV traits that are unique to entrepreneurs, then there a couple of options for bringing programmes, we all know that it is the and while we all can’t be the next Donald those ideas that are bubbling away to the hilariously inflated ego’s and gross Trump or Alan Sugar, there are personal surface. Start by having a look at your ineptitude of the contestants that is the qualities and skills associated with such likes and dislikes, your hobbies and inter- real pull for viewers. entrepreneurs that can be developed. ests, there is an abundance of personality In the real world for someone whose These include: tests on websites such as ambition is to get their own business off Self-management: The ability to set and www.starttalkingideas.org that can the ground, rather than have their 15 achieve personal goals by taking positive throw up some interesting avenues that minutes of fame and have a go in Richard action and having personal initiative. you may not have previously considered. Branson’s car-come-speed boat, then th th Management of one’s own learning is Ideas can get left on the backburner Enterprise Week (14 - 20 November) particularly important. is the prefect excuse for getting your butt without the relevant skills or advice, the into gear and Informnorth can provide a The 7 Cs in the enterprising individual: above website also provides details of few pointers of where to go from here. Soft skills such as confidence, where to go for information about training communication, charm, cheerfulness, programmes, overseas experience, and Enterprise is all about having the energy, commitment, compassion, and courage. grants that can spur an idea into reality. creativity, vision and a can-do attitude directed towards achieving a goal. There Creativity and Innovation: The ability It is always useful to ask people who know are many definitions but when you get to to think laterally to generate and take you their opinion of you and what they the nitty gritty it’s all about turning your forward new ideas and solutions. consider to be your strong, and weak, ideas into reality. A more in-depth Emotional intelligence: The innate points. The way that your friends, parents, definition is ‘an individual or group potential to feel, use, communicate, teachers, and work mates perceive you will 6 November 2005 informnorth Galaxy Radio’s Streetboy does his bit for Enterprise Week

probably alter from your own self image and it’s a good idea to ask them for their views of you in relation to starting a business. To have an honest understanding of your potential is a good If you are unemployed starting block to developing a plan. If you do embark on an enterprise you will find yourself in many new and sometimes Have a good business idea difficult circumstances, it’s good to know that you will be and are determined to succeed... prepared and equipped to handle them. As you will be responsible for your own future, you need to be sure that you are in a position where you can be accountable to yourself. Would you even give yourself the job? Although there is THENTHEN WEWE CANCAN HELPHELP YOUYOU no one personality type when it comes to the self employed, there are many traits that they need or tend, to share; • Persistent, enduring, have loads of stamina Inbiz start up support programs offer • Aware of strengths, weaknesses and competitors you the perfect opportunity • Positive, optimistic, enthusiastic to test trade your business idea • Tenacious - don’t give in or give up easily without affecting any benefit • Logical, perceptive, organised, realistic, payments you receive. • responsible - good at getting things done • Patient - don’t rush things that need to be taken slow • Have a sense of humour - helps keep them going • Willing to learn, almost at every turn • Creative, imaginative - always coming up with new ideas • Assertive - won’t want to be taken for a ride • Out-going, confident, cocky • Flexible, adaptable and approachable • Open-minded - able to take advice • Forgiving - but not the point of stupidity • Sociable, approachable, good leader - can win people over For further information freephone: instead of getting their backs up • Single-minded, decisive, independent 0800 328 0646 • Communicator - often able to get their point across informnorth November 2005 7 Does your school need some help joining the pieces together?

Enterprise Place is the Centre for Enterprise Education based in Derwentside.We provided enterprise education across County Durham and the Region for young people aged 5 to 19 years. Do you… Enjoy working with young people? Want to enhance the employability of our young people? Like to see young people in our region doing well? Want to encourage business start ups amongst young people? Are you… A teacher seeking an enterprise education programme? Able to give your time to help with our workshops? Willing to offer advice to young people interested in starting up their own business? Prepared to provide a mentoring service to young people who will be able to benefit & learn from your experiences? If you answered YES to any of the above we would love to hear from you.

Please contact Martin Bell on 01207 690 100

Programmes can be tailored to suit the Topics and skills include: individual needs of your school.All programmes • Leadership • Enterprise • Problem Solving are available working with real businesses and local entrepreneurs for: • Decision Making • Risk Taking • Self Belief • Primary, Secondary and Post 16 students • Team Work

Enterprise Place really can help you join these pieces together. For further information please contact Martin Bell on 01207 690100.

Tanfield Lea, North Industrial Estate, Stanley, County Durham. DH9 9NX Northern SMEs Worst Hit by Crime 8% of all small firms fall victim to crime each year, according to a new report by the Federation of Small Businesses.The report, Small businesses need to get themselves based on responses from more than 18,000 business owners, reveals that firms in the North out there, meeting customers, making of England and those in urban areas are most contacts, you just need to put the work in likely to be hit by crime. North East Companies Urged “ to act for Olympic Contracts Companies across the North East are being urged to act now to ensure they don’t miss ” out on lucrative Olympic contracts.The Government and the Mayor of London have agreed a package worth over £2.3 billion to fund the Games in 2012 and North East companies have the skills and expertise to compete in a global market place for the tender.

NHS ‘can improve oureconomic and social development’ Highlighting how healthcare systems can improve regional economic and social development is the aim of a new North East-based initiative.The £1m Health ClusterNET project involves 13 partners from 12 countries across Europe and A QUESTION OF is being led by regional development agency One NorthEast. Part funded by the European Union there are four main areas of work: & procurement, employment, capital expenditure TALENT ABILITY and technological developments. • Opportunist, risk taker, ambitious potential investors, you must ensure Kids at 100 Year • Hard working, committed, determined, that your business plan is researched School are Leaps Ahead ‘get up and go’ type thoroughly, explained clearly, and is Pupils at a John F Kennedy School primary financially sound. A business plan is • Self-motivated school,Washington are benefiting from leading a written document that describes the edge technology after clicking on to IT experts • Self-belief, individual - not afraid to business, its objectives, its strategies, the at the North East Business & Innovation Centre stand out from a crowd, or of what market it is in and its financial forecasts. (BIC). In its first ICT venture outside of the others think It has many functions, from securing business world, the Sunderland based BIC has external funding to measuring success • Recognise importance of quality given youngsters aged five to eleven, access to within your business. Clearly, you are not expected to possess among the best IT equipment in schools A well-prepared business plan won’t just all of the above qualities but it is a valid around. focus on ‘the product’ rather it will list in which to measure yourself against address a broad range of issues that in order to gain a true picture of yourself. Honours for the investors will be interested in. regions first “Change agents” So, you know your idea is viable, you’ve www.bplans.co.uk is a great website Employees from a North East manufacturers done all the psychometric tests and fallen for picking up tips on how to go about have received specialist training that will save out with your friends and family upon writing business plans, there are also hearing their real opinions of you, and it sample business plans that will give you their companies thousands of pounds. 28 turns out that you are set for world an idea of what a business plan should employees from 13 different companies were domination, so what happens next? look like. trained in Business Improvement Techniques and are the first “Change Agents” to come Before the champagne breakfasts, The Perfect Pitch through NEPA best practice programme.The personalised space shuttles and private Once you have your business plan ready Change Agents undertook an intensive year of tropical islands comes the hard work and to go, you have to have practice the way training delivered by a team of NEPA Engineers the practical challenges that lay before that you pitch your business idea to in World’s Best Practice Lean Manufacturing you. Here is some brief advice about potential investors so that it does justice techniques. issues such as finance, networking, to the hard work that you have put in. marketing, funding, legalities and writing Effective communication is the key and Innovative project business plans to start you on your way the key customer benution and marketing will house new businesses to your first million. strategy, is concisely and eloquently A £1.4million high quality managed Writing a business plan communicated in the time it takes for business centre in County Durham is set to A vital element for starting up a business a short elevator ride. It is a method accommodate over 20 start-up businesses is the development of a business plan. which gets entrepreneurs to think carefully and create 43 new jobs. Phase 2 of Incubator This might sound daunting, but it is about their choice of language when Units at Innovation House has been given the essential if you are to unlock all that communicating to an outsider who knows go-ahead following on from the success of the funding and support that is out there nothing of their business. It is a reminder first phase at South Church Enterprise Park, waiting for you. To stimulate interest from that the pitch should remain customer Bishop Auckland. informnorth November 2005 9 focused highlighting the benefits to the who want to branch out on their own. for example the amount you want to consumer as well as being unique and They run an annual competition for a borrow, the purpose and length of attention grabbing to stand out from all £10,000 grant which is open to 16-30 borrowing, your financial background the other business ideas that are year-olds and is also applicable to and available security are all considered. competing for investment. companies who have been trading for Accounts - be accountable... As Simon Woodroffe commented on The between three and 18 months. What could be more exciting than Dragon’s Den, “You gotta make me feel This is a brief introduction to the four keeping accounts? Unfortunately they are like I’m going to miss out”. board areas of financing; a necessary part of running a business Show me the money! 1. Self: money can be raised in a variety and when carried out properly and Funding. Every business needs it and there of ways: re-mortgage property to release systematically they can make for a are plenty of outlets for funding out there equity, sale of assets, redundancy, hassle free life. if you know where to look. If you can gifts/informal loans from family and/or Charles Ejogo, owner of umbrella show a lasting commitment to your friends. vending machine company, Umbrolly has business idea and can back it up with 2. Grants: usually non-repayable funds some advice on managing your accounts, a thorough business plan you will be provided towards business start-up costs. “Doing your accounts is a real pain and it surprised by the amount of opportunities Your age, location of residence and/or takes ages. I mean ages. I think it’s really for funding that become available. Banks business, type of business and type of costs important that you do it yourself and that can provide loans, you can apply for can all be relevant factors in assessing your you do it every week. It’ll give you an grants from the government, and there eligibility to apply for a grant. excellent understanding of your project, are plenty of organisations that are 3. Soft Loans: these loans have lower and what you need to do make it work.” designed for this purpose. interest rates than standard commercial The Inland Revenue provide some great The Princes Trust is a great organisation rates (see 4 below) and terms and advice in their Right Way To Start Your for young people who are starting their conditions are often more lenient. Business booklet and you can visit own business venture. This organisation These loans may be offered by Enterprise www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/startingup offers low cost loans and grants for Agencies, Local Government, Public to find out more. unemployed 18-30 year-olds, there is Bodies, Government Departments and the Don’t sell yourself short... also support and mentoring available. European Community, as an incentive to Marketing and advertising are essential In addition to this, The Princes Trust also prospective new businesses. in getting yourself out there and your offers small grants - from £50-£500 - for 4. Commercial Borrowing: Banks are product and service known to your target training, education or employment, with keen to offer overdrafts for day to day audience. The 4 P’s are always worth training and mentoring throughout. working capital needs and loans for bearing in mind when plugging your Shell LiveWIRE is another organisation specific purchases to viable businesses. business. that is set up to provide support to people The interest rate charged reflects risk, Product - what makes > 22 A QUESTION OF CARING ENOUGH NAME: Darren Glen Pegram university gave me I would not have achieved the although I did look at lots of different ones to get AGE: 25 things I have today. I think that you should educate ideas, because I thought where’s the enterprise in yourself and get the edge over all those people in that? It’s important that you do your sums. It’s all COMPANY: DGAP Ltd. the world who are competing for the success that very well thinking an idea will work, or that it won’t BASED: Darlington, County Durham you want. but until you do your sums you have no real idea. BUSINESS SECTOR: Print Consumables and media WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE OR You may be surprised at how little you need to succeed. NUMBER OF YEARS TRADING: Nearly two years CHALLENGE OR WHAT HURDLES HAVE YOU HAD TO OVERCOME? Don’t leave things until tomorrow and try to do them UNIQUE POINTS ABOUT YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS: NOW. Today. Don’t make excuses, don’t make something The most frequent mistake I have made and still In short - we care. We care about the quality of the out to be more important, don’t be pessimistic about make today is thinking “it will wait until product we sell and our print consumables, Cd’s and your chances of success - just do it! tomorrow”. When I do things and do them straight ink cartridges are the best around. Our photo paper WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? is of the highest quality and we care about the away, things happen. Tomorrow never comes - really! Remember get the edge! We plan to continue selling the best quality, best prices we charge. We care about the customer service value print consumables and ink cartridges in the we provide. We care about giving customers the best WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE North East. Our customer base is growing every day value for money. We believe that if we care, cus- READERS? and people come back because we care. We have tomers will come back. Well I didn’t want to go recently launched our company website - off and just ‘buy’ a www.dgap.co.uk - and this is keeping the costs WHO HAS HELPED YOU OR INSPIRED YOU MOST? franchise associated with reaching customers down, whilst My parents have been my biggest inspiration and helping to drive sales up. I’d they have has given me the belief that anything is eventually like to franchise possible. It’s a cliché but it’s so very true. The the DGAP brand and difference between the people who do and the philosophies across the people who don’t is that the people who do often North Eastcreating a believe they will succeed. group of successful, forward thinking and WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION HAS HELPED YOU? dynamic companies, Although I don’t need the piece of paper that says driven by the same I have a degree, without the life experience that goals.

10 November 2005 informnorth The PLACE to be more ENTERPRISING

ecent months have witnessed creativity, problem-solving, decision- develop their softer, interpersonal and significant developments with regard making, teamwork, leadership, employability skills, or to have the Rto the coordination and provision of communication, passion, and fun. Of opportunity to talk about and develop enterprise education within Derwentside. course other words could be added, but an idea they may have for starting up in business. The opportunities are endless, Enterprise Place started as a private and these words readily encapsulate the activity so long as we work in partnership.” public sector collaboration combined that has surrounded Enterprise Place and with Department for Education and Skills best describe the enterprising and So, if you feel the urge to brush up your (DfES) Enterprise Pathfinder project entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviours softer transferable skills, or you have a sponsorship. that the Enterprise Place team work hard burning desire to be an entrepreneur, or to nurture and encourage within the young help create more enterprising individuals The company has grown both in size people of Derwentside. then talk to Martin or one of the Enterprise and stature, and Enterprise Place is now Place team. the major body delivering enterprise Martin Bell, Centre Manager, said, education across the District. “Encapsulating a true entrepreneurial spirit, there is no time for resting on our Growth has been rapid. From being laurels. The next two years will be just as Does YOUR school two people strong, the team now has a exciting, challenging and rewarding.” need some help compliment of five personnel. From being There is a strong belief within the one single programme focused on Key Enterprise Place team that they must Stage 4 (14-16 year olds) a range of joining the pieces practice what they preach. There is a programmes is now offered, extending mixture of educational and working together? across all key stages within schools, for backgrounds among team members, but students of all abilities and interests, they all share a driving passion to enable Our expertise lies in providing specific from 5 to 19 years of age. all the people they work with to develop and individual programmes that help stimulate more fully the complete If the past eighteen months had to be confidence and competence across the enterprise agenda.We work with real summed up using key words, the words key transferable enterprising attitudes, businesses and local entrepreneurs for: used would include: energy, ideas, skills and behaviours needed to survive in a modern economy. • Primary, Secondary and Post 16 The future certainly looks good for students Enterprise Place and in early 2006, the Topics and skills include: team will move into a dedicated enterprise • Leadership learning and resource centre, based in a converted 10 000 sq ft former industrial • Problem Solving unit. • Decision Making ...they all share This centre will enable the Enterprise Place • Enterprise a driving passion team to work with up to approximately • Risk Taking 200 young people at any one time. • Self Belief,Team Work to enable all the However, the future is not just centre- people they based. There are schools from across Programmes can be tailored to suit the the region too far away to travel to the individual needs of YOUR school and “work with to centre but who are already asking the Enterprise Place can help join these develop team to deliver in-school provision. pieces together. confidence and Martin continues, “The whole idea of the centre ‘Enterprise Place’ was to provide a competence physical base for Derwentside District and surrounding communities. The Centre is for hire, for training and meeting purposes, all year round. But we must also undertake outreach work, connecting with young people wherever they are.” For further information please ” contact Martin Bell today on: The future is not limited to working with 5 to 19 year olds only. The Enterprise Place 01207 690100 team also believes that it has a great deal to offer the adult market too. As Martin Tanfield Lea, North Industrial Estate, stresses, “there are a lot of adults who Stanley, County Durham. DH9 9NX we feel would welcome opportunities to informnorth November 2005 11 Isn’t it great when help and support is just a mouse-click away ? informnorinformnorth.com

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The magazine for change Telephone: 0191 5866 010 or 5866 040 or visit www.informnorth.co.uk 12 November 2005 informnorth A QUESTION OF POTENTIAL

nternet entrepreneur Emma Reilly is a prime example of three years. Currently running the business from of drive, determination and entrepreneurial spirit. This her parents house Emma hopes to be moving to Imonth Emma, 24, is set to launch her lifestyle website, new premises very soon, “so I can give my mum Launchpad Media, aimed at the under-25s and is already her living room back!” said Emma. being nationally recognised for her efforts. Having recently It’s not been all plane sailing however, as with any been nominated for the 2005 handbag.com Barclays business Emma has encountered her fair share of Business Plan Awards Emma is in the perfect position to problems along the way but has overcome them with let other budding entrepreneurs into a few secrets of her true entrepreneurial spirit and determination. success. “Personally, I suffer from social anxiety disorder, which “I got the idea just from talking to friends. We agreed is basically an extreme phobia of people and social there wasn’t a lot of information out there on what to situations. I’ve had to cross many mental barriers to do for young people and this would fill a gap. break free from my anxiety. I’m 90% better than I was “I came up with the basic idea of a consumer site whilst five years ago, when I wouldn’t even leave my bedroom. at university. I had purchased a gaming gadget off the “With regards to the business the biggest challenge has Internet from what seemed like a professional company. been getting financial support. I needed a larger amount I paid £50 and never received the goods or a refund. I of start-up capital than most enterprise agencies offer. But thought that some kind of ‘which’ service was needed but the banks I approached needed some sort of collateral tailored to a younger market. That then progressed into plus fifty percent match funding. I had just left university offering young people and businesses a ‘get to know me’ with £15,000 debts and no assets to my name, so that service. I felt that young people were over-commercialised. was difficult. We know how to shop but we don’t know the faces “I received tremendous support from One North East. behind the product, or what goes into getting it on to Not only did they provide a business loan but they the shelves. also helped me find a business mentor.” said Emma. “It is a market I know well as I only graduated 18 Emma is only too aware that when it comes to running months ago. The business is currently run by myself and student home (consumer electronics, mini bar accessories, your own business you have to take the rough with the a man named David Winders who came on board a year games, soft furnishings, food items etc). Other cribs stores smooth, ago as a mentor.” said Emma of West Denton. will soon follow this. “The best thing about working for myself has been my So what’s the big idea? “Launchpad Media Ltd. is split “The third site is Studeobox. This allows young people personal transformation. My confidence grows on a daily into three parts but are all connected. The premise of the who have a creative talent, or have designed an innovative basis and I am longer the person I was five years ago - business is to allow young people new opportunities and item (such as a game, or a gift or electronic) to set up which is a good thing. I can also finish the day knowing re-connect with the world around them. The Launchpad an online showroom under the Studeobox system. They that I put my heart and soul into my work and that will be the home base, operating a free online magazine. will be able to sell online through our site and promote hopefully one day I will get rewarded. This will offer news and features on areas such as career, their own self-contained ‘business’.” innovation, personal development and the arts. So where did Emma seek help to get her idea off the “On the flip side I have very little time for my hobbies. I am an avid writer and would love to become a published We’ll also be showcasing designers, manufacturers and ground? “I toured all of the enterprise agencies available children’s author some day. But now I don’t get much service providers…explaining the process of product in the North East. I also used the Internet a lot. Shell time to write.” said Emma. design and development, allowing young people to ask Livewire has a fantastic site for young entrepreneurs and questions and to make new contacts.” explained Emma. I still use it a lot. I also had great advice from my Well it looks like Emma’s writing career may have to be put on the backburner for a little while as it looks as “Next to this will be the online retail stores selling the Business Bank Manager (Barclays).” explained Emma. though her entrepreneurial venture is ready for lift off! goods direct to young people at special rates. These will Emma’s company has just begun trading and although be known as the ‘cribs’ sites (urban slang for home). The Launchpad Media Ltd. was formed a year ago, Emma has You can check out Emma’s business venture yourself at first will be Studentcribs, specialising in goods for the been developing and researching the business for a total www.thelaunchpad.co.uk

NAME: Emma Reilly help me with my business, as well as work full time. Launchpad - a member and business meet ‘n’ greet AGE: 24 WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION HAS HELPED YOU? live! COMPANY: Launchpad Media Ltd. The biggest help to me in business was taking part WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOME ONE WHO BASED OR LIVES: West Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne in a ‘start your own business’ course at All Saints WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP THEIR BUSINESS VENTURE? TYPE OF COMPANY: Online Retail and Publishing College. This was an adult education course. It covered I would reccommend they seek assistance and advice YEARS TRADING: Less than a year everything from finance to marketing and helped me and find their nearest business course. This gave me UNIQUE POINTS ABOUT YOU: I’m a perfectionist and get ready to start applying for start-up finance. I an excellent foundation when I started out and was I’m also highly motivated have also graduated with a 2:1 in Media Production a great place to bounce ideas and share experiences. WHO HAS HELPED YOU OR INSPIRED YOU MOST? from Northumbria University in 2004. Also, you should make use of the vast amount of My parents have been such an inspiration. They have WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS TIME? networking events and websites available. It really is both worked full time all of their lives, at jobs that I would love to develop the Launchpad Group brands a case of not what you know but whom you know are stressful and tiring. Even at their worst they still into the leading youth consumer brand and would so I keep all the business cards I receive because kept going so that my sister and I could go to like to have developed all of our cribs sites and there is always someone there who can answer a university. Now they come home in the evening and maybe open up the events and seminar side of the query, or knows someone who can get a job done. informnorth November 2005 13 A QUESTION OF ENTHUSIASM

eauty Box are three bright sparks based in Newcastle that have formed a successful manicure Bbusiness having studied an enterprise module whilst at university. Salli Dunwell, 21, Sophie Richardson, 21 and Helen Johnson, 20 are all students of Newcastle University and have turned what started out as a straightforward requirement for their degree course, a Business Enterprise Module, into a nice little earner. Informnorth quizzed Salli on the pro’s and con’s of being a young person starting out in business and asked her for some advice for other budding entrepreneurial readers. Salli says of The Beauty Box, ‘We aim to provide a high quality manicure finish for a reasonable and competitive price to predominantly female clients in two catchment areas, Newcastle and Northumberland. We are flexible with times and locations, and provide an adaptable and luxury service that fulfils requirements of our chosen market.” S o w h e re did the idea come fro m f o r T h e B e a u t y B ox ? “Sophie had already been considering the idea of starting a mobile nail technician business when graduating from University, but when the opportunity came up to use the idea for the Business Enterprise Module last year we expanded her original idea to create The Beauty Box as it trades today.” explained Salli. The girls run the business alongside their studies, Salli is may not have believed we would have made our business And considering the passion and dedication that all three studying Applied Communications with Management and a success we have always had bags of enthusiasm and of the girls have for their business venture, this appears Sophie and Helen are studying Business Management, persistence to make the Beauty Box work, and we’ve to be a feasible prediction. therefore they are able to utilise the wide range of skills relished the challenge of starting a business.” So what advise can the girls who have been there and that they learn at on their courses in the day to day So with the drive and enthusiasm secured, The Beauty done that give to our readers? running of the business. Box needed a healthy injection of cash to get it off the ground. “Have faith in your own abilities! Use your own personal The Beauty Box began trading in October 2004 and has qualities to your advantage, and effectively if you’re subsequently recently been re-launched as an independent “We’ve received financial support from The University of within a team of partners. Smile and be professional at start up from the Business Enterprise Module. Newcastle Enterprise Centre, as well as Fast Forward Now all times.” “The Beauty Box has recently been revitalised into a and TEDCO (Business Link).” Salli explained. “With regard new business start up with a fresh range of treatments to gaining business advice we used the Enterprise Centre added onto our existing services. The added treatments at Newcastle University, and are still currently using their were enabled by The Beauty Box being awarded facilities now because they offer such valuable experience NAME: Salli Dunwell ‘Graduate Programme Achievement Award’ in April 2005 and have fantastic business advisors who can help with AGE: 21 from Newcastle University, which allowed Sophie and I to any problem how big or small whenever we need them.” be trained as Nail Technicians with Creative Nails Salli is enthusiastic about the positive aspects of being COMPANY: The Beauty Box International. involved in a three way partnership, BASED OR LIVES: Newcastle upon Tyne “One of the main benefits to our type of business is that we don’t require the overhead expenditure of “The best things about running the business are working BUSINESS SECTOR/TYPE OF COMPANY: Beauty sector within a team of partners of like minded, enthusiastic business premises; alternatively we have a virtual office YEARS TRADING: 1 year which consists of an email account, business mobile people who enjoy the buzz and thrill that the challenge numbers and registered premises for insurance purposes.” of running a business can bring. We are able to work UNIQUE POINTS ABOUT YOU: I’m enthusiastic about said Salli. the hours that we personally choose and we get to meet business, I love meeting new people and have fully Like any business start up, The Beauty Box was not new people everyday who you wouldn’t have met unless relished the challenge that The Beauty Box has immune to problems, we were in this business. posed for me. “At the beginning we lacked professional training as nail “However the business can be time-consuming - some- WHO HAS HELPED YOU OR INSPIRED YOU MOST? technicians, but this didn’t stop us from carrying out a times things have to be done quickly!” commented Salli. professional service to all our clients! This problem was Angela McLean - she always has faith in my ability. So where do the girls see Beauty Box in five years time? overcome when we won some prize money which allowed WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION HAS HELPED YOU? us the opportunity to be trained professionally with a “We envisage that The Beauty Box will be a successful My degree has definitely helped me through my very reputable company.” explained Salli. brand which will be recognised by most women in the “Another problem was that we lacked expertise as UK. The brand will not only include the services we offer business, as well as the expertise and support I’ve entrepreneurs and felt that our young age didn’t give but will also encompass our unique, professional and gained from business advisors such as Angela others the confidence in our abilities. Although others contemporary approach to business.” said Salli. McLean. 14 November 2005 informnorth NAME: Kevin Steele AGE: 42 COMPANY: Enterprise Insight BASED OR LIVES: Based in London BUSINESS SECTOR/TYPE OF A Lift to COMPANY: A not-for-profit national campaign to encourage young people to be more enterprising the very TOP UNIQUE POINTS ABOUT YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS: The Make Your Mark - start talking ideas hat follows is, in classic enterprising in the future, Enterprise Week campaign is backed by an unprecedented enterprise tradition, an elevator is a powerful way to inspire them to act. coalition of business organisations, Wpitch where I have your undivid- If you respond to my ‘elevator’ pitch by voluntary sector partners and media ed attention from when I first squeezed investing your organisations time and supporters. Last year we coordinated the first-ever Enterprise Week. Over through the doors and got into the lift or energy in Enterprise Week, you’ll get an ‘elevator’ with you and in the next 100 158,000 people attended nearly 1,200 unbeatable return - for yourself, for your seconds I will be pitching Enterprise Week. events across the country! own area and for young people. WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION National Enterprise Week will be taking More information and a full list of place between 14-20 November and it is HAS HELPED YOU? partners can be found on our website: going to be huge. The first ever Enterprise I read Biology at University, and this www.starttalkingideas.org. and you Week last year involved over 150,000 scientific knowledge has ensured that people attending over 1,000 events that can register your events online at I am comfortable with numbers. gained more than 800 pieces of press www.enterpriseweek.org DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE THAT YOU coverage including the support and WOULD GIVE READERS? numerous mentions within informnorth Make sure that you get involved in magazine. Venues included school, cafes, Enterprise Week! Last year was big, but football clubs and even prisons. The this year is going to be bigger and better. events covered start-ups, social enterprise, The theme of Enterprise Week this year women’s enterprise, ethnic minority and is ‘networks’ and we want to encourage rural enterprise, high-technology, young people to set up their own homespun entrepreneurship and just networks. By encouraging young people about everything in between. to talk about their ideas, you are giving them the essential tools for making them And this year Enterprise Week will be even happen. Enterprise is not just about bigger. Both the television soap operas for business start-ups though. It is about all school children - Hollyoaks and Grange of the skills that young people are really Hill, have enterprise stories. Over a going to need in this hi-tech world of quarter of secondary schools have already increased competition on a global scale. said they are running events. And up and Employers and managers should be down the country most Regional encouraging young people to have ideas Development Agencies already run and make them happen within the scope training days and are helping by of their employment as continued coordinating and planning the week innovation is one of the main keys with local organisations. to business success. And of course Enterprise Week is a living WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? manifestation of what is really at the heart The campaign is working hard to set of the actual campaign. It’s about up hubs in several key regions to help showcasing the stupendous things young encourage young people to be more people can achieve - I believe that we enterprising and give them access to the must move from what is a deficit to a support and advice they need to make more enabling model, from teaching facts their ideas happen.We will take the and rules to learning how to turn vision approach we have used at a national and ideas into reality and from keeping level and replicate it in specific young people in boxes to finding more geographic areas to show that the ways that e can offer encouragement, model of getting many different giving then access to enterprise networks. organisations to work together on the More and more young people need to be enterprise agenda really does work. informnorth November 2005 15 Newcastle City Council Enterprise Support Team ewcastle City Council’s Enterprise Support Team are focussed on encouraging entrepreneurship across Nthe city, supporting new business start up and the growth of existing businesses. We work with a range of external partners to develop and deliver a range of initiatives that we hope will make a real difference to business and will impact positively upon local communities. Building a more enterprising and prosperous city is a priority for the City Council. The Enterprise Support Team look to support this by helping to create a culture within the city where setting up in business is seen as a positive and achievable goal by everyone with the idea, talents and determination to make it happen. This is a long-term objective that also involves working in schools with teachers and pupils to create the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. If you want more information on any of the activities of the Enterprise Support Team please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0191 2328520.

Does Your Business Financial support schemes contribute something positive to your The Small Enterprise Grant Scheme Paul Buie, manager at Tyne and Wear community? Then you This scheme is able to help people who Development Company said, “SME’s are could be a social enterprise. have been unemployed 3 months and are an integral part of the Region’s economy Newcastle City Council’s Enterprise starting up in business or people who and a key driver of economic success. Support Team is looking at how we can have been trading for six months or less. The funding is designed to ensure they The scheme provides grants up to £500 receive the support need to succeed.” further support the development of to help with the purchase of equipment, Newcastle based catering business, social enterprises in the City. We know marketing and some overheads. Fresh Element, is one company to have the importance of this kind of activity and want to hear from anyone who Tyne and Wear Small Grant Scheme benefited, using the funding to fit-out This new grant funding is available to catering premises located within John thinks they are a social enterprise or help small and medium sized businesses Buddle Work Village in Benwell. would like to become one. across Tyne and Wear. Peter Hunt, co-director of Fresh Element ‘Social enterprise’ covers a huge range The Tyne and Wear Small Business Grant said, “The grant has been a huge help to of activities, but they would be engaged will provide vital financial support to start us. It is always hard for a new business to in a trading activity, whether in goods up’s less than 12 months old and those start from scratch and we have welcomed or services and although they are yet to begin trading. the money and advice given to us via businesses, in this respect, they would Building on the success of last year’s Newcastle City Council.” originally have set up to be of benefit inaugural scheme - which helped more The grant funding comes from the Single to the public. They measure their than 200 companies - businesses will be Programme, administered by Tyne Wear success by the contribution they make able to tap into support of up to 50% Partnership and One NorthEast. to their community and not how much towards capital spending to a maximum Further information is available by profit they generate. of £5,000. visiting: Help us to help you grow. Please visit: The Tyne and Wear Small Business Grant www.tyne-wearbusinessgrant.co.uk http://ud.unified-dialogs.com/ will be coordinated and administered by or by contacting Jim Thompson on newcastle Tyne and Wear Development Company. 0191 2115684 16 November 2005 informnorth ‘Enterprising Newcastle’ nterprising Newcastle is a Newcastle City Council led partnership, made Eup of enterprise support providers who are working together to promote and encourage enterprise as an opportunity for all within the city. The project takes enterprise into the community through its outreach workers and community Enterprise Centres providing client-focussed support on the doorstep. It also delivers enterprise to 14 - 19 year old’s in education through initiatives such as MiniBizz, helping to create the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Why not visit our website: www.enterprisingnewcastle.co.uk Social Enterprise in House of Lords Education Conference nterprising students from two The trip was part of the Enterprising f we are to ensure that social enterprise is Newcastle schools have been to Newcastle initiative, which working in embedded within our communities and Ethe House of Lords to discuss their partnership with Newcastle Education Ibusiness culture we need to create an personal experiences. Business Partnership aims to provide understanding of what social enterprise is all about and the opportunities that it offers Eight budding entrepreneurs from All enterprising activities in education for and the sooner we introduce the concept Saints and Heaton Manor schools were 14 - 19 year olds. the better! With this in mind ‘Enterprising given the opportunity to present their Enterprising Newcastle was invited by Newcastle’ held a Social Enterprise in edu- enterprise ideas to Lord Graham of Lord Graham of Edmonton to visit the cation Conference at Newcastle Falcons Edmonton who hosted the event and House of Lords to recognise the Rugby Ground on the 18th October. The provided a tour of the House of Lords. achievements of the pupils and their event was opened by Steve Gator, Head The students, four from each school, schools in the delivery of enterprise. designate for Walker Technology College were also presented with a signed copy Lord Graham himself was born on and there were of Lord Graham’s biography “From Tyne Scotswood Road, Newcastle and rose contributions and workshops delivered to Thames.” The students had successfully to become Opposition Chief Whip in by Comecon, People Into Enterprise (PIE), participated in the MiniBizz programme the House of Lords. He still visits Community Action Network (CAN), ‘Social and other enterprise development Newcastle regularly and retains a Enterprise’, Big Ideas Centre and a school initiatives. passion for the area. based social enterprise from North Tyneside, ‘Ohahla’. Teachers and students from around the city MiniBizz entrepreneurs head South were invited to attend to gain an insight into social enterprise, hear of practical examples of how it works successfully within schools and colleges and to learn of the support and the resources that are available to develop their own ideas in their own school. If you didn’t get along to the event and are interested in finding out more contact: Julie Davenport tel. 0191 2774444 [email protected]

For further information on any of the Enterprise Support Team’s activities, please contact: 0191 232 8520

informnorth November 2005 17 INVEST for SUCCESS UNIVERSITY of SUNDERLAND

Invest in your future… an academic and social level, A Sunderland degree is a long-term transforming your outlook and UNIVERSITY FACT FILE investment that will enhance your releasing your potential. • Voted best new University - career and promotion prospects - a Going for growth… Guardian good University Guide 2001 life-changing experience. The good Sunderland Business School news is that financial help is available courses combine academic rigour • Sunderland’s scholarship and support package means that all for students from the Government and with real practical, vocational, and the University and some of it does not full-time undergraduate students transferable skills. But it doesn’t stop have the chance to benefit from have to be repaid. there; you can only learn so much non-repayable financial support The new student finance system means from textbooks and lectures… You during their time at University no fees up front, cash help while you have the opportunity to study abroad • 100% of our first year students are study and low-interest repayments for part or all of your second year guaranteed a place in Halls of once you are earning. in Australia, China, Japan, Canada, Residence Get there… Europe or the USA. For business • 93% of our students go on to study If you’re still at or have recently left students, a year’s placement in a postgraduate course within 6 college then the possibility of going industry enables you to learn from months of graduating to University has probably crossed professionals and enhances your your mind… It’s hard to know where • About one quarter of our employability. Or if you’d rather be undergraduate full time population you want to be in three or four years your own boss, then The Hatchery are mature students over the age time but after studying at Sunderland can bring your ideas alive by providing of 21 University you can be safe in the facilities and support to start up your knowledge that you’ll be well prepared • Our student split is 52% women own business. and 48% men for progression afterwards. 93% of our students get a job or go on to So what’s next? • Business and Management was study a postgraduate course within Step 1. Call the Sunderland Business classed as ‘excellent’ in 2004 QAA report - www.qaa.ac.uk 6 months of graduating. School for course information and application advice 0191 515 2319 • The Guardian ranked us as 19th in University opens doors… the UK’s top 100 LLB Law providers It’s not just what you know but who Step 2. Come and experience for 2004/5 you are… It’s not just the fact that you Student Life through one of our Open will graduate with a certificate at the Days or on one of our Taster days end of the day but that you’ll leave as where you can Sample a day in the a more well-rounded and employable shoes of a Student person. We help you to grow both on Step 3. Broaden your horizons!

DO Y O U WANT TO BE THE NEXT ANNITA RODDICK? THE UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND HATCHERY CAN HELP YOU! hen you leave the University A range of businesses are already of Sunderland you should be trading from The Hatchery in areas Wequipped with a first class ranging from e-business, media education and essential personal scriptwriting, a one-stop shop for and professional skills needed to enter The Hatchery offers all of the landlords, development of a employment. following FREE benefits: herbal-based allergy cream and a ceramics venture. Participation in any Hatchery activity • Office facilities will help you develop a more If you want to be involved in enterprise • Advice and support enterprising approach in everything at the university but you don’t have you do. What’s more, University of • Networking opportunities an existing business idea, The Sunderland students are offered the • Membership to a range of North Hatchery’s Virtual Membership also opportunity to develop a business idea East enterprise agencies offers many of the benefits outlined in the Hatchery’s FREE facilities for a use of the Hatchery’s extensive but without any pressure for setting period of up to 12 months. website for research and advertising up your own business. 18 November 2005 informnorth NAME: Reuben Jacob Abraham AGE: 34 COMPANY: Medusa Media BASED OR LIVES: Newcastle BUSINESS SECTOR/TYPE OF COMPANY: Community Film Production YEARS TRADING: 2 UNIQUE POINTS ABOUT YOU: I generate a lot of original and unusual ideas and concepts. WHO HAS HELPED YOU OR INSPIRED YOU MOST? Many people but no-one in particular. Film makers are too shallow! WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION HAS HELPED YOU? My Masters Degree in Media Production from Sunderland University has definitely helped me. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS TIME? Running a commercially viable business with a predictable revenue stream. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOME ONE WHO HAS AN IDEA THAT THEY WANT TO DEVELOP INTO A BUSINESS VENTURE? Firstly you should check the viability of your idea through thorough research and secondly develop a good network of friends who can help you, the Oldboy philosophy still applies.

ilm making entrepreneur Reuben Abraham is taking his business venture Medusa Media from strength to Fstrength having put in the hard graft he is now in a position to expand further a field - as far as India. 34 year old Reuben of Newcastle has been running his Getting AHEAD in Film business, a community film making company from Sunderland University’s business incubator scheme The Hatchery for three years and tells informnorth magazine about his journey. Reuben Abraham “I got the idea to make community based films from speaking to a friend of mine who happened to work in the police force good time management and by planning ahead. When one I know that it’s myself that is accountable for any failing, rather who suggested that there was a gap in the market for this and project is nearing an end you have to be on the look out for the than a manager who hasn’t done their job properly.” said a demand” said Reuben. next project. It can be a very lonely business, the fear of failure Reuben. “In the initial stages of starting my business, I received most of and survival is a very important issue.” So with the freedom to decide where to take his business, the advice from The Hatchery and an organisation called ABLE. On the bright side though there are always the positive aspects Reuben has set his sights on expanding into other areas, William Angawa at Sunderland University was a great source of of going it alone,“You don’t have to follow someone else’s “I’m Just about to expand from community based film making guidance and support. orders. You must be passionate about what you do. But if I fail into providing video support to news channels in India. “With regard to financial support I managed to secure funding from a variety of sources; Futures Fund at Sunderland University, Northern Cultural Skills Partnership, The Arts Council and Northern Film and Media.” explained Reuben. Should you require any further details about the Application process or have any other queries then On the subject of hard cash, Reuben cites securing some financial stability amongst some of the problems that may be please do not hesitate to contact: encountered when starting out in business alone. Dale Jarvis, “Financial problems are always there, I seek funding for each Recruitment Officer, separate project. It is difficult working alone but partnerships Sunderland Business School are problematic also, it is difficult to find someone who has Telephone: 0191 515 2319 the same vision as yourself. As a sole trader though you have to manage everything yourself, the accounts, marketing, clients Email: [email protected] etc. it’s non-stop. The only way to overcome this is through informnorth November 2005 19 What is Enterprise Week?

nterprise Week is a national Here in North East England, young people the concept of enterprise - reaching out celebration of enterprising people are the lifeblood of our economy and the to young people to make the idea of Eand a showcase for events to inspire workforce of tomorrow. A modern dynamic enterprise relevant and exciting. We want and encourage enterprise. It’s about economy needs a strong entrepreneurial them to be inspired to try out new ideas in their professional and personal lives.” promoting and recognising the importance base and one of the key priorities of One of enterprise to us all. Enterprise Week is NorthEast is to create a new The priority activities for North East a series of regionally organised events, entrepreneurial culture for the region. England have been... designed to give young people confidence • Primary School Enterprise Activity Dave Smith, Enterprise and Business and equip them with the skills to turn their Support Manager at One NorthEast says: • Secondary School Enterprise Activity dreams into reality. Everyone between the • Enterprise Clubs ages of 5 and 30 will be encouraged to “The importance of building the enterprise explore their ideas and aspirations. Last culture of our region can be demonstrated • Further Education year 158,000 people attended 1,172 in the many initiatives One NorthEast and • Influencing events across the country. This year, our partners are driving forward. Enterprise Enterprise week runs from 14 - 20 “The aim of this work is to inspire young • Celebration of November. people. We are committed to promoting Enterprise Inspirational Learning he fair trade and co-operative education project, Young UK, from Aberdeenshire in the North to Cornwall in the Co-operatives, is highlighting its new accredited South, in Northern Ireland and there is even a Welsh Tprogramme, Young Co-operatives Plus, at two events language-speaking young co-operative. on Thursday November the 17th, Social Enterprise Day. The new Young Co-operatives Plus programme leads to The Young Co-operatives In Action sessions take place from a Certificate in Co-operative and Fair Trade Enterprise, 11am-1pm at Summerhill Outdoor Activity Centre in Hartlepool accredited by Open College Network. Students have to show and from 4pm-6pm at Washington Wildfowl Centre, Tyne and an understanding of co-operative working and the co-operative Wear. movement’s history and principles. In addition they need to Members of local young co-operatives will be attending both identify the benefits of fair trade and provide evidence of the sessions and fair trade refreshments will also be available. business activities of their young co-operative. Young Co-operatives recently registered its 200th co-operative at Egglescliffe School in Tees Valley. Although started in Please email [email protected] to book Hartlepool, Young Co-operatives can now be found all over the places. MAKING A MARK THIS ENTERPRISE WEEK

oung Enterprise North East, one of the region’s longest Business & Enterprise College, where they will spend the day established enterprise education charities, will be busy designing and building a prototype rollercoaster and then Yduring this year’s Enterprise Week (14-20 November) learning how to launch a marketing campaign. The guest working in primary and secondary schools, special needs speaker for the day is children’s entertainer Ward Allen, who classes and colleges and universities encouraging our region’s will be sharing his life skills with the pupils. On 18th November youth to ‘start talking ideas’. YENE will deliver the same event for 180 children from 4 During Enterprise Week 2005 YENE will be out and about additional primary schools in Sunderland. in the region with its volunteers from regional businesses On Thursday 17th November, YENE will be involved in the delivering a range of initiatives, such as the launch of a new County Durham Stakeholder seminar at Ushaw College, Ushaw programme called Gimme 5! at Acklam Grange in Moor, Durham. In conjunction with County Durham Business Middlesbrough which allows the year 7 pupils to study 5 and Learning Partnership, several schools and delivery partners subjects around the themes of enterprise culture, ethics, equal will attend the seminar where one of the key topics will be opportunities and achieving your goals in short one hour bursts Enterprise education. across a six week period. In fact, the whole of Acklam Grange secondary school in “Enterprise Week will be a busy time for us, but we have Middlesbrough will get involved in YENE activities during programmes such as these running in schools and colleges Enterprise Week. 480 older children from years 8 to 11 will every week of the academic year. Last year alone we hosted have Project Business and Enterprise in Action sessions programmes for over 22,000 young people thanks to the delivered by volunteers from companies including PWC, Corus, ongoing support from local business volunteers,” said Catherine Dickinson Dees and Walker Hall Associates. Marchant, Chief Executive, Young Enterprise North East. On 16th November YENE will deliver a master class to 90 pupils from Barnes Primary School in Sunderland, at Thornhill For more information please call 0191 495 9500 20 November 2005 informnorth Click to win oung people from the North East will be snap-happy during the run up to this year’s National Enterprise YWeek. Those taking part in a new competition backed by One North East and Galaxy Radio will be using their mobile phones and cameras to photograph people they know and believe to be enterprising. The images will feature on an online gallery on the website of Galaxy Radio and will make up a stunning exhibition at The Gate entertainment complex in Newcastle on display from 14th -19th November. The competition gives young people aged between 12 and 25 the chance to win top prizes including four Pentax digital cameras and a professional photoshoot with awarding winning Sunderland-based photographer David Lawson. The Galaxy Radio campaign is fronted by Marcus Bentley the popular Geordie voice of Big Brother who highlights ENTERPRISE in EDUCATION the often unlikely routes into enterprise that people take. The innovative approach of the ‘Click to Win’ project is Local Heroes the brainchild of Meryl Dodd of Enterprise Kit and Kaboodle: ocal Heroes is a young people led project that will It is also anticipated that local heroes including past, “We wanted young people to realise that enterprise is work in Northumberland, Durham, Tyne and Wear present and even future role models will no doubt include not just about people in suits, but is something that is Land Tees Valley. The project is being launched at inventors, sportsmen and women, artists, musicians and all around us within our everyday lives. Quadrus, Boldon, South Tyneside during Enterprise local community champions who have changed bad From the plumber who employs local people, to the Week and will continue into March 2006. This is when the young people from each area will present a roadshow situations into good ones. The performers, and all those engineer who sets up his own business in Shiatsu involved will have fun and enjoy the development and massage, we can see the qualities of enterprise on event celebrating their local heroes, the events will be performed for their peers, parents and the local delivery of the roadshows, highlighting the impact of many of our region’s streets.” community. It is expected the roadshows will take a their local heroes. They will create informative The competition closes at midnight on Thursday 17th variety of forms with a diverse selection of heroes entertaining performances leaving their audience with a November 2005. Full competition instructions can be and mentors, all chosen and presented by the young greater knowledge and awareness of the achievements people taking part. found at www.galaxy1056.co.uk/enterprise of the people in the region. The roadshows will reinforce TEDCO Enterprise in Education will facilitate the activities everyone’s pride in their own community, raising and support all areas in the development of these events. aspirations by example, of the achievements of It is expected that the areas involved will highlight ordinary, everyday people, often just like ourselves. business success, job creation and regional economic development as main drivers of community For more information call 0191 428 3372 or transformation and regeneration. visit www.tedco.org/enterpriseineducation TAKING ENTERPRISE FURTHER

aul Campbell, CEO of the Amazing Group and Director of to be good at the day job too. It’s to be hoped that more still will the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, explains how ‘Future Entrepreneurs’ start to feel the pleasure (and avoid the pain) of starting a business, Pwill help further education (FE) students understand which, as I’ve learned over 16 years, is where the real fun begins.” entrepreneurship. “At school, no-one mentioned starting a business. So the ‘Future Entrepreneurs’ programme for FE students is designed After University, I spent ten years in the public sector. It was only to inspire, encourage and inform people whose chosen line of work gradually that reality dawned. I went from a year’s freelance contract, makes them more likely to be self-employed, or to start a business. to three months, to ‘I never want another contract’, to running my It combines inspirational meetings, where successful entrepreneurs own business: it took three years. Now, the concept of doing anything will recount their experiences, with online learning to provide practical but being an entrepreneur is unthinkable.” skills for the future. Already, in early planning, reaction has been “We’re hoping to speed the process up for the North East’s FE overwhelming and tantalising. It shows just how many people are students. Today, more people than ever will find themselves thinking about entrepreneurship in today’s North East. Do we have self-employed, as I did, struggling with the exigencies of VAT, tax, the lowest business start-up rate in the country? Yes...at the moment. raising invoices and remembering to do your expenses, whilst trying For more information please call: 0191 245 4444

For further information and details of events taking place please visit www.onenortheast.co.uk/page/enterpriseweek.cfm informnorth November 2005 21 A QUESTION OF IMAGINATION

Shell liveWIRE’s Peter Wilson, pictured at last years’ Enterprise Week promoting the ‘Get Ahead’ campaign

your product or service better than others Legal mat- legal issues that surround business activity, already available? ters although this might seem quite daunting Place - where will you be based, is this You to someone who is not from a legal the most accessible location for your background, you can’t afford to be casual customers? when it comes to contracts, however there Price - how much will you charge for your product or service and how does this is no need to be sent into a spinabout compare to your competitors? them. Again there are a lot of organisations Promotion - how will your customers find that can offer guidance in this area and out about you, and how can you attract many websites that can help. TEDCO are more customers? an organisation who recognise the Jon Miller of award-winning Advertising should find importance of providing the correct legal agency Ogilvy and Mather offers some out some- and commercial information for your advice on marketing, thing about the business needs, visit www.tedco.org for “Small businesses need to get themselves further information, www.bizdocs.co.uk out there, meeting customers, making is another good starting point. contacts, you just need to put the work in.” To gain a more comprehensive “You need to think about who your understanding of all the issues discussed customers are and what they do, what above, and to investigate further kind of places do they go to? Why would opportunities available to starting out they be looking for someone like you? in business, www.businesslink.gov.uk If you’re a painter and decorator your covers all aspects of running a business customers will probably be spending their and getting started. weekends in DIY superstores. Putting flyers There is a wealth of support, advice, in the car park would take you straight to and funding out there just waiting for the them.” Says Miller. perfect idea, so get scribbling and start You have to believe just how good your working towards your first billion. product is and project this to your potential customers, “Think from the point of view of the customer,” adds Miller. Make your product stand out from your competitors by being inventive, “Guerrilla marketing is a bit of a buzz word at the moment,” says Miller. “It’s Measuring and celebrating success about finding new and unexpected is what Enterprise Week is all about channels of communication. You still can’t beat the basics. The most basic thing of all,” says Jon, who also used to run his own business, “is personal contact. Never be afraid of meeting people or using the phone.” It’s not what you know… Getting your face known amongst the right circles, for the right reasons of course, and networking can be very advantageous to your business in both sourcing out new customers as well as opening new avenues of help and support. Women Into the Network is a great support network for small business that • www.starttalkingideas.org • www.startups.co.uk • have been created and developed by • www.shell-livewire.org/unlockyourpotential • females. They hold presentations which can • www.academyofenterprise.org • provide help in areas that you may know • www.onenortheast.co.uk • www.princes-trust.org.uk • little about and need to brush up on. • www.young-enterprise.org.uk • www.blue-skies.uk.com • • www.bplans.co.uk • www.businesslink.gov.uk • One Northeast is this regions Regional Development Agency and they will be • www.networkingwomen.co.uk, www.bized.ac.uk • able to put you in the direction of a whole • www.tedco.org • www.bizdocs.co.uk • range of advisors and networking • www.hmce.gov.uk • www.acas.org.uk • opportunities. 22 November 2005 informnorth

If you have sex without using a condom, you’re gambling on catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are 25 different STIs. 8 of them, including Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Syphilis, don’t always have obvious symptoms so you can pass them on without knowing. Worse still, 4 of them, while treatable, are incurable – Hepatitis B, Genital Herpes, Genital Warts and HIV. And it’s not just full sex that can land you with an STI. You can catch one from other kinds of contact - like with your mouth of from anal sex. The chances of picking up something in the Sex Lottery are surprisingly high - 1 in 9 people has had an STI. So the only way to make sure you’re safe is to use a condom. That way if you get lucky, you won’t get anything else.

Worried you’ve picked up something? Visit www.playingsafely.co.uk or call, free and confidentially, 0800 567 123. Rural crime LEADERSHIP scheme hailed success Organisers of an initiative set up to tackle rural Orientation crime said it has had a significant impact.Almost 300 farms in Derwentside have now signed up to the Farmwatch scheme, which started in July Do Don’t 2004 and looks at ways to prevent and detect crime. It encourages vigilance and communication between farmers and local • Constantly seek, share and • Avoid challenging work § police officers. Organisers said total theft adapt/adopt successful assignments or roles Leading had fallen by 11%, vehicle crime by 12.5% practices • Automatically reject, and robbery by 17.5%. Self • Be creative and intellectually ridicule or demean “out of curious the box” ideas Schools to be • Listen to ideas with an • Give up easily when faced fuelled on wood scraps open mind with obstacles or resistance Schools in County Durham are to be fuelled by • Use new learning to spur scrap wood in an effort to combat soaring oil innovation in other areas prices. Currently 284 council-controlled schools • Embrace challenges as use gas fired boilers.A further 29 use a mixture opportunities for creativity of oil, electricity and coal. County Council bosses • Take new ideas & suggestions admit switching to wood pellet-burning boilers to your leadership team will be expensive in the short term. But the • Recommend new ideas or authority says the running costs and long term contrasting points of view in environmental benefits “far outweigh” the individual or group settings outlay. § • Create a climate of creativity • Reject or diminish what is North East Businesswoman Leading and of learning through both “not invented here” wins Regional Business Award successes and mistakes • Depend only on ideas that The managing director of a North East company Others • Expect & encourage creativity, come from within GSK or which provides staffing on an outsourced basis intellectual curiosity and the pharmaceutical industry has scooped the regional title in a national goal- driven experimentation • Hold on to the status quo business competition. Sam Colquhoun of • Create systems and processes when better options exist Newcastle-based Right Hand HR Ltd won the that support ongoing change • Automatically reject new regional final of the National Business Awards and innovation ideas from unexpected Entrepreneur of the Year competition, earning • Set clear expectations & allow sources. her a place in the national final later this year. latitude in how they are met • Hesitate to consider • Experiment with and adopt innovative ideas and Artistic Ambitions “new ways of working” suggestions by others for Durham’s Skyline including new tools and because the result will be Plans for a new piece of public art in the form technology unknown of a giant steel bowl have been put before • Be willing and able to change • Punish good ideas or councillors in Durham.At more than 50 feet in your mind, even with things experiments that don’t work diameter, the ‘Sky Bowl’ would sit on top of an about which you feel strongly out as desired existing steep sided hillock between County • Drive continuous Hall and Durham City centre. improvement, streamline work and eliminate Northern Rock To Build New low- value or redundant £60m Complex On Wearside activities. Northern Rock is to build a new £60million office complex at a new business park in § • Adopt management tools & • Hold on to leadership styles Sunderland.The Newcastle based bank has and techniques that don’t Leading techniques that enhance your chosen Rainton Bridge in Sunderland as the ability to effectively lead work in GSK’s new, location for its new office development in a Functions virtual and geographically- innovative structures and move which could bring 3,5000 new jobs to dispersed teams ways of working Wearside.The complex should be available • Know your business area and • Hesitate to push for for occupation by mid 2007. its key competitors - their changes that will benefit weaknesses, strengths and the business Teesside Family Business business strategy • Wait for someone else to Pioneer Energy Saving Device • Champion breakthrough try it first A father and daughter team from Teesside are ideas and initiatives pioneering a device in the UK designed to • Invest in new ideas and ways reduce electricity consumption and bills. John of working Lane and his daughter, Melissa Hard, from Yarm, • Support and take bought the exclusive rights to sell ‘Electrisave’ well-calculated risks in the UK which displays in real-time how • Make positive use of tools much electricity is being used in pence per like: virtual teams, collabo hour and helps save the environment. More rative technology, strategic information can be found at alliances and partnerships www.electrisave.co.uk informnorth November 2005 25 NORTH EAST CAREERS ADVICE: COLLEGES - TYNE & WEAR: Stockton Riverside College Aim Higher - Tel:0800 587 8500 City of Sunderland College (CoVE Performing Arts) Tel:01642 865 400 www.aimhigher.ac.uk (CoVE ICT Networking) Stockton Sixth Form College Connexions County Durham Tel:0191 511 6000 www.citysun.ac.uk Tel:01642 612 611 www.stocktonsfc.ac.uk Tel:0191 384 9766 City of Sunderland College St Mary's RC Sixth Form College www.connexions-durham.org.uk (CoVE North East Contact Centre) Tel:01642 814 680 www.stmarys-sfc.ac.uk Connexions Northumberland Tel:0191 511 6800 www.citysun.ac.uk Teesside Tertiary College Tel:01670 798 180 Gateshead College (CoVE Autotronics) Tel:01642 275 000 www.ttc.ac.uk www.connexions-northumberland.org.uk (CoVE Business and Management) NORTH EAST UNIVERSITIES: Connexions Tees Valley - Tel:01642 601 600 Tel:0191 490 0300 www.gateshead.ac.uk University of Durham www.connexionsteesvalley.co.uk Gateshead Talmudical College Tel:0191 374 2000 www.dur.ac.uk Connexions Tyne & Wear Tel:0191 490 1717 Tel:0191 477 2616 University of Newcastle upon Tyne www.connexions-tw.co.uk Newcastle College (CoVE Culinary Tel:0191 222 6000 www.ncl.ac.uk Nextstep Durham Tel:01388 776 971 Excellence) University of Northumbria at Newcastle Nextstep Northnumberland Tel:0191 200 4065 www.ncl-coll.ac.uk Tel:0191 232 6002 www.northumbria.ac.uk Tel:0800 389 0639 Tyne Metropolitan College (CoVE Open University - Tel:0191 284 1611 Nextstep Tees Valley Tel:01642 358 099 Mechatronics) www.open.ac.uk Tel:0191 229 5000 www.tynemet.ac.uk Nextstep Tyne & Wear Tel:0800 073 0708 University of Sunderland - Tel:0191 515 Oakfield College Tel:0191 273 5558 University and college admissions service 2000 www.sunderland.ac.uk www.ucas.com South Tyneside College (CoVE Nautical) Tel:0191 427 3500 www.stc.ac.uk University of Teesside - Tel:01642 218 121 University of Durham Careers Advisory www.tees.ac.uk COLLEGE - TEES VALLEY AREA: Service - Tel:0191 334 1430 TRAINING ORGANISATIONS: www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice Askham Bryan College Tel:01287 633 870 www.askham-bryan.ac.uk Access Training Gateshead COLLEGES - COUNTY DURHAM: (CoVE Business and Management) Bishop Auckland College Bede College -Tees Valley Tel:0191 487 4454 Tel:01642 808 285 www.bede.ac.uk Tel:01388 443 000 www.bacoll.ac.uk Access Training Sunderland Derwentside College Cleveland College of Art and Design Tel:0191 565 3153 www.accesstraining.org Tel:01642 288 000 www.ccad.ac.uk Tel:01207 585 900 www.derwentside.ac.uk Assa Training and learning East Durham & Houghall Community Darlington College of Technology Tel:0191 417 7030 www.assaltd.co.uk College, Peterlee - Tel:0191 518 2000 (CoVE Media) Tel:01325 503 050 www.darlington.ac.uk Auckland Training Organisation www.edhcc.ac.uk Tel:01388 450 285 Hartlepool Sixth Form College East Durham & Houghall Community Bells Training - Tel:01642 756 510 College,Durham Tel:0191 375 4700 Tel:01429 294 444 www.hpoolsfc.ac.uk Hartlepool College of F.E. www.bellstraining.co.uk King James I Community College BL Hairdressing Training - Tel:0191 261 Tel:01388 603 388 (CoVE Technical and Design Engineering) Tel:01429 295 000 www.hartlepoolfe.ac.uk 9636 www.blhairdressing.co.uk New College Durham (CoVE Travel and Macmillan College CITB North East & Cumbria Tourism & CoVE Engineering Excellence) Tel:0191 516 3900 www.citb.co.uk Tel:0191 375 4000 www.newdur.ac.uk Tel:01642 244 144 www.macmillan-ctc.org.uk City Centre Training (Northern) Ltd COLLEGES - NORTHUMBERLAND: Middlesbrough College (CoVE Catering and Hospitality) Tel:01642 333 333 Tel:01642 651 100 Ashington Community High School www.middlesbro.ac.uk www.citycentretraining.com Sports College - Tel:01670 812 166 Carillion Construction Training www.ashingtonhigh.northumberland.sch.uk Prior Pursglove College Tel:01287 280 800 www.pursglove.ac.uk Tel:0191 296 1788 www.carillionplc.com Blyth Community College Disc Ltd - Tel:01388 424 450 Tel:01670 798 100 www.bcc.uk.com Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College Tel:01325 461 315 www.qeliz.ac.uk www.disc-vol.org.uk King Edward VI School - Tel:01670 515 415 First 4 Fitness - Tel:0191 487 0088 www.kevi.info/site/ Redcar and Cleveland College Tel:01642 473 132 www.cleveland.ac.uk www.first4fitness.co.uk Northumberland College (CoVE Contruction Crafts Training) Sedgefield Community College Hotel and Catering Training Company Tel:01670 841 200 www.northland.ac.uk Tel:01740 621 097 Tel:0191 256 7722 www.hctc.co.uk Kirkley Hall College - Tel:01661 860 808 Sheila Bruce Community Arts ITEC North East Ltd, Newton Acycliffe www.northland.ac.uk Tel:01429 264 976 Tel:01325 320 052 www.itecne.co.uk

A Spot light on reach (bringing together voluntary organisatio REACH’s aims are to recruit and support volunteers with voluntary roles in at least people with managerial, professional, 800 organisations.Through their unique business and technical experience and service, they play a valuable role in match them with part-time voluntary strengthening the voluntary sector. roles throughout the UK, as well as Organisation helping voluntary organisations gain access REACH has a small core of full-time staff to these potential volunteers and benefit and a much larger number of part-time fully from their expertise. volunteers who operate from the main REACH was founded in 1979 after Nick REACH has grown considerably over office in London.There is also an extensive Crace recognised the lack of opportunities the past twenty-five years and now caters network of REACH volunteers who for retired professionals and managers for a wide range of ages, skills and operate throughout the UK as area to use the skills and experience they had backgrounds.They have more than 3,500 managers, providing local advice to built up over many years to help opportunities on their database, and each voluntary organisations and potential worthwhile causes, founded. year can expect to match some 1,200 volunteers.

26 November 2005 informnorth ITEC North East Ltd, Gateshead ENTERPRISE AND BUSINESS START UP: www.graduates for business.co.uk Tel:0191 491 3316 Business Link - Tel:0845 6009 006 Graduates for growth ITEC North East Ltd, Middlesbrough www.businesslink.gov.uk www.graduates for growth.org.uk Tel:01642 232 550 Business Support Services North East www.graduates.northeast.ac.uk Tel:0191 3779888 www.a4e.co.uk JHP Training - Tel:01429 860 211 www.group.co.uk www.jhp-group.com East Durham Business Service www.prospects.ac.uk JTL Training - Tel:0800 085 2308 Tel:0191 586 3366 www.edbs.co.uk www.jtlimited.co.uk Enterprise Academy, Middlesbrough Q graduates - Tel:0191497 1922 www.qgroup.co.uk MCQ Limited - Tel:0191 265 3003 Football Club www.mcq.co.uk Tel:01642 873 803 www.mfc-ea.co.uk Shell Technology Enterprise Entrust - Tel:0191 244 4000 Programme(STEP) Milltech Sunderland - Tel:0191 510 0414 Tel:0870 036 5450 www.step.org.uk www.milltech.co.uk www.entrust.co.uk www.targetGRAD.com Neta Stockton (CoVE Engineering Inbiz, Stockton on Tees - Tel:01642 610 Construction) 610 www.inbizonline.co.uk www.thegraduate.co.uk Tel:01642 616 936 www.neta.co.uk Informnorth - the regions leading magazine Year in industry - Tel:0191 416 5656 for enterprise and change.Tel:0191 586 6010 North East Charmber of Commerce www.yini.org.uk Training Tel:0191 386 1133 North East Chamber of Commerce YOUTH SUPPORT: www.ne-cc.com/trainingnew (NECC) Tel:0191 386 1133 Fairbridge, Newcastle - Tel:0191 245 5422 www.ne-chamber.co.uk North East Employment Training Agency www.fairbridge.org.uk Ltd Tel:0191 497 5128 Sedgefield Borough Business Service The Prince’s Trust - Tel:0191 478 8488 Tel:01325 307 270 www.sbbs.org.uk Protocol Skills - Tel:01642 240 687 www.princes-trust.org.uk www.protocol-skills.co.uk Shell LiveWIRE - Tel:0191 261 5584 Duke of Edinburgh’s Award www.northeast.shell-livewire.org Tel:0191 270 3000 Seafood Training Centre - Tel:0191 296 www.theaward.org/northeast 1925 www.fishfillitingschool.co.uk Start Talking ideas campaign www.starttalkingideas.org Weston Spirit - Tel:0191 232 1322 SEMTA -Tel:01642 560 013 www.semta.org.uk www.westonspirit.org.uk Tedco - Tel:0191 428 3300 www.tedco.org S W Durham Training Ltd (CoVE Youth Organisation Council Advanced Engineering) Tel:01325 313 194 Teesdale Enterprise Agency - Tel:01833 696 Tel:0191 490 1900 www.yinet.org.uk www.swdurhamtraining.co.uk 600 www.teesdaleenterprise.co.uk VOLUNTARY WORK: Springboard Hartlepool - Tel:01429 287 075 Teesside University, Graduate Business Unit CSV Action Durham Millennium TDR Training Ltd - Tel:0191 491 1505 Tel:01642 384 2200 Volunteers Tel:0191 389 2947 www.tdrtraining.co.uk www.creativesattees.co.uk 3D Young People Community Support Teamwearside - Tel:0191 514 2799 The Prince's Trust - Tel:0191 478 8488 Project Tel:0191 383 4402 www.teamwearside.co.uk www.princes-trust.org.uk Hartlepool Volunteer Development Van Hee Training - Tel:0191 438 2512 North East Business and Innovation Agency Tel:01429 262 641 www.do-it.org.uk www.vanhee.co.uk/training Centre Tel:0191 516 6200 www.ne.bic.co.uk South Tyneside Youth Action Volunteers Tel:0191 454 8704 www.yav-st.org.uk Trinity Mirror Editorial Training University of Sunderland Hatchery Tel:0191 201 6043 www.trinintymirror.co.uk Tel:0191 515 3165 Stride youth team - Tel:0191 455 6680 www.stridenetwork.co.uk Stockton Borough Council - Training & www.thehatchery.sunderland.ac.uk Employment Services - Tel:01642 415 051 Young Enterprise North East BANKS: www.stockton.gov.uk Tel:0191 495 9500 Alliance and Leicester - 0800 587 0800 www.young-enterprise.org.uk TTE Management & Technical Training Barclays Business Start-up Specialists - (CoVE Process and Manufacturing Industry) GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES: 0845 602 4747 Tel:01642 462 266 www.tte.co.uk www.doctorjob.com HSBC - 0800 328 6942 VT Plus Training plc - Tel:01642 245 522 www.gapyear.com Lloyds TSB - 0800 056 0056 www.vtplc.com Gleam - Tel:0191 334 5725 Nat West - 0800 028 2677 Zodiac Training North East www.gleam.org.uk Royal Bank Scotland Business Start up - Tel:0845 330 8184 www.zodiactraining.co.uk Graduates for business - Tel:0191 244 4000 0800 783 9777 ons and volunteers with career skills)

Who can use REACH? • REACH volunteers contribute some 20 Any voluntary group offering benefit to million pounds’ worth of expertise a year the community can take advantage of the to the organisations they join. experience of our volunteers - it doesn’t • The REACH advice service helps and have to be a charity, although many are. guides more than 5,000 volunteers and They are proud to support a cross-section REACH’s main office: of the UK voluntary sector, from large voluntary organisations in a year. 89 Albert Embankment, national charities to small grass-roots Contact: London SE1 7TP community groups. If you are based in the North East and you Tel: 020 7582 6543 More facts and figures feel you could spare time to volunteer for Fax: 020 7582 2423 • On any one day about 3,000 REACH Reach, or your charity or community group Email: [email protected] volunteers are using their skills to benefit would benefit from help contact: For general information voluntary organisations. www.volwork.org.uk • The average age of a REACH volunteer is 48. Cyril Rickerby,Tel:0191 420 2739

informnorth November 2005 27 My rule of thumb is always to hire people who are cleverer than I am and then bask in the reflected glory of their“ successes ” A QUESTION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

National Enterprise Week is really just the start business we hope that it is the needs of our customers rather than the technology itself that of things as all of the activities and promotion has been our key focus. has one main goal - to raise the bar when it HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS AFFECTED JOB CREATION? In this region in the twenty-first century, it is the comes to acting as the catalyst for more wide- skills and knowledge of our employees that will spread entrepreneurial activity in the North East determine our success. The Leighton Group is one of the region’s major recruiters in disciplines such as computing, business and design. We are delighted with the quality and commitment of the people NAME: Paul Callaghan WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN who join us. We hire the brightest and the best AGE: 53 BUSINESS? Like most entrepreneurs I have always and they have made a major impact on our believed that I can create a business that will be business. I believe that if clever people are offered NAME OF COMPANY: The Leighton Group which successful in its chosen field. Since we began the opportunity of an interesting and rewarding operates throughout the world at the cutting edge Leighton I have know that if I work with the best career with a company that recognises their ability of new technology and currently has five companies people and understand our organisation and the they will develop and flourish. in the group: market in which we compete then we will develop WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WHEN EMBARKING • 4Projects a world class business. ON YOUR OWN BUSINESS? Like any business starting • Leighton WHAT OR WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU MOST IN YOUR from scratch we had all the internal challenges like • The Data Corp CAREER? There are numerous highly successful finance, staffing, technology and suitable premises as • The Communicator Corp entrepreneurs in the North East, many of them well as the external challenges such as the • Business Education Publishers. members with me in the Entrepreneurs Forum. They competition and the market. YEARS ESTABLISHED & TYPE OF BUSINESS: The consistently provide inspiration, encouragement, help WHAT OBSTACLES OR PROBLEMS DID YOU Leighton Group. First business established in 1979. and guidance. A company like Sage is an example EXPERIENCE IN YOUR FIRST YEAR AND HOW DID We are a technology, media and communications to all IT businesses in the North East as to what YOU OVERCOME THEM? Entrepreneurs when starting can be achieved with the right people, product group. a business invariably have to get involved in all and management. aspects of the business. It is very, very hard work. BASED OR LIVES? The Leighton Group is based in HOW HAVE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS GROWN? The As the business grows you can hire specialists to Sunderland with offices in London and Ontario, Leighton Group has grown by consistently seeking undertake each function in the business. My rule of Canada. I live in Durham City. innovative yet commercial products to develop and thumb is always to hire people who are cleverer STAFF NUMBERS: Collectively the group employs market. We always seek to put our customers first than I am and then bask in the reflected glory of about 100 people. and even though we are essentially a technology their successes. 28 November 2005 informnorth With great entrepreneurs, as with great actors and Olympians, their pre-emptive threat is quite often“ boredom”

DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS OR PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO ENTREPRENEURS? I do believe that entrepreneurs do have certain characteristics such as passion, self-belief, imagination, independence, tenacity and the willingness to take risks. While you can help people to be better, more effective entrepreneurs it is difficult to turn someone who doesn’t have those essential characteristics into an entrepreneur. I know all the rules of football and Enterprise Activity Leads I understand the tactics of the game but I’ll never play for England no matter how much coaching I get. to More Entrepreneurs HOW HAS WORKING FOR YOURSELF CHANGED YOU? Working for yourself makes you recognise the true “The most successful entrepreneurs think Well, they are you and I, just normal every value and importance of others. It’s a team game of their companies as a separate entity day people who thrive on the thought that and you will only succeed if you understand that. from themselves. It’s incongruous, but they can make a difference. They don’t they have a sense that if they have done actually possess anything different to what WHAT IS THE GREATEST ASSET THAT YOU OR YOUR their work well, the proof will be in their we do, they just use their capabilities to BUSINESS POSSESSES? No doubt about it - people. companies outgrowing, outpacing and the extreme and take risks in order to Committed, clever, innovative and creative people who eventually...outliving them.” Nancy achieve their dreams and ambitions. have a shared desire to be the best. Koehn, Harvard Business School. Whilst many of us feel that entrepreneurs WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF WORKING FOR We often hear the word entrepreneur fit a stereotypical role in society many YOURSELF AND WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF banded around. It’s not rocket science, studies have been carried out which WORKING FOR YOURSELF? If you are on your own it’s just a word used to describe many prove that they are often described by you call the shots and you carry the can. The way successful business people but most of their attributes. A classic set of to grow a business is to bring in fellow professionals us never think that we; entrepreneurial types was formulated who share the burden and so must necessarily share A) fit into that category or by Vesper (1980) as: the rewards. B) know the right attributes to warrant • Solo, self-employed individuals WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO being called one? • Team builders HAS AN IDEA THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP Here at informnorth we know from our • Independent Innovators INTO A BUSINESS VENTURE? Take a realistic view of many reader letters and feedback that • Pattern Multipliers your business idea and of your own capabilities. there are a lot of you out there, but with • Economy of scale exploiters Some people start the most unsustainable businesses. this title often comes modesty a trait that • Acquirers But if you believe you have a really good idea and our American counterparts have no • Conglomerators the talent and determination to follow it through, problem at all with. • Speculators then get off your bottom and go for it. Informnorth’s Jackie Marston looks into “With great entrepreneurs, as with great WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS TIME? what differentiates between the humble actors and Olympians, their pre-emptive In the North East of England with an successful worker and the budding entrepreneur. threat is quite often boredom, combined global technology business. Interestingly the word ‘entrepreneur’ with a deep desire for success and WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION HAS HELPED YOU comes with its French roots deriving from wanting to shake things up.” Warren THE MOST? Going to University has been the most the term ‘enterprise’. The German Bennis, University of Southern California. important part of my life. It opens your mind to equivalent term is ‘unternehmen’ meaning So where do we go from here? We new ideas, new ways of thinking and new people. ‘to undertake’ with the English version have the above attributes, the ability, the I would hope that as many people as possible can meaning ‘a person who undertakes risks’. determination and more importantly the get a university education. One of the weaknesses So who are these risk taking, enterprising idea that is going to set us up on the way of the region in the past is that we have not had undertakers then? And I don’t mean the to owning our own yacht, but who can we enough people getting to university. funeral directors out there! go to for help. informnorth November 2005 29 A QUESTION OF RECOGNITION NAME: Parviz Alizadeh (Ali) WHAT OBSTACLES OR PROBLEMS DID YOU EXPERIENCE IN YOUR FIRST YEAR AND AGE: 47 HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM? Trying to get my team members to visualise and practice my vision of the restaurant. This was overcome by taking the BUSINESS NAME: La Riviera opportunity at every turn to emphasise what we were all about, our goals WHERE ARE YOU BASED? We are based at Gateshead Quayside and I live at and the company vision. Washington, Tyne & Wear DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS OR PERSONALITY TRAITS BUSINESS SECTOR/TYPE? Restaurant THAT ARE UNIQUE TO ENTREPRENEURS? Yes of course there are, I think that most YEARS TRADING? 6 Years have broad vision, persistency and belief in your aims. WHAT FORM OF EDUCATION HAS HELPED YOU THE MOST? MBA from Durham HOW HAS WORKING FOR YOURSELF CHANGED YOU? I have no regrets, only lots University of experiences. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS? The love of food and lack WHAT IS THE GREATEST ASSET THAT YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS POSSESS? That has to be my team and seeing them work. of outstanding restaurants in the North East and the feeling you get when you see real customer delight whatever the service on offer may be. WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF WORKING FOR YOURSELF? The positive is the power to make a difference if you believe in it strongly, negatives HOW HAVE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS GROWN? I think the business has grown so haven’t discovered yet. well by means of truly adhering to our mission statement of “offering the best WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS AN IDEA THAT THEY food and service in the most relaxing and professional environment.” WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP INTO A BUSINESS VENTURE? Be your own worst critic HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS AFFECTED JOB CREATION? Creating full time and part and when convinced of the idea a hundred percent then go and convince others time employment for approximately 30 team members with high staff retention and don’t give up until you have sold the idea to anyone else involved one over last six years. hundred percent. And do it today and not tomorrow, otherwise it may never WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WHEN EMBARKING ON YOUR OWN BUSINESS? happen. At the outset it was difficult putting all of the finances in place and getting WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS TIME? As happy as I am now other supporters such as financiers to believe in what you believe in fully. whatever I am doing. SOMETHING a bit SPECIAL

Always a Great Time Swallow Hotel Newcastle Gateshead Situated in the heart of Gateshead, the Hotel is only 3 miles from the A1(M), 1 mile from Newcastle central station and 6 miles from Newcastle Airport, making the hotel the ideal venue for conferences or product launches - in fact all your business requirements.

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30 November 2005 informnorth EuropeanEuropean eMarketplaceseMarketplaces

What are they? Where are they? The NorthEast Euro Info Centre is the English National Contact Point for the eMarket Services project which assists SMEs to understand and operate in global eMarketplaces. EIC Manager Graham Wilson explains why the project is particularly relevant for the EIC network’s SME clients.

he eMarket Services portal provides But what exactly is an eMarketplace? knowledge and information about E-marketplaces can be described as virtual Te-marketplaces in different industries online markets where buyers, suppliers, and business clusters all over the world. distributors and sellers find and exchange The aim is to make it easier for companies to information, conduct trade, and collaborate use e-marketplaces for international business. with each other via an aggregation of The following services are offered free of information portals, trading exchanges charge on the portal to help companies: and collaboration tools. • A directory of e-marketplaces around The number of eMarketplaces currently the world. SMEs can search in the operating globally is in the hundreds and covers many sectors. The eMarket Services database by industry and location for Directory is worth taking a look at e-marketplaces that might be suitable because there could be for their business. European and global business • Case studies on companies opportunities available now with practical experience of using for regional SMEs. e-marketplaces. • Industry reports on the use of e-marketplaces in a particular industry. • Basic information and reports on NorthEast Euro Info Centre, Gateshead International Business Centre, e-marketplaces and different E-Business Mulgrave Terrace, Gateshead, issues. Tyne & Wear NE8 1AN Tel:0191 490 9200 • Free newsletter with the latest cases and email: [email protected] articles. www.northeasteic.com

The eMarket Services portal is at www.emarketservices.com PositivePositive AboutAbout tudents in Tees Valley were given the opportunity to get ‘interactive’ Sat the 4th Annual Aimhigher Student Conference. Following the success Pyramids! of events held in previous years, the Pyramids! conference was repeated over two successive days to allow even more Year 13 students to participate. On 26th and 27th September 2005 at University of Durham, Queens Campus over 150 students attended from colleges across the Tees Valley. The interactive event included dramatised presentations from the Cragrats Theatre Company and saw the young people learning some valuable teamwork skills through taking part in a challenge to build a 4m x 4m tetrahedron from nothing more than canes and elastic bands! Students also had the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops including thinking skills, multiple intelligences, positive personal development and leadership skills. Student Associatesaimhigher Inspire Success f there’s one thing designed to motivate us all, as inspirational role models for young people. The achieve and answer questions about how to get it’s seeing someone we can relate to achieving undergraduates are selected from courses for which there.’ Itheir goals. The Aimhigher Student Associate it is traditionally more difficult to recruit teaching Katy Archer, an undergraduate at the University scheme was set up to provide that opportunity to staff in schools. These include Maths, IT, Science, of Teesside on the BSC (Hons) Applied Science and 100’s of pupils in the Region’s schools. The pilot has Modern Foreign Languages and Design & Forensic Investigations degree was placed at proved to be so successful over the past two years, it Technology. Gillbrook Secondary School last term. Her specialist has received funding for an extra year of delivery The undergraduates are given 2 day’s training project was designing lesson plans for Year 10 up to July 2006. and are supported by their university co-ordinator pupils on how applied science relates to everyday Each year, 200 ‘first generation’ undergraduates - during a 15 day school placement. As Student life and careers. The Head of Science at the school that is, students who do not have parents with Associates, they work within the classroom on a provided a lot of help and support and enabled higher education backgrounds - are recruited to act one to one, group or class basis and have to Katy to gain an understanding of different learning undertake a specialist project. styles and teaching methods used in secondary The scheme has proved popular schools. NORTHEEA with pupils and the feedback so Katy was keen to become involved with the Student far has been positive. Of those Associate Pilot as she is considering teaching herself pupils asked, the majority said when she graduates. She praised the University they had learnt a lot about higher education and more staff for the support and the training she was given now felt that they could see and feels this scheme is especially important in themselves fitting in to university promoting higher education to those who would life. not normally consider it. The teachers questioned certainly The North East pilot is run in conjunction with enjoyed having the help and the Teacher Training Agency and is delivered by support of the Student Associates Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside and many commented positively Universities. Aimhigher North East provides about the role they played: ‘A support for the scheme and evaluates the impact. fresh outlook on the world of For further information on the Student Associates education was provided. The Schemes please visit the Teacher Training Agency Associate was able to talk to web site www.tda.gov.uk or contact Claire pupils about what they want to Smiles-Harrison on 0191 516 4405. 32 November 2005 COinformnorthL Find New Pathways to HE ew Pathways provides careers software, youth work emerged as his guidance to support adults strongest area of interest. As a result of the NprogressingSTUDENTS into Higher Education. advice, he has begun voluntary work as a In the first 7 months of the project, from mentor attached to a local youth group. January to July 2005, 291 people He is now enrolled on Higher Education received help from fully qualified advisers Foundation Programme and aims to funded by Aimhigher. The project focuses progress towards a BA (Hons) in Youth and on people with at least an NVQ level 2 Community Work. qualification who have not previously If you or someone you know would like to been able to access support. see an adviser, call for an appointment on With the help of an adviser, Joe, a support 0800 073 0708. Advice sessions are free worker with a local learning provider, has and confidential. started a Higher Education Foundation For more information about this Programme, aiming to fulfil his ambition project, or the other services offered of studying for a degree in History. His by New Pathways contact Marie Brett adviser will support him through every step on 0191 245 3466 or e.mail of the process until he begins his degree [email protected] course. Yasmin, now ready to return to the labour market after bringing up 2 children, has worked with an adviser to explore and gain relevant voluntary work experience and complete her UCAS application for midwifery. She had found the application process confusing and would have given up without the adviser’s support and encouragement. Parents Greg was a financial adviser looking for a career change. After in-depth guidance Parents using Adult Directions career-matching Parents Aimhigher North East Parents stand For Success Shona Paul, Regional Director stand For Success Email: [email protected] Claire Smiles-Harrison, Summer School Co-ordinator Email: [email protected] t was standing room only when parents their sons and daughters receiving Tel: 0191 516 4405 and students met with Aimhigher and certificates for their achievements. Aimhigher Northumberland IHE representatives recently. Over 450 The key purpose of both evenings was Mark Stutt, Project Manager attended Celebration Events at Sunderland to highlight the great potential of the Email: [email protected] AST University and Collingwood College students. Their achievements on the Tel: 01670 841 200 ext. 535 EDurhammplo which were designed to engage y Summer Activities confirmed that they Aimhigher Tyne and Wear and inform the parents of the students who were the undergraduates of the future and took part in the Year 10 Aimhigher County Sarah Turnbull, Aimhigher Co-ordinator it was clear from their presentations that Email: [email protected] Durham Summer Activities Programme. the experience had given many students Tel: 0191 516 4405 In addition to representation from the confidence and the motivation to aim Sunderland and Durham Universities, higher. Aimhigher Tees Valley Pauline Lynn, Aimhigher Lead Co-ordinator senior staff from New College Durham, The response from parents was Email: [email protected] East Durham and Houghall Community overwhelmingly positive, both in terms of College, Trinity College Oxford, King’s their willingness to attend the events and Tel: 01642 296610 College Cambrigdge and Edinburgh their comments immediately afterwards. Aimhigher County Durham University all welcomed the opportunity The engagement of significant numbers of Peter Phipps, Project Director to present certificates, meet parents and parents is crucial to the development of a Email: [email protected] support the partnership links which have culture of success, of which progression to Tel: 0191 3707812 been established with Aimhigher in County Higher Education is an integral feature. Durham. For more information about the events Those attending enjoyed a DVD featuring or any of the Aimhigher activities in clips of the various activities - some highly County Durham contact Peter Phipps, entertaining! - listened to presentations Project Director - from the students and were proud to see [email protected] LLEGEinformnorth November 2005 33 Room to grow YOUR Business as Design Works expands with Craftworks 11 New office expansion

0191 423 6200

Design Works can also offer tenants reception service, meeting rooms, on site café and secretarial services at very competitive prices and business support via parent company Project North East. Access to the centre is excellent via local road networks, situated close to the Felling Bypass for excellent links to the A19 and A1(M). Two metro stations are in very close proximity and excellent bus links are available at Heworth Interchange. Find out for yourself, we are welcoming viewings by prior arrangement. Features include: 24 hour access Easy in-easy out letting terms raftworks II will be the latest addition Fast broadband internet access to the Design Works site, and will add Offices from 200 -1500 sq ft Canother block of offices to the popular Gateshead serviced office centre. Central heating Disabled access Construction work began in 2004 and will NACOSS/ACPO approved be complete and ready for first occupation Security systems in June 2005. Creating 26 offices over two floors and 16000 sq ft (1500 sq metres), Modern, spacious environment Craftworks II can offer every company the Landscaped grounds ideal office solution. All offices are available Business Support with 24hr access, broadband internet, security Ample FREE car parking systems, disabled access and intercom entry systems. Rental terms operate on a monthly, For further information call Julie Brannigan at Design Works today on 0191 4236200 easy in-easy out agreement. or e-mail [email protected] Enterprise magazine tries to be more ‘enterprising’ A QUESTION OF The Newcastle Chronicle and Journal (NCJ), part of the Trinity Mirror print empire, is to rebrand and relaunch its Enterprise magazine. ENTREPRENEURSHIP Formerly The Journal Business Magazine, the publication received over £150k of public funding in 2002 when it was last relaunched CLUNY creates a STIR and the change comes on the heels of the group closing its Team Valley operation and a staff restructure at their regional head offices NAME: Rachel Scott there is no one ‘skill set’ most entrepremeurs possess at Thomson House, Newcastle. AGE: 51 in particular determination, confidence and creativity. Meanwhile Business Contact Magazine, which BUSINESS NAME: Cluny Kitchen HOW HAS WORKING FOR YOURSELF CHANGED YOU? was formerly produced by leading independent I’m in control of my life and my future. specialists Cameron Publishing who have TYPE OF BUSINESS: Catering declined to renew their contract for the NUMBER OF YEARS TRADING: Since 1979 as a self WHAT IS THE GREATEST ASSET THAT YOU OR YOUR magazine, is to be produced by NCJ on employed person, but three years at the Cluny Kitchen BUSINESS POSSES? Personal freedom. Although I am behalf of the Chamber of Commerce. tied to the business I have lots of freedom to make Rumours that the two publications will be STAFF NUMBERS: We have a team made up of 12 life choices and decisions. amalgamated in the search for a successful part time staff title and be propped up with further public BASED OR LIVES? Ouseburn Valley WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF funding and will be called ‘Compromise’ are WORKING FOR YOURSELF? The positive aspects are WHO INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS? to be substantiated. enjoying the freedom and My dad inspired to run my own business, he was my Research Looks Into real inspiration as he was also self employed and my being in control of my North East Corporate personal tutor Derek Dalton gave me the confidence own destiny. A negative Social Responsibility to forge ahead in my career. aspect is that I can’t A region-wide study will look into the level really take time off and of support businesses are offering to charities WHAT HAS INSPIRED YOU MOST IN YOUR CAREER? My and community groups in the North East. be ill! My dad taught me Fine Art degree helped by giving me more confidence This includes secondment, volunteers, pro and experience that if you are self employed bono work, donation of products, matched then you’re never ill. Also all employee fundraising, or grants/donations. HOW HAVE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS GROWN? I’m in of the paperwork is a grind, The results of this research will bring a tune with my customers, I believe that I know what I’m an unpaid tax number of benefits, including reducing the they want and I respond accordingly. number of inappropriate requests for collector - like many self HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS AFFECTED JOB CREATION? support from voluntary organisations. employed business people! I have been able to create jobs and I intend to WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU British Tourism continue to do so as the business grows. Figures Underestimated WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WHEN EMBARKING GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS British tourism is worth £81.5bn, not £75bn ON YOUR OWN BUSINESS? There were many AN IDEA THAT THEY WOULD as previously thought, according to figures challenges that I faced along the way but I just LIKE TO DEVELOP INTO A BUSI- from the British Hospitality Association.The greatest spend is on eating out, valued at went for it and took them all on willingly. NESS VENTURE? Without any £20.1bn, followed by drinking out of home, doubts you have to go for it - WHAT OBSTACLES OR PROBLEMS DID YOU EXPERIENCE valued at £15.9bn. Business related IN YOUR FIRST YEAR AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME you have to have self confidence expenditure is estimated at just over £10bn. THEM? These were mainly financial problems, cash and not let anyone put you off. There is no room for negativity but Boxing Clever flow and such like. When I originally went self Two former market traders have gone into employed many years ago there wasn’t the financial seek lots of advice and speak to the boxing business, having spotted a niche in support networks that are available to people today pople that may have been in a similar the market for storage solutions for both the so it was very difficult. The way I overcame this position or line of business to the one home and in business. Business duo Graeme problem was to work all the hours that god sent! you are interested.. Reid, 45, and Derek Henderson, 43, from South Shields are now regional suppliers of DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN Stack n Store and provide homes and CHARACTERISTICS OR PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT ARE FIVE YEARS TIME? Living in businesses throughout Tyne and Wear with UNIQUE TO ENTREPRENEURS? Yes, I believe that whilst Ibiza selling my art work! fifteen different colours, shapes and sizes. Secret Worlds - STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE The Universe Within View the Milky Way at 10 million light years REGIONS LEADING MAGAZINE from the Earth.Then move through space zooming ever closer towards Earth until you reach a tall oak in Florida.The adventure FOR ENTERPRISE AND CHANGE doesn’t end there though, move from the we are now online at actual size of a leaf into a microscopic world that reveals leaf cell walls, the cell nucleus, chromatin, DNA and finally, into the informnorth.com subatomic universe of electrons and protons. visit: http://tinyurl.com/bn7nu informnorth November 2005 35 Fast Track For Enterprises A three day conference aimed at fast-tracking some of the regions social enterprises will take Do YOU need a Buddy to help place from Monday 14th-Wednesday 16th at the Assembly Rooms in Newcastle.The event is backed by the European Equal Project and will you achieve YOUR goals? be addressed by Stephen Hughes MEP. Workshops will outline the North Easts Inspire edgefield Borough Training and Employment Services has benefited programme which replicates successful ideas in from SRB support from Sedgefield social enterprise. For more information or to S Competitiveness Partnership for two book a free place contact James Lowe on initiatives. 0191 2704565 or visit www.nesep.co.uk. Sedgefield Borough Training and Council Language Employment Services provides training to young people and unemployed adults Service ‘underused’ in South Durham. It holds both LSC A language service for non-English speakers and Jobcentre Plus contracts to provide is being underused in Darlington. Darlington training in construction, engineering, Jeanie Crawford (second from left) assisting a Council subscribes to Language Line, a system business administration and foundation group of learners in completing application forms which connects a translator directly to a programmes. council staff member who is trying to The foundation programmes, E2E communicate with a non national. Don Bristow, and Basic Employability Training, are Darlington Council’s Cabinet Member for introduction of the ‘GOALS’ designed to help those disengaged motivational programme, especially Resources said:“The service remains underused from the labour market into sustained and the Council is keen to improve take-up of designed to increase learners’ employment. Many of the learners on confidence and self esteem levels. the service.” foundation training lack the Basic Skills GOALS reinforces the positives; the and the Soft Skills required by employers. abilities and strengths that everyone Digital Sector Suffering Our task as training provider is to has inside them and helps the individual Huge Losses Due To Skills Gap identify and overcome each learner’s overcome negative beliefs they may North East digital technology companies have barriers to employment, whatever they hold about employment opportunities, everyday life and their own capabilities. lost out on millions of pounds of business due may be: lack of work experience and occupational skills; poor motivation It also provides the learners with the to a lack of appropriate employee skills, tools to self-motivate themselves in the according to a new survey published yesterday. and low self-esteem; housing and debt future. The study - Skills for Growth - revealed that problems; alcohol and drugs issues. Working in partnership with Shildon 60% of companies surveyed had lost work By tackling these barriers the learner and Darlington Training and Auckland because their workforce did not possess the has an increased chance of staying Training Organisation, we brought in right skills to fulfil a contract or tender. on the programme and considerably a company called Motivational Systems increasing their chances of gaining to provide a six-day Train the Trainer A Career in the qualifications and a job. To assist in course in GOALS delivery. A course Voluntary Sector? tackling these issues Sedgefield Borough much enjoyed by the six staff who Training and Employment Services has Ever wondered what working in the voluntary undertook the training! introduced two initiatives to complement sector is all about? There are many our services, which are designed to Sedgefield Borough Training has now organisations from large national charities to boost learners’ confidence and give delivered GOALS training across the small voluntary groups that make up this ‘not them the additional support they need range of programmes it provides. From for profit’ sector.With 500,000 paid staff as they seek employment opportunities. the first two sessions delivered seven (2.2% of all UK employees) and 3 million long-term unemployed adult learners unpaid workers giving their time and skills as First on stream was our ‘Buddy’ system; gained employment within a few weeks. volunteers. For more information visit employing a dedicated IAG member The majority of learners have commented of staff, Jeanie Crawford, as our Learner www.onevoice.co.uk that they now have a renewed Support Officer. Jeanie provides the confidence in their own capabilities additional support that many of our Food Skills Centres Could and a determination to get a job and foundation learners require. Learners come off Job Seekers Allowance. Open Within A Year requiring additional support are placed New centres of excellence for skills in food and in either amber or red zones. Those in By providing our learners with the drink manufacturing could be established in the amber receive a weekly meeting with additional support of the GOALS North East within a year if a bid by the food Jeanie, those in red a daily check up and Buddy programme we have seen and drink sector skills council is approved. with close monitoring of their progress. a decrease in the number of early leavers from their training programmes Improve has submitted a bid to the government This additional support has cut down for approval to set up a multi-million National and an increase in learners gaining our numbers of early leavers across qualifications and employment. Skills Academy, which could turnover £1.3 our programmes. With financial support billion, and employ 30,000 people. for interview clothing and personal SEDGEFIELD grooming products, Jeanie has been COMPETITIVENESS PARTNERSHIP New PNE Workspace Opened a great help in getting our foundation The Deputy Governor of the Bank of England learners into employment. She has For more information on the GOALS made a special visit to the North East this worked with over 100 learners since and the Buddy initiatives contact week to open new multi-million pound starting in July 2004. Retention rates Chris Donaghy, Sedgefield Borough have risen from 65% to 80% and job workspace for businesses in Gateshead. Training and Employment Services on: entry figures have risen by between Member of the Monetary Policy Committee, 01388 810111 or email: 5% and 10% in the same period. Rachel Lomax opened 12,500 square feet of [email protected] state-of-the-art office space at Project North The second initiative has been the East’s Design Works complex in Felling. 36 November 2005 informnorth could YOU be Success is just a mouse click away, as September saw the launch of South Tyneside’s new parental campaign website

imed at promoting the campaign which created lots of Jo McShane, South Tyneside’s benefits of Higher interest and has been responsible Aimhigher Manager said ‘The site AEducation to parents, the for over 80,000 hits on the is just the latest development in new website has been designed website. what is an important three-year to invite parents and carers to The campaign is being rolled out campaign that is designed and aimed specifically at raising specially designed events at in partnership with Northumbria, community aspirations. We are Sunderland and Northumbria Sunderland and Durham Universities and to provide a trialing a number of information Universities, Newcastle and portal to other sources of systems and we’re confident that Sunderland LEAs and Connexions. the site will increase our imapct supportive information. It also Jo McShane Aimhigher Manager, South Tyneside incorporates information on some Further developments are and move the project forward’. of the positive findings from the planned for the site and these To find out more or for further national evaluation of Aimhigher include information on UCAS information, go to: in 2005. applications, Frequently Asked www.st19.net/howproud The site is hosted by ST:19, South Questions and profiles of both Tyneside’s 14-19 partnership, in parents and carers who have order to capitalise on the success successfully supported their child’s of their recent advertising aspirations of progressing to HE.

informnorth November 2005 37 Your Investment for Life

SUNDERLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL It’s hard to know where you want to be in three or four years time but after studying at Sunderland University you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ll be well prepared for progression afterwards. 93% of our students get a job or go on to study a postgraduate course within 6 months of graduating. Sample Student Life at Sunderland... Have you ever wondered what it would really be like attending University lectures? We can help by giving you the opportunity to sit through a first year lecture and take a tour of the campus. You will also have the chance to voice any questions you might have about the application process and we can guide you in the right direction for further information on funding and finance. We’re sure that your fears will subside once you have seen for yourself our state-of-the-art facilities and experience the friendly working atmosphere.

Business and Management Law • BA (Hons) Business and Management • LLB (Bachelor of Laws) (Generic) Psychology • BA (Hons) Business and Management • BSc (Hons) Psychology • Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Managing the Business) (conversion course) • BA (Hons) Business and Management Postgraduate (Financial Management) • Master of Business Studies • BA (Hons) Business and Management • MA International Management (Enterprise Management) • MA Marketing • BA (Hons) Business and Management • LLM Criminal Justice • LLM International Law (Human Resource Management) • MSc Human Resource Management • BA (Hons) Business and Management • MSc Applied Psychological Research (Marketing Management) • Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Contact the Recruitment Office for further advice: Dale Jarvis: 0191 515 2319 Fax: 0191 515 2338 E-mail: [email protected] Surf: www.sunderland.ac.uk TALE of two A QUESTION OF CITIES ENTREPRENEURSHIP

NAME: Bill Oldfield writing but working closely with the likes of Business Link and closely managed finances along with a flexibility AGE: 49 is partially training and I would recommend it to anyone regarding the initial business plan. starting their own business. BUSINESS NAME: Oldfields DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS Restaurants HOW HAVE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS GROWN? The business OR PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO has grown from a single small 40 ‘cover’ restaurant in the ENTREPRENEURS? Probably tenacity, toughness to keep YEARS ESTABLISHED: First dales market town of Barnard Castle, via a second similar going when it’s bloody difficult, an ability to learn from established in 1997 restaurant in Darlington, to the current two restaurants in your mistakes and a very strong desire to go on and STAFF NUMBERS? Newcastle and Durham with over 200 covers between succeed. Approximately 40 them. I’ve grown at the same time in a way that I HOW HAS WORKING FOR YOURSELF CHANGED YOU? I’m employees across our could never have done as a corporate engineer. much more confident and happy - if not a little more two restaurants. HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS AFFECTED JOB CREATION? We difficult to live with! BASED OR LIVES? Durham employ over 40 staff in two buildings we’ve converted WHAT IS THE GREATEST ASSET THAT YOU OR YOUR WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU from low employment uses and provide a very high level BUSINESS POSSESSES? Staff, without any doubt, and we TO START YOUR OWN of training (both in-house and remote) to permanent have some of the best in the North East, particularly BUSINESS? I hated corporate employees and even those that might only be with us those that sign up to the vision and live together. business and working for for a limited time - such as university students - thus WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF others but was always fascinated by the hospitality contributing to the job pool and market in a number ways. WORKING FOR YOURSELF? Positive - freedom and self industry, its service ethic and of course, the food. worth. Negative - it becomes all consuming so I become WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WHEN EMBARKING ON a bore and difficult to live with! I believed I could do it better than most! YOUR OWN BUSINESS? It’s lonely, there are no WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS WHAT OR WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU MOST IN YOUR CAREER? colleagues to talk to and 95% of all new independent AN IDEA THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP INTO A Inspiration has usually come from others who are passionate restaurants go bust in there first three years. BUSINESS VENTURE? Just do it. You’ve only one life. But about their own line of work - living for work rather than WHAT OBSTACLES OR PROBLEMS DID YOU EXPERIENCE IN think it through as businesses succeed because of brains just working to live - and other restaurateurs who’ve YOUR FIRST YEAR AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM? as well as hard work. demonstrated leadership and individuality within our industry. Being under-capitalised is a common nightmare. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS TIME? Still WHAT ADDITIONAL TRAINING OR EDUCATION HAS HELPED Continuously talking to a friendly, understanding bank having as much fun as now with greater success but still YOU? My MBA gave me confidence in decision making and manager is essential - he doesn’t want you to go bust - the same or similar team.

informnorth November 2005 39 A QUESTION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOBS the Business maintain close links with them. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS AFFECTED JOB CREATION? HAS AN IDEA THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP BOBS has created three new jobs since we opened INTO A BUSINESS VENTURE? It’s always a little presumptuous to give someone advice, especially so our doors five months ago and wee hope to employ early at this stage in my career, but I would have a further two before the end of the first financial to say that it is important that you ensure that year. there is market for your product and get to know WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WHEN EMBARKING your customers as fully as you can. Take what ever ON YOUR OWN BUSINESS? Whilst still in the position professional advice you get, be prepared to follow of Operations Director for Bretts I had to set up the your own gut instincts and make sure you have bags Brett Oils Business Services Limited to enable us to of determination. Make it clear from the outset if become an authorised distributor for Fuchs Lubricants you want to become a sole trader, or a limited company etc. Ensure the advice given is the right PLC in the North East of England. That was quite advice for your circumstances and is right for you. tricky juggling the two positions, but like anything if You’re the person at the end of the day that will be you want it bad enough you find away round the taking the risks. problems. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS TIME? WHAT OBSTACLES OR PROBLEMS ARE YOU I’d like to be in a position to fully prove the EXPERIENCING IN YOUR FIRST YEAR AND HOW ARE concept that we can go on to become a fluid YOU OVERCOMING THEM? The main problem primarily management company rather than simply supplying has been the red tape! All the documentation needed NAME: Alistair Dawson Hain lubricants. I’d like to open several outlets with the to become a business before you can commence area and have very close ties with our clients and AGE: 47 trading is a nightmare. Also, negotiating the contract customers so that we can provide the expertise BUSINESS NAME: Brett Oils Business Services Limited with Fuchs was incredibly time consuming and we required where it is required. (BOBS) had to be very thorough and although we got there in the end, sometimes the pressure at times, was BUSINESS SECTOR OR TYPE? We are a Specialist COMPETITION WINNERS Lubricant supplier to the business and retail sector enormous. BASED OR LIVES? Whitley Bay DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN The winners of the informnorth CHARACTERISTICS OR PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT ARE ‘Sales on a Beermat’ book WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION HAS HELPED YOU UNIQUE TO ENTREPRENEURS? I think that it is THE MOST? I know it’s a cliche but really, life! competition from the last issue are: important that you should have self belief more than YEARS TRADING? Five months anything else! It’s also good if you possess confidence John Blakey - Amble Development EMPLOYEES: A staff of 7 and a whole lot of imagination, drive and of course, Trust, Northumberland, WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN the ambition that is always needed in order to go BUSINESS? My brother Ron Hain who in a way was on and succeed. Chris Bailey - Sunderland, forced into starting his own business and who sadly HOW HAS WORKING FOR YOURSELF CHANGED YOU? Sarah Lane - Abacus Media, died a couple of years ago. He had shown a lot of Well I don’t have much time for myself anymore, but Jim Thompson - Newcastle City courage in the way that he had faced up to his I’m finding that a lot of the benefits are rewarding Council, illness and I took inspiration from him and his and far outweigh the negatives. Shaun Stephenson - Entrust, strength. WHAT IS THE GREATEST ASSET THAT YOU OR YOUR Caroline Furguson - Acumen WHAT OR WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU MOST IN YOUR BUSINESS POSSESSES? Staff, without a shadow of Community Development Trust, CAREER? Primarily Mike Brett as we share the same doubt. Without the loyal, experienced and trustworthy values and of course, my wife Shelagh has been a staff we employ then our business would not be Roger Coathup - Regional Technology great inspiration. anywhere near as successful or operating at the Centre, Sunderland rate we are now. HOW HAVE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS GROWN? We are Julie Brannigan - Design Works, WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF still just a very small company, being only five or Steve Cook - GlaxoSmithKline, WORKING FOR YOURSELF? Positive - Great deal more six months old at the moment we feel like we have freedom to make decisions and really determine your Sonia Graham - Ace Services. grown quite enough within our 1st year. We have own destiny and being self employed has given me a grown from four to seven staff in five months which chance to get to know a lot of our customers as I Sales on a Beermat is published by has far exceeded our expectations. Primarily the really enjoy that side of the business. The negatives Random House Business Book at growth has been down to increasing our product include time management, having to negotiate very £14.99 and the authors are Mike range and offering exceptional service to our hard to enable the cash flow to be competitive and Southon and Chris West. customers whilst at the same time striving to the thought sometimes that the buck stops with you. 40 November 2005 informnorth “I found the right job”

“With help from Aimhigh I was able to fill in complicated application forms”

“I found the confidence to learn new skills”

“I learned the skills I needed to be able to improve my job prospects”

If we can, you can. Telephone: 0191 527 9181 ‘Setting the Standard’ A County Durham Tourism Skills Partnership

he expectations of tourists are Room For Improvement, One Day All of this is available for a partnership fee getting higher. People demand more. DDA Awareness, Presentation and of £70 per business. (fee subsidised until TTourism-related businesses are under Communication Skills, Merchandising March 31st 2006). You and your staff will increasing financial pressure. Competition To Maximise Profit and Maximising Sales have one-stop access to the Durham is stronger. Through Service. Tourism Skills Centre who work alongside Durham Tourism Skills Centre aims to With funding from One NorthEast and Business Link account managers, tourism help businesses meet these challenges. support from many of the region’s leading officers, careers advisors and those supporting the unemployed. Tourism is a ‘people’ business. That’s why public and private bodies, DTSC is Can you afford NOT to become a there has to be a highly skilled tourism available to all businesses involved in Partner? workforce. The Durham Tourism Skills the tourism industry. DTSC gives businesses an ideal platform to move ahead. MASTERS AT WORK Centre (DTSC) supports tourism businesses, Make the most of the winter months. their owners/managers and staff via Want to be involved? Workshops and masterclasses are coming specially tailored learning experiences Call the DTSC on 0191 374 1271 and to a venue near you. designed to suit the needs of individuals talk to one of the Tourism Skills Managers. Subject to a minimum group size of 10, and the business. DTSC offers a variety They will arrange to visit you, discuss the they are to be held at venues in Durham of locations and venues, modes active Employer Partnership Pledge and City, Teesdale, Weardale, East Durham, Sedgefield, Derwentside and Darlington. of attendance and-one-to sessions. discuss skills initiatives. The topics being covered include Tourism covers a wide spectrum of This is what you get: One-Day Equality and Disability businesses, but it doesn’t matter whether There will be networking opportunities Discrimination Awareness; Practical a tourist calls into a small craft shop or with like-minded individuals and tourism Telephone Techniques; Merchandising to an acclaimed museum. The expectations business partners; a personal invitation to Maximise Profit and Customer Service, are the same. They want an enjoyable a monthly lunch or supper club; the ‘Going the Extra Mile.’ and satisfying experience, hopefully one chance to hear specialist guest speakers; that will encourage them to recommend quarterly newsletter; invitations to attend Make the most of the winter months and other people to go along. the autumn and spring regional skills ensure you are not left out in the cold. Everyone should aspire to the highest conferences; access to free advice and To find out more please contact The standards. The Durham Tourism Skills guidance on training and skills Durham Tourism Skills Centre direct: Centre is ‘Setting the Standard.’ development; opportunity to buy into T: 0191 374 1271, Their special programme of learning the visitor-attraction questionnaire scheme; E: [email protected] www.theskillscentre.co.uk experiences has been created to help joint marketing, advertising and PR activity; tourism businesses of all sizes. Choose and access to a mystery visitor service. You might pick up some new ideas from Cost-Effective Marketing, Customer to help you prepare to maximise your In return, all you have to do is ensure business productivity in the 2006 Summer Service-“Going The Extra Mile”, Business that at least three learning experiences Season. Practices, Practical Telephone Techniques, are attended. 42 November 2005 informnorth News from the

Skills Centre Diggerland The Durham Tourism Skills Partnership - Setting The Standard

he Durham Tourism Skills Partnership is Locomotion growing stronger and stronger each week. “The Skills Centre offers good quality training that TThe Partnership has been going for nearly a is developed by professionals from within the year, and over 300 businesses of all shapes and tourism industry. They understand our needs and sizes, are actively engaged. Remember, in County our business, which is great news as far as I’m Durham alone, there are over 1500 tourism concerned.” related businesses. Dr. George Muirhead, Museum Manager. Here’s just a selection of what some of the latest Broom Mill Spa business partners, small and large, who are “My sister and I have been involved in the spa actively involved in the Skills Partnership and and beauty industry for over ten years. We’re now are already ‘Setting the Standard’ have to say: open 7-days a week and are almost fully booked, Lumley Castle we need to expand. This will give us increased “As an historical hotel, we have a lot of foreign capacity. Being part of the DTSP will help us to visitors. It is imperative that our staff are fully promote our larger business and maintain Durham Dales Centre trained to cope with all eventualities and offer standards of training.” guests a warm welcome. The DTSP offers us a Jill Cheesmond, Proprietor. wide range of courses that allow us to send staff Why have they joined? for regular updates. We have high standards; we Simple. Because they realise that the Durham must maintain them. And of course, we are Tourism Skills Partnership has been designed always looking for any additional publicity.” and developed specifically to help tourism Allison Rice, HR Assistant. businesses and their staff teams. There is an Diggerland assurance from the team at the DTSC that they “There is an ethos throughout Diggerland that will help, advise and guide in as many ways as staff do their utmost to make sure visitors and possible. And if they can’t help, they know a clients have a good time. A lot of our staff are part person who can! time, so being part of the Durham Tourism Skills There are networking opportunities with Partnership will make it easier to assure that the tourism business partners. You can influence the correct levels of training are undertaken. The DTSP development of initiatives and activities. Friendly will help spread the word about us because we help and advice is only a phone-call away. can’t simply expect people to turn up.” There are invitations to monthly lunch or Mark Robson, General Manager. supper clubs, the chance to attend regional skills Durham Castle Durham Dales Centre conferences, and the opportunity to hear a wide “The DTSC has been able to offer me a training variety of guest speakers. You are kept fully programme that is accessible. It fits a training informed via a quarterly newsletter. In return for gap in the market, within budget.” all of this, all we ask is that you or your staff Judith Crow, Centre Manager. attend at least three learning experiences. Durham Castle Call the Skills Centre and talk to one of the “Durham Castle has several, diverse roles. For a Tourism Skills Managers. They will arrange to large proportion of the year, this college is home visit you and go through the Active Employer to over 350 students. However, we manage to Partnership Pledge. combine that with a wide variety of other Don’t miss out. functions. Being part of the DTSP will allow us Join in. to maximise use of the Castle throughout the year benefiting from the additional publicity. On going www.theskillscentre.co.uk training will ensure that our staff provide levels of service that visitors and guests rightly expect.” T: 0191 374 1271 Shona Millar, Bursar E: [email protected] Locomotion

Broom Mill Spa Lumley Castle informnorth November 2005 43 INTROVERT OR

o far in this series of articles we have looked at how equally that you have a friend or colleague who seems to people choose. This is people react in certain situations, such as conflict, read your mind and instinctively know what you want often very noticeable Snegotiations as well as management styles. But it’s without too many questions, almost intuitively. These sit- in large organizations not just about how you react or when you react - all too uations may well be explained by personality type. when you compare often somebody has already made up their minds about The material that I will be using in this series of article personality traits of you - rightly or wrongly. So through the next series of draws heavily on the Myers Briggs Personality Type different departments articles will look at personality in general and the Indicator (MBTI). The merit of the theory underlying the such as accounts and preferences we all have. This article starts with MBTI is that it enables us to expect specific differences in marketing as the introversion and extroversion and the strengths and people and be able to adapt our behavior accordingly. people who work in weaknesses that are inherent in each. The series aims each may be very The work of Isabella Myers and Katherine Briggs is built ACAS’ Steve Cave to encourage understanding of others and through upon the work of C.J.Jung’s theory of psychological types different in personality terms. Marketing may increased understanding perhaps engender far less and is one of the most widely used around the world. conflict and much more tolerance. well be a noisy place The MBTI measures four different preferences of which to work with lots of loud meetings. Accounts on the other It could of course be your view that everyone is unique, the Introversion/Extraversion preference is one. The hand is much more of a sober atmosphere with people and I would partially agree with you, certainly we are all adaptability of humans is of course such that we can all quietly working and very few meetings. a product of heredity and environment and as a result we operate as both introverts and extraverts, but the theory Open plan are all different from everyone else. However we do have is that we have a preference for one or the other. similarities with other people and it is these similarities Open plan offices will give you some indication of The terms introvert and extravert are used throughout the that are useful to us when dealing with other people. In introverts and extraverts. Open plan is ideally suited to article and although many similarities exist with the practice we tend to assume unconsciously that other extraverts who will have no problem in sitting in the traditional meaning of the words, in Myers Briggs terms people’s minds work on the same principle as our own. middle of the office closely surrounded by people they the meaning is wider than the traditional meaning as it Of course this is wrong can chat to at regular intervals. Introverts on the other includes where we draw our energy from. People who hand will seek out the corners and start to seek privacy and all too prefer extraversion have an awareness and reliance on by building barriers with filing cabinets and potted often their environment for stimulation and plants. guidance. People who prefer introversion draw Interviewing energy from themselves and will seek to have I was recently involved with a group of people who had periods of contemplation and solitude. a specific task to achieve but were not making any Introverts and Extroverts progress. Watching the group operate they were loud, Whichever of these you are prone to will open with each other and very expressive of their have a significant effect upon how you live feelings. Most of the group admitted to enjoying the your life and how you react to the stresses atmosphere but were frustrated that they talked a lot and strains of everyday life. There are and never seemed to get anything done. The leader of many differences between introverts and the group had recruited all the members using a mixture extroverts and we can only explore the main of people he liked and through an interview process. differences in this piece. Personality typing showed that everybody in the group was an extrovert. The leader of the group had actually A key difference is how we recover from the selected people who had a similar personality type to everyday strains of life. Introverts will go into himself and who he thought he would enjoy working their shell, become quiet and seek time away on with. One of the selection criteria used at the interview their own. Extroverts will seek out other people had been how quickly people responded to questions and seek their help, not in a formal way but just asked, any candidate who thought about their response being around other people will help them revive. and then answered had been marked down. Hence no For example if you arrive home and the house is introverts got through the selection as typically introverts empty (which is unusual) do you regard this as a rare think and then respond, it may only be a seconds treat or would you have to go around to a friends for reflection but it was noticed by the extravert manager. a chat? People with a preference for extraversion will typically Impacts at work the start talking their thoughts. This of course works in A preference for introversion or extraversion will reverse and some groups will consist entirely of introverts people we have had a big bearing on the careers and have very quiet and lengthy meetings! interact with do not reason in the same way or value the same things as you. You may well have thought on occasion ‘that you just cannot get on Are You A Wallflow the same wave length as someone‘ or

44 November 2005 informnorth EXTROVERT

People who prefer Extraversion Of course the reality is that Introverts need extraverts and Q1 I am sometimes impulsive • Like variety and action. vice a versa! Q2 I prefer working alone • Energized by other people You may well have already decided which you prefer but here Q3 I prefer action and adventure rather than tradition • Act first then think about it are some questions that will help indicate your preference. Q4 I tend to take a quieter role in situations involving groups Q5 In group situations I tend to be the spokesperson • Are often friendly, talkative and easy to know For each question award a score: Q6 I feel I need time to make decisions • Ok with expressing emotion 0 - not like Now chose between each of these words and award three • Easily remember people’s names 1 - occasionally like me 2 - sometimes like me points to the word you choose People who prefer introversion 3 - regularly like me Speak or write • Like quiet to concentrate 4 - frequently like me Reserved or talkative • Tend to be careful with detail 5 - like me all the time Party or theatre • Likes working on one project at a time SCORING SHEET • Content to work alone • A little difficult to get to know Q1 Q3 Q5 Speak Talkative Party E •Can have difficulty remembering names I recently asked a group of introverts and extraverts to say what they thought of each other, this is what they Q2 Q4 Q6 Write Reserved Theatre I said… What Introverts think of Extraverts: They are shallow, they are loud and they are often over- bearing. They wear their hearts on their sleeve and are willing to talk to just about anyone about anything. They interrupt constantly and are always on the phone. What Extraverts think of Introverts: They are often too quiet- almost withdrawn, aloof and secretive. They are difficult to get to know, and never share their feelings. They can be very boring and unexciting.

For your own personality test visit one of the following websites: http://quiz.ivillage.co.uk/uk_work/ tests/career.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/ humanbody/mind/survey/ whatamilike/ http://www.web.tickle.com/ personality/ http://www.peoplemaps.co.uk/ personality http://www.similarminds.com er or a Sunflower?

informnorth November 2005 45 EMPLOYMENT ACTION TEAMS: Cleveland Fire Brigade The Wise Group Middlesbrough Billingham TS23 4EA Tel:01429 872 311 www.clevelandfire.gov.uk Tel:01642 355 560 www.thewisegroup.co.uk Tel:01642 343 434 DISC - Connect Trinity Mirror Editorial Training Chester Le Street DH3 3DY Tel:0191 384 2785 www.disc-vol.org.uk Tel:0191 201 6043 www.trinintymirror.co.uk Tel:0191 389 0555 Expedient Training Services Ltd Workers’ Educational Association Easington SR8 4NU Tel:0191 489 0212 Tel:0191 461 8100 www.wea.org.uk Tel:0191 518 3052 Gateshead City Learning Centre TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT FOR Hartlepool TS24 8NS Tel:0191 421 2244 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Tel:01429 282 228 GM Training & Development Deaf PLUS North, Gateshead - Tel:0191 478 920 Newcastle Upon Tyne NE15 6UN Tel:01434 606 300 Employment Opportunities Newcastle Tel:0191 274 5449 Kenton College for Continuing Education, Tel:0191 2321994 www.opportunities.org.uk South Tyneside NE33 1RF Newcastle - Tel:0191 214 6677 Tel:0191 427 4570 Finchale Training College - Tel:0191 386 2634 Learning & Skills Council County Durham www.finchalecollege.co.uk Stockton TS23 4AE Tel:01325 372 301 www.lsc.gov.uk Tel:01642 343 409 Jobbroker N.E. Tel:0800 389 7036 Learning Skills Council Tees Valley, LEAP Adult Education Centre Wansbeck NE63 8QZ Middlesbrough Tel:0845 019 4166 Tel:01670 817 746 (specialised training for people with dyslexia) www.lsc.gov.uk Tel:01833 690 281 Wear Valley DL15 9UA Learning & Skills Council Northumberland Tel:01388 766 699 Mencap Tel:0191 423 6200 Tel:0845 019 4185 www.lsc.gov.uk www.mencap.org.uk JOBCENTRE PLUS: Learning & Skills Council Tyne & Wear New Deal for Disabled People www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk Tel:0845 019 4181 www.lsc.gov.uk Tel:0845 6062626 www.newdeal.gov.uk County Durham District Offices Lomax Associates - Tel:0191 516 6398 Northern Pinetree Trust - Tel:0191 492 8200 Tel:0191 382 4093 www.lomaxtrainingservices.com Pioneering Care Centre - Tel:01325 321 234 Gateshead and South Tyneside Michael Heppell Ltd - Tel:01434 688 555 www.pcp.uk.net Tel:0191 451 4100 www.michaelheppell.com RBLI - Tel:0191 4403922 www.rbli.co.uk Newcastle and North Tyneside Newcastle Basic Skills Service Remploy - Tel:0800 1387656 Tel:0191 220 8800 Tel:0191 265 5725 www.remploy.co.uk Northumberland - Tel:01670 395 300 Northumberland Training Agency Shaw Trust H.Q. - Tel:01225 716 300 Tel:01670 534 530 www.northumberland.gov.uk Sunderland District - Tel:0191 554 6300 www.shaw-trust.org.uk Portman College of Management Tees Valley District - Tel:01642 398 800 Newcastle Tel:0191 255 4400 NEW BUSINESS START UP AND SUPPORT TRAINING ORGANISATIONS: www.portmancollege.co.uk Action 4 Employment (A4E) Newton Aycliffe Learning Shop Bizfizz - Tel:020 7820 6300 www.bizfizz.org.uk Tel:01207 588500 www.a4e.co.uk Tel:01325 311 177 The Bridge Club - Tel:0191 230 5742 www.bridgeclubnorth.com Archon 2000 Tel:01642 603 554 N.A.C.R.O Cleveland - Tel:01642 223 551 www.archon2000.co.uk www.nacro.org.uk Building Up Business - Tel:0191 200 6094 www.buildingupbusiness.com Arena Learning Limited Tel:0191 417 1000 N.A.C.R.O Hartlepool - Tel:01429 863 335 Business Link - Tel:0845 600 9 006 www.arena-learning.com N.A.C.R.O Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland www.businesslink.gov.uk Bridges to Learning Tel:01642 615 554 County Durham Development Tel:0191 2452240 Northern Safety Ltd - Tel:01642 594 369 Company(CDDC) Bells Training Tel:01642 756 510 www.northernsafetyltd.co.uk Tel:0191 383 2000 www.durham4business.com www.bellstraining.co.uk Shildon and Darlington Training Ltd Chester-le-Street Enterprise Agency Bridge Enterprise Centre Ltd Tel:01388 777 648 Tel:0191 3892648 www.cdcbp.org.uk Tel:01207 283 474 Shotton IT Resource Centre Community Enterprise Direct (Northern) www.communigate.co.uk/ne/branw Tel:0191 520 8110 www.shottonitcentre.co.uk Consett - Tel:01207 500 053 B.T.C.V Ltd - Tel:0191 477 8844 Spennymoor Learning Shop www.commentdirect.org.uk www.btcv.co.uk Tel:01388 816888 Darlington and District Business Club CIA Training - Tel:0191 549 5002 Springboard Tel:01429 287 075 Tel:0191 374 4065 www.ciatraining.co.uk www.trainudirect.com Tel:0845 009 3038 www.darlingtonbusinessclub.co.uk

National Bureau for A spotlight on Skill Students with Disabilities

kill: National Bureau for Students people and the professionals who work consultancy and staff training for with Disabilities is an independent with them, via a freephone helpline, education establishments as well as Scharity that promotes opportunities email and the website. conducting research and developing in learning and employment for people projects on education and disability They also inform and influences key with any kind of disability. Skill believes issues. policy makers to improve legal rights that for many disabled people education The website is a hive of information and support for disabled people in is the key to leading a fulfilling and for students with disabilities.You can post-16 education and training. independent life. download information booklets on a They promote best practice through whole range of useful topics from So what does Skill do? membership, topical conferences and applying to higher/further education to Skill provides a free information and seminars, producing informative and funding for disabled students in advice service for individual disabled practical publications, providing education, as well as information regarding

46 November 2005 informnorth Darlington Business Venture Wear Valley Development Agency Durham City Council - Tel:0191 301 8241 Tel:01325 289 610 www.dbv-northeast.co.uk Tel:01388 776688 www.durhamcity.gov.uk Derwentside Business Club Women into the Network (WIN) Tel:0191 334 5502 www.networkingwomen.co.uk Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council Tel:01207 581 333 Tel:0191 433 3000 www.gateshead.gov.uk DHP Enterprise Ltd, Redcar Walker Hall Associates Tel:0191 384 3500 Tel:01642 491 542 [email protected]. www.walkerhall.co.uk Hartlepool Borough Council Economic Development Team - Tel:01429 523 501 DHP Enterprise Ltd, Hartlepool BUSINESS FUNDING: www.investinhartlepool.com Tel:01429 232 348 www.dhp-enterprise.co.uk. Falchion Fund, Darlington Tel:01325 362953 DHP Enterprise Ltd, Gateshead Coalfield Enterprise Fund - Middlesbrough Council - Tel:01642 729 560 Tel:0191 490 1667 Enterprise Ventures Ltd - Tel:01772 270570 www.middlesborough.gov.uk Durham Business Club - Tel:0191 388 4488 www.coalfields-enterprise-fund.co.uk Newcastle City Council, Economic www.durhambusinessclub.co.uk www.enterprise-ventures.co.uk Development Division - Tel:0191 211 5670 East Durham Business Club www.newcastle.gov.uk/compnewc.nsf Tel:0191 586 8493 Crafts Council - Tel:0207 278 7700 www.craftscouncil.org.uk Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, East Durham Business Service Development Department - Tel:0191 586 3366 www.edbs.co.uk Cultural Business Venture Tel:01287 612 500 Hetton and Houghton Business Club Arts Council Tel:0845 300 6200 www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/industrial Tel:0191 512 1144 Evolve Finance Limited Gateshead Sedgefield Borough Council Inbiz Head Office Tel:01642 610610 Tel:0191 44 24 304 www.evolve-finance.co.uk Tel:01388 816 166 www.sedgefield.gov.uk www.inbizonline.co.uk Northern Enterprise Limited Newcastle and Gateshead Business Club Tel:0191 442 4300 www.nel.co.uk South Tyneside Council Tel:0191 4103355 Tel:0191 424 7644 www.southtyneside.info Royal British Legion - Tel:0191 273 3619 North East Chamber Of Commerce Stockton on Tees Borough Council Tel:0191 386 1133 www.ne-chamber.co.uk Small Firms Loan Guarantee Section, Department of Trade and Industry Regeneration and Economic Development NorthEast Euro Information Centre Tel:0114 2597 308 www.dti.gov.uk/sflg Tel:01642 393 939 Tel:0191 490 9200 www.northeasteic.com City of Sunderland People into Enterprise - Tel:0845 245 0212 UK Steel Enterprise Ltd - Tel:01642 777888 www.uksteelenterprise.co.uk City Business and Investment Team www.peopleintoenterprise.com Tel:0191 553 1171 www.investinsunderland.co.uk Productivity North East - Tel:0191 334 4662 BUSINESS PREMISES/ INCUBATOR Tees Valley Regeneration - Tel:01642 632 000 www.productivitynortheast.co.uk UNITS: www.teesvalleyregeneration.co.uk Centre North East Agent: Project North East Wear Valley District Council - Tel:0191 261 6009 www.projectne.co.uk Ian Battle, Storey Sons and Parker Tel:01642 230800 Tel:01388 761 575 Prime - Tel:0800 783 1904 www.primeinitiative.org.uk Designworks Tel:0191 423 6200 LEARN DIRECT CENTRES: www.design-works.co.uk Bridges to Learning, Newcastle upon Tyne RTC North Ltd Tel:0191 225 2240 [email protected] Tel:0191 516 4400 www.rtcnorth.co.uk Innovation Centre, Redcar Sedgefield Borough Business Service Tel:01642 777 777 www.uksteelenterprise.co.uk CEP Associates, Ashington - Tel:01325 307270 www.sbbs.org.uk Netpark Tel:0191 383 2000 www.uknetpark.net Tel:01670 521 805 South Tyneside Business Club North East Business and Innovation Centre Lynemouth Resource Centre, Tel:0191 456 2425 (BIC) Tel:0191 516 6200 www.ne-bic.co.uk Northumberland Tel:01670 863 000 Sunderland Business Network Tel:0191 5651028 North East Workspace, Project North East PP Training Ltd, Jarrow - Tel:0191 428 5559 Tel:0191 261 6009 www.pne.org/workspace Teesdale Enterprise Agency - Q Group, Gateshead - Tel:0191 497 1920 Tel:01833 696600 www.teesdaleenterprise.co.uk Shildon Business Centre - Tel:01388 777 597 Taitec Newcastle - Tel:0191 271 6160 Tees Valley Business Club - Tel:01642 583 900 Tedco Tel:0191 428 3300 www.tedco.org www.taitec.co.uk Tyne and Wear Development Company Tel:0191 5169099 www.tyne-wear.co.uk ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Learning Resource Centre, Darlington DEPARTMENTS: Tel:01325 503 274 www.darlington.ac.uk Washington Business Forum - Tel:0191 416 3040 Blyth Valley Borough Council Van Hee Training, Gateshead www.washington.co.uk/forum/forum_index.htm Tel:01670 542 000 www.blythvalley.gov.uk Tel:0191 438 2512 www.vanhee.co.uk

If you are a disabled learner, parent, personal assistant or key advisers you can also contact: Skill’s Information Service - 0800 328 5050 • Open Tuesday 11.30am to 1.30pm, and Thursday 1:30pm to 3:30pm, or call 020 7657 2337 • Textphone:0800 068 2422 • Email: [email protected]. • Website: www.skill.org.uk

establishments within the region. education establishment. Each institution provides an informative Staff working in higher education are statement regarding the level of support they currently provide for disabled recommended to use HEFCE’s National students. Disability Team helpdesk at Skill offers advice to the staff in [email protected] further/higher education establishments as a first port of call while in further concerning their responsibilities under education and work-based learning, the careers and work for disabled people plus the Disability Discrimination Act.This Learning and Skills Council is providing much more, so check it out… assistance is not limited to lecturers, continuing support to local LSCs The website also offers you the but includes support for all staff where information about disability opportunity to locate education involved in the running of an and equality issues is available.

informnorth November 2005 47 2005 is not only the year of the Rooster, Angelina and Brad’s beautiful friendship and possibly the most irritating motorbike riding frog to grace the planet, it is also paying homage to the volunteer, as informnorth discovers...

n early 2004 Chancellor Gordon Brown volunteer if they were asked. designated 2005 as the year of the Due to the nature of volunteering whereby Ivolunteer with monthly themes and set it exposes the individual to new situations, some clear objectives. By assigning 2005 people and experiences, it also has the as the Year of the Volunteer the following capacity to help a person develop the objectives hope to be satisfied: confidence to give new experiences a go • Opening up more volunteering and try out new things. Having the opportunities in the public and knowledge that your skills are valued voluntary sector and that you are contributing to your • Raising the profile of the work community in some way can be a huge volunteers are doing nationwide boost to an individual’s confidence. • Thanking volunteers everywhere For many who find themselves unemployed, for their time and commitment gaining confidence can be the key to re-entering the workplace. Established over • Increasing the number of volunteers, 20 years ago Groundwork North East is particularly individuals from sensitive to the issues surrounding long marginalised groups and young term worklessness and run a number of people programmes aimed at building confidence As more and more people are taking early and making the transition back to work retirement they find that they have many a positive experience. Their volunteer years ahead of them allowing them the programmes incorporate a range of chance to be actively engaged in new training options and have helped many pursuits. The children have flown the coop people take advantage of opportunities in pursuit of a life less ordinary and time is they never knew existed. very much on their side, perhaps too much There are many other benefits to the time. At this time of life one might feel the individual who makes the choice to give need to put something back into the their time up in the name of volunteering. community while they have the chance It’s an interesting fact that over 70% of and volunteering is a viable option to employers would rather hire a candidate use their time constructively. with volunteering experience over Volunteering offers people the chance to someone who has never volunteered. For partake in some amazing experiences, the sake of a few hours out of your week, learn new skills, make new friends from all your job prospects can be dramatically walks of life and who knows, possibly even improved, any gaps in your work find the perfect partner! Research shows experience can be accounted for and you that 80% of people said that they would could learn a whole range of new skills. 48 November 2005 informnorth inform O north

Darlingtontown.co.ukand district-www.darlingtontown.co.uk The communitywebsiteforthepeople ofDarlington Comprehensive community discussion board The onlyfull indexed and searchable localbusinessindex Add allyourown‘WhatOn’events Direct linkstolocalinformation Thousands of images of Darlington and districtforyoutoview million thingstodo ne locationfor a Complete yourownFREEonline web diaryandmuch,muchmore! oebr20 49 November 2005 Salvation Army for five years, I’d never even set foot in a charity shop before I started working in them” exclaimed Cathy. Married with two children, Cathy currently employs only two volunteers in Again and RE and is continuously scouting for new recruits to join the team as volunteers. “We usually recruit through word of mouth, posters and national publicity campaigns but for some reason it is very difficult to recruit volunteers within the city centre. Shops in the suburbs always have much more success, probably due to people living near by therefore it’s easier for them to just pop in and work a few hours a week. “The volunteers we have now work four hours a day and it’s up to them how many days a week they work. We pay their travel expenses and provide refreshments and both volunteers have commented that they enjoy the work and the perks that go Bringing together voluntary along with being a volunteer. “It’s unfortunate that it is so difficult to organisations and volunteers attract volunteers to the city centre stores as the volunteers are vital to the operation with career skills of the shop. The volunteers have a huge impact on the organisation, they are invaluable. In my experience of working athy Coxon, 57, has been employing and sort into what we can sell in the shop, for charities there are some organisations volunteers for registered charities for and then anything that can’t be sold gets that simply wouldn’t be able to open their C20 years and is currently working sent to recycling companies who then pay doors if it wasn’t for the volunteers. Words as manager at The Salvation Army Trading the Salvation Army so nothing is ever can’t describe the contribution that Companies, Again and RE in Newcastle. wasted. volunteers make to us, they really are RE and Again work as independent shops “I started working at Scope 20 years ago, fantastic people” said Cathy admirably. but Cathy manages both. since then I’ve worked as a manager at Cathy details some of the circumstances “We buy goods from the Salvation Army MIND and now I’ve been managing at the that encourage people to volunteer time

Voluntaryskills.com is a website designed agencies, there is a CVS working in almost to encourage people from within the If you are feeling inspired to every district and city in England, many are voluntary and community sector in the help the community whilst called CVS, while others might be called North East to get involved in appropriate Voluntary Action or Voluntary Sector training and development activities. updating the work experience Council. It provides relevant and up to date section of your CV, or if you The National Association of Councils for information on opportunities available just want to be the first to get Voluntary Service (NACVS) is as a network currently throughout the region, in one your hands on some authentic system of over 300 councils throughout easily accessible place. vintage chic, call Cathy on England which umbrellas member CVS’s The site was originally launched in May to act as a national voice for the local 2002 and covered the Tyne and Wear 0191 230 3939 to volunteer voluntary and community sector. NACVS is area. In July 2004 the site vastly your services. a membership-based organisation with a developed its content to cover the whole Trustee Board elected by our members and of the North East. The site contains a surgery and an overallheightened sense of is mainly funded by the Home Office’s searchable database of almost 4,000 well being. Active Community Unit. courses available to the sector throughout The Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) is Regionally CVS organisations are supported the region, as well as current news, event a voluntary organisation which is founded, in their work by Voluntary Organisation information, useful links and case studies owned and operated by local groups to Network North East (VONNE). VONNE of people from within the sector. support, promote and develop local promotes the interests of the voluntary If the thought of improving your C.V. and voluntary and community action. The CVS sector and aims to get greater recognition landing your dream job, adding new skills provides a range of services and acts for the work of voluntary groups across the to your list, receiving a huge injection of as a voice for the local voluntary and North East. It also acts to secure funding confidence, meeting new and interesting community sector endeavouring to support for the sector and enable the development people and helping out the local its members. CVS have members of beneficial partnerships. community isn’t enough of an incentive, comprised of, and accountable to, Formed in April 2004 Volunteering England medical science has come up with some grass-roots voluntary and community is the integrated national volunteer health benefits that are associated with organisations. These range from local development organisation for England volunteering. It has been medically proven branches of national charities to smaller and is the result of a merger between that ‘doing good’ can give you a stronger self-help groups. Often funded by the The Consortium on Opportunities for immune system, a speedier recovery from local authority and other local statutory Volunteering, The National Centre for 50 November 2005 informnorth to a charity. “Over the years I have worked with many NAME: Cathy Coxon DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE volunteers, at a variety of organisations, AGE: 57 WOULD CAN GIVE READERS? that come and volunteer for all kinds of Definitely get some volunteering COMPANY: Salvation Army Trading different reasons. Some people are lonely experience behind you it looks great Company and working in a team environment on a CV; employers are always provides them with friendship and a BASED OR LIVES: Newcastle Upon impressed by someone who has support network. Others use volunteering Tyne bothered themselves to gain work as a mechanism for coping with BUSINESS SECTOR/TYPE OF experience with no pay. Our paid bereavement, by giving them something COMPANY: Registered Charity staff have usually swung the job upon to focus on. Some people have worked all YEARS WORKING WITH COMPANY: 5 application due to their being CSV their lives and reach retirement age and background who have spent time with UNIQUE POINTS ABOUT YOU: I’d have a desire to still feel needed, to feel us as volunteers. as though they are still a part of life’s little say I was quite a creative and visionary structures” person, I’m always full of new ideas WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? We are relocating the RE shop and Cathy has some advice for anyone and ways we can improve the store incorporating it into the Again shop, considering volunteering. visually. hopefully attracting students to the store WHO HAS HELPED YOU OR “Simply to give it a go and don’t feel shy and as ever I’ll be on the look out to INSPIRED YOU MOST? When I about approaching an organisation and recruit some more volunteers to help in started out working in charity shops offering your time and skills. I think a lot the shop. of people feel intimidated and frightened my Area Manager Angela Balen was to go into a shop and ask if they need a brilliant. She changed my outlook and volunteer, especially people who don’t gave me a new lease of life. usually go into charity shops. WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION “Volunteering is for every age not just the HAS HELPED YOU? Work and life Volunteering is for elderly, it’s refreshing to bring in younger experience has helped me! people into the mix for example when “ WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST every age not just people come from The Princes Trust or The MISTAKE OR CHALLENGE OR WHAT Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes” said HURDLES HAVE YOU HAD TO the elderly, it’s Cathy. OVERCOME? A huge hurdle I had If you are feeling inspired to help the to overcome in my personal life was refreshing to bring community whilst updating the work recovering from a car crash which I experience section of your CV, or if you was involved in. In my working life I’d in younger people just want to be the first to get your hands say that recruiting volunteers can be on some authentic vintage chic, call Cathy quite challenging. into the mix on 0191 230 3939 to volunteer your services. ”

There are many other benefits “to the individual who makes the choice to give their time up in the name of volunteering ”

informnorth November 2005 51 On The Social Agenda A three day conference aimed at fast-tracking some of the regions social enterprises will take place from Monday 14th-Wednesday 16th November at the Springboard - Sunderland Assembly Rooms in Newcastle.The event or some people volunteering volunteered when I had the time. is backed by the European Equal Project becomes their entire goal in life, “The programmes that we run at the and will be addressed by Stephen giving to others less fortunate than F Springboard Trust are aimed at 16 to Hughes MEP. you can become addictive and like many 25 age group and go a long way to Workshops will outline the North Easts others Brian Watson from Houghton- teaching young people that by using their Inspire programme which replicates Le-Spring has turned his vocation in life successful ideas in social enterprise. into a satisfying and exciting career. free time to volunteer can not only give For more information or to book a them the confidence to seek permanent Brian 53, heads up the Springboard freeplace contact James Lowe on employment but helps to give prospective Sunderland Trusts volunteering projects 0191 2704565 or visit employers the impression that they are which include Millennium Volunteers, www.nesep.co.uk. keen to work”, said Brian. Young Volunteer Challenge and MV in the Communities supported by the Community One of the projects that the Springboard North East Service Volunteers. Brian has been there Trust is responsible for is ‘Make a Inventors Go for Gold! for 17 years. Difference Day’ which brings volunteers North East inventors are hoping to scoop Having worked in the voluntary sector for from the local communities together in a gold award when they exhibit their ideas over 25 years Brian’s dedication has order to benefit their surroundings. at the 2005 British Invention Show. Five taught him many things but it was his inventions from the region are taking part “We organise a group of people to in the exhibition: a remote smoke alarm determination to ‘make a difference to service the community by re-painting, tester; Scuba Bracket - a new reserve air people’s lives’ that persuaded him to planting flowers and tidying up public tank bracket; Zed Cycle - a multipurpose make it his life’s work. areas etc. folding bike that transforms from a city As a result of his dedication and “This has an amazing impact on building cycle to a off-road mountain bike; Gemini commitment Brian proudly received an community spirits and allows individuals Pushchair - a new convertible twin-to- MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours to realise their potential by giving single pushchair system; and Text a list in 2004. something back and seeing the card - an electronic animated greeting Although Brian had a well paid job, with results of their hard work. card that can sent via a mobile phone. his wife’s unwavering support Brian “It also allows individuals to chose to join an industry that gave him Tax Credit Change Aims give what time they have the utmost in personal to volunteering and allows To Reduce Employer Burden satisfaction. them to find an A change in the way Working Tax Credit “I always knew I organisation that is paid aims to reduce the burden on wanted to work in this suits them without North East employers. From next month, industry, but like many committing to long payment of WTC through the payroll will people fitted it around term strategies” be phased out. HM Revenue & Customs my life and said Brian. will pay all new WTC claims directly into employees’ bank, building society or Post Office card accounts without involving their employer, reducing costs for business and improving privacy for claimants.At this stage existing claimants will continue to get their WTC through the payroll, unless a change in their circumstances affects their award. NAME: Brian Watson MBE. BIGGEST MISTAKE OR CHALLENGE? Youngsters Betting on AGE: 53. Handing over the reigns! I tend to be Great Careers with Aspers a very hands-on manager and often LIVES: Houghton-Le-Spring. Two North-East youngsters have hit the have problems delegating, but I’m career jackpot, training to be dealers at BASED: Sunderland. better than I used to be. the five star Aspers Casino which is opening in October. Sarah Blaney and YEARS IN INDUSTRY: 25. ANY ADVICE TO READERS? See Anthony Ronald are just two of 46 local UNIQUE POINTS: The personal volunteering as a way of gaining people who have been trained by Aspers. satisfaction that I get from my work invaluable experience without the Sarah, 25, from Whitley Bay, said:“Before makes my overall life more enjoyable. commitment and experiment with I started training I didn’t know anything I wouldn’t consider another career. what type of organisation is best about gaming. It’s been much harder than suited to you. I thought, but I am loving it.” The Aspers WHO HAS HELPED OR INSPIRED Casino has a capacity for 1,200, with YOU MOST? My wife, her support WHAT’S NEXT? Probably retirement, Freya’s Restaurant, Café Marie,Air Bar throughout my career has been but even then I know I will still be and Lady O’s Bar. Three state-of-the-art unwavering and she has supported volunteering. Once it’s in your blood gaming floors include a VIP area, an me all the way. it’s hard to know when to stop. electronic gaming area and a main floor for gaming tables and “slots.” 52 November 2005 informnorth It has been medically proven that ‘doing good’ “ can give you a stronger immune system, a speedier recovery from surgery and an overall heightened sense of well being ”

Key Volunteering Facts Figures

• 22 million adults are involved in formal volunteering each year • 90 million hours of formal voluntary work takes place each week Volunteering and Volunteer Development that volunteering can be both meaningful • Six out of ten volunteers say England. Their aim is to promote the and fun. volunteering gives them an profile of volunteering as a powerful force Paul Woolston, the North East Cares opportunity to learn new skills for change and they define volunteering as Chairman commented, “Action through thus: any activity that involves spending this unique programme provides a • Half of all volunteers get involved time, unpaid, doing something that aims to cross-section of community groups and because they were asked to help benefit the environment or someone organisations with extra resources and • 90% of the population agree (individuals or groups) other than, or in support, which they wouldn’t otherwise with the notion that a society with addition to, close receive.” volunteers shows a caring society. relatives. Integral to For those more As more people are taking early • The economic Value of formal this classification, mature citizens, is the notion that retirement they find they have Retired and Senior Volunteering has been calculated volunteering must be years ahead of them allowing Volunteer to be in the region of £40 billion a choice that is freely Programme (RSVP) per year made by the the chance to be actively is a branch of CSV • The total public sector support for individual. Included engaged in new pursuits and and exists to volunteering is estimated to be in in this can be formal for those who find themselves promote the the region of £400 million per year activity undertaken unemployed volunteering can participation in through public, • Young people, contrary to be the key to re-entering the voluntary work in private and voluntary the local area of popular thinking, do support the organisations as well workplace. those aged 50. idea of volunteering. To successfully as participating in Founded in late involve young people organisations informal community 1980’s in conjunction with a rapid need to recognise their need for activity. increase in early retirement across the flexibility and variety among other For companies wishing to get more closely nation RSVP has volunteers in England, things involved with the voluntary sector there can Scotland and Wales. Redundancy meant • Formalisation of volunteering be a number of benefits. As well as that thousands of fit and healthy 50 and practically helping the community in which 60 year olds, as well as those of 70 and is increasing - 85% of formal you are based and giving your staff more of upwards, were left wondering what to do volunteer involving organisations a ‘feel good’ factor, your corporate image with the rest of their lives. have a written volunteer policy or practice and procedures will show that you care about more than just Mature people can be a rich resource as making a profit. North East Cares is an they have spent their lives honing skills and handbook initiative organised by Business In The building on their knowledge therefore pos- • Despite more formalised policies Community (BITC). By giving staff the sessing qualities, attributes and experience 95% of organisations still use word opportunity to volunteer on a range of tasks that can be tapped into and put to good of mouth as their main method of from dog-walking to gardening to IT use through voluntary work in their local recruiting volunteers support,participating companies have found community. informnorth November 2005 53 The Red Cross

The history of modern nursing and medicine can be traced through the clinicians who have worked at our hospitals throughout their history; they claim many eminent physicians and surgeons amongst their past and present alumni and staff but where did it all begin? Informnorth takes an old parafin lamp in hand to have a closer look at Humanitarian relief, 19th-century style...

he full extent of the YMCA across Europe. In 1854, should recognise and respect Hurricane Katrina disaster he went to work for a Geneva the neutrality of these volunteers. and the impact of Hurricane company with holdings in Sicily T Permanent Change Wilma is starting to become clear. and North Africa. Five years later, The next year, the Geneva Society It hasn’t been a pretty picture and business travels took him to for Public Welfare called for an people, quite rightly, are asking northern Italy, in pursuit of an international conference based hard questions about what might audience with the French Emperor on Dunant’s proposals, and the have been done differently by Napoleon III. International Committee for the government and local citizens. Dunant was trying to secure water Relief of the Wounded was born. One thing is sure: private rights in Algeria that only the That group soon became the charities and relief workers emperor could grant. But International Committee of the needed to be on the scene Napoleon III was in the field with Red Cross. Thanks to Dunant’s in force. The Red Cross, his armies, fighting the Austrians. investments of time and money, one of the American Determined to get an audience the conference drew delegates nation’s largest private anyway, Dunant made his way to from 16 nations, who laid the relief services, has the emperor’s headquarters, near groundwork for another mobilised its largest- the Italian town of Solferino. conference in 1864. The result ever response to a was an international treaty Moved by War national disaster. As Dunant arrived just in time to commonly called the ‘first’ people open their witness one of 19th-century Geneva Convention. wallets to help Europe’s bloodiest ever battles. Second, third, and fourth support these Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I Geneva Conventions followed, volunteers, we’re led an army of 120,000 against culminating in the conventions opening the books a French and Italian force of of 1949. More than 150 nations to look at the 19th- roughly equal size. The armies signed on, agreeing to observe century Swiss clashed almost by accident. The protections for wounded, ship- humanitarian who French expected to fight only wrecked, and imprisoned soldiers helped start the Red rear-guard Austrian units, while and even further protections for Cross itself. the Austrians expected only to civilians. Steadilly, the Red Cross How the Red Cross face the French avant-garde. movement grew, too, and not just Actually Began Instead, nearly 30,000 men were in Switzerland. It now includes The International Red killed or wounded. 176 national Red Cross (and Red Cross effectively began Dunant witnessed the effects of Crescent) societies, and more with Jean-Henri Dunant, the battle firsthand and was than 105 million workers - one of the founders of moved by the plight of the making it the world’s biggest modern humanitarianism. wounded soldiers, many of whom volunteer force. Few people even know about were left on the field to die. So he him today, but we believe, began to organise emergency perhaps everyone should. care for them all, and soliciting Dunant not only helped start and help even from local civilians. launch the International Red Three years later, Dunant Cross movement, he also helped published A Memory of create the Geneva Conventions Solferino (1862), a little book and won a share of the world’s that would change the world. In first Nobel Peace Prize. it, he described the battle and the To find out more about the Meet Henri Dunant efforts to care for the wounded Red Cross and other volunteer Dunant was born in 1828, into a that followed. He also proposed groups linked with nursing, visit: well-to-do Geneva family with that volunteers in every nation www.redcross.org.uk Calvinist religious tendencies and should organise relief societies to www.worldwidevolunteering.org.uk strong civic virtues. As a young provide care for those wounded www.timeback.org.uk man, he helped spread the in war, and that warring nations www.do-it.org.uk 54 November 2005 informnorth Giving and Gaining

erry Richardson is a shining example that the PDSA do when my Labrador was more of his spare time to yet another that altruism is still alive and kicking taken ill. The PDSA were great with my worthy cause, St John’s Ambulance. Tas he doesn’t just devote his time to dog and I wanted to give something back “The way I got into volunteering at St one worthy cause, rather he volunteers at by way of thank you so voluntary work John’s Ambulance was very similar to the two charitable organisations as well as seemed the ideal solution. way I was introduced to the PDSA. I was working as a part time carer for his “I enjoyed the work so much that I was sent on a course through some previous girlfriend Kerry. keen to continue volunteering for the employment and upon completion of organisation so when I was asked if I 26 year old Terry of Westerhope has been the course I was asked if I would like to would like to stay on as a volunteer by my working at the PDSA shop as a volunteer continue working as a volunteer with manager Anne Duprey, I quickly agreed. them to which I agreed” said Terry. in Byker, Newcastle since the store opened I’ve now been volunteering at the PDSA in November 2003. Terry explains how he for a year since finishing the course” said Terry outlines some of the benefits to the came to work for the PDSA. Terry. individual who decides to volunteering is for them. “The satisfaction of doing something for the good of others is probably the best thing about volunteering at the PDSA and St Johns Ambulance. Obviously knowing that my efforts result in the welfare of both people and animals gives me a great feeling. “I have also been able to improve my CV since I started volunteering, continually adding to my skills and updating my experience. For example with regard to the PDSA I have improved on my retail skills and gained further experience in customer service. Through volunteering at St John’s Ambulance I have gained the knowledge of how to behave in times of crisis, how to handle situations and most importantly how to save lives if necessary.” So if you’re not left reaching for the phone to volunteer your services to a worthy cause Terry has some final words of “I was assigned by the organisation CVS First Aid is an invaluable skill to have in encouragement. to complete some work experience in retail any work environment; it will always stand “Go for it! It’s the best thing you can to complement my studying of NVQ Level you head and shoulders over fellow possibly do. It’s a constructive outlet for 2 in Retail. I chose the PDSA as I have employees who are lacking this any spare time you may have, everyone always been an animal lover and had knowledge. Terry has ensured he stays benefits; the cause and the volunteer, experienced first hand the fantastic work ahead of the game in by devoting some everyone’s a winner!”

NAME: Terry Richardson INSPIRED YOU MOST? Well, my Gran sent me slightly off track but I will AGE: 26 and mother aside, I’d say my manager hopefully be fully recovered soon. Anne Du Prey has been a great inspira- COMPANY: PDSA, Byker DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE WOULD tion regarding my career, she has helped CAN GIVE READERS? I’d advise read- BASED OR LIVES: Westerhope immensely. ers to gain some kind of first aid experi- BUSINESS SECTOR/TYPE OF WHAT TRAINING OR EDUCATION ence; it’s invaluable in the work arena. COMPANY: Registered Charity HAS HELPED YOU? The IT courses I The St John’s Ambulance is a great YEAR AT COMPANY: Terry has been studied, my first aid training at St John’s organisation where you can help others with the PDSA since October 2003 Ambulance and the work experience I whilst simultaneously adding invaluable UNIQUE POINTS ABOUT YOU: I’d say have gained at the PDSA. skills to your CV. I was a good laugh, I don’t take life too WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? I have been seriously, I take the rough with the MISTAKE OR CHALLENGE OR WHAT encouraged by my manager to apply for smooth and my heart is as strong as my HURDLES HAVE YOU HAD TO the vacancy of Assistant Store Manager head. OVERCOME? I am currently receiving at PDSA Byker which has recently arisen WHO HAS HELPED YOU OR physiotherapy for a knee injury which has so I intend to look further into that. informnorth November 2005 55 Grassroots HELP from GROUNDWORK

NAME: Ernest Henderson on to my wife, who not so long ago, was AGE: 46 also out of work. After seeing what I had achieved she started working as a carer COMPANY: Groundwork South Tyneside a year ago in South Shields and has SECTOR: Environmental charity recently been put forward for the Carer RELEVANT TRAINING: Before starting at of the Year Award. Groundwork I was unemployed for 12 WHO HAS HELPED YOU MOST? years due to severe back pain caused by My supervisors at Groundwork, Emma a serious accident. During my time on Charters and Charlie Martin have been Groundwork’s Employment Programme fantastic as they have supported and I have been on a BELA course (Basic encouraged me all the way. Expedition Leaders Award) which involves WHAT HAVE YOU GAINED FROM map reading and leading walks and I WORKING IN INDUSTRY? have also gained certificates in first aid My key achievement is getting a and manual handling. permanent job. I now work as a YEARS TRADING: 24 years Supervisor on the Groundwork UNIQUE SELLING POINTS: Employment Programme at Horsley Hill Groundwork strategy is based on the and manage five young people providing desire to change places and change lives gardening and street clean-up’s as part and from my experience this is what they of the Neighborhood Pride initiative. have done for me. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE WHAT HURDLES HAVE YOU HAD TO READERS? OVERCOME? My friend told me about Groundwork and As a result of not working for so long, I I’ve never looked back, so always try to found that when I started out on the listen to what you are being told. Employment Programme, my confidence I was lucky as Groundwork supply you it’s a case of looking out for it. levels were at an all time low. However, with all the opportunities you need to get WHAT’S NEXT? with their support I have achieved so back into work. They encourage training I would like to carry on working for much by being on this programme and and help with interview skills. It’s a Groundwork so that I can help people my confidence levels are now sky high. brilliant scheme so if you get a chance go who are in the same position as I was This new belief in myself has rubbed off for it. There’s help and support available, before I started here.

fter 12 years of being unable to faltered and after only eight months of individuals and help deliver a valuable work due to a severe accident, Ernie working for the Group, he applied for service to the local communities that we AHenderson found it difficult to get a job as Supervisor for the new Greening serve. Our aim is to tackle the barriers back into work. Groundwork’s Horsley Hill employment programme and preventing employment. Employment Programme in South Tyneside, successfully gained the position. Dr. Mervyn Blades, Regional Director at helped Ernie to turn his life around and Ernie commented on his experience Groundwork North East explains: secure a full time job. saying: “It changed my life. I’ve enjoyed “We work across the North East with a Following a number of months on the every day that I’ve worked on the Heritage broad range of agencies to help realise programme Ernie acquired the position as Trail. I’m really looking forward to the new a Heritage Trail Steward. Within his first challenges that I will face in my new role the potential of individuals furthest few weeks on the job, he showed excellent and I can’t believe that I wasn’t removed from the labour market. This team leadership skills and was soon working this time last year.” involves providing waged employment whilst matching individual needs with promoted to Charge Hand. The organisation develops and manages Ernie’s drive and ambition has never employment programmes that benefit training opportunities, developing personal skills and providing supported employment 2005 has been assigned The Year of the Volunteer, this opportunities. “ Placements are available in a variety of is how the monthly themes have been allocated: areas including teaching, construction, JANUARY: Health, FEBRUARY:Youth & Children, MARCH: Older neighbourhood services, landscaping and People, APRIL: Justice, MAY: Environment, JUNE: Recognition, environmental maintenance. JULY:Veterans, AUGUST: Sport, SEPTEMBER: Disability, OCTOBER: To find out more visit Citizenship & Community, NOVEMBER: Europe, DECEMBER: www.groundwork-northeast.org.uk or Animals contact Groundwork North East on: 0191 384 2233.

56 November 2005 informnorth The North East boasts a substantial number of RSVP volunteers a few. By working as a REACH volunteer one can enjoy many who work for the benefit of all in a variety of activities including benefits that don’t often come with paid employment including; schools, telephone befriending schemes and GP transport • Having your maturity and experience appreciated schemes covering the region from Berwick in the North to Redcar • Being free to choose when and how you actually work in the South. Volunteers involved in the RSVP scheme are open to diverse opportunities and have the option to decide how to put • Using your career skills in a different way their unique knowledge and experience to use by deciding what • Learning new skills to do according to their own interests. They can volunteer as a • Meeting new people group, or individually balancing community involvement with their • Keeping your mind active and your skills in use own leisure time ensuring the act of volunteering is challenging as well as enjoyable. • Finding a route back into employment after redundancy or a career break A Code of Practice on Age Discrimination in Volunteering exists to ensure that everyone wishing to volunteer should be able to do so Volunteering projects are not just available to the young at heart regardless of age. Disability and frailty may limit opportunities for either with many organisations directed at those still fortunate to some older people as well as other age groups but selection be drinking from the fountain of youth. The Young Volunteer should be based on objective criteria relating directly to the tasks Challenge (YVC) pilot offers opportunities for over 1,000 young to be performed and on volunteers’ performance. The act also people to undertake full-time voluntary work on community serves to protect the interests of volunteers and service users by projects in nine areas across England. The pilot project funded ensuring that volunteers are only assigned tasks for which they by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) costs £5m and are equipped. has been devised to encourage young people on low incomes to become volunteers. REACH is an organisation available to older, retired people and also younger professional people having career gap who are There is a wide range of activities and opportunities available considering participating in voluntary work. Recruiting and to young people who participate in the project ranging from supporting people with managerial, technical and professional conservation to child care, which will assist in developing and expertise they place them in part-time, unpaid roles in voluntary improving their skills for further learning or potential employment. organisations anywhere in the UK that need their help. REACH Young people who partake in the pilot can earn themselves a matches peoples attributes and experience to where they are weekly allowance of £45 per week and will receive a lump sum really needed and is open to anyone who has skills in a number end of experience award of £750 on completion of nine months of professional areas such as Accountancy Civil service Education volunteering activity. Engineering Finance Journalism Law and Marketing to name but The pilot project is being led in Manchester and Sunderland/Gateshead by the CSV so there will be plenty of opportunities for us Northerners to brush up our CV’s and stay ahead of the game in the rat race. CSV also run the highly successful Springboard programme. Set up in 1975 the project has helped thousands of young people to gain experience of volunteering. They also deliver a range of vocational courses at their 8 centres throughout the Region and have recently launched Clear Track, a new venture aimed at providing an alternative to custody for those young people most at risk of offending and in need of a fresh start. What Springboard and the many other regional voluntary and community organisation prove is that getting people more involved with their own communities over the longer term is the key to helping them move forward. So anyone feeling inspired to devote some of their expertise and spare time and to voluntary work there are plenty of good causes crying out for the skills you can offer them. Just have a browse at any of the following websites.

informnorth’s key to going further: www.informnorth.com www.nacvs.org.uk/nacvs/ www.volunteering.org.uk www.yearofthevolunteer.org/ www.csv.org.uk/ www.csv-rsvp.org.uk/ www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/staying_65.htm www.reach-online.org.uk/index.htm www.do-it.org.uk/ www.actionmv.org.uk

informnorth November 2005 57 Wherever community-driven social enterprises are found - from rural villages to inner city housing estates - the benefits to those communities are apparent. Greater resident participation leads to people finding out more about their communities and the people within them. Informal networks lead to more business opportunities and social enterprises are very good at spawning other social enterprises whenever a new need arises, or a new area of expertise or interest is identified within its membership. Residents active in social enterprises, through their involvement and participation, invariably take a greater pride in their community. And the benefits of a reduction in vandalism and anti-social behaviour are both social and economic. Many social enterprises operate in areas that once were regarded as ‘crackpot’ but which are today seen as ‘socially responsible’ and mainstream. And because

By Kevin McGrowther

f you ever attend a social enterprise conference, it’s Within local communities, the growth of social enterprise has perhaps been most noticeable in industry sectors that a fair bet that sometime during the day you’ll hear But it would be wrong just Isomeone say “we need to be able to measure the deal with disadvantaged or vulnerable people. impact of social enterprise.” It’s a constant call - and The lives of many people with disabilities have been to characterise social no doubt a constant gripe from those who aren’t involved “ transformed by the emergence of social firms. Where in the sector. They hear about this thing called social previously people were kept ‘out of sight, out of mind’ in enterprise as the preserve enterprise and the contribution it’s making to life in the day centres with little meaningful or stimulating activity, of the marginalised and UK today and they say, not unreasonably, ‘Prove it’. they are now playing an active role in running real It’s true that you can find reams of statistics for every businesses - from landscape gardening to retail, catering vulnerable industry imaginable - from dentistry to shipbuilding - to packing and distribution. which will tell you how many people work in the In childcare, social enterprises run mobile crèches, after- industry, the economic impact on a community etc. school clubs, foster agencies and day nurseries. For those Boxes can be ticked, spreadsheets compiled and data involved in such businesses, the idea of making a profit circulated. from looking after vulnerable youngsters is abhorrent. Their motivation is providing the best quality service they have the established track record they cannot” be But with social enterprise things are a bit different. Yes, accused of cashing in or jumping on bandwagons. we can now confidently say - thanks to a Small Business and creating jobs and training opportunities, usually for local people. Recycling has proved an excellent breeding ground for Service survey - that social enterprise contributes around social enterprises over many years - from community £18 billion to the UK economy and is made up of more At the other end of the age spectrum, day centres for composting to furniture recycling - and now, far from than 15,000 different businesses. But social enterprises the elderly, home care services and community transport being sneered at, such enterprises are influencing have multiple bottom lines - their contribution is not businesses are all providing much needed services to government thinking and policy. measured purely in economic terms but also in terms older people. of their social and environmental impact. But it would be wrong just to to characterise social enter- Government support for social enterprise has never been higher and it must seize its opportunities while they exist. That is not to say their economic contribution is not prise as the preserve of the marginalised and vulnerable. important - particularly to local communities. More than Too often it has been accused of providing a second There is the danger that now social enterprise has other businesses, social enterprises tend to keep money best option only called upon when other alternatives fail. found its way into the agenda of development agencies within a community. The New Economics Foundation Some local authorities have handed over the running and business support agencies, that too much of their leisure centres to social enterprises when budget think tank has compared this effect to keeping water in emphasis will be placed on the economic contribution cuts make it difficult to maintain them in-house; a bucket. Within the bucket are all the people and of such enterprises at the expense of the social. Social the early days of football supporters’ trusts in the UK enterprise should never be about hitting targets and organisations that make up the local economy - shops, typically saw fans being brought on board only when ticking boxes - it should be about a different way of offices, schools, hospitals etc. Local social enterprises a club was close to ruin. When social enterprises step working where success is measured in the widest way are also included in this bucket. into areas that commercial business won’t touch this possible and celebrated. When local people support the social enterprise, their shouldn’t be seen as a negative action but something money stays within the bucket. If it’s still in the bucket positive to be celebrated, demonstrating the strength, it can be re-spent again and again within the local determination and commitment of communities. And Kevin McGrowther is the founder and community. But when people spend their money on while there may be some no-go areas for commercial co-ordinator of Young Co-operatives. a national or multinational firm, that money doesn't business, social enterprise should pride itself on being He is writing on behalf of Cleveland always stay within in the bucket - it can leak out and able to compete in every area of life and in every Cooperative Development Agency not return. geographic location. 58 November 2005 informnorth In association with:

• Berwick-upon-Tweed helping people to help themselves through entrepreneurship, enterprise and self development

Distribution area and guide to the North East • Wooler The North East: No or % Degree level/higher: 15 Population: 2,509,504 No qualifications: 34.7 Alnwick • Males: 121,8579 Employed socio-economic Females: 129,6863 groups (%) Employed: 1,059,995 Higher managerial or • Amble Unemployed: 48,924 professional: 5.6 • Rothbury Aged 0 - 15: 497,321 Lower managerial or Aged 16 - 74: 1,831,354 professional: 15.5 Aged 75+: 186,767 Intermediate or small Northumberland Ashington • Morpeth • Area: 859,200ha employers: 13.6 Households: 1,070,424 Lower supervisory or With residents: 1,066,292 technical workers: 7.9 Cramlington • Qualifications all 16-74 % Routine occupation: 24 Newcastle Airport • Tynemouth • Corbridge • Newcastle • • South Shields Income & Work Related • Hexham Tyne & Wear Employed: 998,351 • Washington Travel to work by car: 64% Sunderland • Travel to work by public • Birtley transport: 14% Stanley • • Chester-le-Street Unemployed: 82987 Peterlee Durham • • % Long-term: 29,321 Crook • Student economically Spennymoor • County • Hartlepool active: 41,584 Bishop Auckland • Durham Retired: 274,985 • Redcar Student economically Newton Aycliffe • Stockton • • Middlesbrough inactive: 86,736 Tees Valley Looking after home/family: 120,428 • Barnard Castle • Darlington Permanently sick or *Information taken from disabled: 164,313 last census ©informnorth Other inactive: 61,970

Tyne & Wear Northumberland Population: 1,070,000 Population: 307,190 Households: 462,824 Households: 130,000 Area: 54,014 hectares Area: 502,600 hectares Socio-economic group of those employed (%) Socio-economic group of those employed (%) Higher managerial/professional: 5.63 Higher managerial/professional: 6.68 Lower managerial/professional: 14.73 Lower managerial/professional: 17.12 Intermediate/small employers: 13.71 Intermediate/small employers: 16.12 Lower supervisory/technical workers: 7.35 Lower supervisory/technical workers: 7.97 Routine occupations: 23.44 Routine occupations: 22.7 People in employment: 419,930 People in employment: 132,645 Unemployment: 23,016 Unemployment: 4,424

Durham Tees Valley Population: 493,470 Population: 638,844 Households: 200,000 Households: 277,700 Area: 223,000 hectares Area: 79,420 hectares Socio-economic group of those employed (%) Socio-economic group of those employed (%) Higher managerial/professional: 5.29 Higher managerial/professional: 5.21 Lower managerial/professional: 14.69 Lower managerial/professional: 15.22 Intermediate/small employers: 13.22 Intermediate/small employers: 12.67 Lower supervisory/technical workers: 8.15 Lower supervisory/technical workers: 8.61 Routine occupations: 24.91 Routine occupations: 24.46 People in employment: 256,120 People in employment: 251,300 Unemployment: 6,759 Unemployment: 14,725 informnorth November 2005 59 WIN! an iPod shuffle Send your letters via email to: lindsey@ informnorth.com and the best letter we print will receive the iPod shuffle.

Dear Lindsey, I’ve just finished reading the article “Sport and Recreation as a Catalyst” in your recent issue and found it very thought t’s that time of year when most of us and development and show you who provoking and an interesting read. I wasn’t are celebrating, and as a nation we can help you take the next step, and aware there was so much going on our Iare giving a huge push towards now not only can you gain insight from region to promote sport, and not before encouraging young people to adopt themagazine but we also have a new time I may add. a culture of enterprise and a ‘can do’ website to help signpost you in the right You always hear the youth of today attitude. Enterprise Week stimulates direction. (informnorth.com) complaining the main reason they get into entrepreneurial activity and gives young trouble is frustration and boredom. And to Every week I receive letters from people be honest I can understand where they are people an insight into the prospect of from all walks of life who have read coming from to a certain degree. Many starting their own business. the magazine and gained something sports facilities are too expensive for As you will be aware if you have positive. Our case studies have been younger generation to afford, especially picked up a copy of informnorth in the an inspiration to many and afforded those for some of the more deprived areas, past, our magazine is a major catalyst some people the capability to look at and what with local councils seemingly in fostering an entrepreneurial spirit their life from a different perspective. placing No Ball Games signs on any open throughout the North East region, to all space over a meter square wide, it I enjoy reading all letters and love sometimes seems like their only other option age groups, all year round. We strongly hearing your opinions both good and is to sit around a playstation, gaining little support the objectives of the Enterprise bad. If you have an experience you but square eyes. Week campaign and believe enterprise would like to share with other readers It’s too easy to sit back and complain that to be the key to everyone’s future here or a point of view you would like to get today’s youngsters are always trudging the in our Region. off your chest please don’t hesitate to streets in large gangs, looking for trouble, We’re not forgetting that enterprise isn’t contact me at but what they really need is something to simply about business start up, but [email protected]. stimulate their minds and participate in, something to give them a sense of also about equipping yourself with The star letter received via email belonging and community identity. indispensable life skills and adopting receives an iPod shuffle, so what have It’s alright to argue that there’s a a positive way of thinking. Enterprise is you got to lose but a couple of minutes about self-development and not being football or basketball pitch some local of your time. parks, but sometimes people need a afraid to chase your dreams. little encouragement. We aim to help you realise your full It may be a good idea for local councils to potential through education, training consider employing co-ordinators in local community centres and youth clubs, to run classes and groups for certain sports 60 November 2005 informnorth LIVES

INFORMNORTH STAR LETTER

Dear Lindsey, exposure to sport. They have very little competitive sport. I was interested to read about all the exciting sports They are lucky if do two hours a week, and sports day initiatives featured in your Sept - Oct 2005 issue and consists of jumping in and out of hoops and throwing balls agree we should get sport back into schools. up in the air. I recall my school sports day including; races from 100m sprints to 400m relay races; high jump; long Toni Scott’s article was a fantastic endorsement of all that jump; discuss; and many other track and field events. The can be achieved through sport, and I wholeheartedly agree school even hired in portable grandstand seating for with everything she said. He even included a truly parents. inspirational quote from the PM: “Investment in sport is not just a sports policy. It is a health policy, an If we’re really going to fire up the enthusiasm for sport educational policy, an anti-crime policy and an anti-drugs among our children and future generations, we need to policy.” While this seems incredibly positive, my experience get sport back into schools as a serious part of the as a parent of two young children attending schools in national curriculum. Only by doing this will we be able to North Tyneside makes me more sceptical. ensure that all our young people are given the chance to experience the opportunities and benefits sport can bring. interests, maybe fishing or karate, I recently returned to my old comprehensive school and Not only will it enhance their lives, it will bring benefits football or dance. The charge for these was left dazed by what I saw. When I attended the school to local communities and society as a whole!! could be kept to the basic minimum with we had a cricket pitch, which was always kept in pristine condition. The neighbouring school also had its own cricket Brian Butcher, Newcastle, via e-mail the council absorbing some of the costs. pitch and even practice nets. There was also an all If the scheme was successful local weather hockey pitch surrounded by a councils may find the expenses involved 400m running track. The school even had are being offset by a reduction in a running strip with sandpit for triple The Star expenditure incurred from graffiti and long jump events. Letter WINS... removal or vandalism. 20 plus years later the pitches and Sport can give deprived areas, which practice nets have disappeared. The In conjunction with the normally have an inadequate stake in running track and hockey pitch are exclusive La Riviera society, a sense of integration. It overgrown with weeds and are covered Italian Restaurant, promotes social inclusion and teaches with broken glass! - Obviously not in situated on the Gateshead young people a respect for rules as well regular use! banks of the River Tyne, as fostering co-operation. When I attended the school in the late informnorth are pleased to award the writer and a guest of I was very glad to see the regions big 70’s we did around five hours of PE a the chosen star letter a mouth-watering all expenses paid names getting involved with promoting week. There were dedicated teachers who three-course meal including wine. ran football, tennis, athletics, cricket, sport. Young people need positive role La Riviera, one of the most cosmopolitan restaurants on models, someone who can inspire them. basketball, and netball teams. They ran a whole host of sports activities virtually the Quayside offers its diners an eating experience that is In a region with three premiership second to none with one of the largest selections of football teams, successful rugby and every other night of the week, and on Saturday mornings. continental and Italian cuisine available in the North basketball teams and many top athletes, East.Topped with the warm welcome that everyone receives sport has the potential to have a huge At school, there was probably not a sport I was given the opportunity to test - in this unique restaurant and the vast array of palatable impact on our society and the work they wines that they have available, La Riviera really is one of have already done in the region so far everything from discuss and javelin to golf and hockey. the most glamorous and relaxing environments to enjoy has been highly commendable. your eating out experience. I’m sure young people will have read We had house teams, school teams - often your article and felt inspired to take up first, second and third elevens - so all Fo r f u rt h e r i n f o r m at i o n o n L a R i v i e r a R e s t a u r a n t sport as a past time. I did and I’m 64. abilities were catered for. t e l e p h o n e 0 1 9 1 4 7 7 7 0 7 0 o r l og o n t o t h e i r we b s i t e w w w. l a r i v i e r a . c o. u k Mrs. K. Redman, Hartlepool I compare this to my own children’s

Thank you for the many letters of support and the kind wishes that you send in to us. Whatever your views or comments we want to hear from you so please send all of your letters to Lindsey’s Letters, 3 Windsor Corner, Cotsford Lane, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 4HR. If you would like us to return any pictures or images then please include a stamped, self addressed envelope with all corespondence, alternatively you can call us direct on 0191 5866 010 or 0191 5866 040 or visit our website at www.informnorth.co.uk

informnorth November 2005 61 Essential Community & Business Contacts:

Local Authorities including County, Northumberland County Council Whitby Community College City, Borough and District councils Morpeth, NE61 2EF Whitby,YO21 1LA and Unitary Authorities Tel:01670 533000 www.northumberland.gov.uk Tel:01947 821 169 www.whitbycc.co.uk DURHAM Tynedale Council Workington Sixth Form Centre Hexham, NE46 3NH Chester le Street District Council Tel:01434 652200 www.tynedale.gov.uk Workington, CA14 3SE Tel:01900 325265 Chester-le-Street, DH3 3UT Tel:0191 387 1919 www.chester-le-street.gov.uk Wansbeck District Council Yorkshire Coast College of Further & Ashington NE63 8RX Higher Education Derwentside District Council Tel:01670 532200 www.wansbeck.gov.uk Whitby,YO22 4ET Tel:0194 7821 405 Consett, DH8 5JA Tel:01207 218 000 www.derwentside.gov.uk TYNE AND WEAR ARMY CAREERS Durham City Council Gateshead Council Armed Forces Careers Informtion Durham, DH1 3NZ Gateshead, NE8 1HH www.mod.uk Tel:0191 386 6111 www. durhamcity.gov.uk Tel:0191 433 3000 www.gateshead.gov.uk Army Careers Office: Durham County Council Newcastle City Council Newcastle NE1 8JW Tel:0191 232 7048 Durham, DH1 5UB Newcastle upon Tyne, NE99 1RD Darlington DL1 1QT Tel:01325 461 850 Tel:0191 383 3000 www.durham.gov.uk Tel:0191 232 8520 www.newcastle.gov.uk Middlesbrough TS1 3AE Tel:01642 211 749 District of Easington North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Army Recruitment Office: Easington, SR8 3TN Council Wallsend NE28 7RR Bishop Auckland DL14 7EJ Tel:01388 604 110 Tel:0191 200 5000 www.northtyneside.gov.uk Tel:0191 527 0501 www.easington.gov.uk Durham DH1 1QT Tel:0191 384 7682 Sedgefield Borough Council South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Middlesbrough TS1 3AE Tel:01642 243 413 Council South Shields NE33 2RL Spennymoor, DL16 6JQ South Shields NE33 1PD Tel:0191 455 5043 Tel:0191 427 1717 www.southtyneside.info Tel:01388 816 166 www.sedgefield.gov.uk Sunderland SR1 5NA Tel:0191 565 0542 City of Sunderland Sunderland, SR2 7DN Teesdale District Council Tel:(0191) 553 1000 www.sunderland.gov.uk LEARN DIRECT CENTRE’S Barnard Castle, DL12 8EL www.Learndirect.co.uk Tel:01833 690 000 www.teesdale.gov.uk COLLEGES and UNIVERSITIES OUT OF THE REGION Access IT Hartlepool TS26 9HU Wear Valley District Council Tel:01429 267681 Crook DL15 9ES Barnsley College S70 2YW Tel:01226 216 216 www.barnsley.ac.uk CEP Associates Ashington NE63 9XQ Tel:01388 765 555 www.wearvalley.gov.uk Tel:01670 521805 TEES VALLEY Cumbria Institute of Arts Carlisle, CA3 9AY Tel:01228 400 300 www.cumbria.ac.uk Chinese ICT Centre Newcastle upon Tyne, Darlington Borough Council NE1 4DE Tel:0191 2303158 www.c-ict.co.uk Huddersfield Technical College HD1 5NN Darlington DL1 5QT Communicators Training Associates Ltd Tel:01325 380 651 www.darlington.gov.uk Tel:01484 536 521 www.huddcoll.ac.uk Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6DL Tel:01325 308840 www.communicatorsltd.com Hartlepool Borough Council Leeds Metropolitan University LS1 3HE Hartlepool,TS24 8AY Tel:0113 283 2600 www.lmu.ac.uk Durham Logistics College Tel:01429 266 522 www.hartlepool.gov.uk Sheffield Hallam University Durham, DH7 9XE Tel:0191 373 7745 www.durhamlogisticscollege.com Middlesbrough Council Sheffield, S11WB Middlesbrough,TS1 2QQ Tel:0114 225 5555 www.shu.ac.uk FTC Portman College Gateshead, NE10 0JP Tel:0191 4236200 www.portmancollege.co.uk Tel:01642 245 432 www.middlesbrough.gov.uk Ullswater Community College Get IT Information and Learning Centre Redcar and Cleveland Council Penrith, CA11 8NG Middlesbrough,TS3 0HB Tel:01642 304217 South Bank,TS6 9AR Tel:01768 242 160 www.ullswater.cumbria.sch.uk Learning Concepts Ltd Sunderland, SR1 1NW Tel:0845 612 6126 www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk University of Bradford BD7 1DP Tel:0191 5660978 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Tel:01274 232 323 www.brad.ac.uk Learning Links - Newcastle, NE4 6UL Stockton-on-Tees,TS18 1LD University of Central Lancashire Tel:0191 2734281 Tel:01642 393 939 www.stockton.gov.uk Carlisle, CA3 8TB Learning Links- Tees Valley, StocktonTS18 1EG NORTHUMBERLAND Tel:01228 592 666 www.uclan.ac.uk Tel:01642 634587 Alnwick District Council University of Huddersfield HD1 3DH Lynemouth Resource Centre Alnwick, NE66 1YY Tel:01484 422 288 www.hud.ac.uk Northumberland, NE61 5YJ Tel:01665 510 505 www.alnwick.gov.uk Tel:01670 863000 www.lynemouth.org.uk The University of Hull HU6 7RX Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council Tel:01482 346 311 www.hull.ac.uk Northern Pine Tree Trust, Birtley, DH3 2TD Berwick-upon-Tweed,TD15 1ED Tel:0191 492 3666 www.pinetree-centre.co.uk University of Leeds Leeds, LS2 9JT Tel:01289 330 800 www.berwick-upon-tweed PP Training Ltd Jarrow, NE32 3QS Tel:0113 243 1751 www.leeds.ac.uk Blyth Valley Borough Council Tel:0191 4285559 Blyth, NE24 2BX University of York York,YO10 5DD Prior Pursglove College Tel:01670 542 000 www.blythvalley.gov.uk Tel:01904 430 000 www.york.ac.uk Guisborough,TS14 6BU Tel:01287 2808000 www.pursglove.ac.uk Castle Morpeth Borough Council West Cumbria College Morpeth, NE611NL Workington, CA14 4PQ Q Group,Team Valley, NE11 0EF Tel:01670 535 000 www.castlemorpeth.gov.uk Tel:01946 839300 www.westcumbcoll.ac.uk Tel:0800 169 2649 www.qgs-synergy.co.uk

62 November 2005 informnorth www.semafore.co.uk in association with

To advertise in the regions leading enterprise and self development magazine call 0191 5866 010 today

Seaham Aim High Centre Seaham, SR7 7HQ Newcastle CVS NE1 8XS Tees Valley Rural Community Council Tel:0191 581 0555 Tel:0191 232 7445 www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk Middlesbrough TS2 1AA Tel:01642 213 852 Shotton IT Resource Centre RBLI Tel:0191440 3922 INFORMATION,ADVICE AND SUPPORT Shotton Colliery Tel:0191 520 8110 North Tyneside Voluntary Organisations www.shottonitcentre.co.uk Basic Skills Development Agency Development Agency North Shields, Skill Training Annfield Plain, Durham, DH9 0JE NE30 2AY Tel:0191 2005790 www.voda.org.uk www.basic-skills.co.uk Tel:01207 234 824 www.skilltraining.uk.com South Tyneside Resource for Initiating Broker North East Felling, DH10 9QQ Stockton Online, Ragworth, StocktonTS19 0FB Development of the Economy Tel:0800 389 7036 or 0191 451 6864 Tel:01642 391264 www.stockton-online.ac.uk South Shields, NE33 4UR County Durham IAG Central Team The Learning Resource Centre Tel:0191 455668 www.stridenetwork.co.uk Darlington, DL3 7BB (Durham Career Development), Durham, Tel:01325 5030274 www.darlington.ac.uk South Tyneside CVS South Shields, NE33 2QA DH1 5TS. Tel:0800 783 3585 Training Solutions (NE) Ltd Tel:0191 456 9551 www.southtyneside.info/cvc/ www.iagnetwork.org Alnwick, NE66 2HH Sunderland CVS SR1 1XD Tel:0191 5651566 Tel:01665 606429 www.tsne.co.uk Knowledge House (Higher Education Support Volunteer Centre Newcastle for Industry in the North) Sunderland, SR5 3HD Tynemet@Swans Wallsend, NE28 6HQ Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8XS Tel:0191 516 4408 www.knowledgehouse.ac.uk Tel:0191 240 2574 www.tynemet.ac.uk Tel:0191 232 6616/232 7445 University for Industry Ltd www.volunteercentrenewcastle.org.uk Department for Education and Skills Newcastle, NE1 1DE VOLUNTARY SECTOR www.dfes.gov.uk Tel:0191 230 8043 www.ufi.com ORGANISATIONS - COUNTY DURHAM Entrepreneurs Forum EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS 2D Support for Voluntary and Community Sunderland,Tyne & Wear, SR3 3XR Newcastle Business School Sector Crook, DL15 8QE Tel:0870 850 2233 www.entreprenursforum.net Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST Tel:01388 762 220 www.2d.org.uk Tel:0191 232 6002 Education Business Connections Chester-le-Street CVS DH3 3DQ Sunderland,Tyne & Wear, SR5 2TH St Cloud State University Centre For Tel:0191 3891960 Tel:0191 516 6411 British Studies www.chesterlestreetcvsvb.org.uk Alnwick, NE66 1NQ Tel:01665 604 293 First Step-multi cultural learning and Derwentside CVS St Johns College support for Women Newcastle, NE4 8RN Stanley DH9 0TE Tel:01207 218 855 Durham, DH1 3RJ Tel:0191 374 3579 Tel:0191 226 1213 www.firststepne.org.uk Durham City District Volunteer Bureau Teikyo University of Japan in Durham Learning & Skills Development Agency Durham, DH1 3YD Tel:0191 374 1269 Durham DH1 1WA Tel:0191 3831944 Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4EP The Open University Durham Rural Community Council Tel:0191 261 6305 www.lsda.org.uk Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3PW Lanchester, DH7 0EX Tel:01207 529 621 National Institute of Adult and Continuing Tel:0191 284 1611 www.open.ac.uk www.drcc.derwentside.org.uk Education NIACE for North East Region, University Durham Stockton Campus Sedgefield Development Partnership Leicester, LE1 7PE.Tel:0116 204 7058 Stockton-on-Tees,TS17 6BH Tel:01642 618 020 TS21 3AJ Tel:01740 629 445 www.niace.org.uk University Police Office www.sedgefieldweb.co.uk Durham, DH1 3RL Tel: 0191 374 2090 NorthEast Euro Information Centre Sedgefield Borough Volunteer Bureau VOLUNTARY SECTOR DL5 6HW Tel:01325 313 930 Tel:0191 490 9200 www.northeasteic.com ORGANISATIONS NORTHUMBERLAND www.cavos.org.uk New pathways Newcastle NE4 7YA Blyth Valley CVS NE24 2DP VOLUNTARY SECTOR -TEESSIDE Tel:0800 073 0708 www.new-pathways.org.uk Tel:01670 353 623 www.blythvalleycvs.org.uk National Database of Volunteering New Pathways Sunderland SR1 1RH Community Council of Northumberland www.do-it.org.uk NE61 1PY Tel:01670 517 178 Tel:0800 073 0708 Hartlepool Voluntary Development Agency www.ccn-morpeth.freeserve.co.uk North East Course Finder www.tap.co.uk Hartlepool,TS26 8DD Tynedale Voluntary Action Hexham, NE46 3NP Tel:01429 262 641 www.hvda.org.uk North East Open College Network 01434 601 201 www.tva.org.uk (NEOCN) Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE6 1SA Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Wansbeck CVS Ashington, NE63 8RS Tel:0191 224 3434 www.neocn.co.uk Tel:01670 858 688 www.wansbeckcvs.org.uk Agency TS1 2RW Tel:01642 249 300 NTI Tees Valley & County Durham VOLUNTARY SECTOR Redcar & Cleveland Voluntary TS1 3BA Tel:01642 384 619 ORGANISATIONS - TYNE & WEAR Development Agency TS10 1JD Tel:01642 440 571 www.rcvda.org.uk www.northeastnti.co.uk Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council NE8 4DY Stockton Voluntary Development Agency One North East Newcastle, NE15 8NY Tel:0191 478 4103 www.gvoc.org.uk TS18 3NJ Tel:01642 355 292 www.sbvda.net Tel:0191 229 6200 www.onenortheast.co.uk informnorth November 2005 63 Business Services Education & Courses

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JUST FOR YOU Do you have any spare www.gner.co.uk time on your hands? The team here at informnorth could make Great North Eastern Railways good use of your expertise and may be able to provide you with something worth- while and rewarding to do at the same Darlington & time - so take a minute to call us... Durham County Call: 0191 5866 010 Racial Equality Council “Challenging Racism in the North East” Are you • Works towards the elimination of racial discrimina- unemployed tion and promoted the equality of opportunity and good relations between persons and looking of different racial groups. • Provides advice and support for individuals, for work? families and community groups. Easington Action Team for Tel: 01325 283900 / email ddcrec:care4free.net Jobs can help you with: www.darlingtonrec.org.uk • CVs • Jobsearch • • Benefits advice • www.darlingtontown.co.uk • Travel expenses • One location for a • Work clothes and equipment • million things to do • Interview preparation • million things to do • Confidence building • • Comprehensive and • Excellent links to searchable business community support and • Financial help • Plus more • database council organisations • Events calendar • Discussion boards and with to do chat room forums Easington Action Team for Jobs ACCESS TO GROWTH 0800 389 6532 FINANCE • Finance Raising • Strategy • Business Angels • Business Planning

For further information contact the Finance Services Team at Entrust on 0191 244 4000 informnorth November 2005 67 Essential Community & Business Contacts:

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES: Common Purpose (North East) Newly Self Employed Helpline Adecco UK Ltd Tyneside.Tel:0191 227 0390 Tel:08459 15 45 15 Tel:020 8307 6000 www.adecco.co.uk Wearside Tel:0191 515 3480 National Insurance Employers' At Work Recruitment Tees Valley Tel:01642 438 439 Tel:0800 393 539 Middlesbrough,TS3 9PD Tel:01642 211 575 www.commonpurpose.org.uk www.atwork.co.uk Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder Communications Workers Union North Horden, SR8 4LX Tel:0191 587 0752 Blue Square Recruitment East Newcastle, NE1 2JQ Tel:0191 222 2336 www.easington.gov.uk/ Sunderland, SR3 4AH Tel:0191 511 6242 www.cwunortheast.co.uk North East Assembly www.bluesquarerecruitment.co.uk Companies House Tel:0870 333 3636 Newcastle upon Tyne, Tel:0191 261 7388 Central Empoyment Agency www.companieshouse.gov.uk www.northeastassembly.gov.uk Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7PQ Contributions Office Newcastle North East Recruitment Ltd Tel:0191 232 4816 NE98 1ZZ Tel:0191 213 5000 Stockton on Tees TS18 3TS www.centralemployment.co.uk www.hmrc.gov.uk/nic Tel:01642 702 700 www.nerltd.co.uk Corepeople Recruitment Ltd Derwentside Industrial Group Durham, DH1 4EL Tel:0191 386 3300 North East Euro Info Centre Gateshead, Consett DH8 5XP Tel:01207 580 011 www.corepeople.com NE8 1AN Tel:0191 490 9200 www.derwentside.co.uk First Choice Recruitment www.northeasteic.com DFES Tel:0870 000 2288 www.dfes.gov.uk Sunderland, SR1 1HT Tel:0191 565 0322 Northumbrian Water Tel:0845 717 1100 www.firstchoicerecruitment.com Department for Work and Pensions www.nwl.co.uk Tel:020 7712 2171 www.dwp.gov.uk Manpower Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 6JQ NRG(Northern Recruitment Group) H.O. Tel:0191 221 2345 www.manpower.co.uk Disability Rights Commission Newcastle NE1 6AH Tel:08457 622 633 www.disability.qov.uk Pertemps Newcastle, NE1 8AQ Tel:0191 232 122 www.nrgplc.com Tel:0191 255 7900 www.pertemps.co.uk Durham County Council Social Services Office of Fair Trading www.oft.gov.uk Tel:0191 384 4252 www.durham.gov.uk Ranstad UK Middlesbrough,TS1 1QA One NorthEast Tel:0191 229 6200 Tel:01642 254 633 www.uk.randstad.com Equality North East Birtley, Durham DH3 2TD www.onenortheast.co.uk Reed Employment Sunderland, SR1 1NW Tel:0191 492 1444/1333 www.equality-ne.co.uk Patent Advice Centre Tel:0191 567 4098 www.reed.co.uk GMB Northern Region Newcastle, NE99 1DX Tel:0191 277 4125 Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1YE Solutions Recruitment Self Assessment Tel:0845 9000 444 Tel:0191233 3930 www.gmbnorth.org.uk Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6JQ Service Challenge Limited Tel:0191 221 0402 www.solrecruit.co.uk Government Office for the North East Sunderland Tel:0191 5153344 Team Services Middlesbrough,TS7 0RB Tel:0191 201 3300 www.go-ne.gov.uk Shildon Business Centre Tel:01642 300002 www.teamsltd.co.uk Health a Safety Executive Tel:01388 777 597 Talent Recruitment Newcastle, NE1 6JQ Tel:0191 202 6200 www.hse.gov.uk Tel:0191 243 4333 www.talent.co.uk Small Business Service (SBS) HM Revenue & Customs Tel:0845 6009 006 www.sbs.gov.uk BUSINESS CONTACTS: www.hmrc.gov.uk. Stakeholder Pensions Helpline ACAS Tel:08457 47 47 47 www.acas.org.uk Institute of Business Advisers (IBA) Tel:08457 143 143 AMICUS Newcastle, NE1 6EE Tel:01246 453 322 www.iba.org.uk Tel:0191 230 2110 www.amicustheunion.org Sure Start Regional Office, Newcastle Institute of Directors NE1 4WH Tel:0191 202 3750 Business Debtline - free advice Tel:020 7766 8866 www.iod.com www.surestart.gov.uk Tel:0800 197 6026 www.bdl.org.uk Institute of Management The Northern Energy lnitiative (TNEI) Business in the Community Tel:01536 204 222 www.managers.org.uk Tel:0191 233 9300 www.tnei.org.uk Gateshead, NE11 0HW Tel:0191 487 7799 www.bitc.org.uk/northeast Institute of Personnel & Development Trade Partners UK Tel:0191 374 4000 British Franchising Association (BFA) Tel:020 8971 9000 www.cipd.co.uk www.tradepartners.gov.uk Tel:01491 578 050 www.british-franchise.orq.uk International Association Tracie Oliver Recruitment & Teacher British Safety Council of Book-Keepers Supply Ltd Sunderland SR1 1LT Tel:0207 8741123 www.britishsafetycouncil.co.uk Tel:01732 458 080 www.ifa.org.uk Tel:0191 514 0233 www.teachersupply.co.uk British Telecommunications plc IR35 Helpline Tel:0845 303 3535 TUC Newcastle, NE1 8TW Tel:0800 800 800 www.bt.com Tel:0191 232 3175 www.unionsnorth.org.uk Just 4 Business www.j4b.co.uk Business Names Registration plc Tyne & Wear Education Business Link Nat. Minimum Wage Tel:0845 6000 678 Tel:0121 643 0227 www.anewbusiness.co.uk Tel:0191 516 6166 Chartered Institute of Patent Agents New Employers' Helpline Unison Tel:0191 245 0800 Tel:020 7405 9450 www.cipa.org.uk Tel:0845 60 70 143 www. unison.org.uk

68 November 2005 informnorth in association with

This service is brought to you by Mill Garages, to advertise here call 0191 5866 010 today

TRAINING AND EDUCATION Northern Counties Safety Group Ltd County Durham Business & Learning Anderson Business College Chester-le-Street, DH3 3SY Tel:0191 387 4488 Partnership Ferryhill, DL17 8AN. Sunderland, SR5 2TJ Tel:0191 516 6313 www.ncsg.co.uk Tel:01740 652 681 www.businesslearningpartnership.org.uk www.andersonbusinesscollege.co.uk Reivers Development Anne Wright Training Hexham, NE48 1RU Tel:01434 240245 Gateshead Education and Business Stockton,TS17 6BJ Tel:01642 868712 www.reivers-dev.com Partnership Gateshead, NE9 5UR. Tel:0191 4338655 www.ebpnortheast.org.uk www.awt-uk.co.uk Sherburn Road Community Action Branta Training Management Partnership Sherburn Road Estate, Learn2work Middlesbrough,TS9 5QT Tel:01642 718700 DH1 2EH Tel:0191 384572 Stockton-on-Tees,TS18 1SW Tel:01642 662600 www.learn2work.net www.branta-training.co.uk Silver Circle Training Bridge Enterprise Centre Ltd Houghton Le Spring, DH4 4JW Newcastle Education Business Partnership Tel:01207 283474 Tel:0191 5843666 www.silvercircle.com Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 3HU Tel:0191 2774444 www.newcastle-ebp.org.uk Centaur Training Durham, DH1 2HJ TTE Management & Technical Training Tel:0191 375 3750 www.centaur-training.co.uk South Bank, Middlesbrough,TS6 6TZ North Tyneside Education Business Partnership Wallsend, NE28 0HG Tel:01642 462266 www.tte.co.uk Cleveland Accredited Training Centre Tel:0191 2001551 www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/ntebp (CATC) Middlesbrough,TS3 0HB Tyneside Training Services Ltd Northumberland Education Business Tel:01642 313211 www.catc-ltd.co.uk Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE3 2ER Partnership Blyth, NE24 1LZ Tel:0191 2862919 Derwentside Training Consett DH8 6BP Tel:01670 541534 www.ebpnortheast.org.uk Tel:01207 218409 www.tynesidetrainingservices.co.uk South Tyneside Education Business CAREERS ADVICE SERVICES: Develop Northumberland, NE61 3LL Partnership South Shields, NE34 9UG Tel:01670 794 400 www.develop-solutions.co.uk Charity Employment - Tel:0191 5191909 www.ebpnortheast.org.uk Future Strategies North Shields, NE29 6DE www. jobsincharities.co.uk Sunderland Education Business Tel:0191 257 8002 www.futurestrategies.co.uk Child Care - www.dfes.gov.uk Partnership Sunderland, SR1 1RE General Physics (UK) Ltd Newcastle Upon Complementary Therapies Tel:0191 4901717 Tyne, NE1 6PA Tel:0191 261 2626 www.icmedicine.co.uk OLDER AGE GROUP CONTACTS: www.gpworldwide.com Construction careers www.bpec.org.uk Age Concern Tel:0800 009966 www.ace.org.uk Helm Care Services Ltd Newcastle upon Tyne, NE12 7BH Counselling www.bacp.co.uk Age Positive - www.agepositive.gov.uk Tel:0191 268 7111 www.helmcare.com County Durham and Darlington Acute Experience Corps Newcastle NE1 2TE Imass Ltd Hospitals NHS Trust Tel:0191 2302652 www.experiencecorps.co.uk Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE3 3PX Durham, DH1 5TW Tel:0191 3332297 FiftyOn Tel:020 7451 0231 www.fiftyon.co.uk Tel:0191 2135555 www.imass.co.uk Fire Service County Durham and Maturity Works Tel:020 8667 0175 Keith Bassendine ITC Darlington Fire and Rescue Service www.maturityworks.co.uk Middlesbrough,TS7 9NU Tel:01642 458230 www.ddfra.co.uk Prime Tel:0800 783 1904 www.keithbassendine-itc.co.uk Leisure Industry www.primeinitiative.org.uk Learn East Peterlee, SR8 1AL www.leisureopportunities.co.uk Third Age Employment Network Tel:0191 5862402 National Childminding Association Tel:020 7843 1590 www.taen.org.uk Learning Network Project Tel:01665 510 137 www.ncma.org.uk University of the Third Age Catchgate, DH9 8EZ Tel:01207 234241 NHSU, North East Region, Corporate Tel:020 7837 8838 www.u3a.org.uk Learning North East University for NHS Sunderland, SR3 3XW. Wise Owls Tel:0800 262 639 www.learning.org.uk Tel:0191 501 8001 www.nhsu.org.uk Tel:020 7923 7771 www.wiseowls.co.uk MCQ Limited Nursing and Health www.nhscareers.nhs.uk EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY: Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2YP Tel:0191 265 3003 www.mcq.co.uk Plumbing www.plumbers.org.uk County Office, Durham DH1 5UJ. Tel:0191 383 4400 Minster Safety Training Services Police www.policecouldyou.co.uk Durham Area, Durham Wallsend, NE28 6UY Tel:0191 263 4111 Prison Service www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk www.minstersafetytraining.co.uk DH1 5TS Tel:0191 383 9176 Public Sector Employment Opportunities East Durham Area, Peterlee Newcastle Literacy Trust www.sector1.net.co.uk NE2 1DJ Tel:0191 2605200 SR8 2DP Tel:0191 587 1098 Social Work www.socialcarecareers.co.uk North East New Technology Institute North Durham Area, Stanley www.gscc.org.uk DH9 0HQ Tel:01207 232 565 Tyne & Wear and Northumberland. Tel:0191 227 3902 www.northeastnti.co.uk Teaching www.useyourheadteach.gov.uk Dales Area, Bishop Auckland DL14 7JN Tel:01388 662 577 North East New Technology Institute Tourism www.tourismtraining.biz Tees Valley and Durham.Tel:01642 384619 EDUCATION & BUSINESS Sedgefield Area, Rushyford DL17 0PT www.northeastnti.co.uk PARTNERSHIPS: Tel:01388 720 911

informnorth November 2005 69 Invest in yourself Making the most of your

It may be common sense that training is essential for succes but it can be expensive in terms of both cost and time. So it’s vital to extract the most from your experience, whether you’re an employer or an employee, as informnorth highlights...

ell at some point day, don’t even think about catching up to grow.And don’t go on a course just in your life you what you’ve missed until you’ve set because you haven’t been on one for a may ask yourself up that system.Then review it with a while. Maybe there’s a part-time or an W colleague to check that it works. evening course that suits you more that the question of why you should undertake any training There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. is being put on near where you live. Or If you can’t put into practice everything you might find exactly what you’re at all. It’s all too easy looking for on CD-ROM, to regard training as video, or disk, web user a nice break or a groups are another distraction from excellent learning the daily grind source and often they or to waste it by are overlooked. failing to use it Get the training when effectively. But you need it, not much training is all part before and definitely not of the process of after because what’s the ‘how we get from point in that? So if you where we are to do a DTP course months where we want before you need to lay to be’. It’s an out your customer investment that newsletter, you’ll can pay off in ways probably forget what you never dreamed you even learned long of. Quite apart from before you have a chance the useful new skills to put it into practice. that can be learned, trained you’ve just learned, concentrate on two Equally, if you put off going on a course staff are also more likely to feel or three things that you can reasonably you may make some costly mistakes valued and consequently, they’re assimilate over a realistic time scale. before hand and have to unlearn bad habits. more likely to be committed, If only one person has been on the loyal and to show initiative. course but the material is relevant to It has to be said that good training Training is usually about doing things other people within your business then usually doesn’t come cheap but it differently, changing old habits for new get that person to train other people. If needn’t always cost you an arm and and better ones. But change takes possible do it straight away, while the a leg and will be value-for-money in practice and lots of it. Often after material is still fresh and at the very the long run.Whether it’s training for least get them to write a summary of people go on a course, they never start yourself as a budding entrepreneur or the main points or lessons. Better still, doing things in the new way because for your employees, pound for pound they’re too busy catching up what they get them to present all of the main facts it’s of such value that it outweighs any missed while away. So be ruthless and at a team meeting very soon after. other investment that you will ever make time to practice those new tricks. It’s often been said that good training is make in capital plant or equipment. tailor-made.Work out what it is you Don’t lapse into old, bad habit Also, try to bear in mind that if there really need to learn then buy just that. The day you get back from the course, are several people who need the same while you’re still all fired up, set up a This may not be what the training training, rather than going outside, it may system to actually do whatever you’ve providers want to sell you. For instance, be cheaper and more effective to bring just learned.You want those new if there are only three people in your techniques to become second nature. office, there’s little point going on a in a trainer who can adapt material to Whether it takes an hour or the whole team-building course, unless you intend your specific situation.

70 November 2005 informnorth