Something for the advisers – line yourself up for some work

As discussions at the final learning session of the course highlighted, there is an issue with flagging up our expertise as social enterprise advisers to the people who are able to broker work to us.  It does seem a little strange to me that a wad of tax payers’ money can be thrown at getting us qualified but then we’re left to find our own way through the murky mists to find out how to make ourselves known to the people who need our services.

True, it should be down to our own initiative to acquire our own clients but when there is so much talk of braiding social enterprise support into the mainstream, surely there ought to be a quick and easy way of enabling them to find us????

So here’s what I understand to be the way to make this happen (no guarantees from me though)…

Step 1.  Get yourself registered on the East Midlands Brokerage Platform – www.embrokerage.co.uk.  Initial registration gets you on the radar for a randomised referral into clients (the system picks 3 appropriate suppliers each time a service is sought for, I understand).

Step 2. Follow through to become an approved brokerable provider for any grant-funded work – remember the SEBA grant??  The process isn’t too arduous as long as you can provide contact details of 5 happy clients to give you a reference, as I’m sure you can.

This is where it starts to confuse me…  there is no space on the form you fill in to say you have specialist expertise in social enterprise.  Why not is, and will probably remain, a mystery.  So you then need to go to… 

Step 3.  When you’ve been approved, let Lynette Daws from SEEM know.  My understanding is that Business Link will check with SEEM when they identify a social enterprise and that they will then be able to identify suitable providers.

This, guys, is simply my understanding as I write on Monday 17th March 2008.  Don’t blame me if it all changes tomorrow    Good luck.

Business Link Support First Meeting – seduced by the devil?

This morning I met with my brand new Business Adviser, Richard. A jolly pleasant chap he is too. Richard managed to condense the opening spiel about the regional consolidation of the BL empire down to two whole minutes. He pointed out that what ever my previous dealings with BL may have been, now my customer journey should be an all new experience.

It is worth noting we did spend a bit of time discussing the professionalisation of the business advice industry paying particular attention to the qualification of advisers. Richard seemed to be under the impression that SFEDI assessment would see him through. Of course this is a debate that is currently running, and of particular interest to the adviser readers of this blog.

The chap was very efficient in outlaying the practicalities of three different funding options. As a budding SE, Third Sector Media should have no problems tapping into the SEBA grant discussed earlier in this blog. However, there may be a difficulty engaging in the oft quoted Business Transition grant. The number of hoops required may make the transition grant an unattractive proposition. There is however a new business development grant unlocked through membership of the e-Business club. This seems to offer capital and revenue funding up to 50%. Four half price laptops fully loaded seems worth a bit of form filling and hoop jumping to us so I shall explore and keep you all posted.

As ever, I would urge all readers of this blog to apply for the SEBA grant, we can then sped a happy six months hiring each other as bona fide SE’s whilst spending someone else’s money. What better reason to engage in a network?

Optimistic
Alan

SEBA – a gift from Business Link

Just recieved a heads up email regarding a new pot of money especially for SE. I am assuming that this follows on from the announcement offered below. The joy of BL’s centralised phone system.

ACD – Hi, I’m calling about the SEBA grant outlined on your website

BL – What’s that?

ACD – The Social Enterprise Business Advice grant for up to £1500.00

BL – Are you sure it is us that is dealing with Social Enterprise grants and not another agency?

ACD – I am looking at the grant details on the Business Link East Midlands website as we speak

BL – I can’t tell if you are eligible, one of out business advisors needs to check that

[long postcode conversation regarding objective 2 status]

BL – I will get one of our advisors to make an appointment to check you eligibility, it will be sometime within the next 10 days. Would you like to sign up to our newsletter?

I can’t wait to see who gets in touch. I am really looking forward to meeting the East Midlands Service Provider Registered advisor in light of the fact that the switch board person wasn’t sure that BL were dealing with SE’s .
 Filled with confidence and raring to go…

ACD

PS – Go and get some paid consultancy yourself here, but don’t be put off by the vagaries of the switchboard! The grant is active from now until 30th June 2008