Leeds Catalyst

myCatalyst™ networking event for July

myCatalyst™ networking

Join us at our next myCatalyst™ Business Generating event

Friday 31st July, 2.00pm-4.00pm at Hillside*
Good Design - a Luxury or a Necessity?

OK, so there’s a bit of a down-turn in the economy; the odd banker is a tad worried about his pension; the economists are scratching their heads and maybe the Estate Agents are having to do a bit more work to make a living, but the world of commerce and industry hasn’t stopped.

There is still great competition in the market place and there are always people buying things. We all still need to eat, wear clothes, use electricity, drive cars and hopefully, go on holiday.

So how do you get noticed over and above your competitors?

How can you make sure your brand is seen, recognised and understood by your customers, whether they are trade or consumers?

www.printideas.co.uk

Nick Wayne, director of Print Ideas, takes a look at the idea of “Good Design” in terms of branding. This will be a ‘snapshot’ of what is considered “good design” and will give you the opportunity to discuss and debate with him, some of the principles of what he is presenting as “good design”.

This should be a lively, entertaining and informative presentation and audience participation will be encouraged!

Agenda:

2.00pm Reception, coffee and general networking
2.15pm Workshop 'Good Design –a Luxury or a Necessity'
3.00pm Networking - an opportunity to identify new business introductions
4.00pm Close of meeting

To book/reserve your place for this event, please confirm your place by emailing me at: chandy@my-catalyst.co.uk or call me on 07718 982546 if you have any questions.

This event is free to event paying members.
Non-Event Paying Members: £17.25 inc. VAT, payable on the door by cash or debit/credit card

YOU MUST CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE IN ADVANCE.
PLEASE ARRIVE PROMPTLY.

Kindest Regards
Chandy

P.S keep an eye out for your myCatalyst™ newsletter!
Check out : http://leedscatalyst.com/blog

*Hillside myCatalyst™
Hillside
Beeston Rd
LS11 8ND

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15/07/2009

Thinking of employing staff?

The Job Centre is offering recruitment subsidies to companies taking on new staff. See below for more details.

Jobseeker Allowance - Six Month Offer

Recruitment Subsidy

A recruitment subsidy of up to £1000 is available to all employers who offer our 6 month plus JSA customers employment that is expected to last at least 26 weeks and consist of an average of 16 hours per week.

The recruitment subsidy has been designed to minimise the administrative burden on employers. The subsidy will be paid using a twin track approach - £500 on entering employment and £500 after 26 weeks in employment.

Public Sector vacancies - Public sector employers can claim the subsidy.

Employment Agencies - Employment Agencies may act as employers and recruit eligible customers. The Agency will be eligible to receive the subsidy payments as long as they are acting as an employment business.

Additional support for work-focused training - Employers may be eligible to claim additional support for in-work training, Train to Gain support provided by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) worth £1500.

Self Employment

The offer targets those customers who are considering either:

starting their own business; or
starting a job that is offered on a self-employed basis.

For those thinking of starting their own business, Jobcentre Plus is working in partnership with Business Link.

Jobcentre Plus will provide a weekly payment of £50 for 16 weeks (Self-Employment Credit) designed to help the customer in the first few months of self-employment.

Volunteering Option

The aim of the volunteering option is to help customers who may find it difficult to compete in the labour market to improve their prospects of finding permanent employment. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) believes that volunteering alongside searching for work can help jobseekers to develop and maintain useful skills for work and help keep them in touch with the labour market.

All Personal Advisers (PAs) will be responsible for identifying suitable customers who may benefit from a volunteering placement. If the customer expresses an interest in undertaking volunteering work they will be referred to a brokering organisation for an interview. The broker will identify the types of placements availablein the local area which could help the customer achieve their employability aim. Take up of a volunteering placement is not mandatory and customers will not be sanctioned if they do not engage with this option.

Work Focused Training

This will provide training through Further Education (FE) colleges that will either upskill or reskill customers so that they are able to get a job and continue the training while they are working, either through in-work training (Train to Gain or apprenticeships) or through part–time provision.

The Work Focused Training option provides customers with access to either part-time training or 2 weeks full time (over 16 guided learning hours per week) training followed by part time training (up to 16 hours) the duration of which will differ depending on the customers needs. The training prepares customers for real employment opportunities within the local labour market.

The provision available through this offer is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and generally delivered by FE colleges for Jobcentre Plus customers. The aim is for the Customer to move into full time employment and continue with there training whilst in work i.e. through Train to Gain.

NB – In West Yorkshire the six month offer is only available to those customers aged 25 and over and who have been unemployed for six months or more. 18 – 24 year olds will continue to participate in the existing New Deal for Young People.

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08/07/2009

March of a Million Mothers

Dear colleagues and friends

You may already have learned of the Mother's Against Violence (MAV) plans for a March of a Million Mothers (MMM) on 23rd August 2009 in Leeds. Support of this march is crucial to the aim of inviting people from all levels of society to stand together to symbolically reclaim our city from the sort of fragmentation that has led to the tragic rise in gun and knife culture the march seeks to reverse.

Mothers Against Violence (MAV) is a voluntary group Founded by Patsy Mckie from Manchester after the death of her son. Pat Regan met Pasty after her son’s death and she gave her the inspiration to begin the same work and support throughout Yorkshire, so MAV is now a national organisation with offices in Manchester, Liverpool, London and Leeds which comprised of mothers who have been affected in some way by gun violence.

Support offered by MAV is education for those involved in gangs and violent crime. They work closely within their community, building strong relationships with individuals and families and helping them to understand the effects of violence. Below are the main points of what they do and if you would like more information then please get in touch withpatsymckie@hotmail.com.

Education out of crime
Partnership working
Support to individuals and families
Forging links
Building bridges
Changing lives

On 23rd August 2009, between 14.00hrs and 17.30Hrs, we are asking people to march to reclaim own communities for the good of all who live in them. In Manchester, for example, they will have a march from the town hall around the city, while a cavalcade of supporters will badge up their motorcycles and vehicles to ride around the outer ring-road surrounding our city.

Can you help us take this forward, my friend?

MAV would very much appreciate any support you could offer in promoting and organising this major initiative that will get a million Mums (and hopefully as many Dads) out on the streets this summer to show their commitment to improving the lives of young people. People of all ages and backgrounds will be working together in a global network of local communities to show the strength of compassion for and commitment to young people. Needless to say, time is of the essence and if you are in receipt of this message I believe you will want to get involved.

Well, here's how:

Things to think about:
Fund raising/contribution in-kind, volunteering
Press releases
Networking partners with event experience to coordinate or take a lead for the event
Inspirational speakers
Showing solidarity
Continuing the momentum

Want to get involved?
I knew you would. That's why you're so lovable.

Here's how:

Please could you circulate the information widely via your contacts. Get in touch with Raquel Silvestre or myself Marva Pryce here at Leeds Voice to further develop this initiative.

Thanks in advance for your support - which I know will be amazing.
Marva

Marva Pryce

Engagement Coordinator

Community Regeneration Team

Leeds Voice

Suite 54 - 56 Concourse House

432 Dewsbury Road

Leeds, LS11 7DF

Tel: 0113 277 2227

Email: marva.pryce@leedsvoice.org.uk

Leeds Voice, strengthening and representing the voluntary, community and faith sector.

A Leeds Initiative Partner

' Browse for voluntary sector events and search for current vacancies @www.leedsvoice.org.uk '

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07/07/2009

Business Barge Tonight!

Hello All!

We hope everyone has been enjoying the recent sun! We're pleased to announce the next UK Inventure networking event on Tuesday 7th as THE BUSINESS BARGE! This free event will allow 40 lucky people to come on board a canal boat this Tuesday, which will take them for a 2 hour ride down the Leeds canal (and we're throwing in some free drinks too!)

This is going to be a FAB event and as with all events, tickets are completely free and will be given out on a first come first served basis. Some basic details of the event can be found below:

Event: The Business Barge
Date: Tuesday 7th July 2009
Times: We are meeting at the cross-quays pub (http://www.the-crosskeys.com/find-us.htm) at 6:00pm and when everyone has arrived we will be walking down to the boat which is a 5 min walk away. For those who can't make it for 6:00pm you can meet us directly at the boat for 7:30pm (a map can be found at http://www.tripboat.co.uk/location.html). After the event (for those who want to) we'll be heading back to the cross quays for further drinks/networking

TO BOOK: visit http://www.ukinventure.com/events/details/19-The%20Business%20Barge.html for full details, then email tickets@ukinventure.com with your name, number and business name (if you have one). You are free to bring as many colleagues/friends along as you like but please include their details too when you email us.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Inventure... Inventure is essentially business networking, but not as you know it! Our zany events are open to all ages and anyone with an interest and passion for business. All events are held on the first Tuesday of every month, are always free and are very informal and relaxed, which is why we attract such a great group of people to our events!

We'd like to give a big thanks to a few organisations for sponsoring this event including:

Year End Accounting (http://www.yearendaccounting.co.uk/), The Leeds Met CETL (http://www.lmu.ac.uk/enterprise/) and The Camberwell Project (http://www.cause-an-effect.co.uk/) who all provided massive support in helping to put this event on.

We hope to see you on Tuesday and if you have any questions or need help finding us, call Jason on 07769553545

Regards,

--
Simon Edwards
UK Inventure
w: www.ukinventure.com <blocked::http://www.peanut-media.com/>
m: 07941199327