Leeds Catalyst

Special Offers at Shine

Shine is a state-of-the-art, spacious and stylish business and social hub, minutes from Leeds city centre, that's like no other. Shine is currently offering:- *10% off room hire for all the meeting and conference rooms and * DDR from £25 per person including equipment hire and free WiFi. Available on all bookings up to 31 March 2010 if booked before 31 August 2009. DDR packages are always tailored to meet the clients needs, includes unlimited tea/coffee, buffet lunch, dedicated events manager, data projector and laptop, complimentary wi-fi, access to free meeting spaces to name but a few, meaning there are no hidden extras to pay for. To qualify for these rates please quote reference SSCL09.

Contact Dawn or Claire on: 0113 388 0000

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.

Promentis Business Surgery

FREE NUMERACY AND LITERACY TRAINING AT SHINE

SHINE has formed a partnership with The Basic Skills Consultancy to provide Literacy and/or Numeracy training and assessment against national standards.  According to The Literary Trust (www.literacytrust.org.uk), Government backed research by BMRB International says that 15 million workers in England struggle to grasp basic calculations and many also have functional literacy problems.  

 

Mark Haysom, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council recognises the importance of achieving functional skills in Literacy and Numeracy, “Skills are the backbone of a successful economy and a measure of a nation's ability to survive in an increasingly competitive, global marketplace... Good literacy, language and numeracy skills provide the foundations we all need in order to make the most of life and work opportunities.”

 

With this in mind, SHINE is offering free training to anyone who does not already hold a grade A-C in GCSE Maths and/or English or equivalent. You can achieve valuable qualifications in a short period of time - on successful completion of these courses, learners are awarded an Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR) Certificate, equivalent to GCSE. (Funding is currently only available for people who are 19 years old and above. To be eligible, you must have been resident in the EU for 3 years or more)

 

If you are interested in improving your Numeracy and Literacy skills and receiving a certificate (equivalent to GCSE) for the skills you may already have, please contact

Tom Dunn, Engagement Manager on 07827 968552 or e-mail

[email protected] for further information.

 

Latitude 53 Logo-Branded Greeting Cards

A Creative Marketing Tool for Your Business

Minimum order just 50 cards from £45 plus VAT
Choose from over 100 stunning designs.
NEW! Quotations cards - send your customers something inspirational.

Special offer for myCatalyst members - 10% bonus cards with each order.
Start building stronger and longer-lasting relationships with your most-valued customers now!
Order online at www/latitude53.co.uk/cards4business or call us on 0844 504 5353

Want to promote your offer?

Hello and good Monday afternoon!

We are now creating Welcome Packs that are given to all new clients. In the pack there is a special offers and discounts section, that all myCatalyst™ members can take advantage of.

Do you have anything that you would like to contribute? It could be 10% off, one free taster session, free event –ANYTHING!

Please note that your offers will also go up on the blog.

Kindest Regards

Chandy Singh
Camberwell


Mobile: +44 (0) 7718982546
Email: [email protected]
http://www.cause-an-effect.co.uk

Shine* |  Harehills Road | Harehills | Leeds  LS8 5SH

Get more from myCatalyst(TM)!

Good News!

 

myCatalyst™ would like to offer every member with a flexible workspace package of 25 hours or more a free events package.  This means members on CAT 25, CAT 50, CAT 75, CAT 100, CAT Unltd or Corporate packages can all attend our monthly events free of charge providing you book your place in advance.

The next event is being held this Friday 26^th June at Shine: Smarter Money Matters, presented by Lisa Bohanna-Tang (Yorkshire Money Advice)

Please contact [email protected] to book your place.

Upcoming Event Dates
31st July 2009 - Hillside
28th August 2009 - Shine
25th September 2009 - Hillside
30th October 2009 - Shine
27th November 2009 - Hillside
18th December 2009 - Shine

Talk Straight Offer - Free Telecoms Review

Talk Straight provide business telecoms solutions, which range from introducing cost savings on fixed line telecoms and mobiles to telephone systems that can revolutionize how businesses operate. Clients range from sole traders to multinationals and they all have an account manager, who ensures that they operate cost effectively and efficiently. Talk Straight tailor their services to meet their client’s needs, to arrange a free telecoms review contact David Wilcock on 01274 214086

Free training for teachers, artists and youth workers in Leeds

Could your business benefit from the Transition Loan Fund?

Read how one Tadcaster business was saved from closure by taking advantage of our new Transition Loan Fund. And it was a member of 

Yorkshire

 Forward’s staff, having seen the company’s predicament on Look North, who suggested applying to the fund.

CASE STUDY: TID Services

Six weeks ago, TID Services was facing cash flow problems severe enough to threaten the business. Despite over £120,000 of work on its books, this small building contractor had been refused support by the banks. And owner Mike Tyrell was facing the possibility of having to close his business.

The reason for the problem

TID is a small business employing 8 full-time staff and had good prospects through its order book for construction and renovation projects. The cash flow problem was simply one of timing: like all construction companies, TID needs to buy materials up-front before they can begin a project.

As Mike points out: “Traditionally, suppliers give you credit for goods, and then we take staged payments from our clients to cover those costs. However, because of the current recession, many suppliers are now asking for immediate payments. Our customers understandably want us to complete their work before they pay for it, so we were getting squeezed hard between the two.”

Trying to get a credit facility

TID needed a credit facility to buy these supplies and maintain the business, but their bank said they couldn’t help. Feeling frustrated, Mike appeared on BBC Look North to tell his story, and things immediately started to look up. Fortunately, a member of staff at Yorkshire Forward saw the programme, and thought the Transition Loan Fund may be able to help.

The Transition Loan Fund

The £5m Transition Loan Fund was launched by Yorkshire Forward in February 2009 to provide viable businesses that had been refused finance from their banks with a loan to meet a shortage of working capital.

We asked one of our delivery partners for the fund, Business Enterprise Fund, to track Mike down and to find out if his business was eligible for support. A specialist advisor worked closely with him, looking at his business plan and his loan needs. And last month, the fund agreed a £30,000 loan which has helped to secure the future of the company and the jobs of its 8 employees.

Support to date

So far, the Transition Loan Fund has helped 14 of the region’s businesses and safeguarded 58 jobs. Further investments are in the pipeline.

Could you benefit?

The message from Alex McWhirter, assistant director of enterprise at Yorkshire Forward, is this:
“I’d urge companies in a similar situation to consider whether they could benefit from this support. If so, they should get in touch with Business Link Yorkshire. We want to help as many viable businesses as we can through our various business support services but the amount we can lend through the Transition Loan Fund is restricted by our budget.”

Find out more

Companies can contact Business Link Yorkshire  
on 08456 048048.

 

Free Legal Advice Drop-in Surgery at myCatalyst(TM) centres

Free Legal Advice Drop-in Surgery at myCatalyst(TM) centres

SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN LEEDS

Leeds-based firm Arena Group is committed to supporting the local community.  As part of this they would like to offer some brand-new office equipment to local community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations in Leeds .   The machines are all desktop models and are aimed at organisations with a reasonably low volume of printing – approximately 500 copies a month.   Not only will they give you a machine, they will also come and install it for you!  You need to apply in writing to the Leeds Community Foundation by 25th May 2009.  Please visit the Leeds Community Foundation’s website for a copy of the application form at www.leedscommunityf oundation. org.uk/latest- news.htm <http://www.leedscommunityfoundation.org.uk/latest-news.htm>  

 
Sally-Anne Greenfield
Chief Executive

Leeds Community Foundation
NB NEW ADDRESS
Ground Floor, 51a St Paul 's Street, Leeds LS1 2TE
Tel: 0113 2422426 Fax: 0113 2422432
Website: www.leedscommunityf oundation. org.uk
Registered Charity No 1096892 Registered Company No 04443312

How Bizaar!

£3,000 vouchers to redeem at universities

£3,000 vouchers to redeem at universities

Vouchers worth £3,000 can be obtained by businesses in an initiative which provides access to academic know-how, help businesses to endure the economic downturn. The vouchers can be redeemed at universities across Yorkshire & Humber, to help fund research and development.

The University of Leeds is participating in the scheme, building on its reputation as a world leader and its excellent track record in the commercialisation of world-class research.

For more information visit our innovation funding page.

HumansONLINE from Webstrat Consulting Ltd

Webstrat Consulting Ltd introduces HumansONLINE, an innovator in internet communication, specialising in personalised "Borderless Video" that streams seamlessly over any website. Our online video spokespeople can greatly enhance your website visitors experience by engaging them to take action, thereby leading to noticeably higher conversion rates within a very short period of time. A video spokesperson creates a personal touch that cannot be achieved by text or graphics alone.

HumansONLINE offers personalised business videos that require only insertion of a small amount of HTML code into your existing website - no site redesigns are necessary. Your control panel gives you over 30 client controlled options to best engage your website visitors. Video tutorials are included for ease of use and quick deployment.  

Incorporating video onto your existing website is now the least expensive, highest return-on-investment you can make in your online marketing campaign. Since you have already spent a good deal of time and marketing investment just getting people to your website, why not keep their attention and guide them to the most pertinent areas of your site.

 With HumansONLINE, you give your website a "Voice" and make website interaction a more Personalised Experience!

For further details, visit www.humansonline.co.uk or call Jonah on 07888705453.