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Follow on Google News | Social Enterprise North West's £6.6m ERDF boost to create over 900 new businesses on MerseysideMerseyside’s economic fightback has received a £6.6million cash boost in an ambitious drive to create almost 1,000 new businesses over the next two years.
By: Alistair Clarke At the heart of the strategy, unveiled in Liverpool today, is a major campaign to go out into communities and actively encourage people to set up their own businesses. The employment-creating project, which aims to engage with 2,730 people in Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, St Helens and Sefton from now until June 2014, is being led by Social Enterprise North West (SENW). The programme is set to play a major role in the economic recovery of Merseyside. It will target the most deprived areas of the region, targeting individuals and encouraging them to think about a business start up. Its aim is to create 922 new businesses. Those who take up the start-up challenge will get intensive support and advice throughout the process from the very early germ of a business idea to the running of the fledgling operation, with expert one-to-one mentoring and support. It is the biggest project undertaken by SENW and Chief Executive Officer Val Jones stresses the new companies will be private businesses and sole traders as well as social enterprises. She said: “This is an extremely exciting programme to create real employment and businesses in the most deprived areas of Merseyside. “Crucially, we are going out and actively encouraging people to think about business start ups, whether they are out of work or in a job and want to branch out on their own. “This proactive approach is something completely new and one we believe will reap benefits for Merseyside’s economy.” She added: “It is a much needed project with the emphasis very much on getting out into the community and asking people the question, ‘have you ever considered starting a business?’” Minister for Civil Society, Nick Hurd MP, today welcomed the announcement. He said: “This initiative will create real and tangible jobs and vibrant small businesses that will drive forward the economy of Merseyside. “The programme is looking to engage with and inspire people in communities across Merseyside who have the ideas, the talent and the drive to become successful entrepreneurs but don’t yet know it.” The project will also measure the social, environmental and financial impact that the funding has on the region. The ERDF is providing £3.3m of the funding, with the 17 partner organisations involved matching the cash. They include The Women’s Organisation, The Prince’s Trust, Liverpool-based social enterprise Elect and Bootle-based Safe Productions. It is being supported by the Mersey Partnership, the Mersey Phasing-In Sub-Committee (MPISC), the ERDF’s North West team and the www.senw.org.uk team and board. The European Regional Development Fund is making a real difference to people and businesses in the North West of england. With €755 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, the Fund is enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment. The European Regional Development Fund in the North West is managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government – for further information visit www.communities.gov.uk/ End
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