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Tackling Worklessness in Our Neighbourhoods

This initiative engages with residents of regeneration areas who are at an early stage of self-employment.

It helps them, in a safe environment, to consider self-employment as a career option and supports them to access specialist adviser support through our business incubators and Business Gateway. This project is funded through the Scottish Government's Wider Role Fund.

Tackling Worklessness in our Neighbourhoods

Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association (CREHA), in partnership with the Edinburgh Chamber and Business Gateway, are launching an exciting new project to promote self employment and business start up as real career option for people living in areas of deprivation within Edinburgh.

CREHA has recently been awarded Wider Role funding from the Scottish Government and have brought in the services of the Chamber's Business Development team to provide one-to-one support for interested people, helping them move on to mainstream business development provision via Business Gateway.

A series of monthly awareness events are being held in key neighbourhoods, with over 270 places available, and will be hosted in a variety of venues that are familiar and comfortable to local people, until March 2011.

Following on from the events, interested parties will be offered free one-to-one appointments with a business advisor from Business Gateway. Participants will be provided with all the help, support and information they need to turn their ideas into viable and successful businesses. By the end of the project is hoped that at least 22 people will have started their own business.

Managing Director of CREHA, Alister Steele, says: "Many of our customers are not economically active and self employment offers another choice to help them move on in their lives. This project will help bring more person-centred support into the areas most in need, offer further opportunities for engagement and further our aim of creating sustainable neighbourhoods where people choose to live and work".

For more information or to attend one of the awareness sessions, please contact Jimmy O'Connell at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce on 0131 221 7512 or 07974 893 851. Download a flier (pdf file).