Civvy Street News

An innovative programme is helping ex-Service men and women to find out more about franchising in association with The Royal British Legion’s ‘Be the Boss’ (BtB) programme.

FranchisingWorks is one of a small consortium including Blue Orchid, A4e and Business Finance North West that has recently been appointed by the Legion to deliver the BtB programme across the UK. BtB is a service aimed at supporting UK Service Leavers to plan, fund and grow their own small businesses. Funded by the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Legion and its partner organisations will offer:

• training in small business set-up;
• assistance in writing a business plan and financial forecast;
• funding to assist in the launch or growth of a business; and
• periodic health checks and business mentoring to applicants from across the UK.
BtB came into existence in June 2010 and has so far attracted interest from over 2,000 Service Leavers interested in starting up their own business.

“The transition from Service life to Civvy Street can be a very difficult time for many Service Leavers,” points out Simon McNeill-Ritchie, Managing Director of FranchisingWorks. Franchising offers a structured working environment, built on systems and procedures in a similar way to life in the Armed Forces. Many franchisors are aware of these similarities and welcome the opportunity to engage with former Armed Forces personnel.”

BtB will refer interested franchising candidates to FranchisingWorks who then offer:

• workshops to help understand franchising;
• one-to-one sessions to assist with business planning and market research; and
• introductions to approved franchisors.

Are you eligible?
The programme is open to anyone who left active service in the UK Armed Forces and intends to start-up or grow a small-business in the UK. Applicants should first register on the Legion’s employment and training portal, Civvy Street: www.civvystreet.org/betheboss.
Applicants must be legally resident in the UK, register their business in the UK and meet additional eligibility criteria. Existing business seeking funding must have been trading for no more than two years.
In order to apply for grant and loan funding, applicants must complete training in business start-up or growth with Blue Orchid. Blue Orchid’s programme of Preparing to Run Your Own Business is all about offering a flexible approach to learning about, and preparing for self-employment. The SFEDI approved programme is modular in design, with seven core modules and a wide menu of optional modules that ensure the training and advice is tailored to your own business.
You will be working with your own dedicated Business Advisor; through FranchisingWorks should you choose to adopt a franchising business model, to tailor support to your individual requirements and to assist you with completing a business plan and financial forecast.

Financial support
Financial support will be offered in a ratio of 25% grant and 75% loan and start up funding is capped at £7,500. Additional funding will continue to be available, up to a total of £30,000 per person, based upon business success and financial management of programme funds.
BtB grants and loans can only be used for establishing or growing a business in accordance with a business or growth plan confirmed by an accredited business advisor. In general, funds cannot be used for personal expenses unrelated to the business, personal debt, travel, purchase of property, investment in certain large-scale national industries, training, licensing or accreditation. Additional details on limits of funding use are available in programme materials.

On-going support
Participants receiving funding will be offered on-going business mentoring and regular health-checks for the first 12 months of trading, helping them to proactively identify and resolve problems as well as manage revenue and debt effectively.
The Legion is committed to supporting Service Leavers to build on the training and discipline they developed in the Armed Services, leverage it to become equally successful in enterprise and create their opportunity to Be the Boss.

NOTE: Be the Boss offers training, funding and mentoring to all Service Leavers regardless of the business model they choose to adopt.

Burrow Hill Training Fund

The British Lung Foundation (BLF) is pleased to announce availability of the 'Burrow Hill Training Fund'. Under this scheme, funding is available to support vocational training, healthcare professional training and medical research related to ex-members of the Armed Forces of the Crown and their dependents who are suffering from any disease of the chest. The following 3 grant types will be offered:

1. Vocational Training
Grants to provide assistance with vocational training for ex-members of the Armed Forces of the Crown and their dependents who are suffering from any disease of the chest or related illnesses. This could cover any type of vocational training.

Amount per award: Up to £1,000

2. Healthcare Professional Training
Grants to assist in advancing the education of persons training to be healthcare professionals specializing in the treatment of chest diseases with a preference for those working with or intending to work with members or ex-members of the Armed Forces of the Crown. This might include training such as specialist nursing qualifications etc.
Amount per award: £2,000

3. Research Grants
Grants to fund medical research into the causes and treatment of chest diseases, in particular amongst members or ex-members of the Armed Forces of the Crown.
Amount per award: £50k per Grant

For further information please click the link below:

Delivered by SkillForce in partnership with Endeavour & Knowsley Skills Academy.

SkillForce, Endeavour and Knowsley Skills Academy are educational charities working with 14-19 year olds in partnership with schools. Our respective instructors already make a positive and permanent change to young peoples’ lives, for example, 93% of SkillForce graduates gain a recognised qualification. There are some young people who require even more intensive support and mentoring can help them to re-engage with education. Working one-to-one, mentors will challenge the mentees behaviour and attitudes and assist them to take responsibility for others and their environment for the greater good of the community.

British Service Personnel are trained to achieve success in the most adverse of circumstances. Under pinning this are the Service Standards and Values of; selfless commitment, courage, both physical and moral, integrity, loyalty and respect for others. It is these virtues that we seek to harness and, supplemented by appropriate training, offer into schools in support of the Governments "Military to Mentors" strategy. We are welcoming applications from ex-services personnel, who have recently left, are about to leave, or have left for some time including those who are wounded, injured or sick.

The Programme

The Military to Mentors training will be delivered in seven programmes from September 2011 to July 2012. It is funded by central government and designed to provide one hundred ex-service personnel in England & Wales with a career opportunity to progress within the education sector.

The first programme will run from Sep-Dec 2011 - this programme is now full and it is closed for applications. There will be three programmes running from Jan-Mar 2012 and the final three programmes will run from Apr-Jul 2012. These programmes will be ten weeks duration. Applications for the 2012 programmes are invited now.

For those applicants who are enrolled on to the programme SkillForce, Endeavour and Knowley Skills Academy will:

• Deliver four weeks of training courses at our offices in Nottinghamshire that include ILM Mentoring for Young Learners (level 2), C&G PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector - level 4), Adult Numeracy and Literacy (level 2), civillian First Aid and Health and Safety qualifcations (level 2) plus Child Protection and Equality & Diversity training.
• Support candidates with work experience placements of six weeks duration as close to your preferred location as possible. During this period you will be attached to a team and be assigned a Supervising Officer. You will also be allocated study time for completion of coursework and distance learning.
• Assist you in sourcing and applying for job opportunities either within SkillForce, its partners or schools.
• Signpost you to grant assistance providers where applicable for accommodation and travel during the training programme.

How To Apply

Ex-service Veterans Football Programme Ex-service Veterans Football Programme Weekly football sessions at Chelsea, Colchester, Everton, Lincoln and Portsmouth A chance to meet up with other ex-Service personnel Access to coaching qualifications Match day opportunities Help develop ex-servicemen and women’s Veterans Leagues
Read more...

Our ‘Forgotten Hero’s’ bursary scheme was introduced by our MD Carl Bennett, who wanted to do something practical to help those who have slipped through the net of resettlement and given their thankless service for our country.

The bursary scheme, which officially launched in June, is a permanent offer which aims to give away 100,000 worth of free training to those who are struggling to find their feet on civvy street.

If you would be interested in applying for our bursary scheme or would like some more information, please visit www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/free-training

All our awards are at our discretion and applicants will be vetted before an award is made.
Even if you are not eligible for this place give us a call on 01293 529777 and discuss your needs. We often will apply discounts for ex-service men and women at our discretion.