Business Advice

Business Advice

 

v     Reflex is developing new ways of delivering business support to deprived communities particularly to minority ethnic communities from Refugee backgrounds.

v     "London has 1.8 million residents from ethnic minority communities, who own 19% of London's enterprises."

v     "There are 60,000 firms in London, owned by Black and Minority Ethnic Communities, employing 200,000 people."

v     "16% of ethnic minority communities are self employed compared to 10% of the white population."

The key objectives of the Reflex project are to

·        build the general capacity of community organisation to deliver business support

·        support and develop ethnic minority business networks

·        develop links between mainstream and community based business support

·        promote and developing the model of community based business support, and

       build sustainable structures to support community based business support.

Reflex is a Theme C project, funded by the European Union's Equals program and is being delivered by a wide partnership of public, voluntary and private sector partners led by the London Borough of Islington.

The project is based in North East London, but is developing a model which can be repeated in other areas where there is a significant community sector organised and run by groups who are disadvantaged in the labour market.

 

Reflex is delivering business support to enterprises generated by BME Communities who are not receiving support from mainstream agencies.

Day-Mer is a Community partner to the project and is delivering business support to enterprises generated by Turkish Speaking Communities who are not receiving support from mainstream agencies.

Under the Reflex Project, Day-Mer is:

  • delivering one to one business advice sessions, 5 days a week, by an accredited business advisor, located on site.
  • delivering training and seminars to educate small business owners
  • supporting and developing ethnic minority business networks
  • developing links between the mainstream and the small businesses from the community
  • working with business support agencies to facilitate entrepreneurship in local Turkish speaking communities who are commonly excluded from the labour market

Day-Mer's previous ESF experience of delivering business advice combined with its strong ties with the community enabled the Reflex project to grow quickly and to reach over 120 clients in 2 years.

On going generic advice, education and training projects as well as various other socio-cultural activities allowed this successful business advice project to establish itself widely within Day-Mer's multi service context.

For more information