New support for Hastings’ aspiring entrepreneurs and businesses: Let’s Do Business Group is to deliver R.I.S.E Hastings along with other local partners
The R.I.S.E Hastings project is funded through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, allocated by Hastings Borough Council. Hastings Borough Council and the Shared Prosperity Fund from the UK Government and will be delivered by Let’s Do Business Group, Southern Housing and Education Futures Trust, and aims to help to reinvigorate the area and provide residents with new skills and support to succeed.
R.I.S.E Hastings – standing for ‘Reboot, Ideas, Skills, Enterprise’ – aims to provide support to residents and businesses to fuel economic growth in the Broomgroove and North Hastings area, through a range of support services and provisions from late 2023 to Spring 2025.
The project came to fruition after Hastings Borough Council’s successful bid for funding under the UK Government’s Levelling Up and Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022, and the Broomgrove and North Hastings area was identified as an area that would benefit from increased investment and skills development for residents.
Through R.I.S.E Hastings, delivery partners, Let’s Do Business Group, Southern Housing and Education Futures Trust will operate several outreach programmes to benefit Hastings’ residents, like jobs fairs, skills-based workshops and one-to-one support.
“We are delighted to be leading this programme with our partners. Following COVID and high inflation, businesses have been finding it really tough. This project is here to help them navigate the challenging environment, positioning them for growth in the future.
We are also looking forward to working with budding new business people to help their dreams of being their own boss become a reality.”
As the business and enterprise support partner for the R.I.S.E Hastings programme, Let’s Do Business Group will provide a mix of one-to-one support and workshops to encourage and support business growth in the area. This will include supporting pre-start businesses and entrepreneurs with launching their businesses, and aid in the development of skills to help create more local jobs and employment opportunities.
Let’s Do Business Group’s initiatives will include:
· 1-2-1 support to support businesses to grow and develop
· Business skills workshops
· Facilitate introduction of businesses to universities and Innovate UK to fuel further investment and growth
· Peer-to-Peer learning events
· Careers fairs
Complimenting the provision from Let’s Do Business Group, Southern Housing will deliver workshops and one-to-one support to help residents in the area to build their confidence and promote awareness of local employment pathways, as well as run a Repair and Skills Share Cafe - encouraging the development of existing skills for local people, and helping them to learn new ones that can aid their search for employment.
Also delivering support under the R.I.S.E Hastings programme, Education Futures Trust will provide ‘doorstep’ community-based training from their site on Elphinstone Road in Hastings to engage with local residents and improve wellbeing.
“I am really pleased to hear about the RISE Hastings Programme, which will offer support to a growing number of start-up businesses in the area.”
Hastings is growing in popularity for businesses starting and moving to the area, with an increase in recent years of independent businesses and entrepreneurs enriching the local economy. Through the new R.I.S.E Hastings Programme, it is hoped that this will only increase with this new provision of support and investment into the town.
Visit the R.I.S.E Hastings page to find out more!
