Westlea has been running a series of Business Development Workshops in association with Vocation Quest to help residents set up and run their own businesses. And Westlea resident Sam Drake has recently set up her own hairdressing business that's going well.

Sam's story starts back in March, when she was at home with her 3-year-old daughter and desperate to get back into work. Sam explained, "I’d been looking for a part-time job to fit in with my children, but so where a lot of other people!"

Sam describes her feelings as: "Very despondent every time I visited the Job Centre or checked the papers etc." Out of the blue she received a flyer from Westlea's Lisa Wroe offering help to people thinking about starting their own business. Sam says: "After chatting to a close friend, I went to Lisa with a business idea, poster, and business cards. Lisa has been extremely helpful and supportive over the past year, and I've learned so much from the business seminars run in conjunction with Sue Jordon from Vocation Quest."

Sam has nothing but praise for Vocation Quest, adding: "Vocation Quest is a fantastic organisation that can show everyone their potential and direct them to which job they're most suited to. They build your confidence and help you find the right job for you. They give you the care and support you need when you've been out of work for some time."

And Sam also identifies Westlea's Lisa Wroe for special praise: "Lisa constantly came up with solutions and ideas to help and support other residents into work, in a manner that built up their self respect. I feel that Westlea's tenants are so lucky to have such a big company so dedicated to helping them help themselves back into work."

Sam set up her own mobile hairdressing business because, she says, "I wanted to provide a service where my clients always feel they are number one. I wanted to be my own boss, and choose where and when I work so it fits in with my family."

Having learned how to do it from the marketing workshop, Sam added: "I offer time, quality, and hair care advise at no extra cost and at very competitive prices. As with all hairdressers, I also offer a listening ear and everything I hear is confidential. I wear a badge with my picture and name on for my more vulnerable clients. You can call me on 07706603205 or 01225 7441433."

Westlea also offers a WHAT NOW! project for adult residents, to help them get work experience in a field of work they would later like to do. This not only helps their self esteem, especially if they have been out of work for a long time, but also gets them back into the feel of the working environment. And, at the same time, it gives them something up-to-date to write on their CV.

Business Development Workshops over the year covered topics such as Business planning - developing the idea, Marketing, Sales and communications, and Cash flow and debt management. Eight people attended the most recent running of the workshop , and, like Sam, are starting their own business ventures. For more information contact Lisa Wroe, Employment and Training Advisor, on 01249 466159.

[published online 28/11/11]

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