Creative Launchpad are pleased to be involved in an ongoing delivery/research project from March 2006 - December 2007, to support 410 individuals that are unemployed in Birmingham and Solihull to overcome barriers to entry into the Creative Industries.

Our project involves collaborating with Partner Organisations; including Job Centre Plus, Connexions, Employment Centres, Enterprise Centres and any other organisation involved in providing/facilitating support to unemployed individuals, to:

• provide creative industry specific information, advice and guidance to (410) unemployed individuals wanting to get into the Creative Industries, alongside Partner Organisations provision
• work with Partner Organisations to improve their provision of relevant and appropriate information to this target group
• provide business support to a limited number (24) individuals to facilitate progression into self employment
• evaluate the project and present recommendations to Partner Organisations and Government Agencies on how to improve
  • the provision of information, advice and guidance to the target group
  • the provision of skills development programmes to progress individuals into employment within the creative industries
  • the provision of business support to progess individuals from unemployment into self employment in the Creative Industries

This will build upon the excellent work that many Organisations provide through community workshops, social engagement and outreach projects, who will also be recognised as Partner Organisations for the purpose of this project.

Are you unemployed?

If you ARE unemployed, or working less than 16 hours a week,

ARE living in Birmingham and Solihull,

ARE aged between 16-64 years

and NOT on a New Deal programme of support,

NOT in receipt of Satutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Satutory Maternity Pay (SMP),

NOT in full time education

then you can receive support from Creative Launchpad Business Advisors, alongside any support you may be getting from any Career Advisors.

Please call our office on 0121 224 7375 (10am - 5pm) , or email s.townsend@creativelaunchpad.co.uk to book an appointment (usually 2 hours long), where you will be supported to:

• identify your creative skills and apply them to a marketplace,
• address any problmes that you may have with progressing your idea
• supported to develop a personal action plan which will include:
  • on going support from Creative Launchpad if appropriate
  • support from the wider Creative Industry community in the West Midlands
  • direct introduction to organisations that may be able to support the progressing of your idea further

Paying your expenses?

We can arrange for your costs of travel and childcare to be paid. Please indicate that you have costs that you would like us to pay when you ring, or drop into the Custard Factory shop (location).

Please bring with you the following evidence...

As the project is funded by Birmingham and Solihull Learning and Skills Council, it is important that we are able to show them that we are supporting the target group. Therefore, at your first meeting please bring in the following items of evidence, which we will photocopy and keep on file and use only for the purpose of proving who you are. This information will be kept in line with our Privacy Policy.

• Unemployed in receipt of benefits: Evidence of benefits (i.e. benefits book, letter from benefits office)
  • or
• Working less than 16 hours a week: Evidence of working less than 16 hours a week (i.e. payslip, bank statement)
  • or
• Unemployed with no benefits: Evidence of your idenitity (i.e. passport or something with national insurance number on)

Do you support individuals that are unemployed?

If you support individuals that are unemployed in Birmingham and Solihull and wish to be part of this project, then you have the following options:

• ring 0121 224 7375 and tell us what you do, and how we can signpost individuals to your provision
• arrange a meeting with Paula Tew, Project Manager (email p.tew@creativelaunchpad.co.uk) to discuss a more active role in this project
• join the Project Steering Group, which meets every 3 months to discuss progress of the project and draw conclusions from the project activities
• signpost your clients to us if they wish to progress into the Creative Industries (if a direct referral occurs, we will keep you up to date with progress that the client is making)

We look forward to working with you and creating a better environment for creative individuals to progress into the creative industries.

Starts: March 2006 - December 2007
Outputs: IAG, Clients into self employment
Description: Building on the work currently being delivered through our Creative Launchpad projects, this project will support and provide advice and guidance to unemployed individuals seeking to gain employment/enter the creative industries. The aim of the project is to provide industry-focused advice and guidance to individuals, to identify potential markets and skills development needs, allowing them to gain employment in the creative industries.
Current Status: Delivery started with strong relationships being built with Job Centre Plus, Enterprise Centres, Connexions, Princes Trust and other organisations with similar remit to support unemployed individuals that currently do not have the capacity to support those wishing to enter in the Creative Industry Sector.