• Your business hub

Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) Event

Wednesday 08 March at the Hilton Hotel Leicester LE19 1WQ from 5:30pm to 7.30pm 

Serco and Blaby District Council invite businesses located within Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland to attend the ROTL event to hear what other businesses' experiences of employing ROTL and ex-offenders have been and learn more about the process.

ROTL Explained 
In May 2023 Serco will begin operating the new Category C resettlement prison HMP Fosse Way, which has been built on the site of the former Youth Offender Institute in Glen Parva. It will house 1,715 prisoners and focus on the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration back into society.

Release on temporary licence (ROTL) is an important part of the process for the resettlement and rehabilitation of prisoners. For many prisoners, especially those serving long sentences, accessing ROTL is crucial in preparing for their safe release. It gives them the chance to organise work, housing and to establish relationships with families and their communities.

Serco is looking for partners to give work placements and possibly offer permanent employment opportunities.

So what are the benefits of working with prisoners and ex-offender?

• Diversity, inclusion and social responsibility
• Reduces initial recruitment and job advertising costs
• Resolves skills shortages
• Reduces staff absence
• Increases staff retention

We are looking for local businesses with vacancies for our next Job Fair 

Wednesday 15 March from 3pm to 6pm at the council offices

Our next Job Fair is fast approaching, we had over 170 people attending the last one, and if you are a local business with vacancies and would like to take part then please contact us on enterprisingblaby@blaby.gov.uk

The government announces the new “Energy Bills Discount Scheme” for UK businesses, charities, and the public sector from April.
 

A new energy scheme for businesses, charities, and the public sector has been confirmed ahead of the current scheme ending in March. The new scheme will mean all eligible UK businesses and other non-domestic energy users will receive a discount on high energy bills until 31 March 2024.

This will help businesses locked into contracts signed before recent substantial falls in the wholesale price manage their costs and provide others with reassurance against the risk of prices rising again.

Discover more: The government unveils new “Energy Bills Discount Scheme”
for businesses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Annual Green Business Breakfast 

Wednesday 22 March from 8am to 10am at the Leicester Marriott Hotel 

Our Annual Green Business Breakfast will be held on 22 March, and the theme of the meeting will be centred around sustainability and green businesses. 

The focus is on how SME businesses can learn and navigate their way to becoming more sustainable. With a key focus on the initial steps businesses can take with going ‘green’, we will also share available funding opportunities.

To reserve your place click the button below.

Help to Grow: Management Course from the University of Leicester

The Help to Grow: Management Course is a unique opportunity for professional growth, business development and collaborative learning delivering £7500 of fully-funded training.

Whether you are new to management or have significant experience, the course provides practical, real-world support enabling you to optimise your business.

Developed by subject specialists and industry experts across the UK and delivered by highly qualified academics, facilitators and business mentors, the course brings SME decision-makers together to provide business efficiency and growth with a focus on productivity, sustainability and resilience.

Delivered by Small Business Charter accredited business schools, Help to Grow: Management is delivered over 12 weeks (4-5 hours a week), combining the flexibility of online sessions with the benefits of four face-to-face case study workshops.

Key benefits for you and your business

• Enhance your management and strategic capabilities
• Improve operational efficiency to save time and money
• Learn how to innovate, lead change and optimise your business model
• Adopt digital technologies to boost productivity and operational agility
• Develop your value proposition and reach into new markets
• Improve employee engagement and responsible business practices
• Build business resilience and agility
• Network and learn alongside business leaders from a range of different sectors
• Develop a Growth Action Plan to drive your business forward

Eligibility

Help to Grow: Management Course is for managers and business owners involved in shaping the direction of small or medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with 5 to 249 employees. The company must be UK-based and have been operating for at least one year. The course is not currently available to charities.

For businesses with 5 to 9 employees, one person is eligible to join the course, whereas for companies with 10 to 249 employees, up to two people can benefit. Participants should have line management responsibility for at least one other person.

Discover more here: Help to Grow: Management Course | School of Business | University of Leicester

LLEP Business and Economic Intelligence Update

A summary of some key announcements since the last update together with a round-up of recently published research and insights from a range of organisations can be found by clicking the link below:

2023-01-31-Issue-40-LLEP-Business-and-Economic-Intelligence-Update-FINAL.pdf

The Mental Health and Productivity Pilot

This pilot project was launched in 2019 to encourage and help Midlands-based employers to support the mental health of the workforce and improve productivity. It is funded until December 2023, with investment by the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care to help organisations of all sizes prioritise staff health and wellbeing. Sally Newnham manages the LLEP area offer.

If you are an organisation or business in the Midlands Region and want to find out how you can access FREE support and resources to make your workplace even better, we'd love to hear from you. 

You can find out more at https://mhpp.me/ 
Or send an email to the MHPP regional team via centreforresilience@lincoln.ac.uk or email Sally snewnham@lincoln.ac.uk or Kate k.wood3@derby.ac.uk 

1. Mon 20 Feb, 2.00-4.00 pm, What’s new in paid digital advertising – Google, Microsoft Bing and social media (online)If you want to stay up-to-date with changes in paid digital adverting this webinar is for you. We’ll explore new features to see how they could benefit your campaigns and raise awareness of your business. Book here.

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2. Wed 22 Feb, 9.30 am-4.30 pm, Building a high-performance team (Friars Mill, Leicester) This workshop covers the key foundations of top teams. You’ll learn practical skills to accelerate your journey to create a high-performance team using tried and tested methods. We’ll also look at leadership barriers that may be holding back your team’s performance. Book here.

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3. 17 March 2023: Digital Marketing Conference & Expo (Derby County Football Club)This conference offers you the opportunity to learn about the latest trends, real-life case studies, and effective tactics to gain the best advantage for your business. More details.

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Our Business Hub is on hand to offer dedicated help and support. Our friendly team is only a call or email away: if we don’t know the answer we promise to find out.There are so many resources available, many included in this newsletter, and we want to encourage you to access them. 

You can get in touch by completing the form on our support and advice page by clicking the button below.