Call me silly but I just heard today that the grants have been stopped not only for the start a business programme but also for New Deal. While many of you out there are not sure what that is New Deal self employment is one stand of an option on a main government programme that helped people who are on benefits to move into self employment for them selves. It does this by allowing them to keep there benefits for 6 months while running a business. You used to get £400 of a grant to help you on your way into doing this but this has been stopped.
I've been working in areas with high benefit dependency for years and this strand was one that actually worked for people because it helped them get used to the freedom that self employment can bring and the £400 made all the difference. Anyone I got on that programme and mentored through it never ever went back to being unemployed. Since the Assembly have been back into government they have been looking at what they are doing with "promoting a Enterprise culture" for Northern Ireland at the moment they want to focus on supporting growth businesses but if that's the only thing that they focus on what about all of those people who have been left behind?? what are their chances of making a better lives for themselves? if we leave this part of society behind could the conflict in Northern Ireland spark off again, through shear frustration? I think perhaps it could.
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