One of the new remits for the Small Business Service is social inclusion - making sure that no group is left without any kind of social or business support.

In the East Kent area we have been supporting this aim for several years by undertaking European funded projects to raise the awareness of business support to the wider community, taking business advice into the very communities that traditionally have been unaware of the existence of help, and tailoring it to their needs.

Though most of the projects have been aimed at self-employment, an important factor has been the building of self-confidence, which could lead to either further training or employment should the starting of a business prove non viable.  Links to other community organisations have also been forged and we now have access to a wider range of advice.

As with normal business advice to existing business we also deal with existing community and voluntary organisations, making sure that they are operating in an effective and sustainable manner.

Specialised advice is available for those wanting to set up social enterprises - a business run by members of the community for the community- such as community cafés and community crèches.

The Kent Co-operative Development Agency (Kent CDA)

The Kent CDA is part of Technology Enterprise Kent and was established in 1993 specifically to help co-operative businesses to start, expand and flourish.  The Kent CDA encourages and supports the formation of co-operatives, social enterprises and community businesses.

Operating throughout Kent, it offers free advice, assistance and ongoing support to all types of new and existing co-operative businesses in the County.

The Kent CDA is a full member organisation of Co-operatives UK, a national network of CDA's and co-operatives.   To find out more about Co-operatives UK and the aims and objectives of co-operatives, please visit www.cooperatives-uk.coop

One of the fundamental objectives of the Kent CDA is to promote the co-operative option as a viable business structure and to lift the confusion and misconception surrounding co-operatives.  As part of this aim, the Kent CDA ran an awareness seminar at Dover Town Hall, to promote the concept of co-operatives, local and international.

For more information on Social Inclusion projects, contact info@technologyenterprise.co.uk