Micro-enterprise Start Up Supports for Refugees and Migrants
About this good practice
Problem Addressed:
In February 2021 the Irish government committed to putting employment support at the core of the new model being implemented to replace 'Direct Provision,' following the publication of the Day Report. The first step of this new model was to shorten the waiting time for access to the labour market for asylum seekers. There are many administrative barriers that prevent asylum seekers from accessing the labour market, such as having no legal right to a driving licence and issues with opening a bank account. Asylum seekers also experience other difficulties in accessing employment due to work permits that seem unofficial and a lack of accessible childcare.
How Objectives are reached:
One pathway to support asylum seekers and refugees to gain employment relates to the entrepreneurial supports for microenterprises provided by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) South Cork, an enterprise support office within Cork County Council. A network of 31 LEOs are based nationally through the local authorities and act as ‘one stop shops’ to deliver enterprise supports in their local regions.
LEO South Cork acts as the first point of contact for those seeking to start their own business or gain general business advice and information. The LEO provides financial support, training, mentoring, marketing, access to dedicated business networks, product and service development and a micro-finance loan fund.
Stakeholders: Local Enterprise Office South Cork, Cork County Council.
Resources needed
Cost of Enterprise Supports @ LEO South Cork:
3.5 x Staff in Enterprise Support Services team approx. €210,000. 2023 Budget of €360,00 for all soft supports including training, mentoring, mgt development, lean, green supports. Additional €137,500 of budget for Trading Online Voucher Approvals.
Evidence of success
Since 1/01/23 - 1/10/23
• 100 start-ups participated in Start Your Own Business training.
• 250 clients engaged in mentoring/business advice clinics.
• 1000 clients engaged in training, mentoring, mgt development, lean, green supports.
• Trading Online Voucher Approvals (36 projects @ €2500 per project).
Potential for learning or transfer
Awareness of and access to public supports for employment and business supports are significant challenges hampering asylum seekers and refugees from accessing the labour market in Ireland. The LEO South Cork provides a comprehensive approach to effective access to state enterprise support services at a very local level to all microenterprises.
One of the main reasons that the Enterprise Supports programme of the LEO has been successful and could be transferred is that the programme empowers individuals residing in Ireland from all backgrounds to engage with a ‘one stop shop’ for all enterprise supports, meaning that they have a team and people with whom they can talk to and connect with to learn more about the enterprise ecosystem, marketplace and consumer preferences in Ireland. So as to understand how to optimise one’s business.
Consistency, relationships and people supporting people to realise their dreams are critical to the success of the LEOs enterprise supports.
Further information
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Good practice owner
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