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My year as a Business ConnectorIsabel McKenzie

www.bitc.org.uk

Office Manager at Bettys Harlow Carr, Harrogate

Seconded to BitC Business Connector programme to work in Rural North Yorkshire

Here to talk about…• Bettys and Taylors involvement• My experiences as a Connector• How you can engage with Business to create successful partnerships

Who am I?

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‘Community’ and our contribution towards it, is very much part of our values

We have aspirations for the future in terms of how we strengthen our community commitments

We saw the Business Connector initiative as a great way to deepen our understanding of local issues and meet like-minded businesses

Bettys and Taylors – Community Values

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• Recruit and support over 600 Business Connectors to work in over 200 disadvantaged areas within 5 years leveraging more than £39m worth of talent from businesses and £52m worth of impact in to local communities.

• Generate new levels of on going support and connectivity in local areas of great need

• Create a powerful alumni group who will champion the concept within businesses

What is the ambition of the Business Connector programme?

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Trained and supported by BitC, Business Connectors:• meet community and voluntary organisations to

establish their needs• meet local businesses to identify support

(knowledge, skills, time and resources) they can provide to the voluntary sector

• facilitate and support partnerships between community organisations and businesses to promote employability; education; enterprise and community cohesion.

What does a Business Connector do?

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Yorkshire since July 2012

6 Seconding

Organisations

6 Seconding

Organisations

7.5 FTE Business Connectors

7.5 FTE Business Connectors

5

Locations

5

Locations

£1.3m leveraged

£1.3m leveraged

Organisations received support on

370 occasions

Organisations received support on

370 occasions

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What type of Providers?

26%SMEs

26%SMEs

9%Public

9%Public

11%voluntary sector

11%voluntary sector

54% Large Businesses

54% Large Businesses

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• Big Lottery 10% of locations to be rural

• Priority for Prince’s Rural Action Programme

• Good fit for Bettys – home to many suppliers, customers and staff

Why North Yorkshire?

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My impact so far

25

Connections

25

Connections

20 Providers / Businesses

20 Providers / Businesses

15

Locations

15

Locations

£90k leveraged£90k

leveraged

8 months connecting

8 months connecting

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Middleton Tyas village shop- brain storming afternoon with Proctor&Gamble merchandising & marketing team

Ripon Community Link & the Walled Garden –growth & looking forward

HOPE, Masham- new leaflet design and printing

Others…HR, PR, IN-KIND, SCHOOLS, FUNDING, VOLUNTEERS….

Connection Stories

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• Very large area – decided to focus mainly to the West of A1

• Unfamiliar territory – lack of experience with voluntary sector

• Very varied needs – one size doesn’t fit all • Complex and extensive voluntary sector• Some issues just too big to tackle – small steps

Challenges – the area

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• How to make contactCold call? Existing contacts? Attend events?

• Businesses already involved & connected within local communities- where can I fit in?

• A lot of microbusinesses – time and resources to help?

• Talking the same language – business principles v voluntary world

Challenges - business

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Business networking events

Well known businesses not the only option

Research- speaking to right person, no of employees, business priorities, customer base

Building rapport & being patient

How can you connect with Business?

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Businesses might need to know what’s in it for them!• Employee development / better staff engagement• Meet CSR objectives• Strengthening local community eg. future employees/customers • PR opportunity / raising profile

Prepare- being able to clearly explain what you need, and not just talking about what your organisation does

Partnership working brings MUTUAL BENEFITS

How can you connect with Business?

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Thank you for listening