AQW 44739/11-15

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 20/04/2015
Answered On Date: 29/04/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to list the departmental financial support available to community social enterprises in the Arts sector.

Answer:

Invest Northern Ireland provides support to businesses, including social enterprises, across a range of sectors based on a range of eligibility criteria, including the intention to sell outside of Northern Ireland. Support available can include financial assistance to cover key areas, such as skills, innovation, research and development, exporting, job creation and capital investment. Businesses can also avail of a range of advisory assistance and free workshops on a number of business related topics including sales & marketing, design and finance.

For those social enterprises which are delivering their services locally Invest Northern Ireland will continue to provide wider business support, in the form of information and advice services.

While social entrepreneurship activities represent part of the functions previously delivered by Invest NI that have now transferred to the new Councils from 1 April 2015, Invest NI will continue to manage the delivery of the current Social Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP) contract until its completion in July 2015.

A number of social enterprises in the Arts sector have participated on the SEP. The core elements of SEP ranges from basic advice on areas such as developing a business idea, product development, legal structure and marketing to mentoring support to produce a business plan and aftercare for the first year of trading.

Invest NI is also overseeing the new Social Enterprise hubs that are now successfully operating across the 9 Social Investment Fund (SIF) zones in Northern Ireland. Significant momentum is being achieved in the development of new social enterprises in the social enterprise hubs.

Invest NI in partnership with DCAL is also jointly funding the Music Business Support Programme. This is a three year programme (2014-2016) which aims to increase the economic contribution of the music industry in Northern Ireland by providing mentoring; running industry seminars; talent development and providing support for international trade events.