Trailblazing programme to boost skills and job prospects

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is launching an innovative new programme to boost skills and increase opportunities for self-employed and gig economy workers across Greater Manchester today.

EnterprisingYou, delivered by GM Growth+, a new partnership between the Growth Company and PeoplePlus, will support up to 2,500 of the city-region’s self-employed people and gig workers.

The fully-funded programme, open to the self-employed and gig economy workers earning less than £27,000 a year, is being made available to help people whose regular income is insecure, to sustain and grow their businesses.

Greater Manchester has been chosen to launch the programme.

Mayor Andy Burnham will launch the initiative this afternoon with growth and startup lead at GC Business Growth Hub, Hilary Centeleghe, director of enterprise at PeoplePlus, Matt Dooley, and Luke Potts a self-employed designer who has signed up to EnterprisingYou.

According to the latest official labour market statistics there are currently 183,000 self-employed people in the region working in a range of jobs from hairdressers to taxi drivers to construction workers.

EnterprisingYou, commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) with funding from the Department for Education (DfE), is the first programme of its kind in the country to provide free tailor-made support for self-employed people working across any sector, including those working in the gig economy.

It will also actively engage those with health conditions or disabilities, women, older people, part-time workers on temporary contracts, carers and Universal Credit claimants, while being open to all eligible residents.

EnterprisingYou will help participants upskill and enhance their business knowledge, gain new practical and vocational skills for career progression, develop their business ideas, and potentially re-train to increase future career prospects.

Support will be provided through one-to-one business coaching and training.

Participants will be able to access peer mentoring, help with managing their personal finances, well-networked co-working sites and a range of practical information and advice on the recruitment of staff, advertising, marketing and business development.

All participants must be a resident of Greater Manchester and be either self-employed or working in the gig economy with an annual gross income below £27,000.

Priority access will be given to Greater Manchester residents on a low income where self-employment is their primary source of income.