HAVE A BUSINESS IDEA? NEED HELP WITH YOUR BUSINESS PLAN? FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS MAINSTREAM FINANCE?

E? NEW YEAR, NEW START?

SICCDA in partnership with various community organisations are launching a new entrepreneur programme for local people wanting to start their own business. This new exciting programme will see participants attend 2 weekend training workshops and have on-going support to develop a business plan. You will then have the opportunity to access a business loan in order to help establish your business. Applying is easy, contact mconlon@siccda.ie

Briefing document

SICCDA and Lending4Change Pilot micro- enterprise project

Background Lending4Change, a US based microfinance/micro-enterprise company has joined with NTMABS, The Simon Community, Cluid and SICCDA with a view to establishing a pilot Micro enterprise project with access to micro-finance in Ireland. What is Lending4Change1? Lending4Change is a micro finance company. It was established in Los Angeles in 2005 as a means of providing microfinance seed capital to micro-enterprises engaged in social business, i.e. providing access to business loans and training to the financially excluded. It recognised the need for a Grameen style bank but remodelled to included available technology. The aim was to create social businesses that help solve pressing social issues through enterprise. Currently Lending4Change works in LA with individuals (entrepreneurs) with business ideas. Many of the entrepreneurs have been homeless. Testimonies from many of the participants can be seen on the Lending4 Change website www.lending4change.com. Investing in potential entrepreneurs who have been excluded from society and from mainstream credit helps provide jobs and engage those traditionally excluded in a process of finding new opportunities to improve their social well-being and economic health. Lending4Change brings together a network of support and expertise to the potential entrepreneur and oversees the progress and development of such supports. Supports include business training, technical training, mentoring, and loan opportunities. Supports come from a number of areas and are managed by Lending4Change. How does Lending4 Change operate? There are a number of essential support groups/ individuals which Lending4Change puts in place for the entrepreneur2. Lending4Change oversees the support structures in order to ensure the success of the entrepreneur in this model of social innovation3. 1 Lending4Change ..................Facilitates and supports the entrepreneur by bringing together all support systems, providing train the trainers courses for trainers who will deliver micro finance programme/start your own Business course to the entrepreneur, after the initial sessions. The Host organisation4..............The host organisation identifies potential entrepreneurs and works closely with Lending4Change to support the entrepreneurs and ensure all support systems are in place. The Mentor5/ Consultant ...... L4C provides access to experts in the business field who provide mentoring and coaching to the new entrepreneur.

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For more information on Lending4Change please visit www.lending4change.com The terminology used is that of SICCDA 3 Not all supports may be needed, and some may overlap as examples below will indicate 4 In Ireland this would be NTMABS, The Simon Community, Cluid, SICCDA. 5 The volunteer mentor/consultant is an expert in the field of business.

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The Guarantor6 ..................... Guarantees loan from the credit union or credit institution. The Lender7 ............................. Lends to the entrepreneur ( generally credit union or private investor) The Student volunteer8............ provides technical support and assistance to the entrepreneur during the educational phase of the program Website advertisement....... ......Lending4Change provides the entrepreneur with an online storefront to promote and sell their product or services.

Could Lending4Change benefit members of the Liberties community? Having studied the Lending4 Change model, SICCDA believe the model could play a key role in promoting the development of legitimate business opportunities for members of the Liberties community . SICCDA are aware of the possible limitations for potential entrepreneurs such as; Welfare... loss of benefits, particularly secondary benefits. Mistrust of mainstream economy Literacy difficulties/ IT skills. Fear of paperwork/ tax system /self employed revenue requirements

SICCDA will do its utmost to support potential entrepreneurs in deciding if this pilot micro enterprise project is suitable to their needs. We will work with individuals prior to the project commencing to ensure those participating in the project will not result in a loss of income. The project will provide training in all aspects of starting up your own business and will take into account literacy difficulties. ADD SOMETHING ABOUT SUPPORT FROM STUDENTS AT TRINITY COLLEGE DURING THE EDUCATIONAL PHASE HELPING ENTREPRENEURS TO PREPARE MATERIALS AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET

Lending4 Change entrepreneur Training programme The timetable for the Social Enterprise Zone weekly Curriculum (Start your own business) training programme follows. This programme is operated in the US but may be changed to suit the needs of Irish entrepreneurial participants. The programme will take place over two weekends with follow up support. During this time, participating entrepreneurs will develop their business ideas, link in with their mentor and develop their business plan prepare to borrow seed capital.

After training?
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Successful participants will be supported in borrowing seed capital for their business Successful participants will have the ongoing support of Lending4Change and its partners Successful participants will be provided with a website storefront to promote and sell their products and services.

The guarantor guarantees the business loan (most likely this loan will be from the credit union). The guarantor could also be a mentor. It is envisaged that the lender in Ireland will be the credit union and they will require a guarantor. However not all lenders require that a guarantor is in place. A private lender could also be a mentor. 8 In LA volunteer third level students provide this support. It is anticipated that in Ireland this will be provided by Trinity students

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Tell Us Why Youd Like to Be Part of this Programme