Southern and Sovereign support self-employment sessions

Southern Housing Group and housing association Sovereign have teamed up to support Islanders with self-employment training sessions that could make potential business ideas a reality.

Run by the Pop-Up Business School, the free-to-attend workshops will take place every day for one week at the Newclose County Cricket Ground, Newport 10am to 3pm, from Monday 21 to Friday 25 October.

With seasonal summer employment on the Island drawing to a close, the housing association duo are hoping to give those with money-making ideas the support they need to get business dreams up and running.

Matthew McLean, Community Investment Services Manager at SHG, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this exciting event. We want people to be able to earn some extra money by doing what they love. Attendees will find out how to develop their ideas, promote their business, create a website and also gain support with managing their finances, all while building their confidence in the process.”

Toby Eaglen, Community Development Officer for Sovereign, said: “We want people to be inspired to set up something new, or release their capacity to grow an existing business.”

Former Pop Up participant Joanna, who set up her own business selling lingerie in Kent, said: “The instructors from Pop Up are so energetic and re-sparked my enthusiasm to ‘just get going’ and start selling. I am just so, so pleased I came across PopUp and I can honestly say it’s changed my life! I feel so proud that I’ve made the leap into setting up my own business and I know I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t attended Pop Up.”

Anyone can attend the course and you can sign up at popupbusinessschool.co.uk/iow