Business Start Workshop - Lairg 13/14 June

If you're planning to start a business or have recently started one, you might be interested in attending our forthcoming (free) business start workshop being held on 13/14 June in the Lairg Learning Centre

For details, follow this Link or contact me.

HiDigital Workshops - Dornoch

HIE and Business Gateway are hosting a series of workshops to help businesses make the most of the Internet and digital technology.  The next Sutherland event is being held in Dornoch on 16th/17th April 2013 and will cover the basics of social media, enhancing your web presence and using IT to produce meaningful financial information.  Places are limited and booking is essential.

For more inforamtion or to book a place, please email

"Celebrate Open Learning" in Kinlochbervie

If you're based around Kinlochbervie you might be interested in the North West Training Centre's Open Day on the 6th September.  The event will promote the Training Centre's wide range of courses and Marianne Ross, Business Gateway's Recruitment Adviser, will be going along too.

For more information, take a look at The North West Training Centre website: Link

Business Gateway Workshops in Sutherland

Here's a list of Business Gateway workshops being held in Sutherland over the next few months:

2 Day Business Start-Up	Tues 23rd – Wed 24th October	9.30am – 4pm	Community Learning Centre, Brora
Marketing & Selling	Thursday 13th December	9.30am – 4pm	Community Learning Centre, Brora
Record Keeping	Friday 14th December	9.30am – 4pm	Community Learning Centre, Brora

 
You can download workshop details here (Google Docs PDF Files):
1. Business Start
2. Marketing & Selling/Record Keeping


For more information about Business Gateway courses in other areas, visit our Events Calendar:
To book a place, contact Lesley Allan on 01463 713889 or lesley.allan@highland-opportunity.com

HCA/NADFAS Grant - Call for Entries

Our good friends at Hi-Arts have brought this to our attention:

"The Heritage Crafts Association (HCA) and the National Association of Decorative and Fine Art Societies (NADFAS) are delighted to be working in partnership for the first time to offer The HCA NADFAS Grant 2012. 

One of HCA’s key aims is to ensure that heritage crafts skills of the highest standard are passed from one generation to the next. Support of our national heritage has been one of the cornerstones of NADFAS since its inception in 1968. This grant will specifically support traditional crafts that contribute to our living heritage e.g. basketry, weaving, wood working, shoe making, metal working and so on. 

The grant primarily looks to offer help for the training of apprentices. However NADFAS and HCA are well aware that apprenticeships are not the only route to learn a craft skill and other training routes are included..."

For more information, follow the link

"Marketing Your Social Enterprise", Lairg

The Social Enterprise Academy (SEA)is running a 2-day Workshop in Lairg on "Marketing Your Social Enterprise"

From SEA: "MYSE is for anyone interested in developing a new social enterprise idea whether this is a start up social enterprise, a new trading arm for your organisation, or a new product or service."

For details, follow this Link

Business Gateway Workshops

We are now taking bookings for the following courses, which will be held at the Brora Community Learning Centre. 

19th – 20th June 2012 : 2 Day Business Start Up 

Join our two day workshop where you will learn how to develop your ideas into a practical and effective plan to launch your business. Key elements include: Getting the marketing right for your business; Developing a realistic, working business plan; Deciding what finance you need and learning how to use financial information. 

12th July 2012: Record Keeping 

This is a 1 Day Workshop. This workshop will explain how to manage your finances and continue to plan your business including what records you are required to keep to comply with the law. How to develop an action plan to introduce and/or improve financial record keeping system and improve your business financial management 

13th July 2012: Marketing & Selling 

This is a 1 Day Workshop aimed to help you create a realistic marketing plan designed to improve your marketing efforts and ultimately lead to more sales. 

To book your place on these FREE Workshops or to find out about Business Gateway Courses in your area, please contact Lesley Allan on 01463 713889 or lesley.allan@highland-opportunity.com

Create: Introduction to Creative Thinking

The lovely people at Inverness College's Create programme have anounced a new workshop to be held on 23 May 2012.

"Introduction to Creative Thinking and Idea Generation is a free one day course offered by CREATE, Inverness College’s enterprise centre. The workshop will introduce you to: the concepts of creativity and innovation; more effective brainstorming; and provide tools to help you find and develop new ideas for your business."

For more info, follow this link

Assynt Enterprise Club - HMRC Workshops in Lochinver

Sharon Bartram, of the Assynt Enterprise Club,has organised workshops to be presented by Janet Campbell, Business Education and Support Officer from Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC). 

These 2-hour sessions, aimed at both new and existing enterprises, will be held on the 9th February at 2pm and 5pm and will cover the basics of tax and national insurance  - with plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.

Janet's sessions are incredibly informative  - and she is excellent at explaining what is thought by many to be a complicated and, for small businesses, a worrying subject.

The venue in Lochinver will be confirmed later but, for more information, contact Sharon at the Assynt Learning Centre 01571 844123 or email: assyntlearningcentre@gmail.com

Business Start Workshop in Brora: 23/24 January 2012

We have arranged a 2-Day Business Start Workshop to be held on the 23/24 January 2012 at the Brora Learning Centre.

This is great workshop for those starting (or have recently started) a business or social enterprise.

Course Description

Join our two day workshop where you will learn how to develop your ideas into a practical and effective plan to launch your business.

Key elements include: Getting the marketing right for your business; Developing a realistic, working business plan; Deciding what finance you need and learning how to use financial information.

Cost FREE

For more information, contact: Business Gateway

Phone: 01463 713889

Email lesley.allan@highland-opportunity.com

These workshops are also a great way of meeting other new local businesses and an opportunity to put your queries to the experts.

Free Business Start Workshop in Lairg 3/4 November 2011

There's a 2-Day Business Gateway Start-Up Workshop being held in Lairg on 3rd/4th November. This course covers the basics of starting or exploring your venture in an informal but informative way. 

For further information click here and, to book, contact Lesley Allan

Scottish Crofting Federation - Training Courses

The SCF is hosting training courses for crofters and small landholders.

Lairg, 6th September: Introduction to Cattle Care 
Caithness, 17th/18th September: Dry Stone Walling
Lairg, October (TBC): Sheep Husbandry

A poster  and further details can be downloaded here or by emailing: training@crofting.org

Workshops for the Creative Industries

 

Cultural Enterprise Office workshops
Wednesday 14th & Thursday 15th September 2011
Timespan, Dunrobin Street, Helmsdale, Sutherland, KW8 6JX

HI-Arts Craft Development has commissioned the Cultural Enterprise Office to run two Free workshops this September in Timespan in Helmsdale.  In addition to the Creative Industry professionals who'll be presenting the workshops, Business Gateway (i.e. me) will be on hand to answer any general business queries.

The first workshop is on the 14th September from 1.00pm to 4.00pm (althouh there'll be networking and advisory oportunities from 11.30am) and covers operating, financing, and making a living from a creative business  - whether you're at the planning stage  - or an existing business looking for some reassurance.

On the 15th September from 10.00am to 1.00pm, the workshops will address probably the trickiest part of running a creative business; costing and pricing your work.

For more information and booking details, follow this link