My year as a Business Connector
Isabel McKenzie
www.bitc.org.uk
Who am I?
Office Manager at Bettys Harlow Carr, Harrogate
Seconded to BitC Business Connector
programme to work in Rural North Yorkshire
Here to talk about…
• Bettys and Taylors involvement
• My experiences as a Connector
• How you can engage with Business to create successful
partnerships
www.bitc.org.uk
Bettys and Taylors –
Community Values
‘Community’ and our contribution towards it, is
very much part of our values
We have aspirations for the future in terms of
how we strengthen our community commitments
We saw the Business Connector initiative as a
great way to deepen our understanding of local
issues and meet like-minded businesses
www.bitc.org.uk
What is the ambition of the
Business Connector programme?
• Recruit and support over 600 Business Connectors to
work in over 200 disadvantaged areas within 5 years
leveraging more than £39m worth of talent from
businesses and £52m worth of impact in to local
communities.
• Generate new levels of on going support and
connectivity in local areas of great need
• Create a powerful alumni group who will champion
the concept within businesses
www.bitc.org.uk
What does a Business
Connector do?
Trained and supported by BitC, Business Connectors:
• meet community and voluntary organisations to
establish their needs
• meet local businesses to identify support
(knowledge, skills, time and resources) they can
provide to the voluntary sector
• facilitate and support partnerships between
community organisations and businesses to
promote employability; education; enterprise and
community cohesion.
www.bitc.org.uk
Yorkshire since July 2012
6
Seconding
Organisations
5
370
occasions
Locations
7.5 FTE
Business Connectors
www.bitc.org.uk
Organisations received
support on
£1.3m
leveraged
What type of Providers?
26%
11%
SMEs
voluntary sector
9%
54%
Public
Large Businesses
www.bitc.org.uk
Why North Yorkshire?
• Big Lottery 10% of locations to be rural
• Priority for Prince’s Rural Action Programme
• Good fit for Bettys – home to many suppliers,
customers and staff
www.bitc.org.uk
My impact so far
25
Connections
15
months connecting
Locations
20
Providers / Businesses
www.bitc.org.uk
8
£90k
leveraged
Connection Stories
Middleton Tyas village shop- brain storming afternoon with
Proctor&Gamble merchandising & marketing team
Ripon Community Link & the Walled Garden –growth
& looking forward
HOPE, Masham- new leaflet design and printing
Others…HR, PR, IN-KIND, SCHOOLS, FUNDING, VOLUNTEERS….
www.bitc.org.uk
Challenges – the area
• Very large area – decided to focus mainly to the
West of A1
• Unfamiliar territory – lack of experience with
voluntary sector
• Very varied needs – one size doesn’t fit all
• Complex and extensive voluntary sector
• Some issues just too big to tackle – small steps
www.bitc.org.uk
Challenges - business
• How to make contact
Cold call? Existing contacts? Attend events?
• Businesses already involved & connected within
local communities- where can I fit in?
• A lot of microbusinesses – time and resources to
help?
• Talking the same language – business principles v
voluntary world
www.bitc.org.uk
How can you connect with Business?
Business networking events
Well known businesses not the only option
Research- speaking to right person, no of employees,
business priorities, customer base
Building rapport & being patient
www.bitc.org.uk
How can you connect with Business?
Businesses might need to know what’s in it for them!
•
•
•
•
Employee development / better staff engagement
Meet CSR objectives
Strengthening local community eg. future employees/customers
PR opportunity / raising profile
Prepare- being able to clearly explain what you need,
and not just talking about what your organisation
does
Partnership working brings MUTUAL BENEFITS
www.bitc.org.uk
Thank you for listening
www.bitc.org.uk