New service launched to help the self-employed

A new self-employment support service has been launched by a leading provider of work and wellbeing programmes. The new service is aimed at helping those that have a business idea, to receive the support they need to achieve their business goals.

Seetec Pluss’ self-employment service offers a range of workshops, coaching, one-to-one sessions with a trained business advisor, networking, and online information to help launch their business and become self-employed.

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), more than 5 million people are self-employed in the UK, representing 15.3% of the population. This self-employment service aims to help budding entrepreneurs receive the tools and support they need to ensure they can successfully run their small business.

Angie, who joined the Department for Work and Pensions’ Job Entry Targeted Supported (JETS) Programme after losing her job, was offered the opportunity to use her creative hobby and start a business venture. Following her successful completion of the business course ran by Outset, Angie met Tim, a self-employment advisor working for Seetec Pluss, who supported her in her business venture called Pure Love Succulents. Tim helped with advice on tech support such as setting up her business on Google and creating a Facebook business page.

Angie said: “I’m taking small steps, there were times throughout this last year and a half where I thought I’m not going to be able to do this. It was a big change and challenge, but when you’ve got a passion it’s never a chore.”

John Wells, Enterprise Manager at Seetec Pluss, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this new self-employment service, helping those with a business idea to reach their goals.

“The programme offers a range of services and support to people wanting to kickstart their own business, by providing them with the tools and support we have in place to help them make their idea a success. We want to make the option of becoming self-employed accessible to everyone and ensure they have the best guidance and information possible.”

Sion spent twenty years in sales and leadership roles before finding his passion to become a health coach. A combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and life events resulted in him becoming unemployed and having to turn to Job Seeker’s Allowance to pay his bills.

He was placed in a training course that helped him start his journey to becoming a self-employed health coach. He was referred to Pluss in 2021 where he was introduced to Positive People Devon’s self-employment coach Jacqui.

His self-employment coach helped him develop a business plan and had one-on-one sessions bi-weekly. Commenting about his time with Positive People Devon, Sion, said: “It was really useful knowing there was somebody there to be an ‘accountability checker’. Someone that would support me in recognising those things that I’ve done and catching the things I’ve not done.

“Those regular check-ins also helped encourage me to do the things I wasn’t quite so confident in. I wasn’t feeling confident about starting a website but with the support and help from my self-employment coach, I was able to create one. Sometimes it’s just about having someone to talk to.”

Seetec Pluss is one of the UK’s leading providers of employability and health services, offering a range of support to help people back in to work. It is part of the employee owned Seetec Group, which helps thousands of people across the UK and Ireland into work and training.