About Bradford Kickstart
What is Bradford Kickstart?
Bradford Kickstart is a scheme run by Bradford Council, and supported by organisations and service providers from across the Bradford District, that aims to help local people set up over 1000 small businesses during the next ten years - encouraging growth, prosperity and employment in Bradford District.
The scheme offers a wide range of support, via experienced and enthusiastic business counsellors, to people who are thinking of working for themselves, and to young businesses in Bradford District that are hoping to grow and develop.
At the heart of the scheme is Kickstart Community - an interactive website that offers the online services of Bradford Kickstart. Members can become part of the Bradford Kickstart community by joining online groups of people with similar interests to discuss the latest hot-topics, swap stories and share ideas.
Who can join Bradford Kickstart?
To become a member of Bradford Kickstart you need to live in Bradford District and want to start working for yourself or have a young business that you wish to develop. Alternatively, you might live elsewhere but wish to start a business in this area.
However, anybody can register on Kickstart Community, regardless of whether or not they are a member of Bradford Kickstart.
Although anyone in Bradford District can benefit from the scheme, the main aim of Bradford Kickstart is to help people who live in the disadvantaged communities and poorer areas of Bradford District - many of whom have the ideas, talent and passion to work for themselves, but lack the support, knowledge and finances to make it happen.
What support is available?
The benefits of Bradford Kickstart
- Support and advice from an experienced and enthusiastic business counsellor
- A free professionally-produced website plus software to get you started
- Wide range of training, qualifications and courses
- Protect your benefits while you test your business idea
- Marketing, branding and promotion assistance
- Financial advice and help getting a loan or a grant
- Start-up grants directly from Bradford Kickstart
- Book-keeping advice, system set-up and training
- Specialist support if you are disabled and want to work from home
- Legal advice on all issues faced by business start-ups
- Assistance finding the right employees who can help your business grow
- Help to get another job if your business doesn't work out this time
The benefits of Kickstart Community
- Anybody can join Kickstart Community
- On-line chat and discussion forums with other members
- Free professional email address and account
- Kickstart Knowledgebase containing business templates, advice and information
- Inspiration and ideas from the success stories of other members
- Latest news about Bradford Kickstart businesses and events
Want detailed information? Read what support is available from Bradford Kickstart
What is the background to Bradford Kickstart?
Bradford Kickstart is supported by Bradford Council. In 2006, Bradford Council won £21.4m of government funding to support a programme called the 'Local Enterprise Growth Initiative' (LEGI). Working under the name Bradford Kickstart, LEGI is a ten year plan to encourage and support new businesses in Bradford.
Before 2009 Bradford Kickstart aims to help over 1000 people who want to launch their own business and hopes to support 500 new enterprises. This could result in 300 much needed new jobs in the most disadvantaged areas of Bradford.
What have we achieved so far?
Everyday, Bradford Kickstart members are taking their first steps towards working for themselves, or developing a business that they are already passionate about. Be inspired - look through our case-studies and video-clips to learn how members have already changed their lives - and how Bradford Kickstart could help you too.
