Portsmouth Business School
Portsmouth an example for others to follow
Wed, 01 May 2013 11:48:00 BST
A new national movement to inspire churches, mosques, temples and synagogues to help create employment and grow businesses is being launched with support from Portsmouth Business School.
The Cathedral Innovation Centre, the first centre of its kind in the UK, is today launching its national bid to inspire others to copy their innovation and job creation model.
The centre will also announce a community share offer.
Portsmouth Business School is a key partner in the Centre.
The launch will be attended by Baroness Elizabeth Berridge, Mark Hoban, the Minister for Employment, and Professor Gioia Pescetto, Dean of Portsmouth Business School.
The aim is to inspire a new national movement to “encourage Britain’s diverse communities to unlock their under-used property, time, talent and financial resources to found new enterprises and grow existing ones”.
Portsmouth Business School, the city’s Anglican Cathedral and the Royal Society of Arts supported the creation of the new centre, which has 14 start-up desks for those wanting to launch a new firm or grow a small one.
Accounting students from the University of Portsmouth are helping with the fledgling business’s accounts and associate dean for students, Richard Tonge and accounting lecturer Caroline Willett are members of the board.
Richard said: 'This represents a good opportunity for students and staff from the Business School and across the University to get involved and experience working with and alongside business enterprises, social enterprises and social innovators.
“I would hope to see real flexibility in the ways individuals can get involved, including work-based learning or volunteering, or possibly graduate business start-ups.”
Nationally, the aim is to persuade communities across the country to consider replicating the Portsmouth model. Starting with every cathedral, but also with mosques, temples, synagogues, town halls and businesses beyond London. The Centre is seeking to spark the creation of low-cost, high-value hubs for economic and social recovery which both backs firms and the development of a socially responsible generation of managers.
In June the Centre, the Business School and Business in the Community will jointly run a conference on business and society with leading speakers from the World Economic Forum, the Independent newspaper and large local firms.
New centres copying the Portsmouth model are due to open soon in Southampton and Havant.