Charity raises its game after taking part in Boost scheme

By Boost Business Lancashire

07 Jun 2019

{mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

A health and care charity has increased its turnover by £1.6m to £6.5m and recruited 48 staff since 2017, thanks to Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme.

Preston-based n-compass northwest was also recently ranked 13th in the Sunday Times Top 100 Not-For-Profits to Work for in the UK, as well as being awarded three stars in the National Best Companies Scheme.

Founded 20 years ago, n-compass northwest employs 155 staff. In 2018/19 the charity supported 32,000 vulnerable adults and young people, who would otherwise have been at risk, by providing a range of prevention services for local authorities and clinical commissioning groups.  

CEO Teresa Jennings explained: “We aim to help people to regain control of their lives, enabling them to find hope and a sense of purpose through the delivery of carers, advocacy, wellbeing, counselling and volunteering services.”

Boost Lancashire Business Growth Hub is led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council, and supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Growth Mentoring is a fully funded Boost programme where business owners are matched with a successful businessperson to offer 1-2-1 support in order to tackle the challenges faced in growing the business. The programme is delivered by Community and Business Partners and Orvia to established businesses across the county. Boost is Lancashire's Business Growth Hub and is led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council and supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Teresa discovered the Boost website when looking for help to grow the business and applied for Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme.

After an initial discussion about Teresa’s needs, challenges and goals, Boost delivery partner Community and Business Partners identified Hamish Hamilton, a growth mentor with extensive knowledge of the Not-For-Profit sector, as the best person to support n-compass northwest.

Hamish Hamilton then worked with Teresa in six, two-hour one-to-one sessions over a four-month period. During the sessions Hamish helped Teresa to formulate a growth strategy for the period 2017-2020 that she could take to the board for discussion and sign-off.

Jaydee Davis at Community & Business Partners  said: “As a result, a strategy was adopted that was robust, appropriate and well-considered. The plan set out how the organisation would prepare for and create growth between 2017-2020 without jeopardising the quality of existing contract delivery.

“Often when people think of business support, they often don’t realise that this includes the Not-For-Profit sector when, in fact, we are ideally placed to help ambitious organisations to thrive and prosper.”

The programme also delivered significant social value outcomes for n-compass northwest, which has a strong social conscience. The charity employs local people and engages local suppliers to retain money and jobs in the regional economy. In addition, it supports up to 20 social work students every year, some of whom are taken on permanently.

n-compass northwest also supports more than 100 volunteers who last year gave the organisation over 7,000 hours of their time. In addition, staff vote each year on the charity they want n-compass to support and in 2018/19 it raised £4,200 in aid of Just Good Friends, to tackle loneliness and isolation in Lancashire.

Support for n-compass is ongoing and the charity has re-engaged Boost support, with Hamish now working with one the senior managers to develop leadership skills as the organisation continues to grow. 

Teresa said: “The Growth Mentoring programme was integral to our growth journey. Hamish was able to hold a mirror up that challenged and guided me, as well as the senior management team in the development of our growth strategy. Once adopted by the organisation, this led to genuine growth and success. I’m not sure we would be where we are now without that invaluable support and focus.”

Boost Business Lancashire has received £3.8m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.  For more information, visit www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.

Latest news

1

Supermarket stays put in blow to town's £250m masterplan Blackburn Aerial

Supermarket stays put in blow to town's £250m masterplan

28 Mar 2024

2

Modern Milkman acquires American counterpart article placeholder listing image

Modern Milkman acquires American counterpart

28 Mar 2024

3

Tips for surviving Lancashire's pothole plague

Tips for surviving Lancashire's pothole plague

28 Mar 2024

4

The Pikes wines launched to support Lake District mountain rescue THE PIKES BLOG BANNER.jpg.jpg

The Pikes wines launched to support Lake District mountain rescue

28 Mar 2024

5

Fundraising success sees Stanley Women compete in Dallas Cup The Accrington Stanley Under 18s team which are currently in Dallas.jpg.jpg

Fundraising success sees Stanley Women compete in Dallas Cup

28 Mar 2024

Hwc 2024 Email Signature 980x120
Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Reach 50,000 members of the Lancashire business community

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Company profile
Social reach
Magazine coverage
Sign-up
Events
Health and Wellbeing Conference 2024
Hwc 2024 Social Media 1200px 1
Networking
23 Apr 2024

Health and Wellbeing Conference 2024

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley , BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Brunch
EVENT LISTING SIZING Brunch .png.png
LBV Hub Networking
29 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Brunch

Samlesbury Preston Hotel, Preston New Road, Preston, PR5 0UL

09:30 - 11:00

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Infinity
EVENT LISTING BNI Infinity.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
29 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Infinity

Hampton by Hilton, 2 Frontier Ave, Blackburn, BB1 3AL

06:30 - 08:30

Business Networking in Chorley - BNI Endeavour
EVENT LISTING SIZING Endeavour.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Chorley - BNI Endeavour

Oak Royal, Bury Lane, Chorley, PR6 8SW

06:30 - 08:30

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Vista
EVENT LISTING SIZING Vista.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Vista

Hampton by Hilton, 2 Frontier Ave, Blackburn, BB1 3AL

06:45 - 08:30

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Diamond
EVENT LISTING BNI Diamond.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
03 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Diamond

The Marriot Hotel, Garstang Road, Broughton, PR3 5JB

07:15 - 09:00

Business Networking in Lancaster - Eden Business Network
EVENT LISTING Eden Business Network.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
03 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Lancaster - Eden Business Network

The Borough, 3 Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

18:30 - 20:30

Business Networking in Accrington - BNI Zeus
EVENT LISTING SIZING Zeus.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
03 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Accrington - BNI Zeus

The Mill House, Corn Mill Yard, Accrington, BB5 5HX

06:45 - 08:30

Business Networking in Burnley - BNI Kudos
EVENT LISTING BNI Kudos.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
04 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Burnley - BNI Kudos

Prairie Sports Village, Windemere Avenue, Burnley, BB10 2FU

06:45 - 08:30

Business Networking in Lancaster - BNI Castle
EVENT LISTING BNI Castle.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
04 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Lancaster - BNI Castle

Vale of Lune RUFC, Powder House Lane, Lancaster, LA1 2TT

06:45 - 08:30

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Infinity
EVENT LISTING BNI Infinity.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
05 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Infinity

Hampton by Hilton, 2 Frontier Ave, Blackburn, BB1 3AL

06:30 - 08:30

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Brunch
EVENT LISTING SIZING Brunch .png.png
LBV Hub Networking
05 Apr 2024

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Brunch

Samlesbury Preston Hotel, Preston New Road, Preston, PR5 0UL

09:30 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv115 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin