Social care recruitment service starts up with free business support

A new Preston based business that helps recruit people for the Social Care sector has received free start up support from Boost Business Lancashire.

Extra Mile Personnel (EMP), which opened last October, provide a consultancy service for the recruitment and training of people who want to work in Social Care sector in the North West. The company visits care organisations, from residential homes to nurseries, to determine staffing needs and develop descriptions for job vacancies. Once advertised, EMP personally interview the job candidates and draw up a shortlist of those most suitable for the role, for their clients to follow up on. Candidates are offered free training covering topics such as first aid and administering medicine.

When starting the business, owner David Dunsmore picked up a leaflet about Boost Business Lancashire. He found he was able to access Boost’s Lancashire LEAP programme, which is aimed at helping new businesses get off to the best start. The free programme helped EMP formulate their business plan and receive advice on accessing finance, marketing and more at free “business bootcamp” workshop sessions.

Boost Business Lancashire is the £7.2m Lancashire Growth Hub supported by the European Regional Development Fund. Boost’s start up programme is delivered by Regenerate Pennine Lancashire and Winning Pitch.

David said: “The training I received was first class, practical and inspiring and has helped us develop our plan. We now hope to get 50 people into care jobs within the year and feel it has been a great start in our aim to be the top care recruitment business in the North.”

“Boost have also helped us access a business mentor, who is helping us clarify our growth ambitions, and we are applying for a growth voucher to help us formalise a sales structure and achieve our three year plan to grow the business.” Businesses can apply for the programme and other Boost offers at www.boostbusinesslancashire.co.uk or find out more by calling 0800 4880057.