Ballykeel Business Development
The Northern Ireland regional winner of Enterprising Britain 2006 was Ballykeel Business Development Ltd.
Ballykeel is one of 23 wards within the Borough of Ballymena. Located on the outskirts of the town, the area has high deprivation levels and problems with housing, education and crime, resulting in low enterprise activity. It is the most deprived ward within Ballymena, and ranks as one of the most deprived wards within Northern Ireland.
Adding to this backdrop were a wide range of other factors, all making the area unattractive to entrepreneurs and business investment. Community support was low, due to a high level of paramilitary influence, families being rehoused outside of the area and new families being introduced. Negative media stories about the area often made the headlines at both local and regional level, contributing to the perception of Ballymena as a poor choice of place to start a business.
All of this meant that any enterprise project in the area would be seen as a great risk. Despite the best efforts of a small number from within the community who were actively devoting their voluntary time to make Ballykeel a better place to live and work in, the low levels of confidence within the community and lack of evidence of the community working together made it seem unlikely that any organisation would be prepared to invest substantial amounts of money to support enterprise in the area.
Yet, despite all of these challenges, the Ballykeel community through the leadership of Ballymena Business Centre the Local Enterprise Agency has been transformed into a hotbed of enterprise, thanks to the establishment of Ballykeel Business Development Ltd, a non-profit making social enterprise managed on a voluntary basis with representation from the community of Ballykeel, Ballymena Borough Council, and local industry and commerce.
Focusing on enterprise and economic development initiatives within the ward of Ballykeel, the main activities of the organisation include the provision of workspace facilities and business support services tailored to meet the needs of private and community enterprises from within the area. These initiatives are delivered both independently and in partnership with others in particular Ballymena Business Centre.
However, the success of Ballykeel has required a great deal of determination and patience, and has been a slow growing process. To address the perception issues, every opportunity has been celebrated, no matter how small, and good news stories publicised. Awareness of the opportunities that enterprise could bring was raised through partnerships with the local Council, Enterprise Agency and Strategy Partnership, and activities including workshops, promotions and information leaflets targeted at everyone including key community stakeholders.
Over time, the local community recognised and understood the benefits an Enterprise Project could bring to the local area. Once this stage had been reached, Ballykeel was able to move forward jointly and create an 'Enterprise Vision'.
The aim of the 'Enterprise Vision' was to unite the area, so needed to be easily understood and accepted, providing direction and inspiration for the way ahead. Seeking representation from various community groups and through joint workshops, Ballykeel Business Development Ltd identified key words that embraced collectively the communities' ambition, and developed the following joint vision for the project:
'To revitalise and stabilise the Ballykeel community through an Enterprise Culture that would be open and accessible to all ultimately having a positive economic and social impact at a micro community level.'
Through the support of Ballymena Business Centre and the Local Economic Development Department, the project then established detailed aims, including helping to develop private and community enterprises in partnership with other local awareness activity, creating jobs at a local level, and providing suitable workspaces.
The Enterprise Strategy, Vision and Aims were presented to the wider community of Ballykeel through the 'Planning for Real' discussion forum, the results of which confirmed the approach was right and was widely accepted within the community.
Once a potential location for the project was identified on the waste ground where the old Primary School was formerly located, the Business Strategy fell into place. Key to the success of this strategy was the Ballykeel Business Centre, a 10,000 sq ft development on the allocated waste ground, accommodating workspace units, training facilities and administrative support.
It is the first of its kind, having no other local case studies in deprived areas within the North East Region of Northern Ireland to compare it to. Opened in 2002, the initial targets were to generate occupancy levels of 25 per cent in Year 1, 50 per cent in Year 2 and 75 per cent in Year 3, including 70 per cent of all business tenants from the local community; create employment opportunities for 30 people; attract funding investment of £600,000; and be self-sustainable by Year 5 and reinvesting profits within the Ballykeel community
However, the Centre through the partnership approach with Ballymena Business Centre has far exceeded these targets. Not only within the 1st year did they achieved 100 per cent occupancy with 90 per cent of tenant businesses coming from Ballykeel, but four of these new businesses are providing local job opportunities, creating 38 new jobs in total. On the strength of this success, more waste ground has now been secured, as well as, an additional £750,000 investment for the development of 16 business units to meet local demand.
On the strength of this new community, businesses are being established including an after school club, fitness centre and also expansion of existing businesses which will create up to 10 new jobs. Local ethnic groups have also become involved, and the local Muslim Community use the training facilities on a weekly basis.
Melanie Christie Boyle, Chief Executive, Ballymena Business Centre highlights "This Enterprise project captures everything innovation is about and now acts as a role model for other local community developments including Ballymena North, Cullybackey, Ahoghill, Harryville and Ballee. The approach captured the confidence of the Local Council, the International Fund for Ireland, Department of Social Development and Local Strategy Partnership to invest in our Enterprise Solution, and support was also gained from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Invest NI North East Region, Training and Employment Agency, the Northern Bank and local community associations".
More importantly, Ballykeel now has a new social enterprise providing local employment and addressing local environmental issues, and perceptions are changing that Ballykeel is a good place for business, with tenant businesses also promote inspiration to the next generation of local entrepreneurs from the community.