SEMLEP priority areas

The priority areas for SEMLEP are as follows. Below each priority area is a list of individuals within the voluntary and community sector who are interested in working in partnership to deliver collaborative projects within the priority area.

If you would like to get in contact with one of these individuals to discuss working in collaboration with them or if you would like to be added to one of the lists email information@one-em.org.uk.

Some organisations on the lists below are looking for partners to collaborate in delivering specific projects. For further information on these projects click on the organisation’s name.

For further information on LEPs and to view their strategies visit www.oneeastmidlands.org.uk/leps.

• Innovation
• ICT
• SME Competitiveness
• Low Carbon/Climate Change
• Labour Mobility
• Social Inclusion
• Skills Development

1. Innovation

• Activities through the SEMLEP Growth and Innovation Programme to include initiatives that develop the supportive environment for innovation in SMEs, including the promotion of networks and industry groups within key sectors; collaborative research and development projects across SEMLEP enterprises, research institutions and public institutions to develop new products, services and processes, adopt new technologies and encourage spin-out/spin-in activity, which could include research and development, demonstration and adoption of low carbon technologies; provision of greater levels and qualities of business advice, including specialist technical/innovation advice, e.g. virtual incubation support, skills development, championing and mentoring; and packages of support for socially innovative businesses to help them grow to scale and become investment-ready.

2. ICT

• The ICT and digital technology and innovation exploitation programme will aim to ensure that SEMLEP businesses can benefit from digital technological changes and market opportunities. Activities will include a programme of business specific ICT support and advice, e.g. to help SMEs adapt their business models to maximise the benefits from the take up and exploitation of ICT/digital opportunities; business support events; education, information and demand building; and general awareness-raising activity.
• Superfast broadband in those areas not served by the market or existing broadband interventions, i.e. superfast broadband rollout to SMEs and business parks in rural areas in the last 10 percent not served by the BDUK programme.

3. SME Competitiveness

• The South East Midlands growth hub, a specialist business growth support service providing access to a tailored and coordinated package of diagnostic, advisory and coaching and mentoring services to accelerate the creation and growth of sustainable growth ventures.
• The SEMLEP entrepreneurship programme will provide tailored business support, including pre-start-up and start-up programmes, to stimulate the creation of new businesses, including knowledge based businesses and social enterprises.
• The SEMLEP finance for business programme is an innovative pan-LEP response to support the creation, development and sustainability of SMEs by targeting the access to finance barrier to unlock growth aspirations and generate sustainable employment. The programme will be delivered in partnership with the D2N2, Greater Lincolnshire Leicester and Leicestershire and Northamptonshire LEPs.

4. Low Carbon/5. Climate Change

• A low carbon technology and innovation support programme including low carbon and green technology and innovation initiatives to promote greater efficiency in the use of resources and actions to develop and adopt and commercialise new low carbon and green technologies; actions to promote greater energy and resource efficiency in the use of resources, including energy, water, materials, carbon neutral housing, and assistance for businesses to establish and develop environmental management systems; ICT applications that contribute to reducing carbon emissions and energy efficiency and low carbon modal shift/smarter choices and smart systems, for example, links into low carbon vehicle infrastructure/technologies and supply chain development; and the social housing retrofit programme, which aims to support energy conservation and generation in existing social housing via a revolving loan fund.

8. Labour Mobility

• A basic skills and employment programme, which will include a range of interventions such as supporting workplace training/stimulating private sector investment. This will include improving information; advice and guidance; pre-entry provision; traineeship models in the context of raised participation age; work experience/work taster sessions; digital literacy; up-skilling existing workforce in response to employer needs; and community grant initiatives, which offer grants to VCS organisations to fund projects that help people who are further from the labour market by developing soft skills, such as volunteering, training in basic skills and building confidence. Target groups could include the over 50’s, NEETS, women, lone parents, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.

9. Social Inclusion

• The SEMLEP social inclusion programme, which could be in the form of a two part social inclusion programme, part Big Lottery Fund, part local. The focus will be on reducing disparities in urban and rural areas. This could include a range of activities, including neighbourhood employment initiatives, voluntary mentoring and coaching young people, social access to finance, wheels to work, capacity building, rural access to services, etc. Further activities could include stimulating social and community enterprise; developing the capacity of local businesses and social enterprises to maximise local procurement opportunities; community digital inclusion; development and provision of appropriate financial instruments; and improving access to opportunities.
• SEMLEP community led economic development programme, which will focus strongly on localities where worklessness is most concentrated, and will aim to mobilise key players in a local area, e.g. VCS organisations, local authorities, other public authorities such as police, health and education, and local private sector businesses, in a collaborative partnership to increase employment and overcome disadvantage.

10. Skills Development

• The high level skills for key sectors programme will support a range of skills interventions including sector specific initiatives, such as Skills for Logistics, which could be an initial target for higher level skills and recruitment campaigns and other measures designed to make the sector attractive and address the sectors low skills image; high level skills provision and apprenticeships, leadership development for graduates in employment, project-based work placements for graduates, investment in the skills and infrastructure to drive business competitiveness, for example in support of big data and business analytics; digital and ICT skills support, which will incorporate a spectrum of support from basic skills, e.g. digital literacy, to high level, whilst also reflecting the need for businesses to have on-going access to this kind of support; and low carbon economy and green housing skills initiatives, with a focus on building skills and business base and close alignment to the opportunities that will emerge from the proposed SEMLEP eco-town/village developments, e.g. Bicester.