Northern Zone Social Enterprise Hub Officially Opens

Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland has officially opened the Northern Zone Social Enterprise Hub at Ballymena's Ecos Centre.

Serving ten council areas, the Hub will provide a range of services for new social enterprise businesses including hot desking facilities, conference/meeting rooms, training suites and potential shop front retail space.

Minister McCausland said: "Developing the social economy sector has been a priority for the Northern Ireland Executive for some time and the Executive is well aware of the important and unique contribution which the sector can and does make to the local economy. This is evidenced by the Executive reaffirming its commitment to the sector by including in the Programme for Government measures to boost and grow Northern Ireland's 'strong entrepreneurial tradition'.

"This hub marks the third such hub to open for business following one in Londonderry and the other in West Belfast with an additional eight to follow in the coming months. It is important that Government continues to support and invest in helping social enterprises get started which will stimulate job creation and focus on social benefits to local people."

The initiative, which is one of the Signature Programmes being taken forward under the Northern Ireland Executive’s Delivering Social Change framework, seeks to tackle poverty and social exclusion through the establishment of 11 Social Enterprise Hubs across Northern Ireland. With funding of £4million from the Executive's Delivering Social Change fund, the Signature Programme is being led by the Department for Social Development and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment in conjunction with Invest NI. The Programme will tackle unemployment and community eyesores by encouraging new social enterprises.

(CD)