Recruitment support for leaders and managers.

Aspire2lead
Run by The Opportunity Centre, the Aspire2lead project can help you to attract and build a more diverse workforce. The project aims to tackle gender inequalities within the workplace in order to develop stronger businesses across York and North Yorkshire.
It can help businesses who want to lead by example to adopt gender inclusive policies and procedures by offering support with:
- Recruitment, retention, and progression of women
- Flexible working practices including return to work arrangements
- Gender pay gap analysis and tackling specific business challenges/barriers to reduce gender pay issues
- Sponsorship Programmes linking senior male colleagues with junior female colleagues to champion their progression within the business
- Tackling Gender Stereotypes to help increase the number of women within the workforce and in senior positions.

This Programme is part funded by the European Social Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

Business Scale Up Programme
The Business Scale Up Programme can help SMEs realise their growth ambitions by supporting leaders and managers with flexible, tailored training and coaching. The programme can also help to develop and embed systems and processes that will enhance your business’ ability to meet regulatory requirements around inclusive and supportive working environments. This includes support with, for example, addressing workplace bullying and harassment, diversity training and effective approaches to performance management.
40% funding is available towards a range of training and/or consultancy.
In order to be eligible for support through this Programme the business must:
- have a business premises in the York, North Yorkshire, East Riding region (Craven, Harrogate, Hambleton, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough, Selby, York)
- be a Small to Medium Enterprise (SME): employ fewer than 250 full time equivalent staff and have either a turnover of less than €50 million, or a balance sheet of less than €43 million
Access more information on their website.

This Programme is part funded by the European Social Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

Specialist Skills Support for the Workforce
Specialist Skills Support for the Workforce can support your business to address current and future shortfalls in skilled labour by signposting your business to expert training, coaching, consultancy and advice on recruitment, succession planning and future strategies for growth, particularly into new markets.
There is dedicated support for:
Specialist support for an Ageing Workforce can support your business to address current and future shortfalls in skilled labour due to an ageing workforce, including:
- Creation of a business action plan to assist with retaining knowledge in the business and creating progression routes and talent mapping for the workforce.
- Support to identify and train ‘mentors’ within your business to pass on vital knowledge and skills to younger employees
If you are a business who either already has graduate employees, or are in the process of identifying suitable graduate roles and recruitment, you can access help including:
- Tailoring vacancies and delivering induction and development processes for your graduates.
- Your graduates can access a network with others in SME businesses in the region, creating professional and social links.
- Development days for graduates will support them to gain vital skills for the working world, as identified by businesses themselves; such as negotiation, conflict resolution and appropriate business communication.
Learn more about the value of graduate interns: https://www.york.ac.uk/business/cpd/specialist-skills-support/graduates/
This element of the programme is fully funded so free for North Yorkshire and East Riding based SMEs
Our expert team of business engagement advisors and skills coaches are on hand to find the perfect support, including a wide range of training and workshops to help your business feel more confident around interviewing and hiring from disadvantaged groups. Support from our advisors will assist you to review your recruitment processes and implement positive adaptations to assist your recruitment.
This Programme is part funded by the European Social Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020

This Programme is part funded by the European Social Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

T Levels
T Levels have been designed to prepare students aged 16-18 with the technical skills your business needs now and in the future. They combine classroom studies with an industry placement. The benefits for your business include:
- Cost effective channel for recruitment
- Solution for entry level jobs
- Develop young people into your industry/business
- Provide extra help with on-site projects
- Provide opportunities for existing staff to develop management and mentoring skills
- Provide fresh ideas and new perspective
For more information visit the official gov.uk page or for further employer resources, visit the CIPD’s page on T Levels.
For more information on these programmes, get in touch and we’ll connect you to the expertise and resources you need.
Articles
First York launches £20,000 fund to boost eco-friendly sales for small businesses
The York Go-Greener Fund will support small businesses' growth by helping them build on and develop sustainable products and services that directly appeal to consumers, helping them consider eco-friendly choices in what they buy.
Mental Health Awareness Week 2022
9th - 15th May is Mental Health Awareness Week, an annual campaign that promotes open discussions about mental health. In our blog, we've collected some mental health and wellbeing resources to help you create a supportive work environment.
York St John opens new start-up centre to offer free help for businesses to innovate and grow
York St John University is delighted to announce the opening of dedicated city centre start-up facilities to support business in York. A partnership with the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub will also support local independent enterprise.
Resources
Free Webinar :Getting started with data protection: what every business needs to know
This webinar will take a simple look at some of the practical measures a business needs to put in place to help them comply with their UK GDPR obligations.
Featured Webinar Playlist: Wellbeing
Learn how to build resilience and communication, create a positive work environment, and support the mental health of both your team and yourself with our free wellbeing webinars playlist.
Grow Yorkshire: Introduction to Food and Drink Commercial Agreement
This Grow Yorkshire webinar, featuring presentations from partnering organisations, will introduce you to the new Crown Commercial Service Food and Drink Agreement and discuss how it can help you join the supply chain.