2018 Scottish Enterprise Awards

SME NEWS / 2018 Scottish Enterprise Awards 5 Create g Company: Create Contact: Sharron Stanton Address: Units 1-3, Castlebrae Business Centre, Peffer Place, Edinburgh, EH16 4BB, UK Phone: 0131 661 8888 Web Address: www.createbusinessproperties.com supportive approach, we attract entrepreneurs, online retailers, food set ups and tech companies. We help aspiring entrepreneurs to develop their ideas and skills, support business growth and develop employment skills and opportunities within local communities - our team, all of whom are experienced, super friendly and work closely with all our clients.” There are also a number of subsidiaries which provide specific support. For example, in 2012 Create Digital Skills was established, and today the firm offers computer training to unemployed people who have little or no computer knowledge. The firm can enable people to get online and in contact with friends and family through a service that is local, accessible, tailored to their needs and responsive to what they want. Additionally, Create Digital Skills also supports Housing Associations helping in reducing social isolation and bringing housing association tenants in to the Digital age. The team ensures that the housing association tenants have the capability to use the internet to do things that benefit them day to day be encouraging their skills and trust to confidently go online. It also offers intensive more advanced computer skill courses for those who require a higher level of knowledge to enable them to advance their career prospects. Another of the firm’s off-shoots is Create Women’s Project, which was established in November 2016 as a result of feasibility study and research pilot in collaboration with SACRO. Today, the firm works with the most vulnerable and marginalised women in Edinburgh with a particular focus on women involved in or affected by commercial sexual exploitation and the sex industry. The project provides free, non- conditional, confidential support which empowers and enables women to make the changes they want to see in their lives. Create Women’s Project provides one-to-one intensive and group support over a prolonged period of time that supports women to address their immediate needs, and facilitates innovative solutions to help them meet longer term goals. Each of these projects relies on a dedicated team of staff with the skills and knowledge to drive it to success, and as such Sharron is eager to emphasise the importance of Create’s team and how the organisation supports them in their vital roles. “Internally, our culture is one of support, commitment and passion for what we do. We are very much a team at Create and we support each other fully. In order that we can offer the best service to our clients we ensure that all staff are fully equipped with the skills and knowledge to enable them to fulfil their roles and we continue to update our skills and knowledge. “All of our staff are experts in their field. We use a strength- based approach making the most of and building on the skills and knowledge of our staff and partnerships. We have a good understanding of what others are doing locally and we develop great partnership links. We also work closely with our partners and stakeholders in order that we may provide the best service possible to our clients. As part of our commitment to them, we ensure that our staff’s health and wellbeing is of vital importance and we make certain that there is the right support for every member of the team, because without them we would be unable to support our service users and communities.” As she looks to the future Sharron believes that Create can build upon its current achievements and support even more community members, as she is proud and excited to conclude. “As part of our ongoing focus on providing the solutions are service users need, at Create we continue to review the services that we provide in order that we offer the best services that we can. We have just launched our brand-new website which highlights not only the work that we do but the businesses within our properties. Among our 65 or so units, our hub is home to a fantastic variety of enterprises, featuring fresh ideas, exciting thinking and lots of energy. “Alongside this focus on technology, we are also currently developing tenant’s events where business can get to know each other, share experiences and pit falls of running your own business and we run programmes to support a full spectrum of business activities. This includes advising new start-ups and encouraging emerging small businesses as well as boosting the on-going development of our existing tenant enterprises. These developments will ensure that Create continues to meet the ever-evolving needs of our communities over the years to come.”