Resources
BERR announced changes to the Government's Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme to help improve lending to businesses and social enterprises in disadvantaged areas (12 May 2009).
There is a new Price Waterhouse report out on the impact of spending by the Regional Development Agencies. (31 March 2009).
The Department for Business announced that the design and rollout of Solutions for Business, its streamlined portfolio of business support products, has completed with over 3,000 schemes reduced to 30. For the first time all government help for business now shares an easily identifiable banner and can be accessed through Business Link. (31 March 2009)
BERR youtube channel launched 27 February 2009.
Russell has been involved in regeneration work since 1996 mainly as an advisor or evaluator of community or business support initiatives under the single regeneration budget, neighbourhood renewal, community regeneration European Social Fund and LEGI programmes (to name just a few).
He has particular experience of evaluating projects relating to getting offenders, drug users or other socially excluded groups back into the labour market. He has done work relating to loan schemes and credit unions, business advice, support and mentoring and a range of skills-based projects.
He has also provided strategic advice on the re-focusing of regeneration schemes in the context of the current economic downturn.
Some of the key projects he has been involved in include:
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Large scale evaluation of the LEGI programme delivered by Croydon Enterprise (2008-9)
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Evaluation of a large number of LDA, ESF employment and regeneration schemes many delivered by Red Kite Learning (1996- 2009)
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Providing consultancy on monitoring and evaluation for the Bromley-by-Bow Centre, a large scale social enterprise and regeneration provider in Tower Hamlets (1996-2001)
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Capacity building work for the voluntary sector wishing to become involved in regeneration work (1996-7)