Minister Arlene Foster launches new business start up in North Belfast

Photo: Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster at the official launch of NICVA's new Social Enterprise business Sector Matters, with Seamus McAleavey, Chief Executive of NICVA. [Image: Parkway Photography]

NICVA set up Sector Matters to offer the voluntary and community sector and others a different approach and choice in running their organisation.  It offers expertise and support in HR, finance, fundraising, research and management services, directly to those who need it.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said: “The social economy accounts for a significant proportion of the Northern Ireland economy in terms of both economic activity and employment.  It provides up to 8% of economic activity in Northern Ireland and employs over 30,000 people.  This new scheme will provide a range of tailored services to best meet client needs, whether it is human resource advice, assistance with finances or management support.”

Seamus McAleavey, Chief Executive of NICVA and Chair of its new social economy business Sector Matters said: “We want to help to alleviate the pressures and hassles associated with the everyday organisational burdens and let voluntary and community organisations get back to do what they are best at,”

He continued: “We are very excited to get to this stage in the development of this new enterprise. We have received excellent support from Invest NI via the Social Entrepreneurship Programme and we were delighted to have such a wide range of people join us and share in our success on the day.”

Within the space of a few months Sector Matters has built up a substantial client base and today the audience heard very positive feedback from some of those, including Crusaders and Women’s Aid.

Commenting at the launch on the work of Sector Matters, Mark Langhammer, from Crusaders Football Club said "I’m positive that the work completed by Sector Matters and the report it produced is actually becoming seminal in how we turn round our ‘culture’".
 
Sector Matters also delivered two free seminars: a human resources session on employment law 2010 and dealing with redundancy; and a finance seminar focused on finance records. The event was also used to showcase other social economy organisations that provide outsourced support services, ranging from IT solutions to reducing workplace stress, both within the sector and further afield.  

For more information or comment, please contact Paula Reynolds, Director of Business Development, 028 9087 5018 / 07788146251 or email paula.reynolds@sectormatters.com
  
Sector Matters

Sector Matters was established by NICVA in November 2009 and is Northern Ireland’s first social economy business which provides a range of cost effective, outsourced support services. These services include management and organisation support, fundraising, finance and HR services. 
 
Sector Matters is profit making but not profit taking.  The money we make supports the work of NICVA and its work with the voluntary and community sector in achieving progressive social change. 
 
Our services are delivered by a locally-based team of people who have years of experience in fundraising, finance, HR and business support across the voluntary and community sector.