When Is Enterprise A Viable Option For Women Far From the Labour Market? Dr Julia Rouse Chair, Gender and Enterprise Network Director, MMUBS CBS Clusters /

/ Projects: My Journey Personal background Longitudinal studies of: –Youth enterprise programme –New Entrepreneur Scholarship programme –Entrepreneur maternity Recently with Oxfam and other stakeholders: –‘Empowering British Bangladeshi Women Through Small Enterprise’ –Beginning to explore Universal Credits…..

Business Planning Under Enterprise Programmes: A New Me! Empowerment by writing oneself into a new opportunity  Raises aspirations and confidence  Provides new status  Develops some skills  Legitimation of new identity by authoritative figures in enterprise programmes

And then? Business launch – using start-up funds to ‘be’ a new you! Business trading – often more tricky because markets are different to what we imagine and competitive……..  Follow-on support is rare Enterprise programmes may not have to report outcomes… Outcome evidence is scarce and may be unreliable

So what happens? Youth Enterprise: Trading! but: Poor business ideas, poor markets Childcare and maternity barriers Inadequate business skills, networks and funding Dangers: Debt Mental health / family problems Persevering in a ‘no;low hope’ business Informal trading

Youth Enterprise: Left Holding the Baby! Childcare invisible in business plans –Complex private childcare plans  organising and transporting between multiple carers  shift parenting  part-time trading, flexible hours  trade/care simultaneously Business trading: collapse of childcare strategies –Withdrawal of informal support; risky coping strategies –Business failure

Also: Pregnancy!  My motivation to research entrepreneur pregnancy  Raises questions about:  Family planning  Regulations  Market behaviour  Coping strategies

Individualised Nature of Business Struggle/Failure “Must be me” –“I am a failure” –“All I need to do is learn and start again” May be true in some instances, but resources are now more constrained…. Commissioners are unaware and unaccountable Individualised: no empowerment via collective action

New Entrepreneur Scholarship Programme Under-capitalisation (median £5,825 v. UK £15k)  Despite £3,500 grant  Low reliance on personal savings and banks  High dependence on family/friend loans and credit cards Particularly for economically inactive and poorly educated (= class?) –But no gender difference

NES: Effect on businesses Second wave evaluation (average 29 months old):  Median turnover £18k; median drawings £3600.  Trade without premises, partner or sub-contractors.

Are These National Patterns? Probably, Yes! –Class and – particularly - gender affect life course pathways to business start-up –Entrepreneur earnings are higher if: There is personal and friends/family money to invest. Long hours are possible due to freedom from housework and childcare.

Should We Abandon ‘Enterprise Inclusion’ Policy? Rob McDonald: yes – it is an unfair individualisation of the problem of poverty and disguises underlying inequalities. Frances Greene: yes – it is bad for regional productivity. Me: but what if women want to try it (and have few alternatives) – shouldn’t we campaign and innovate?

Oxfam: British Bangladeshi Women Sophie Fosker, Oxfam UK Poverty Programme

Empowering British Bangladeshi Women Through Small Enterprise? Analysis of two small projects Interviews with women Wider ‘engaged scholarship’ Creative analysis of ways forward….

British Bangladeshi Women Men: 89.8% economically active  17% self-employed. Women:  41.8% economically active (v. 74% white women)  19% unemployed (v. 14% white women)  22% employed (v. half of white women)  c.1-2% self-employed (v. 9% white women)

Context: Enterprise Support Large contracts for ‘streamlined’ services Relative disconnect from other institutions – Sure Start, health care, FE, CAB  Weak pathways for accruing resources New Enterprise Allowance but targeted at unemployed Trial of Universal Credits……..  Uncertain/difficult to access advice

Community Host A / Project A Bangladeshi women’s organisation 30yrs week business programme in English –Ironing business considered but dropped 2.Sewing projects: –Designer handbags –Cheap bags and clothes for the local community Unprofitable; no longer trading or meeting

Community Host B / Project B Host supports deprived community – particularly British Bangladeshi women 10 week pre-enterprise programme –Inconsistent attendance –Initial business ideas Take-away, scarves or traditional crafts retail, henna

The Women We Interviewed Project A (3) –First generation migrants from rural Bangladesh resident in the UK for years Project B (5) –First generation migrants from different areas of Bangladeshi resident in the UK for years –One second generation migrant Strong desire for economic activity

Remember: Entrepreneurship Is… the mobilisation of resources in (profitable) market exchange

The Women’s Resources English language: varied (but often poor) Education: limited or unrecognised for migrants Recent work experience: scarce Networks: highly constrained Money: varied (if any) control; families under pressure Skills/competing roles: housewife, mother, carer, hostess

The Programmes: Resource Enhacing? Knowledge – business planning Skills – sewing (Proj. A); not modern workplace skills, accrediting domestic skills or business development Networks – internal to the programme Money – no start-up fund (Project A materials covered); welfare assistance unclear Other responsibilities - unchallenged

The Programme: Resource Mobilising? Emergent business ideas and some test trading Attempt to share richer networks: handbag project Limited: –exposure to markets and networks –drawing in partners –adapting what can be done with resources at hand –challenge of unrealistic ideas

Outcomes Engaged with community organisations Enjoyment/confidence building; aspiration raising Marginal skill and network development Low/no returns for work Unknown effect on vital welfare entitlements Debt? (Start-up of retail shop on £3-4k?) ‘Island’ programme with transient effect?

Proposal: Innovation! Investing in Integrating and Innovating Pathways to Enterprise –Commitment from multiple institutions (linking/enhancing) –‘Effectual’ business development support –Welfare pathway to enterprise from ‘economic inactivity’ –Empowering women to campaign for the support they need Short-term priority –Investigating the effect of Universal Credits on the self- employed

Workshop Discussion 1.Should business start-up be promoted to women far from the labour market?  If yes: why?  If no: why? 2.What innovations could improve outcomes? 3.What do you think about Julia’s policy proposals?