SEND Local Offer - Thinking about becoming self-employed?

Find information on self-employment and starting a business, for those young people with SEND.

Being self-employed

What is ‘self-employed’?

Being self-employed means that you work for yourself, either as a freelancer – meaning you are hired to work for lots of different organisations on different projects, or you own your own business.

This could be selling a service you can offer, like being a photographer, or selling something you make, like making birthday cards.

What are the opportunities for being self-employed?

You are your own boss
You can create a social enterprise
You can develop your own specialism
You could potentially provide jobs for other people

What do you need to do to become self-employed?

Start with a business plan, what do you want your business to be? What are your aims?
You need start up funds,
Who are your target customers?
Branding and promotion:

What is it like to be self-employed?

As part of the Connected Futures in East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) Partnership media campaign, seven Role Model videos were produced. These inspiring videos feature amazing employees with Learning Disabilities (LD) and or Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) share their career journeys, challenges they've overcome, what they love about their jobs, and advice for others starting out.

Learn about Ben in his video, who is self-employed as an Autism and Neurodiversity Coach Workplace Role Models with Learning Disabilities and or Autism - Ben (YouTube)

Inclusive films have also produced short films showcasing how, for people with learning disabilities, self-employment can be a real winner. To learn more, go to Self-employment (Inclusive Films)

Support for disabled entrepreneurs:

The following links are for support, with things to think about when starting out in business:

Advice and support to start a business, including how to register for tax and national insurance and claiming back business expenses. Starting a business (Disability charity Scope UK)
Information on having the correct adjustments for employment. (Not self-employment specific) Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is (GOV.UK)
Information about available support for people with disabilities in employment. (Not specific to Self-employment) Job support if you have special educational needs or a disability (National Careers Service)
Advantages and challenges for disabled freelancers, information about disability benefits and grants for the self-employed. Freelancing and Self-Employment with a Disability (Independent Professional Self-Employed) (IPSE)
'You've Got This', a co-designed course to increase the possibility and probability of sustainable self-employment for disabled learners. You've Got This - Bespoke self-employment for SEN learners (SAMEE Charity)

Local Business Support

Enterprising Ashfield (Not all SEND specific)

If you live in Kirkby-in-Ashfield or Sutton-in-Ashfield and are eligible, you can access free support. Their advisors will help guide you through the process of setting up a business and becoming self-employed. They will help you work towards creating your business plan and applying for grants. To find out more, go to Enterprising Ashfield (Nottingham Trent University)

D2N2 Growth Hub (Not all SEND specific)

The D2N2 Growth hub offers business support across Nottinghamshire, Nottingham, Derbyshire, and Derby. They offer events and training to upskill and answer questions relating to start-ups. The D2N2 ‘Accelerator’ is a local tailored support for businesses to start, sustain, grow, and innovate. They have managed to support over 17,000 businesses. To find out more, go to Accelerator Workshops (D2N2 Growth Hub)

Business & IP Centre, Nottinghamshire (BIPC) (Not all SEND specific)

Offering free business support to both startups and established groups, offers signposting, one-to-ones, resources and networks. To find out more, go to Business & IP Centre Nottinghamshire (Nottingham City Libraries)

NBV (Nottingham Business Venture)Enterprise centre (Not all SEND specific)

NBV Enterprise centre offers fully funded business support for eligible areas. Subject to availability, NBV can help with:

starting a business
growing a business
offer a variety of professional training courses and events
advice surrounding applying for funding

To find out more, go to Business Support in the East Midlands (NBV) encouraging enterprise)

Available resources and training (Not all SEND specific)

King's Trust starting a business, is a free enterprise programme offering expert led workshops, support and opportunities providing the tools you need to create a strong business plan and launch a successful business. To find out more, go to Free support to start a business (King's Trust)
'How to start your own business' is a guide specific for residents of Mansfield. Download, How to start your own business (Start and Grow)
'Being your own boss', offers multiple online courses including, covering the skills and knowledge needed to manage a business and be your own boss, setting up a simple money management system for your business, attracting customers and how to ‘sell’ your product or service, and putting together a business plan. To find out more and book, go to Being Your Own Boss (Self-Employment Courses)
East Midlands Chamber connects, supports and champions businesses and communities across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Once you have an established business you can, at a cost, become a member which gives you access to training courses and a network of other small businesses. Find out more, go to East Midlands Chamber

Who can you speak to? (Not all SEND specific)

Request help during careers guidance sessions.
Approach local banks and see if they have a business advisor to help with business plans, forecasting, and applications for loans.
Contact a local entrepreneur's circle, to find volunteer mentors and experts (Free for a month then £99 per month) Find out more, go to Entrepreneurs Circle Local Meetings (Entrepreneurs Circle)
Approach local business coaches and accountancy firms to see if they can donate some support time.
It is important to listen to other people’s experience and their tips. There are many blogs or articles of people speaking on their experience and learnings. Find out more, go to Tips on being a self-employed autistic (Employment Autism)
If you are going to be self-employed, it might be useful to network with other people who are self-employed to create a community. This short guide will help give you tips and ideas from professionals on what networking is and how to make the most of it. Download Employment team-digital resource, Ambitious About Autism [PDF]