boost consultancy are pleased to announce that Junior Consultant Bruce McCombie has recently achieved two Association for Project Management (APM) qualifications.

In the Introductory Certificate Bruce covered the fundamental awareness of project management terminology and life-cycle including planning and scheduling, risk management and communications. As part of the APM professional exam he gained a fuller understanding of management techniques necessary to monitor and drive projects forward to successful completion including budgeting, cost management, quality assurance, negotiation and issues management.

This qualification will add further expertise to the project and contract management services boost offer to clients. Well done Bruce!

On Tuesday 14^th June boost consultancy held our first networking event in Worthing, West Sussex.

The event aimed to bring local businesses together to network, enjoy breakfast by the sea and take away valuable and useful learning to help grow their business.

“As a manager of a small and medium sized business looking to grow, I am often attending networking events,” explains boost manager Emma. “From our experience of networking, we felt it was time there was a localised event, which was attractive to both long running business as well as brand new, young businesses. We wanted to add value to the networking events already taking place in Sussex.

“We also wanted to attract young business leaders who may have never understood the value of networking before,” she adds.

The event began at 7.30am to ensure our guests could be back at their desks by 10am. The morning included delicious bacon sandwiches, unlimited tea and coffee followed by an hour of invaluable learning and networking time.

Michael Laker, from Perfect Removals LTD commented: “It was a really good morning and gave us fresh ideas for our business, as well as new ways of thinking and contacts. Thanks to the speaker, Dave, he was great and we are looking forward to the next one.”

boost’s next event is on 26^th October 2011. Please contact Hayley on 01903 228092 for further details should you wish to attend.

Late last month we heard the fantastic news that we scored maximum marks in a bid worth £1.6m.

The new project ON2UP2 is funded by the Skills Funding Agency and will be managed by boost consultancy. It will be delivered across the whole of Surrey and West Sussex through five delivery partners over three years. The project will be delivered jointly with Sussex Downs College who will also receive £1.6m and will cover Brighton and Hove and the rest of East Sussex.

This bid was just one of the successes we have had in fundraising over the last few months.  Bids written ranged from £40,000 to £3m and were sent to funding bodies such as Big Lottery Transitions Fund, Skills Funding Agency (Sussex & London), Big Lottery Reaching Communities, Youth in Focus, London Borough of Greenwich and Children in Need and could impact more than 1000 people in need if all are successful.

“Clients use boost’s fundraising services to fulfil a range of requirements and organisational needs,” explains boost manager Emma. “We have applied for county-wide projects working with over 10 partners with highly complex management and partnership arrangements, to smaller scale projects that are hoping to find new money to sustain their services when their funding is cut later this year.

“We will let you know as we hear the results of these bids, so please keep checking our website for updates.”

In January we were fully booked by clients completing bids for various bidding rounds. The recent surge in clients needing intense fundraising is a clear indication of challenging times ahead for the voluntary sector, as many core funding streams are being cut and organisations are going the extra mile to stand out from the competition.

Clients utilise boost fundraising services in a number of ways. Many contact the team on an ad-hoc basis, to write bids for them as when and they need it. This way of working works especially well for those clients who are able to plan ahead and commission boost ahead of any deadlines impending.

Others commission boost over a longer period of time; for example we are currently supporting some clients with a regular fundraising function. “Our monthly fundraising function works very well for organisations looking for sustained fundraising over a long period,” explains consultant Hayley. “We are currently supporting one charity with six days per month fundraising, another with four. This gives us a great opportunity to write many bids, to a range of funders on their behalf and according to their sustained needs throughout a year timeframe.

“It also means we get to know the organisation in more detail which can enhance project development throughout the contract. We recently heard the great news that one of our bids to the Big Lottery Reaching Communities fund has been successful for one of them - that was a great day!” she concludes.

Please get in touch with us if you feel we may be able to support you with your fundraising needs. As big bidding rounds are announced we get booked up very quickly, so be sure to contact us in advance.

We will be posting more information about ON2UP2 on our website as the project gets underway, so make sure you visit www.boostconsultancy.co.uk for the latest news and updates.

boost consultancy have just finished managing the asphaleia training series engaging with unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

The events, held in London, Birmingham and Manchester, were a huge success engaging with a wide range of professionals providing support to this vulnerable group of young people. Manchester United Football Club was a great hit as the chosen venue in the North West.

“boost coordinated these events from scratch - including the choice of speakers, venues and publicity. We were very pleased with how the training went,” explains Hayley, boost consultant.

“With every event boost host for a client, we hope to exceed expectations. These events were no exception. The feedback from delegates was incredibly positive and we hope unaccompanied children around the country will benefit as a result of the impressive training.”

Speakers Carol Lusher and Clare Chalmers offered a variety of experience and expertise in issues around communication and engagement. Their knowledge was greatly received by delegates.

Some of the feedback was as follows:

“One of the best training days I have been to in a very long time” London delegate

“I enjoy this style of learning - practical based. Great size group” Birmingham delegate

“I was very impressed with the quality of the information and the speakers” Birmingham delegate

“Excellent - first class venue too” Manchester delegate

“As with every great event, I would have liked more time” Manchester delegate

If you would like information about future boost events, or how boost could organise a training day for you, please contact us.

Clare addresses our audience at Old Trafford