update on Birmingham enterprise for all

Birmingham enterprise for all took place on 20th and 21st November at

Spring Hill College

Wake Green Road

Birmingham

B13 9LR

Birmingham enterprise for all in pictures

Birmingham enterprise for all in words

"I was scared witless about how the day would go but stories right from the beginning was a great way to start. I have never been in such a diverse group, diverse in everyway, and I go to a lot of conferences, people were able to talk so articulately about the barriers"

"I have ever been in such a diverse group of people who were able to talk about barriers and solutions"

"Working with a blank canvas has been refreshing and relaxing; stepping back from the every day to have time to think has been quite refreshing"

"My boss said it will be boring, go and listen and if there is an agenda, call me.
I didn’t say much, don’t know a lot and I really to read all the notes of all the groups"

"There was lots of connection and sharing between community people"

"This (Open Space) is a new structure for me: I am a big believer in making the links. A new pair of eyes sometimes can help, being able to ask the people you respect questions"

"There are positives and negatives. I realized how far we have to go with regeneration. We have begun by meeting people who are entrepreneurs. The Government needs to recognise the entrepreneurship in the community in the first instance"

"I feel incredibly inspired – I put up a topic and someone who came to talk about it understood what I hadn’t understood myself"

"The dialogue has begun, it’s got a long way to go, this was a good way to start; maybe the Treasury will come up with something to break the mould"

"It fired me up. I am concerned about the poverty of thinking – it only blocks enterprise. When people self-deprecate it really upsets me, devaluing what they have – again it’s a block to enterprise"

"The occasion was very real – we work in inner city areas, trying to make life better for them. I learned a lot and got lots of good advice"

"Occasions like this for me are rare"

"I have learnt a lot about knowledge and sustainability which is very useful. Thank you everyone for the advice you have given me"

"I am going to conference next week, I gathered so much information on fuel poverty – if I can persuade the powers that be to make slight changes we could relieve fuel poverty"

"It’s a bit like a retreat; I am wondering what I take back and will I make a difference. We need to have things changed above, so that we can make a difference on the front line. I am concerned about the quality of support and advice available. I am anxious, who will make them change. We need the right people and the right advice for people who want to build an enterprise"

"I enjoyed the group, I am very tired, it was a relaxed day and I realized we worked very hard and came up with lot ideas. It gave me time to think outside the box"

"This is different from anything I’ve been to before. There are certain ideas you come with, and there is a danger of this group creating too much information and then there is no practical outcome. It’s very interesting; I want to see where you go with it"