A new £1.4 million development creating 36 jobs was officially opened in Belfast today (June 25th).Work West Social Economy Village Open for Business

The Social Economy Village in West Belfast is the culmination of ten years of hard work and planning by local enterprise agency Work West.

The 15,000 square foot building located on Hannahstown Hill was funded by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment with EU Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE II) assistance of £496,959, the International Fund for Ireland who provided £493,959 and Work West.who completed the project with £394,958.

Workspace in the Social Economy Village is targeted at social economy enterprises involved in manufacturing or tradeable services. Social enterprises are “more than profit” businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than distributed to shareholders and owners. They serve a social, environmental or ethical purpose.
Kevin Delaney, chairman of Work West, said: “The aim of the Social Economy Village is to aid the regeneration of this area and to offer a dedicated purpose-built space for social economy businesses. The support for social enterprises is critical to achieving Work West’s long term strategy of supporting local economic development.”

Work West has been delivering social economy business support and training for the past 20 years and in that time the sector has changed immensely.

“Social economy businesses are very professional and are seen as a viable way to support the local community, to create jobs and to be less reliant on traditional ways of funding organisations with social objectives,” Mr Delaney added.

Speaking at the official opening, Denis Rooney CBE said: “Today is a great celebration for everyone involved in the opening of Work West Social Economy Village. This building is a superb example of how social economy organisations working together can achieve a great deal to directly benefit their communities.

“This investment will help stimulate economic growth, develop the potential for employment and facilitate skills training for the people of west Belfast. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in this project which will make a significant contribution to the local economy for years to come.”

The first tenant, Belfast Hills Partnership, has just moved in to the Social Economy Village. “The Social Economy Village is a dream come true for Belfast Hills Partnership with first class facilities and a wonderful location.  We are very pleased to be here and many congratulations for having the forethought to initiate the Social Economy Village,” said Dr Jim Bradley.

Sandara Kelso Robb, Executive Director of Lloyds TSB Foundation for Northern Ireland: "The Foundation is delighted to be here today to support this excellent initiative by Work West, recognising the potential for the Social Economy to impact significantly on the whole of society. We are confident the Social Economy Village will prove to be an excellent resource for businesses and customers alike."
A range of units are available sized from 300sq ft to 857 sq ft office unites and four 1,500 sq ft industrial units. Offices can be let individually, or linked to form larger units to meet client’s requirements. Flexible lease arrangements are available for tenants and the development offers post services, faxing and photocopying.

For more information on the Social Economy Village, go to www.workwest.co.uk or contact Lynsey Cameron on 02890 610826/email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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