How we've helped St Michael Housing Society

Growth & Skills Hub case study

Business overview

This Cornish housing society has been supporting people since 1930. 

Growth & Skills Hub has really helped me with our vision and what we want to do with the society over the next five years.

Helen

How we helped

St Michael Housing Society Penzance was founded after Father Carr of the local church campaigned and raised money to build 16 cottages in a small courtyard to be used as affordable homes for local people.   

Over the years the cottages have been modernised and upgraded and have evolved into a thriving community, housing people of all ages and backgrounds.

Helen Barnicoat took over as company secretary in January 2022 and set about establishing a training and development programme at the society, which is run by a board of trustees. 

“I was trying to find some training which would take the organisation forward,” said Helen.

st michael housing plaque

“I looked for suitable training for a long time, but I couldn’t seem to find anything that was relevant. And then I stumbled across the Growth & Skills Hub. It opened up the world to me, really!” 

Growth & Skills Hub was able to put Helen in touch with the right contacts for a range of courses that could help boost business knowledge. 

In addition, Growth & Skills Hub has been signposting relevant funding organisations that could help St Michael Housing Society with plans for possible future development to add to their now diverse property portfolio. 

Helen has also benefitted from advice along the way, offered by one of Growth & Skills Hub’s expert mentors. 

“The support they have given me has been absolutely fantastic,” said Helen. “My mentor checks on me every few weeks to see how I’m getting on and I’ve got a whole diary full of people I can contact for various different things. 

“Growth & Skills Hub has really helped me with our vision and what we want to do with the society over the next five years.” 

The training courses on offer will help the business to continue going forward and funding help will be used to create a new website, as well as going towards the planned building project. 

St Michael Housing Society prides itself on providing affordable homes in a tight-knit community of like-minded people. 

Many of the society’s residents - aged from 22 to 80, families and individuals – love the way of life here so much that they stay for years. 

“The people who live with us rave about it,” said Helen, proud to be part of a business that is working towards securing the future of local people, whatever their circumstances. “It’s such a lovely job and I’m so grateful to Growth & Skills Hub for the help they’ve given me. 

“If I had known about them sooner, I would have gone straight to them for help in the first place. 

“I’ve been telling everyone about Growth & Skills Hub since!” 

 

 

 

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The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub from May 2016 -  June 2023 was part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and match funded by Cornwall Council, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.  The project received £2,848,591.49 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. 

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub from October 2017 - June 2023 was part funded by the European Social Fund and match funded by Cornwall Council and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership. The project  received £2,885,993 of funding from the European Social Fund as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England.

Business name St Michael Housing Society
Contact email [email protected]
st michael housing logo
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They have really helped me with our vision and what we want to do with the society over the next five years.