Case studies: Applied Care and Development (ACAD)

Applied Care and Development (ACAD)
Cath Aitkin
Studio 2, Kirkgunzeon Mill, Dumfries

Tel: 01387 760260

Email:cathatkin@appliedcare.co.uk

Background

After waiting for over five years businesswoman Cath Atkin, with the support of Women Into Business, finally took the plunge and launched her own childcare organisation Applied Care and Development in 2002.

Based in Dumfries, Applied Care and Development is one of the few private providers in Scotland of residential and intervention services for young people who are at risk from their own behaviour or that of others. The company offers residential, respite and outreach search services for young people who are referred to the company by the social work department.

Operating from one office and one residential house, with another in the pipeline and with nine full-time members of staff, Applied Care and Development is also a registered SVQ training centre for childcare.

Help from Women Into Business

Cath said:

"I had always wanted to have my own company it was just a matter of when it would happen. I'd been in this line of work for some time and felt passionate about providing high quality care to young people."

Cath approached Women Into Business where she received support and advice on running her company and continues to attend monthly seminars.

"I have found Women Into Business really helpful because of the networking and support. It's a great help being able to talk to other women running companies as it doesn't matter what size or type of business you run, you all face the same sort of hurdles.

Cath has also joined a Microcredit group and in addition to Women Into Business she received support from Business Gateway Dumfries and Galloway.

Progress

Cath added:

"Applied Care and Development has been up and running now for almost two years and I'm really pleased with the way things have gone. We secured our Investors In People award in January 2003 and were accredited as a SVQ approved centre which means we can continue to build and strengthen our team.

"Launching your own company can be a very lonely and difficult experience so it is important that you have access to a range of support services. Initially I found the prospect of going it alone quite frightening but Women Into Business helped to allay these fears and now I'm in the position where I'm looking to employ more staff and open another house."

Mentoring

Cath was looking for a mentor outwith her own geographical location due to the fact that she was very concerned about IPR and confidentiality. Additionally she was also keen to have someone with experience in the service sector. One month after her interview with a Business Mentoring representative Cath was offered two matches, one being Robert Tambourini who is a director of a housing association.

Cath used the first meeting to talk about where the business was at the time, where she wanted to go and how she was going to get there. During the meeting she quickly realised that Robert had skills and experience she had yet to develop in her business.

At future meetings Cath and Robert discussed at length the operational set up of her business. Robert invited Cath to visit his premises in Glasgow with the view to spending time with his operations team. Cath founds this visit invaluable, she looked at their accounting procedures, processes and systems and met with both the Finance and IT Directors who agreed to help Cath set up similar systems for her business, including some support whilst she implemented the systems suitable for her business and trained her personnel.

In Cath's view Robert challenged her to stand back from the business, which in turn made her recognise areas that she needed to develop.

Cath says;

"Mentoring has changed my mindset, I met with my mentor mainly off site from my premises, nearly all of our meetings were face to face, however Robert has always been available at the end of the telephone or e-mail. In my view having a confidential sounding board helps stimulate creativity, someone outwith your own business challenges you to see what's really happening in the business. I don't feel that I would have been where I am today so quickly if I had not spoken with Robert and implemented some of the systems, processes and quality procedures that he exposed me to."

"Now I'm very much looking forward to taking the business to the next level, through mentoring I recognised opportunities to diversify and offer other products to the market place, which is proving to be very rewarding."

Find out more about business mentoring.