Past Projects
Established in 1982, CASE has over 40 years experience supporting local co-ops and social enterprises. This page lists recent projects and clients CASE has worked with:
BUILD
From 2024 to 2026, CASE worked alongside Voluntary Action Leicestershire and the Rural Community Council to deliver the BUILD project, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
The project aimed to support individuals who face barriers to accessing education, training and employment, by providing personal coaching sessions in their local area. These sessions developed skills and confidence to access education, training and employment.
Through BUILD, CASE supported individuals on their journey to self employment, and existing VCSE groups based across Leicestershire, providing development support and guidance.
Growth Accelerator for Social Entrepreneurs
From 2023-26, CASE worked as a delivery partner on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund-supported ‘Growth Accelerator for Social Entrepreneurs’ programme. Coordinated by the University of Leicester School of Business in partnership with CASE and Community Enterprise Engine, we worked to support local social enterprises, charities, and CICs to grow sustainably and increase their impact on the communities they serve.
The Growth Accelerator now continues as an open, community-focused offer for the VCSE sector, regardless of location, providing access to practical support, shared learning and collaborative opportunities.
Find out more on the project website.
Women Mean Business
From 2019 to 2023, CASE delivered the Women Mean Business programme, as a free support programme for women living in North West Leicestershire or setting up business in the area.
Workshop sessions provided tailored training, advice and support, alongside resources to help develop leadership and management skills. Participants gained legal and financial know-how, learned how to write a business plan, market their business, deal with tax and much more.
Work.Live.Leicestershire
Between 2019 and 2023, CASE delivered the Work.Live.Leicestershire (WiLL) programme, which assisted economically inactive and unemployed people living in rural Leicestershire, and provided access to holistic, tailored support, enabling participants to move into job search, training or employment .
Involving 7 organisations; Vista, CASE, b-inspired, Access All Areas Training CIC, Rural Community Council, Voluntary Action Leicestershire, and Workers' Educational Association, we worked together to assist as many participants as possible to progress on their chosen paths.
CASE offered a start-up and support service for business to those who wanted to better understand the pros and cons of self-employment and whether they were suited to it. We advised and mentored nearly 60 individuals who now have their own enterprises.
Testimonials from just some of the individuals CASE supported through WiLL:
"I’ve been getting on great with CASE. I’m currently attending a Self Employment course which CASE is running and it has been really beneficial. Dorothy is a fountain of knowledge and cares so much that we know everything we need to know".
JN - WiLL Participant - March 2020
"I can honestly say that Emma and CASE have been exactly what I needed. As someone starting from scratch (a little later in life) the support and savvy of Emma was outstanding. I was guided, reminded and helped with each step, and have just opened up my own business. There is help out there and you're lucky if you can access CASE support because they're lovely people too"!
FR - WiLL Participant - September 2022
“The help my son has received from the WiLL project has been invaluable. It came along just at a time when he needed it most. Due to illness and personal circumstances he needed to rethink how he would build a future for himself and his three young daughters. Coming off benefits and becoming self-employed was the only viable option, but it seemed impossible until we found the WILL Project. His mentor, Emma Compson, has been so generous with her time and encouragement, and Emma’s business expertise has been invaluable, we are both very grateful for all the support”.
KH & DH – WiLL Participant – October 2022