Personal trainer and social entrepreneur Daryl Cauvin shares how Launchpad is helping him with his new ‘active’ and ‘positive’ Doncaster based Community Interest Company (CIC).
Tell us about your company?
My organisation is a new start up CIC operating in Doncaster which aims to offer a support timetable of sessions and activities focusing primarily on physical exercise, fitness and sports, mental health and substance recovery workshops and formal and informal listening services called ‘Offloading’.
This would ideally suit local residents and workers who are currently attending local services to seek help regarding mental ill health or/and substance recovery. This assists people’s chances of maintaining recovery momentum by offering weekly attendance with me in group physical activities, exercise and sports games. We have focused on having a good time in a relaxed and informal setting, as opposed to taking a serious and often daunting attitude towards getting fit.
In addition, I run recovery workshops which focus on providing useful tools, tips and techniques and ‘Offloading’ sessions which allows the individual to talk about their current stresses or concerns, with the aim of releasing it out into the open.
When did you first decide to start up on your own and what inspired you?
I first thought about this over five years ago when attending local services for my own mental health and drug and alcohol recovery. I survived a serious suicide event and ended up in a jail cell where I was offered an opportunity to seek help for my drug and alcohol issues.
After attending a sports leadership programme run by Doncaster Rovers education staff, Sam Parkin, I realised how essential group activities were and rediscovered my enthusiasm for health and fitness.
What are your hopes and aims for the business?
I hope to become a well-known and reputable social enterprise which primarily offers peer-to-peer support as well as professional collaborations to support people in their most daunting and lonely times.
Launchpad is helping me network with other like-minded organisations and charities by offering free attendance on webinars related to setting up and running not-for-profits.
I genuinely believe recovery is possible and, due to my lived experience, that togetherness, compassion, respect and integrity are the key ingredients which make the taste of recovery seem positively addictive. As corny as that may be, these are some of my organisation’s values. My ethos for recovery: Be active, stay positive, feel alive.
Launchpad advisor Debbie Richardson said: “It’s been great working with Daryl on the Launchpad Programme to grow and develop his new business. He’s found our workshops really useful and shows a real passion for his business.
“We look forward to working with him further and wish him continued success.
“Starting and growing a business is not easy and that’s why the Launchpad programme was created. Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and our partners means there is no cost to the entrepreneur, so we can get straight to work on turning those dreams into reality.
“Stop dreaming and do it. Contact us for information now on 03330 00 00 39 or email growthhub@sheffieldcityregion.org.uk.”
Launchpad is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund meaning there is no cost to the entrepreneur, so we can get straight to work on turning those dreams into reality.
