The FSB is Member Led, if you're a Member the FSB Belongs to you!
How does the FSB make a difference to members in Northern Ireland?
To effectively run the FSB in Northern Ireland the region is split into five branches with over 8,000 members in every sector of business, across those five branches
As well as providing member benefits through discounted services and products, the FSB is actively campaigning at every opportunity for a better and fairer deal for small businesses who contribute so much to the Northern Ireland economy
We do this through groups of FSB members who volunteer time via a committee structure to carry out vital FSB work.
These people raise awareness of the FSB and the vital economic contribution of small businesses, applying pressure for a fairer deal to government agencies, business groups, media, MPs and local councils.
Who co-ordinates FSB work?
Regular FSB members volunteer and co-ordinate FSB work via the structure below.
Regional Committee
Volunteers are elected by the 8,000 strong membership at an Annual General Meeting which is held in November.
The Committee is made up of a Regional Chairman, two Regional Vice Chairmen, Regional Treasurer, Regional Secretary and two representatives from each of the five branches.
The Regional Committee meets bi-monthly to discuss issues affecting or likely to impact on members, plan action, report on branch events, discuss feedback from members and lobby local authorities, MPs and decision makers.
Branch Committees
Further work is carried out by Branch Committees.
There are five branches across Northern Ireland: South East, Western, Belfast City, Belfast South and North East Branch
Branch Committees are smaller in size but meet regularly to discuss plans of action and to organise branch meetings.
Policy Committee and other groups
These are additional groups of FSB members who work to influence the development of regional economic strategy in Northern Ireland and to co-ordinate lobbying campaigns on behalf of the Northern Ireland membership.
The Policy Committee meets bi-monthly to discuss its ongoing plan of action in lobbying MPs, MEPs, MLA's and other influential individuals, agencies and organisations in the region.
FSB Staff
Running alongside the member led committee structure is a supportive staff structure
- The NI Development Manager develops the work and growth of the FSB to ensure that the interests of members are represented
- The Regional Office Administrator based at the regional office in Cookstown, provides a central contact point for all FSB Members and is an administrative support to the region
The following staff are based at the Press and Parliamentary Office in Belfast:
- The Head of External Affairs supports the Northern Ireland Policy Unit in the planning, development and implementation of strategies to further the interests of small businesses across Northern Ireland
- The Policy Manager and Officer work alongside the Northern Ireland Policy Unit and monitor the activity of local government
As the strength of FSB lobbying is based on the breadth of its volunteer base, we are always keen to welcome more active FSB members to become volunteers, to help spread the message and effect policy change.