This week I would like to let you know about some of the work IPSE is doing to put our members in touch with one another, to encourage networking, engagement and interaction with and between our members. Our aim is to continue building the IPSE community further as the only dedicated voice for the UK’s self-employed.
Last month saw the launch of our brand-new IPSE Member Meet-Ups where we invite members to a private chat to discuss the issues that matter to you in an informal setting (Zoom), hosted by IPSE. In the first Member Meet-up, IPSE's director of policy, Andy Chamberlain led a discussion on all things IR35; the various responses of clients large and small to April’s changes and how this has affected members, the application and utility of the CEST tool and indemnity clauses. You can read more about the first Member Meet-Up in this blog by IPSE Policy and Research Officer, Joshua Toovey.
Our second Member Meet-Up, ‘IR35: Are you working via an umbrella, or have you managed to stay off-payroll?’ held on Thursday 27th May quickly became fully booked, and we were delighted to see how much our members wanted to get involved. The conversation covered umbrella companies, the high-profile Gary Lineker IR35 case and more on how clients are dealing with the changes to the rules. If you missed out on this one, please keep an eye out for emails about future Member Meet-Ups which are scheduled to occur on the last Thursday of every month and make sure you register early to avoid disappointment. If they prove very popular, we may even run them more frequently and if you would like to suggest topics for a future discussion, please feel free to email the membership team at [email protected], we always like to hear from you.
Right now, we are also busily preparing for National Freelancers Day, our award-winning annual event at which we will host a range of speakers on a variety of themes, focussing on three main streams: finance, winning work, and wellbeing. After the incredible success of last years’ virtual event, NFD will be online again, meaning you can join us wherever you are in the world on 17 June.
There will be sessions on savings, mortgages, IR35, how to avoid common contractual mistakes and how to protect your business from hackers in the finance stream. The winning work stream will include talks on impressing a new client, five things freelancers need to do to gain time, money, and success, setting and increasing your day rate as well as panel discussions on the future of freelancing and finding work post-pandemic.
Speakers in the wellbeing stream will give advice on forming healthy habits, overcoming self-doubt, and mental health – prevention and recovery. There will also be workshops throughout the day on CV writing, marketing on a budget, inclusive business practices and LinkedIn Mastery for contractors.
There will also be a keynote speech from the inspirational Lliana Bird, as well as networking opportunities for attendees, a chance to meet our partners and even the option of a 1 to 1 chat with the membership team.
You can also get involved and in touch with us and other members between events via our social media channels. Check out our Facebook group, LinkedIn page and the IPSE Community (for members) to join the discussion. As ever, you can also feel free to contact the membership team on the email address above or by phone on 0208 897 9970 with any queries about your membership or what’s going on at IPSE.
IPSE organises, supports and collaborates on over 100 events every year, from practical webinars, networking events and conferences. IPSE sources experts in their field to support the self-employed, with the events covering a wide range of topics.
National Freelancers Day is IPSE’s biggest event of the year – a celebration of all things freelance, and an opportunity for self-employed people across the country to look to the year ahead.
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