Welcome to the Initiative Factory Society incorporating the Casa Bar & Venue and the Community Advice Service Association (CASA)

Initiative Factory Achieves the MATRIX Standard. On behalf of the Initiative Factory/CASA can I thank you all for helping the organisation attain the MATRIX standard for delivering external Information Advice and Guidance on Welfare Rights, Employment Rights, Business Start-up and Consumer Affairs etc......Obtaining The MATRIX standard quality mark puts Initiative Factory in the same category as a Trade Union or a CAB for giving qualified and accredited advice..... It will give all our clients the assurance that the services we provide meet the highest possible standards.

BACKGROUND

The Initiative Factory/CASA was set-up in the aftermath of the Liverpool Dockworkers Dispute to uphold the aims and objectives of the ‘Sacked Liverpool Dockworkers’ in promoting ‘Fairness and Justice’ for all.

We were established as an Industrial and Provident Society in 1998 with the objectives of relieving poverty sickness and hardship and advancing education in Merseyside. In particular, the community work we do serves unemployed and socially excluded, both working and work-less, residents of Liverpool.

The In-house provision we provide includes:

• Capacity building for community projects
• ICT Support - Transnational projects
• Local refugee and asylum seeker support
• Advice and guidance programmes
• Legals for workers project

The Initiative Factory was established in the aftermath of the Liverpool Dockworkers Dispute, carrying forward the spirit of those who stood together for dignity in the workplace. It was founded as an industrial and provident society with a clear purpose: to uphold the aims of the sacked Liverpool dockworkers by promoting fairness and justice for all. That founding commitment continues to shape every aspect of the organisation’s work across Merseyside and beyond, ensuring that the principles of solidarity and equality remain at the heart of everything it does.

The Community Advice Service Association, known as CASA, sits at the core of the Initiative Factory’s mission. It delivers external information, advice and guidance across a range of essential areas including welfare rights, employment rights, business start-up and consumer affairs. By achieving the MATRIX Standard quality mark, CASA has demonstrated that its advice services meet rigorous national benchmarks, placing it alongside trade unions and Citizens Advice Bureaux as a provider of qualified, accredited and trusted support.

Beyond advice, the organisation works to relieve poverty, sickness and hardship while advancing education across the region. It serves a broad cross-section of the community, including unemployed residents, socially excluded individuals, refugees and asylum seekers. Through capacity-building programmes, ICT training and transnational projects, the Initiative Factory helps people gain the skills and confidence they need to improve their circumstances and participate more fully in society.

The Initiative Factory also incorporates the Casa Bar and Venue, a welcoming space that serves both as a social hub and as a practical resource for the wider community. The venue offers function room hire, catering and a well-stocked bar, making it suitable for events of all kinds. Its presence helps sustain the organisation’s broader charitable work while providing a place where supporters, local residents and visitors can come together in a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.

Legal support for workers remains a defining feature of the organisation’s identity. The legals programme draws directly on the legacy of the dockworkers’ struggle, offering guidance and representation to those facing difficulties in the workplace. Whether the issue involves unfair dismissal, contract disputes or breaches of employment rights, the team provides accessible, knowledgeable assistance rooted in decades of collective experience in standing up for working people.

The Initiative Factory operates from a dedicated office space that also offers rooms for rent to community projects and partner organisations. This shared environment fosters collaboration and makes practical resources available to groups working towards similar social goals. Enquiries about space hire, advice services or venue bookings are welcomed, and the team is committed to responding promptly and helpfully to everyone who gets in touch.

A strong network of supporters, volunteers and partner organisations underpins the Initiative Factory’s ongoing work. The history of the dockworkers’ dispute is preserved on a supporters’ wall within the building, serving as both a reminder of past struggles and an inspiration for current and future campaigns. By combining professional accredited services with genuine community roots, the organisation continues to deliver on its founding promise of fairness and justice for all.