A NEW training platform and app for hair and beauty salons will be available for free to businesses locally after it was developed with the help of a council Covid grant.

Steph Stevenson, owner of the salon HNB in Sandbanks, won the funding to create Kaikura, and believes it has the potential for global expansion.

The app and online platform employ animation and gamification – the use of elements from game design – to offer support that can be accessed on the go and at any time of day. 

It can be updated immediately to address issues affecting the sector.

Steph Stevenson said: “Most hair and beauty professionals are creative, constantly updating their technical skills and whilst they want to improve their business knowledge coaching or mentoring courses are incredibly expensive, and require significant time out of the salon, so are only accessible to about five per cent of the industry.

“Kaikura is designed for everybody, filling a huge gap and supporting improved employability, which the government recognised in our grant application. I believe this is a game changer in the industry and will disrupt traditional business training models – for the benefit of the majority of hair and beauty professionals.”

She won funding through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme, under which councils had government money to support businesses affected by the pandemic.

The majority of BCP Council’s £14.8m was targeted at smaller businesses which needed support to keep trading, while other support was allocated to projects that would help the region recover.

BCP Council deputy leader Cllr Philip Broadhead, who is also cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: “Local hair and beauty businesses are an integral backbone to our local economy.

“We’re delighted to have awarded ARG funding to the Kaikura project to support this sector, which is so important to our communities and residents across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. 

“Steph Stevenson is unrivalled in industry knowledge and experience in the BCP area and enjoys direct relationships with many local businesses that operate in this sector. We encourage all eligible businesses to sign up to this invaluable and engaging platform”.   

Kaikura usually starts at £9.99 per month, with packages for different sizes of salon, but salons in the BCP Council area will see the fee waived after entering their BH postcode.