September saw the launch of the Government’s much heralded New Enterprise Allowance Scheme, and there has been great interest in it across the West Midlands.
In the first month Business Enterprise Support Limited, who is delivering the scheme across the Mercia District and Staffordshire and Shropshire has already spoken to more clients than was projected, which shows the pent up demand in the system for support to aspiring entrepreneurs.
This of course presents its own challenges as clients have to be matched to volunteer business mentors.
Chief Executive Judith Kirkland at Business Enterprise Support Limited said ‘It’s encouraging to see so many business people volunteering their time to help our New Enterprise Allowance clients with their diverse business ideas. We appreciate that in the difficult economic circumstances that time is money, but mentors are already finding the experience rewarding, and some are finding that they might be building relationships with clients of the future.’
Mentors typically work with clients for 6 hours over an 8 week period to advise and guide clients through the all important business planning process, and once the business is up and running we continue to offer support to make sure the business is able to survive and thrive for the future.
Anyone interested in becoming a Volunteer Business Mentor should email marlan@enterprisesupport.org
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