Enterprise and Innovation

WiRE Network

"Helping rural business women succeed"

Organisation: Business Link Leicestershire

Completion Date: 31/03/2006

Location

All rural areas of Leicestershire

Project Description

WiRE are thrilled to part of this very important groundbreaking project. It is such a dynamic network dedicated to helping rural businesses succeed, the opportunity to have a dedicated WiRE officer to help rural businesswomen in Leicestershire is really very exciting. We look forward to getting started and 'making it work'! - Izzy Warren-Smith, Director, WiRE

Background
WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) is a concept that developed in the West Midlands, born from extensive research carried out by Izzy Warren Smith, Senior Lecturer and founder Director of WiRE at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire.

Barriers
It was evident from the research that there were a number of barriers preventing female-owned businesses starting up and developing effectively in rural areas; these included a lack of rural-specific accessible support and access to finance, low levels of confidence and isolation issues in remote rural areas.

Solutions
Understanding that rural women are a diverse, multi-skilled adept group, vital to the success of the rural economy, Business Link, in partnership with WiRE, Brooksby Melton College and the Centre for Enterprise, propose to develop a WiRE network for Leicestershire.

The Strategic Framework for Women's Enterprise reports that many female entrepreneurs often lack appropriate business support and a lack of appropriate role models. Development of a WiRE network for Leicestershire will seek to address this by offering specific support for female entrepreneurs in rural areas.

Support
Brooksby Melton College will be providing practical support to the project,in particular through supporting a project officer, who will have an office based at the college for part of the week.

The Centre for Enterprise will be supporting the project through the training and co-ordination of mentors for WiRE members for whom this would be beneficial. Peer-to-peer mentoring and support will also be encouraged.

Outcomes

• A WiRE project officer will be recruited to liase with rural, female-owned businesses, offering a tailored membership package that has been designed to overcome barriers and help rural business succeed.
• It will include rural-specific, accessible courses and training workshops on subjects ranging from business start-ups and confidence building to visual merchandising, active selling and tax and legal support - according to the needs of the members.
• Regular networking meetings will offer members the opportunity to meet with like-minded people and share ideas and experiences. The project officer will conduct follow-up, one-to-one sessions to understand the specific needs of members and, as appropriate, co-ordinate mentoring and sign-posting to other business support providers.

Specifically, the project aims to:

1. Increase the number of women into self-employment;
2. Increase the numbers of jobs in rural areas;
3. Increase the numbers of new start-ups surviving for 12 months or more;
4. Increase business-support services in rural locations;
5. Provide women with a key support mechanism for business development.

How to become a mentor

Project Contacts

Project manager:
Marion Winterton
Tel: 07947 567405
E-mail: marion.winterton@bllr.co.uk
Website: TBA

LSEP contact:
Niloofar Sarkari
Tel: 0116 257 5678
Email: niloofars@lsep.co.uk
Website: www.lsep.co.uk