A new Welsh/Irish initiative run jointly by the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and the Waterford Institute of Technology has been launched to help women-led businesses develop.
Female Entrepreneurship in Ireland and Wales (FEIW) has received over £700,000 of European funding to promote the growth of women-led businesses in South West Wales and the South East of Ireland, and specifically to run enterprise training programmes.
Nerys Fuller-Love, the co-ordinator of the project of the School of Management and Business at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, said: "This is an exciting project which is designed to increase the level of participation of women in high value added industry sectors in Ireland and Wales."
The project began in April 2006, when research on women in business in both regions was gathered. From this, the project team was able to learn a considerable amount about the type of businesses that women set up, their ambitions for their businesses and the challenges that they face. In particular, the current training needs of women business owners in the regions were identified.
The research team has used these findings to design an innovative enterprise training programme that is specifically tailored around the needs of women in business. This programme will offer a comprehensive management skillset to women who have already started up a business and are interested in growing their venture and is due to start in September 2006.
A fresh and informative website has been developed for the project and has recently been launched, and is available at 'http:// http://www.whysofeiw.com">www.whysofeiw.com' http://www.whysofeiw.com">www.whysofeiw.com. The website will hopefully provide women in business with access to information and advice and will also give them the opportunity to network with other women in business both in Wales and Ireland via the members' area. The website will also have a monthly feature on successful local women in business offering advice and sharing experiences.
Funding for FEIW has been provided by the European Union through the Welsh Assembly Government under the Interreg IIIA Community Initiative; with approximately £126,000 being allocated to the project here in West Wales. The Interreg IIIA Community Initiative supports joint Irish/Welsh projects with the aim of promoting the sustainable development of the cross-border region.
If you are interested in learning more about the FEIW project or if you would like more information on the up and coming enterprise training programme, then please contact Beca Hands on 01970 622 209 or at hyperlink 'mailto: [email protected]">[email protected]' [email protected]">[email protected].