ESF-Works

AWE - Accelerating Women’s Enterprise

Logo for AWE - Accelerating Women’s Enterprise

Description

AWE team at awards cermonyAim

The Accelerating Women's Enterprise Development Partnership (AWE) brought together a number of leading agencies in women's enterprise development, spanning the English regions. The overarching aim of the project was to develop a programme of activities and interventions, to ensure that mainstream business support was developed to meet the needs of excluded groups of women.

Objectives
  • To strengthen support activities for women’s enterprise through the establishment of networks and networking for developing and sharing best practice

  • Establishment of an effective promotion and awareness raising strategy and programme for women’s enterprise development

  • Production, delivery and dissemination of a range of learning materials and activities for effective development of women’s enterprise

  • Establishment of an effective programme of research and policy development work which informs better knowledge and understanding of women’s enterprise (in England, the UK and Europe)
Background

Women's enterprise development was a strategic priority of the Government Women's Unit and the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) PAT 3 Report identified 'a need for a systematic identification and promotion of best practice across the different organisations providing business support, and the aggressive pursuit of higher standards.’

Target Beneficiary groups

The target group this DP aimed to assist was existing and potential women entrepreneurs. Importantly the following excluded groups of women were targeted for assistance and support: 10% women with disabilities; 15% ethnic minority women; 25% rural women; 20% young women; 10% third age women (ie. 50 years +), 75% urban women; 50% unemployed women; 60% low income women and 20% lone parents. The projects took place nationally across England.

Main outcomes

Prowess, a DP partner, was a major contributor to the drawing up of the UK Department of Trade and Industry's National Strategic Framework for Women's Enterprise. Women’s business support services were developed in a strategic way at national level to meet the needs of existing and emerging women entrepreneurs leading to equal numbers of women and men starting up businesses.

Round

1

Lead partner

University of Durham >>
www.networkingwomen.co.uk >>

Core partners

Enterprise Tamar Ltd >>
Foundation for SME Development >>
Prince's Trust (London, Park Square East) >>
Quaker Social Action >>
Women's Business Network, North West Development Agency >>
Women's Employment, Enterprise & Training Unit >>

Transnational partnerships

Information for Transnational partnerships

Contact

Dinah Bennett
University of Durham
dinah.bennett@durham.ac.uk >>

Equal theme

Business creation

Achievements

  • Over 2,500 new businesses

  • Over 1,200 new jobs created

  • Over 900 women receiving training

  • 2 new training packs

  • 28 new accredited courses

  • 1 accredited distance learning course

  • 30 tailor made workshops developed

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    Connections

    Activities and products

    Activity
    Access to Finance >>Research was undertaken on the financial needs of women’s businesses leading to the development of new financial products.Expand/collapse Products (1)


    Activity
    Networking and Sharing Best Practice >>Networks were established through the women’s European counselor network, the national women’s enterprise network and Women into the Network.Expand/collapse Products (1)


    Activity
    Promotion and Awareness Raising >>Promotion was through AWE’s website and e-zines; digests of relevant government and EU initiatives, circulation and dissemination of news and information from member organisations, digest of new research, best practice guides, dissemination strategy, award schemes, workshops and seminars.Expand/collapse Products (2)


    Activity
    Research and Policy Development >>Research was undertaken into issues/barriers affecting women’s enterprises.Expand/collapse Products (1)


    Activity
    Training, Support and Development >>A training module and pack for bankers, policy makers and others regarding issues affecting women entrepreneurs was developed.Expand/collapse Products (3)


    Printable document
    Business Support with the 'F' Factor: >>A multi-lateral approach to providing Female-Friendly business support to all women.


    Printable document
    The Regional State of Women’s Enterprise in England >>A comprehensive overview of women’s enterprise in England published by Prowess.


    Printable document
    Women-friendly incubation environments and managed workspaces >>The aim of this report is to look at ways in which business incubation environments can be tailored to meet the needs of both female and male business owners and highlights examples of current best practice.