News Article

AN innovative project to deliver dedicated enterprise activity to disadvantaged communities in South Tyneside is up and running, thanks to funding from the local council and the European Union.

The ‘Enterprise Coaching’ initiative will support the development of an entrepreneurial culture with enterprise as an alternative career path, with training and mentoring provision and opportunities to research and test out ideas.

Intensive one-to-one pre business start up enterprise coaching activity will assist 1,500 people with commercial ideas over the next two years and ensure that at least 560 of these progress to mainstream North East Business Link support services.

The project is being part financed by the European Union’s ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007-13, securing £810,000 ERDF investment through regional development agency One North East.  This matches the investment made by South Tyneside Metropolitan Council, taking the project investment to just over £1.6m

Councillor Michael Clare, Lead Member Jobs, Enterprise and Regeneration said:  “Our aim is to work with 1,500 residents in disadvantaged communities on a one-to-one basis to assess current skills and development requirements.
 
“Our coaches will explore appropriate business ideas and opportunities and help local people to overcome potential barriers and hopefully to running their own businesses.”

Delivered by the Tyneside Economic Development Company Ltd (TEDCO), the project will provide community based enterprise coaches throughout the borough to promote self-employment, social enterprise and increase business creation and survival. 

It will also help people develop and explore appropriate business avenues which might include franchise opportunities, part-time business models, home-based businesses or social enterprise. There will be a strong focus on members of social groups under-represented in business start-up and enterprise.

“The enterprise coaches will work within targeted communities to find potential entrepreneurs and inspire and help them to access mainstream business support services to start a business,” added One North East Head of Business, Enterprise and Skills Tim Pain.

“They will help people understand the business barriers they may encounter and signpost them to appropriate support at the right time. The focus is on commercialising ideas and identifying opportunities, as well as looking at risk, finance and marketing to move their business ideas on.”

The ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007-13 managed by One North East is bringing over £300m into North East England.  Its emphasis on enterprise and business support is encouraging SMEs to develop, grow and innovate.

The ‘Enterprise Coaching’ project will dovetail with South Tyneside’s Making Headway employment project so that delivery is joined up and clients receive the support they need from all partners.
It will also link closely with similar new enterprise projects backed by ERDF investment in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Gateshead.

It will be aligned with those delivered by other local authorities and One North East to ensure a consistent approach to pre-start up activity.  It delivers the Enterprise Coaching product under Solutions for Business, the Government’s portfolio of publicly funded support to help companies start and grow.

For further information about the project, call 0845 460 3333.

For information on the wider range of support available to businesses, please contact Business Link on 0845 600 9006 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/northeast