A consortium of small business support providers has won grant funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to deliver voluntary mentoring as part of the Government’s flagship Help to Grow: Management course to boost business performance and growth. Led by business support group Newable and including small business support platform Enterprise Nation and the Association of Business Mentors, the consortium has been grant funded to develop a network of business leaders and experts who will share their skills and experience with firms on the practical management training course.
The Help to Grow: Management Course was launched by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in March 2021, with the long-term target of reaching up to 30,000 business leaders. The programme is a 90% government funded, 12-week course to be taken alongside full-time work, through a combination of online sessions and face-to-face learning, delivered by business schools, which is open to businesses with five or more employees. The course includes access to one-to-one mentoring from experienced SME leaders to help take their business to the next level.
From August businesses participating in the Help to Grow: Management Course will be matched with a voluntary mentor who will support the participant with the development of their growth action plan as part of the course. Mentors will benefit from access to training, qualifications and membership of the Association of Business Mentors community and support network, plus being part of mentor peer groups.
