Accelerating Womens Enterprise AWE

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise (AWE)

• Development Partnership
• (Working in partnership to influence policy to
  support Womens Enterprise Development)

Dinah Bennett, Durham University Steve Michell,
SBS Ethnic Minority Womens Enterprise Unit
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Accelerating Womens Enterprise

• Who are we?
• 10 Partners operating across England
• Diversity of experience
• Mechanisms to support women entrepreneurs at
  different stages

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise

• What is our purpose
• To increase the number of women entering self
  employment particularly those who face multiple
  barriers
• To develop a co-ordinated approach to supporting
  womens enterprise activities
• To provide a learning network for organisations
  who provide womens enterprise support services

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise

• UK business start ups would increase by 50 if
  the rate amongst women equalled that of men
• Only 27 of all self employed people in UK are
  women
• But, women do not access current enterprise
  support services available

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise
Why focus on women?

• Economic imperative
• - Expanding the involvement of women in
  entrepreneurship is critical for long-term
  economic growth (GEM 2002)
• Under-representation
• only 12-14 of businesses are majority-owned by
  women (SBS Household Study 2002)
• Different Experience
• - different motivations/ less resources/ longer
  incubation

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise Strategic
Framework for Womens Enterprise

• Government publication (Small Business Service,
  Department for Trade Industry)
• Launched in May 2003 after extensive consultation

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise
Strategic Framework Objectives Targets

• To increase the numbers of women starting and
  growing businesses in the UK, to proportionately
  match or exceed the level achieved in the USA
• By 2006 women will account for 40 of customers
  using government- sponsored business support
  services
• By 2006 women-owned businesses will account for
  18-20 of the UK total
• By 2006 the number of women from ethnic minority
  communities receiving business support assistance
  will be proportionate to the relevant
  local/regional population.

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The Strategic Framework
Accelerating Womens Enterprise

• Encourages an inclusive partnership approach at
  local, regional and national level
• Provides practical advice/guidelines for business
  support agencies and others
• Quantifies specific targets for achievement by
  2006

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Implementation in the Regions
Accelerating Womens Enterprise

• Formation of regional strategic partnerships
  RDA, LSC, WE business organisations...
• Influencing business plans accessing resources
• Business Link network raising the game best
  practice
• Making a difference on the ground

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise

• Empowerment
• Innovative
• Flexibility
• Influencing policy
• In Partnership

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Accelerating Womens Enterprise

• www.awe-uk.org.uk
• www.dti.gov.uk/publications