Leading women entrepreneurs conducted their first strategy research and planning event this week to begin mapping the new agenda for the future of women’s enterprise in the region.
The Women’s Enterprise Centre of Expertise (WECOE) organised the event – The Women’s Enterprise Agenda in the West Midlands – which took place in Stone, Staffordshire and was attended by representatives from across the region.
The event aimed to raise awareness of work the WECOE is doing to support women’s enterprise across the West Midlands, provide information on Business Link West Midlands, explain the range of capacity building support and bursaries available from the WECOE, and to provide information on the Flagship Award (a nationally and internationally recognised best practice quality standard for excellence in women’s enterprise development).
The event brought together business support providers (BSPs), particularly women-focused BSPs in the Staffordshire sub-region; Black and Asian minority ethnic groups and community organisations; local chambers of commerce; local authorities and other statutory and non-statutory bodies; as well as organisations with an interest in specialist enterprise support aimed at under-represented groups.
Jackie Brierton, WECOE Director, welcomed attendees and introduced the event. Jackie said: “This is an ideal opportunity for those involved with both the procurement and delivery of specialist women’s enterprise support to meet with key strategic players involved with the women’s enterprise agenda in the region, and to find out about the range of support and expertise available from the WECOE.”
Debra Blisson, Director of Enterprise at regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, said: “The West Midlands can be rightly proud of its leading work to promote women entrepreneurs and we are proud of the support we provide through the WECOE and through other organisations that will be providing support to women through Business Link West Midlands services.”
Presentations were delivered by Business Link West Midlands on the new Business Link and Business Link model and discussions were held on the challenges facing women’s business support organisations and networks, the opportunities resulting from the changes that are underway and the possible resources or activities required to meet those challenges.
The WECOE was established to provide strategic support for the development of women’s enterprise across the West Midlands, influencing the policies and practices of regional business support and economic development. Their ultimate aim is to see more women in business across the west Midlands.
The WECOE has been recognised on a national platform by the government and will partner the new National Women’s Enterprise Policy and Research Centre.
Advantage West Midlands supports and funds the WECOE and has provided £800,000 to enable it to support the work of this vital sector.
The management of the WECOE is contracted by Advantage West Midlands to Prowess, a national alliance of more than 200 organisations, which support women to start and grow businesses.
For more information about the work of the WECOE visit www.prowess.org.uk or call 0121 224 7830. The WECOE team is currently based at The Custard Factory, 321 The Greenhouse, Digbeth, Birmingham B9 4AA