European Social Fund in England

Building better business skills

Taking the mystery out of starting your own business

Over half a million residents in Tyne & Wear have a business idea but for most it is not much more than a dream. The main barrier to budding entrepreneurs is the lack of understanding when it comes to running a business. The Building Better Business Skills project run by business Link Tyne & Wear aims to demystify the whole idea of starting up a business with help from ESF funding. Their aim is to provide vocational training and guidance in areas such as business planning cash flow, taxation and marketing. The project will also provide business development support for individuals and employees up to the first 36 months of trading. Which research has shown will give them a much better chance of survival.

The need for this type of help is clear in the research that has been undertaken by business link. Despite a slight increase in the number of new businesses the region is still under performing when compared to the national level.

So far the project is doing very well and has exceeded the target number of beneficiaries with 765 starters. In particular resources have been aimed at targeting the client groups that are not highly represented in the SME community such as women young people and graduates. The project proactively promotes the project to these target groups through established business support networks, Women's enterprise forum, Live wire and the Princes trust for young people. The project has succeeded in 308 women beneficiaries starting and completing the training.

Thanks to ESF funding maybe the 78,000 people in Tyne and Wear that want to run a business will get the encouragement and support to make their dream come true.

Project manager John Scott

For more information, please contact

John Scott

External resources manager

European Social Fund

E-mail: john.scott@businesslinktw.co.uk.