Help for female fledgling businesses

11:14am Wednesday 9th January 2008

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SIXTY female graduates have scooped a place on an entrepreneurship programme in York to help them build up their own business.

The Women's Flying Start Programme Survey, conducted by the National Council For Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), supports female graduates and final year students who aspire to run their own business.

Nearly 1,200 women applied for only 60 places on the programme which will encourage delegates to bring their business ideas to fruition within a year, with individualised mentoring and online support, all free of charge.

The year-long programme, designed and delivered by NCGE, started with a three-day residential intensive course at the Park Inn Hotel, in York, finishing today.

Dr Lorna Collins, director of Flying Start, which provides programmes and support for UK male and female graduate entrepreneurs alike, said: "It is clear from the huge response from aspiring female entrepreneurs and quality of the application that there are a lot of women graduates out there with fantastic business ideas, and a passion to get their business started.

"Those who have won a coveted place will be helped to turn their product or service into a viable and sustainable business.

"We support graduates by providing them with individual dedicated mentoring from experienced and successful female entrepreneurs, and we personally tailor inputs to the needs and aspirations of each graduate. We help each one turn their concept into a reality.

"From this cohort, NCGE aims to have over half of these new female-owned businesses set up by the end of this year."

A national survey conducted by the NCGE of female graduates and current final year women university students who aspire to run their own businesses, revealed that eight out of ten of those questioned were inspired by a passion for business, and 61 per cent said they wanted the flexibility to work how they liked and were attracted to the idea of being their own boss.

Dr Collins said: "It is vital that fledgling female-founded businesses receive appropriate support. Our mentoring programme ensures entrepreneurs are supported through the most difficult phases of their growth."