Since the summer of 2020, I’ve been fortunate enough to work as a coach on the EnterprisingYou programme, which provides free, funded support for self-employed people in Greater Manchester.
I’m working on the scheme through a long-standing association with Get SET Academy, a training agency that delivers enterprise and employability support programmes throughout the North West.
EnterprisingYou
The project’s website notes that:
“EnterprisingYou is a government-funded programme specially designed to support self-employed individuals, including those who work in the gig economy and small business owners in Greater Manchester…
“We will start off with a meeting where we will discover what’s working well for you and your business, and where you feel you may need support. We will then design your EnterprisingYou programme around your needs, and you will be assigned a Business Coach who will work with you throughout your journey.”
That journey includes the option to take advantage of an extensive list of workshops, delivered via a small army of independent, qualified professionals. Topics range from business management and financial matters to various aspects of marketing, both on- and offline.
Get SET Academy is delivering a number of these courses. They include – amongst others – introductory and intermediate courses in business branding, search engine optimisation, using various social media platforms and how to make the most of digital accounting platforms. In my case, I am delivering courses including:
- How to write engaging content
- Marketing strategy
- Online / digital marketing
- Offline marketing
- Media relations
Currently, while the Covid-19 pandemic remains a constraint, all workshops are being delivered remotely, typically through platforms such as Zoom.
Eligibility and Next Steps
If you’re interested in exploring the support that could be available via the programme, you first need to check the eligibility criteria on the home page of its website. Briefly however, you need to be:
- Over 18
- A full-time resident in Greater Manchester
- Earning less than £27,000 (after business expenses)
The next stage is to complete an online registration form.
We’ve had some excellent feedback from those who have taken part in the courses and, from a personal perspective, it’s been great to work with so many new, interesting and motivated people.
For more details, please see the EnterprisingYou FAQ page.
EnterprisingYou is delivered by the Growth Company and People Plus. It is commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority and funded by the Department for Education.