Going for Growth Programme

16 November, 2009

WANTED - 60 enterprising women who are serious about growing their businesses!
Applications are now being taken from women entrepreneurs who wish to participate in Going for Growth. Closing date for completed forms is 27th November. So don't delay. Register your interest now, if the opportunity is not to be missed!

Going for Growth is the brain child of Paula Fitzsimons who put it forward in response to an initiative on women and entrepreneurship proposed by the NDP Gender Equality Unit in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. "The idea came from a recognition that while more women are beginning to start new businesses at the rate of about 800 a month, there is a need to move beyond just starting into growing. Of the women starting new businesses each month, about 70 have substantial growth aspirations and expect to be employing more than 20 after five years.  My mission in Going for Growth is to support women entrepreneurs to achieve their growth ambitions and to get more women entrepreneurs into a growth frame of mind."

The framework of the programme is to place selected applicants at one of eight ‘roundtables’, facilitated and led by an experienced female lead entrepreneur. The sessions are not intended as training modules and the initiative is not a ‘grow your business’ course. Rather, the round-table sessions are designed to foster development through structured, agenda-led discussion within the group about various aspects of business expansion and growth.

Suitable applicants to the programme will have a strong determination to growing their business and will be willing to commit fully to the initiative. While this programme is not suitable for everyone, it represents a valuable opportunity for those that are actively seeking to expand their business.

Thanks to funding and support by the European Social Fund, Enterprise Ireland and the Equality for Women Measure, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and the willingness of the lead entrepreneurs to contribute their time voluntarily, successful applicants are once again not required to pay for participation in the programme. They just need to cover their own expenses.

 For further information and to apply to participate in the programme go to www.goingforgrowth.com