News

Government kick-starts new enterprise framework

Australian women's business network launches online mentoring

98% approval for women specific enterprise support

Female resignations hit 30 year high

Women's Enterprise Day 2007

Completing the revolution

Groundbreaking new e-mentoring resource

Goodbye to Anita

Prowess Member's News

Unlocking entrepreneurial spirit of West Midlands

Diva Biz launched to share 'holy grail of business'

Invitation to tender for evaluation of the Athena SWAN Charter

Prowess members scoop national awards

Enterprise support for women 50+

A little black book for women in business…

BBV go interactive

Social Enterprise news

Government grant awarded to get social enterprises 2012-ready

Employee satisfaction highest in social enterprises

Recruitment fair for not-for-profit sector

Risk capital investment fund for social enterprise

Events/Awards/
Research/Vacancies/New Members

News

Government kick-starts new enterprise framework Chancellor Alistair Darling and Business Minister John Hutton have launched a series of consultation events with a view to drawing up a new enterprise framework. Twenty of the UK's most successful business owners were invited to the first consultation at 11 Downing St and were asked to consider where public policy was not meeting SMEs needs. The discussion paper presented at the first event provided little gender analysis, however, and with the new focus on growth and innovation, it’s essential that the development of female entreprepreneurship is central to the revised strategy. Prowess will be holding a consultation event for members on 5 November to feed into the new enterprise framework and to ensure women's enterprise is a key priority. Prowess members wishing to attend this consultation event should contact J.orourke@prowess.org.uk

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Australian women's business network launches online mentoring The Australian Businesswomen's Network (ABN) provides support to over 19,000 women each year. Yet until recently its impact had been limited by the vast distances between members. Now ABN is launching its 'Mentornet' national mentoring programme for women - to connect start-up companies with industry experts via the net. http://www.abn.org.au/

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98% approval for women specific enterprise support An evaluation of the first year of the Enterprising Women project reports that 98% of women involved in the initiative said women specific support was either important or very important to them. Enterprising Women is a region wide programme in the East of England designed to support all women from pre-start stage to high-growth business training. In just one year 1,586 women have become members of the community. The combined turnover of participants in the community is £53 million and together the business women employ 3,000 people. http://www.enterprising-women.org/

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Female resignations hit 30 year high Female resignation rates have hit new highs according to the National Management Salary Survey, now in its 34th year. Based on a survey of 42,205 individuals the report finds that resignation rates for women stand at 7.8% compared to 6.4% for men. Commenting on the findings the Chartered Management Institute suggests women are more likely to leave their jobs because they have a greater entrepreneurial spirit and are looking to start their own business. The survey shows that women achieve promotion at a quicker rate than men but that efforts to redress the pay gap have begun to stall. In real terms female managers earn on average £6,076 less than their male equivalents each year. Val Lawson, Chair of the Women in Management Networks says "If employers allow this trend to continue the knowledge gap in UK organisations will be exacerbated at the very time we are trying to challenge the skills crisis". http://www.managers.org.uk/listing_media_1.aspx?id=10:347&id=10:138&id=10:11&doc=10:3364

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Women's Enterprise Day 2007 More than 200 events on the theme of women's enterprise took place during Enterprise Week 2006, and this year campaign body Enterprise Insight want there to be even more! Enterprise Week 2007 will take place between 12 - 16 November, with Women's Enterprise celebrated on Wednesday 16 November . A Women's Enterprise Day Toolkit has been prepared to help you maximise the impact of your event and let everyone know about the fantastic work you are doing. Download the toolkit plus suggestions on the kind of activies you could organise at: http://www.enterpriseweek.org/getinvolved/womensenterprise register your event at http://www.enterpriseweek.org/events/register/ and remember Prowess members can also promote thier event on the Prowess clickable map, log on at: http://www.prowess.org.uk/members/members.htm

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Completing the revolution After more than 30 years of tackling gender inequality the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) closed this month as it is absorbed into the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR). In their final report 'Completing the Revolution' the EOC called for urgent action across all areas of life as the rate of change in the gender gap proves painfully slow. In addition to the well publicised pay gap the EOC also highlights the pensions gap, power gap, health gap and chores gap. The EOC has developed an interactive website where anyone can measure whether sex inequality affects the quality of thier life. Take the 'Quality of life MOT' at: http://www.gender-agenda.co.uk/

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Groundbreaking new e-mentoring resource Horsesmouth is the first UK national website dedicated to informal e-mentoring. With a separate portal for 'Starting and Running a Business', Horsesmouth enables secure, private one-to-one mentoring relationships between individuals sharing the wisdom from their personal experiences. Visit: http://www.horsesmouth.co.uk/

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Goodbye to Anita For a generation of female entrepreneurs there was only one role model - Anita Roddick, Body Shop founder and campaigner. Remembered by Prowess staff as a 'whirlwind of energy and passion' she was one of the UK's leading female entrepreneurs, pioneering ethical consuming long before it was fashionable. She remained committed to her values and vision whilst achieving phenomenal business success. Prowess blog remembers Anita who died last month at: www.prowessblog.com

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Social Enterprise News

Government grant awarded to get social enterprises 2012-ready The Office of the Third Sector is funding a project to develop the ability of social enterprises to access procurement opportunities for 2012. A Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Olympic network will also be launched to give BAME entrepreneurs a platform for voicing needs and priorities, and a 2012 information hub will be hosted at www.sel.org.uk, as a channel for information about procurement opportunities, the development timetable, events, policy and capacity building.

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Employee satisfaction highest in social enterprises Research conducted by Social Enterprise London (SEL) has revealed that employees of social enterprises are happier on a range of issues than their counterparts in the voluntary, private and public sectors. Full report findings available at: http://www.sel.org.uk/docs/Social%20enterprise%20and%20employment%20practices.doc

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Recruitment fair for not-for-profit sector Over 150 employers under one roof, the UK's only recruitment event for social enterprises and not-for-profit companies will take place on 12 - 13 October at the Business Design Centre, London. All details: http://www.forum3.co.uk/event-index.asp

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Risk capital investment fund for social enterprise The Office of the Third Sector is consulting on a risk capital investment fund for social enterprise. The main purpose of the consultation is to gather further evidence to strengthen the case that social enterprises encounter an equity gap when looking to expand their businesses. Consultation closes 2 November. Full details: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/consultations/current/risk.asp

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Events

Fit for the Future: 5th Prowess Annual International Conference, 20 - 21st February 2008, Holiday Inn Peterborough West

Now in its 5th year the Prowess annual conference is established as the leading event in the women's enterprise calendar. This unmissable event attracts over 300 UK and international delegates. Get involved in interactive workshops, panel debates, speed networking and the women's enterprise market place and discuss all the hot topics in women's enterprise development. This year we are focussing on the future and making sure female entrepreneurs are given the right support to be at the forefront of a new enterprise movement. Host sponsor is the East of England Development Agency and the conference will be held in Peterborough, one of the most well connected cities in the UK. To register your interest in attending or exhibiting contact Ann Nicholls, Conference Coordinator at a.nicholls@prowess.org.uk . Click to download information on marketing opportunities

The rest of this section is restricted to Prowess members. For information on how to join Prowess visit: http://www.prowess.org.uk/about/apply.htm

New Research

This section is restricted to Prowess members. For information on how to join Prowess visit: http://www.prowess.org.uk/about/apply.htm

Vacancies

Women's Enterprise Development Manager, Employed by Bolton Business Ventures, co-located at North West Development Agency, £25k - £32K
To coordinate and drive the delivery of the North West Women's enterprise strategy through the Women's Enterprise Action Plan. This position is funded until 31 March 2010. Closing date 19 October. Click here to download Job Profile. Send CV and covering letter to Sylvia Philips at: Bolton Business Ventures, Endeavour House, 98 Waters Meeting Road, The Valley, Bolton, BL1 8SW.

WEETU

Operations Manager, £36,000, Norwich
Excellent management and leadership skills are required for this post as you will be responsible for the effective delivery of all WEETU operations.

Loans Officer, £22,000, Norwich
Providing the main source of support to peer lending circles and supporting the members to apply for loans from the Full Circle Fund.

Closing date for applications: 25 October. Further information and application pack available at: www.weetu.org

Business Link East

Business Adviser, £27,000 - £32,000

An opportunity currently exists for a specialist in Tourism and Leisure, based at the Norwich or Gorleston office, and covering East Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. Ref: BA(N)1007

Enterprise Awareness Manager £30,000

Your role will be to deliver workshops and presentations to people considering self employment and to work with local organisations to equip customers with the right information to take their ideas forward. Ref: EAM(N)1007

Closing date for applications: 19 October. For further details visit: www.businesslinkeast.org.uk click on 'About Business Link' and then on 'Employment Opportunities'.

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