Fermanagh and Omagh District Council : Council launches Business Support programmes

Council launches Business Support programmes

Published: 11th December 2017

The Kick Start and Advancing Business Growth Programmes are part funded by Invest Northern Ireland, the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth and Jobs (2014-2020) Programme and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

The contract for the Kick Start Programme has been awarded to Enterprise Northern Ireland and will be delivered in partnership with Omagh Enterprise Company Ltd and Fermanagh Enterprise Ltd while the Advancing Business Growth Programme will be delivered by Derry/Londonderry-based consultants, Global Education Limited (GEL) NI.

Both programmes are now open for businesses to apply and will run until the end of July 2021.

Speaking about the new business support initiatives, the Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Stephen McCann said:

'The comprehensive package of tailor made business support on offer through these two unique programmes will go a long way to helping our indigenous business base to expand, grow, learn how to run their business more effectively, create employment and make a firm contribution to our local economy.

'The Council is delighted to have secured funding for these two programmes through the ERDF Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014-2020 and looks forward to working with such professional organisations who have the expertise and skills to deliver the business support initiatives to the highest quality to ensure that our local business base can grow and create much needed employment throughout our district,' Councillor McCann added.

'As a Council we are committed to actively supporting local businesses and I am delighted that we are now in a position to deliver this range of innovative support measures which will help address many of the issues our SMEs face on a daily basis. Experience has taught us what help our local businesses need and we have endeavoured over the years to ensure relevant and specific advice, guidance and mentoring support is delivered locally to enable our businesses to thrive. Through assistance like this and other forms of support the Council offers we look forward to seeing the continued growth and expansion of our local businesses over the coming years,' Councillor McCann said.

The Kick Start Programme offers business support to micro businesses which have previously completed the Regional Start Initiative or the new Business Start-Up Programme or started in business through other means.

The form of support includes workshops and events which will cover key business topics relevant to the local business base and up to a maximum of four days one-to-one mentoring support to early stage entrepreneurs who can demonstrate the potential to create jobs.

Gordon Gough, the Chief Executive of Enterprise Northern Ireland said the organisation was delighted to have been awarded the contract for the Kick Start Programme.

'As contract holder for the Northern Ireland Business Start Up Programme, Enterprise Northern Ireland and its delivery partners, Fermanagh Enterprise Limited and Omagh Enterprise Company Limited are well positioned to service the needs of businesses in the district,' he said.

'We are looking forward to working with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council over the next four years to grow the indigenous business base in the district,' Mr Gough added.

The Advancing Business Growth Programme offers support to growing businesses in operation for a minimum of three years with a turnover of over £50,000 and which have the potential to create additional employment.

There is a range of assistance on offer to businesses in the form of up to a maximum of three-and-a-half days one-to-one mentoring in areas including sales and marketing, research and development, exporting and growing the digital economy.

Janis Simpson-Mahoney Managing Director of GEL who is leading the delivery of the Advancing Business Growth Programme said that the programme would create an exceptional opportunity for businesses in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area to access a suite of support to help them to address the barriers to business growth and provide them with mentoring and workshops tailored to help them to work towards achieving the growth aspirations for their individual businesses.

'We are confident that the support to be delivered to local businesses will help in the creation of a vibrant economy and positively impact on local employment,' Ms Simpson-Mahoney said.

To request support please log on to www.fermanaghomagh.com/businesssupport or for further information on the Programmes please contact Linda Caldwell, [e-mail] or Karan McLernon, [e-mail] or telephone Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on 0300 303 1777 and ask for Economic Development.