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Employment, learning and skillsEnterprise
This success of New Business New Life has led to the creation of a three year Business Link Start-up Programme, aimed at any pre-start business or existing business less than 12 months old across the region. The initiative aims to create 400 new businesses in its first year.
The Start-up with The Prince’s Trust initiative helped more than 400 new entrepreneurs with funding and support to get their businesses off the ground in 2006-2007. The regional scheme for 18-30 year olds is the only one of its kind in the country. It plans to support a further 350 young people in 2007-2008 towards a target of 1,000 new business starts by 2009.
Women’s enterprise
Women’s enterprise in the East Midlands is growing fast. In 2009 25% of the self-employed workforce in the region were women – compared to just 13% in 2004.
This success follows an ongoing programme of activity to support female entrepreneurs across the region. This started with the launch in 2005 of emda’s Women's Enterprise 2020 Action Plan – which set out how the region was working towards more businesses being started by women. Since then other support has included an annual Women in Business Conference, regular updates of the Directory of Business Support for Women and the Women of Worth Awards – launched in 2007.
To find out more see the Womens's enterprise page
Disability entrepreneurship
There are 6.8m disabled people of working age in the UK of which 20% are self-employed and the East Midlands working age disabled population stands at over half a million. The potential GVA of this population, if only 1.9% started a business would be over £200m which would make a significant contribution to the regional economy.
As part of emda’s role in improving the prosperity of the East Midlands a piece of research has been undertaken to understand and encourage greater entrepreneurship amongst disabled people.
To find out more see the Disability Entrepreneurship page
The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion
The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion (QAEP) was introduced in 2004 to recognise individuals who make a significant contribution to the promotion of business enterprise or enterprise skills and attitudes in others in the UK. This might be amongst young people or in disadvantaged communities. Recipients are likely to be working in the business, training, education or youth sectors.
The QAEP is a prestigious award and nominations are encouraged for the 2009 Award. The Queen's Award Office are looking, in particular, for those who contribute more than their paid employment.
For further details please visit the website:www.queensawards.org.uk/individual.
The closing date for nominations is 2pm on 30 October 2009.