5 August 2020

New support for small and medium-sized businesses to improve leadership skills and learn with their peers

The BEIS as of Monday 3 August have launched two new initiatives to help SMEs across England in enhancing their resilience and recovery strategies, to ensure that they are in a great position to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, and to develop their potential for future growth and productivity.

These two schemes represent a £20m investment by BEIS:

The Small Business Leadership Programme is a fully-funded 10 week programme delivered online by a consortium of university business schools accredited by the Small Business Charter. Participants will develop strategic leadership skills and the confidence to make informed decisions that boost business performance. Participants will take part in a structured programme and be guided through a curriculum exploring leadership, innovation, employee engagement, operational efficiency, marketing, sustainable practices, and finance. The programme is designed to be manageable around participants' busy schedules and it will be delivered over 10 weeks, initially online. Participants businesses must have been operational for at least one year and have 5 to 249 employees.

Peer Networks will bring together diverse cohorts of business leaders to discuss their business challenges with their peers. Delivered through a series of virtual, high impact group sessions with the help of a trained facilitator, participants will discuss their own challenges, gain and reflect on valuable feedback from their peers and identify practical solutions to overcome them. From finance and HR to sales, marketing and more, our expert facilitators will give participants the flexibility to create a trusted support network that works for them, helping to build and strengthen their business and improve its overall performance. Peer Networks will be delivered locally and accessible through local Growth Hubs across England. Participants businesses must have been operating for at least one year and have 5 to 249 employees and a turnover of over £100,000.

For more information on both initiatives, please click the link below.