Entrepreneurial & Capability Development Brochure .pdf download.

The County and City Enterprise Boards offer a range of supports to new and existing small businesses. The supports vary fromproviding an initial 'First Stop Shop' service for information, advice, training and mentoring to financial supports. Supports are designed to assist new and existing entrepreneurs at each stage of business development.

Available Supports from County & City Enterprise Boards
The acquisition of new business and technology skills is of paramount importance in small business development. Boards take a lead role in the promotion of best practice and quality management. In addition to mentoring services, Boards can arrange dedicated training modules in core management skills. The promotion of female entrepreneurship and the benefits of eCommerce as well as enterprise at school are central to the Boards' mission for Entrepreneurial and Capability Development.

Information & Advice
The County & City Enterprise Boards provide a full Information and Advisory service to new and existing entrepreneurs on all aspects of setting up and running a business. The Board operates as a "single point of contact and referral service" for all state agencies and organisations, providing information on enterprise incentives, business structures, taxation, regulatory obligations, workspace availability, market research, upskilling opportunities, business and strategic planning etc. Most Boards have available extensive libraries and information centres which are at the disposal of the client.

Mentoring
This service seeks to match up the knowledge, skills, insights and entrepreneurial capability of experienced business practitioners with small business owner/managers who need practical and strategic one-to-one advice and guidance. The Mentor contributes independent, informed observation and advice to aid decision-making. Mentor assignments typically include general management, financial structuring, production planning, marketing and strategic planning. Mentor intervention generally takes place on-site/at the entrepreneur's place of business. All applications for Mentor assistance are dealt with on an individual basis and are preceded by a training needs analysis.

Business Skills Training / Management Development Programmes
To assist small business in meeting the challenges of the business world, the CEBs provide a wide range of training supports which are tailored to meet specific business requirements. The range of programmes offered by the Boards typically includes a mix of one-day workshops, seminars, evening courses and comprehensive management development programmes. While training content is tailored to the particular knowledge and skills requirement of individual clients, certain common themes are ever popular. Examples of these are Start Your Own Business programmes, Sales & Marketing, Employment Legislation & HR, Health & Safety, Personal Development, Time Management, Financial Management, Management Development, e-Commerce and IT skills training etc.

Website Development / Exhibition and Other Grants
Enterprise Boards are in a position to support the development of eCommerce capability for small businesses, which will ultimately lead to an overall improvement in trade. Many Boards offer grants and exhibition opportunities to qualifying enterprises to participate in trade fairs, shows and exhibitions.

National Enterprise Awards
The National Enterprise Awards are organised annually by the County and City Enterprise Boards to acknowledge the achievements of small enterprises and their valuable contributions to communities around the country. The competition is limited to businesses that have availed of County or City Enterprise Board Measure 1 financial support (grants) and is restricted to enterprises that continue to qualify for assistance. Each county selects an overall winner who advances to the Regional finals/National final. The National competition carries a prize fund of 20,000 and in the past, National winners progressed to and won the 'World Young Business Achiever' award.

Business Networking Programmes
An important role of the County and City Enterprise Boards is the provision of networking opportunities for local businesses. Many business networks are organised and promoted by the Boards, such as Women in Business and Sectoral Clusters. Contact your local Enterprise Board for further information on business networks in your area.

Schools Programmes
County and City Enterprise Boards endeavour to foster an environment where increasing numbers of Irish people will establish and run their own enterprises. In pursuit of this objective the Boards have supported teachers in the delivery of a number of action based enterprise programmes designed to give students practical experience of setting up and running their own business. Nationally Boards offer a variety of programmes designed to inculcate a spirit of enterprise in students including:-

The Student Enterprise Awards
This Programme gives students the opportunity to take a business from the idea stage, through market research, production, selling, record keeping, management and finally writing a comprehensive report on their activities. All school entries exhibit at a County Final with the County winners in the categories of Junior, Intermediate & Senior progressing to the National Final. For more information on this competition visit www.studententerprise.ie

Enterprise Encounter
This programme brings Leaving Cert. students into direct contact with local entrepreneurs. The aimis to give students an insight into what is required to set up and run a business and to plant a seed of enterprise in their minds. Enterprise Encounter is a joint initiative of County and City Enterprise Boards and the Second Level Support Service of the Department of Education and Science.

Others:
At local level Boards operate schemes developed in conjunction with Third Level Institutions and private consultants all designed to generate an enterprise culture. Example programmes may include Enterprise Awareness, Captains of Enterprise etc. which are ideal for transition year, LCVP link module and leaving cert applied students and should be viewed as complimentary to other CEB initiatives such as Student Enterprise Awards and Enterprise Encounter etc.

Bí Gnóthach
Bí Gnóthach is a cross-curricular programme on enterprise education, designed for 10 – 12 year old children. It is also suitable for older children in special school settings. The programme includes a video and resource pack with teacher's notes and stimulating activity sheets.

MicroTrade Programme
The MicroTrade Programme aims to promote crossborder trade and business co-operation specifically within the micro-enterprise sector. The programme came about as a result of a three-way partnership between InterTradeIreland, the County & City Enterprise Boards (Republic of Ireland) and Enterprise Northern Ireland (the umbrella body of the 32 Local Enterprise Agencies in NI). The programme supports CEBs and LEAs to undertake joint projects such as reciprocal visits between small business networks, North and South, or to facilitate their client companies in developing cross-border markets. Allied to this, the programme offers a range of supports direct to micro-enterprises interested in exploring all-island trade and co-operation, including a series of major all-island networking events for micro-enterprises (typically 1-10 employees), a support programme for businesses tendering for contracts on a cross-border basis and funding for pairings or groups of businesses engaged in joint business development projects. For more information on MicroTrade visit www.microtrade.org

Promotion of an Enterprise Culture
In addition to their role in delivering support services to themicro business sectors, the CEBs have a specific remit to encourage and promote an enterprise culture in their respective areas of operation The Boards engage in promotional activities annually which include enterprise seminars, publicity campaigns, road shows, information stands at National and Local events, and continue to forge links with other relevant institutions and organisations to maximise supports at local level. Many Boards provide workspace as an additional incentive to 'would be' or expanding entrepreneurs.

Local Response To Local Needs
County and City Enterprise Boards offer a wide range of supports tailored to local needs. Each Board continues to respond to the changing fortunes of the local economy which poses varying difficulties and challenges for the micro-enterprise sector. County & City Enterprise Board have put in place plans of action for the period ending December 2006 and for full details on your local Enterprise Board visit www.enterpriseboards.ie

For more details contact us.