Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Arlene Foster launching the Grow and Prosper Programme in the Ardhowen Theatre withfrom left, Brendan Hegarty, Chief Executive Fermanagh District Council, Alex Baird Council Chairman, Stephen Friel, who presented the Fermanagh Case Study and Una Porteous, from the Grow and Prosper Project gkfh35
TWO job support programmes, backed by an investment of £280,000, were launched last week at the Ardhowen Theatre.
One of them, ‘Grow and Prosper’, will provide 30 ‘micro-businesses’, each employing fewer than 10 staff, with a tailored package of mentoring, workshops and networking opportunities. It will also help businesses develop a growth plan that will provide focus and direction.
The second, ‘First Stop Shop’ will target up to 650 businesses in the wider business community to provide advice, signposting and information to help develop business ideas.
Both programmes were launched by the enterprise minister, Arlene Foster.
She told her audience that Fermanagh’s business base will be enhanced as a result.
The programmes are the result of collaboration between Fermanagh District Council and Invest NI to develop locally focussed initiatives that complement the support already available.
They follow on from the success of other Local Economic Development (LED) initiatives which have proven to be very popular among Fermanagh businesses.
The council chairman, Alex Baird said the initiatives will bring the total investment so far in local economic development programmes in Fermanagh to almost £500,000.
Mr Baird said the growth of the local economy was a key priority for the council.
He went on: “With few international companies, and a relatively small number of people employed in the public sector, Fermanagh’s economy is very dependent on the local business sector for its long -term sustainability.
“Like elsewhere, the last number of years have been very challenging for our local economy, with a number of business closures, job losses and the emigration of some of our most talented young people.”
However, he said there appeared to be some indication that the economic outlook was improving and, so, the launch of the two programmes was very timely.
Those attending were informed that Fermanagh has a high business start-up rate, yet a poor rate of business growth.
To that end, the Grow and Prosper programme seeks to address this by providing intensive mentoring support to 30 local businesses with growth potential.
The First Stop Shop will be based at the Clinton Centre. It has been developed to raise awareness of support available to local businesses and to increase the uptake of funding and business support provision by local entrepreneurs.
Both programmes are part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund.
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