Celebrating Accelerate!
On October 4th, Weston College will be hosting the Accelerate North Somerset Conference to celebrate the impact of the Accelerate initiative, which launched earlier this year. Through this initiative, 1013 people were reached from February to September, with over 200 having previously been classed as unemployed.
Accelerate aimed to establish a culture of business innovation and dedicated training, via bespoke skills sessions to enable businesses in North Somerset access the support needed to grow. As 33 of the attendees came from sole owned businesses, these sessions supported these owners particularly in how to expand. Furthermore, the hights proportion of attendees were between the ages of 16-24, so were seeking free guidance.
As well as celebrating the achievements of the initiative, the event will also offer an opportunity for local employers to connect, make new contacts, share ideas and look to the future of our region.
Accelerate has had a positive impact, supporting over 365 small businesses in North Somerset, through 83 sessions, which were based around:
- Being competitive
- Being digital
- Being green
- Being inclusive
The positive feedback from the Accelerate workshops has been overwhelming, with small businesses explaining the impact attending Accelerate sessions had on both themselves and their business.
Zara Shepherd, a small business owner, explained her journey with the Accelerate sessions: “I didn’t bother singing up to Accelerate as I was close to giving up on my dream of running a business, but I was persuaded to go, and the session really made me consider why we started our businesses in the first place, and what benefit it is to us. This was a real turning point for me; it reminded me how much I loved what I did and that I wasn’t ready to give up yet!”
Bethan Walker, from Simply Green Zero Waste, spoke equally high of the sessions, saying, “The sessions provided huge amounts of knowledge! It also allowed me to meet other small business owners, which was lovely, and really reassuring.”
Both Bethan and Zara spoke about how they were facing their own challenges regarding being a business owner, from financial issues to the mental toll it can have on your wellbeing. Zara voiced her difficulties, “at the start of the year I was completely burnt out, but I was taught skills to improve my mental wellbeing and rediscover my love for what I do.”
Bethan commented on the financial challenges, saying that the business would have never been able to afford the level of support Accelerate provided, as Simply Green were experiencing a “really tough time”, but the accessibility of both in person and online sessions, alongside the whole scheme being fully funded, seemed “too good to be true!”
Zara concluded by saying “I wish I'd attended more courses as they were excellent – I am feeling much more confident and excited for the future.”
If you are interested in attending the Accelerate North Somerset Conference, click here.
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund. ‘Accelerate, Supporting Business in North Somerset’ project partners include North Somerset Council, The Food and Drink Forum, North Somerset Enterprise Agency and Weston College.
