Enterprise Mentoring Role for Centre Manager
Andrew Weston, the Centre Manager of the Basepoint operated Gosport Business Centre recently completed his training as a New Enterprise Mentor with Enterprise First. The new voluntary role will involve Andrew connecting with mentees who are starting out on their new business paths under the New Enterprise Allowance Scheme which is aimed at helping Job Centre Plus (JCP) clients start a business.
Each mentee has up to 8 weeks of support from their mentor, who assists them in drawing up their business plan. Once this is completed, the mentor then recommends to Enterprise First that the client is ready to commence trading which then allows the client, to apply for funding. Andrew said, ‘I really enjoyed the course and it made me appreciate the skills I have that I can pass on to the mentees. We are not business advisors, we are simply sign posters and it is up to the mentee to make the process work.’ ‘I’m sure I will meet some really interesting people as time goes by, I hope that there is a lot of success and I also see it as a great opportunity to raise the awareness of how Basepoint can maybe become part of their future plans as their business grows.’