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Senior leaders in SMEs across UK Community Renewal Fund areas are being invited to join a peer-to-peer networking programme that launches this month.
Delivered by East Midlands Chamber, the Peer Networks programme gives directors and senior managers the opportunity to share common business challenges and objectives. Regular sessions take place over several months and are facilitated by experts in the field and supported by specialist guest speakers.
Sector-based networks such as manufacturing and the visitor economy – as well as specialist groups for high-growth, female-owned businesses and Generation Next – will begin over the coming weeks, with the first one, designed for the visitor economy, starting on 17 May.
East Midlands Chamber deputy chief executive Diane Beresford, who heads up the Peer Networks delivery, said: “Peer networks are quite different to a traditional classroom development programme. They are more informal in nature, and the agenda is set by the group members. Challenges are addressed through conversational peer support and, since group members bring along real-life scenarios, the advice received has immediate relevance.
“Particularly valuable is that members develop support channels in the peer-to-peer network that continue outside the group, and often for the long term. Bringing together businesses in this way to learn from and support one another, is an area the Chamber is particularly well placed to lead on.”
A number of the Peer Networks are being delivered under East Midlands Accelerator, a £5.27m project part-funded by the Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF), and which has received an additional £471,000 of match funding from the Chamber and its partners.
Qualifying businesses must meet a number of criteria. They must be based in either Bassetlaw, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Leicester city, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, or Nottingham city; have operated for at least one year; employ at least three people; and record a turnover exceeding £100,000. In addition, they must have an aspiration to improve and the potential to scale up or export – or be exporting already.
Up to 11 individuals are involved in each cohort and are required to give a time commitment of about 18 hours across the entire duration of the fully-subsidised programme.
Anyone interested in taking part in the Peer Networks may book their place.
Peer Networks programmes
The upcoming Peer Networks are:
- Visitor economy: 17 May, 6pm
- Generation Next: 19 May, 8am
- High growth: 19 May and 20 May, 9.30am
- North Nottinghamshire Manufacturing Network: 27 May, 8am
- Leicester City Manufacturing Network: 27 May, 8am
- Nottingham City Manufacturing Network: 1 June, 8am
- High growth: 7 June, 9am
- Derbyshire Dales & High Peak Manufacturing Network: 9 June, 8am
- Women in business: 20 June, 10am
