Skip to content

New Government funded programme supporting small businesses kicks off in Nottingham

A new, fully funded leadership programme, created specifically to help SMEs build resilience, tackle the challenges they’re facing during Covid-19, and drive future growth, is now underway in Nottingham.

    Boxes on a desk
    The programme helps small businesses to build resilience and drive future growth

    Supported by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the Small Business Leadership Programme (SBLP) is a free, 10-week training programme for senior leaders in SMEs.

    The programme is fully funded by the Government, who have partnered with the Small Business Charter (SBC), and is being delivered by business schools across the country. The programme covers a range of practical topics and is delivered online by small business experts – including entrepreneurs, business leaders and academics – from Nottingham Business School.

    To aid business resilience and future growth in the current climate, the Small Business Leadership Programme will create peer groups to develop stronger leadership, innovation, operational efficiency, marketing and finance, from some of the top business schools around the country.

    All business schools delivering the programme have been accredited by the SBC, a national accreditation awarded by small businesses to business schools who excel in supporting SMEs and the local economy.

    The practical syllabus provides business leaders with access to small business and management experts at some of the UK’s leading business schools. The Small Business Leadership Programme is free and fully funded by the Government to enhance small business resilience and recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and develop potential for future growth and productivity.

    With eight, 90-minute webinars, alongside independent and peer-to-peer learning, the programme is designed to support and fit in with day-to-day business delivery. Participants must be in senior management roles, with at least one direct report, in businesses which have been operating for at least one year, and with 5-249 employees.

    Dr Lynn Oxborrow, Nottingham Business School’s Project Lead for the Small Business Leadership Programme and Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, said: “The SBLP is appealing to a wide diversity of SMEs, who have all been affected in different ways by Covid 19 – some positive and others not so. One thing that they have in common is that they are all engaged and keen to learn from each other as well as from the expert speakers and comprehensive materials. The peer learning sessions work really well and give all participants an opportunity to discuss their progress and share ideas. It’s really hard to believe that they have never actually met.”

    This scheme is part of a £20 million package the government is providing to help small businesses in the long term. The Small Business Leadership Programme is being delivered across the country by a consortium of business schools accredited by the SBC.

    • Notes for editors

      Press enquiries please contact Helen Breese, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8751, or via email.

      About The Small Business Charter

      The Small Business Charter is a national accreditation awarded by small businesses to business schools who excel in supporting small businesses, student enterprise, and the local economy. The Small Business Leadership Programme is funded by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Data on the impact of the programme on the participating small businesses will be gathered and used to inform future policy and interventions for small businesses.

      Programme details:

      • The programme will begin in September 2020
      • There will be 100 cohorts throughout England beginning between September 2020 and January 2021. // Nottingham Business School will be running two start dates in the East Midlands
      • Registrations must be received before December 2020
      • The programme will be open to 2,000 business across the country
      • It is a free fully funded business programme

      Eligibility criteria

      1. To join the Small Business Leadership Programme, your business must:

        ·         Be a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) based in England

        ·         From any business sector, employing between 5 and 249 people

        ·         Have been operational for at least one year

        ·         The participant should be a decision maker or member of the senior management team within the business eg Chief Executive, Finance Director etc with at least one person reporting directly to them

        ·         Participants will be required to complete all sessions

      2. If you meet the eligibility criteria, it is quick and easy to apply for the programme.
      3. If this programme isn’t right for you, please also see the Peer Networks Scheme.

      Handle and Hashtag:

      @SmallBizCharter #SmallBizLeaders

      About Nottingham Trent University

      Nottingham Trent University (NTU) was named University of the Year 2019 in the Guardian University Awards. The award was based on performance and improvement in the Guardian University Guide, retention of students from low-participation areas and attainment of BME students.

      NTU was also the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2017, and The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2018. These awards recognise NTU for its high levels of student satisfaction, its quality of teaching, its engagement with employers, and its overall student experience.

      The university has been rated Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework – the highest ranking available.

      It is one of the largest UK universities. With nearly 32,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across four campuses, the University contributes £900m to the UK economy every year. With an international student population of more than 3,000 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook.

      The university is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and was awarded University of the Year in the UK Social Mobility Awards 2019.

      A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 87% satisfaction score in the 2020 National Student Survey, above the sector average of 83%.

    Published on 7 December 2020
    • Category: Business; Press office; Nottingham Business School