nottingham city council’s social enterprise investment fund

surely the wait to find out who the successful applicants are cannot go on much longer?

Was it worth it?

Last autumn (2007) a cohort of bright-eyed social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneur advisers sat in a room in an unfashionable part of Nottingham in some anticipation of what was to follow over the preceding six months. This was the start of the course for social enterprise leaders and advisers. After the obligatory stand up and say who you are session the group settled down to find out what we had signed up for.
 
Looking back across the year my main impression of the SE course is one of being part of a part time big brother show. Every session there would be fewer and fewer of us. When the ‘evictions’ settled down leaving a core of students the second round of diminishing returns was concerned with who would submit work for examination and who would not.

I am not entirely sure how many of the original cohort completed. Those that did not missed a golden opportunity. How often these days can one study for something worthwhile and have the fees supported automatically by being accepted on a funded course?  I am sure that anyone still paying off their student loans will appreciate the rarity of this opportunity.

Well, I finished and am glad to say that it was worth it. The funding of the course by GNP was vital to me being able to undertake the course. Without that support I would not have been able to afford the study. Cheers chaps.

It would be most interesting to hear what everyone else thought.
In reflective mood, Alan

Wayne Hemmingway to speak in Nottingham

New business live! is a FREE one day event for all east midlands start-up’s and businesses that are under 3 years old. 

Sponsored by Business link the day will offer over 30 seminars and presentations with Wayne Hemmingway talking about how he went from running a shoe stall to a multi million pound fashion company as well as 2 other headline speakers.

There will be industry experts on hand to give 1:1 advice for the 1000 delegates we are expecting, 100 exhibitors and the opportunity to network with local entrepreneurs and business owners.

It’s shaping up to be a fantastic day, we are adding exhibitors, speakers and seminars daily to our website so please keep looking at the website or email us at nbl@consortiumevents.co.uk to receive updates.

Book your exhibition space by visiting www.newbusinesslive.net or calling consortium event management Ltd on 0115 9622499

On a personal note, I was privileged enough to hear Wayne Hemmingway speak a few years ago, the chap is dynamo and a true inspiration for everyone either engaged in or thinking to engage in social enterprise. I urge you all to book for this early to avoid disappointment; especially as we all need a bit of a lift in January. – Alan -