There's lots of support out there, you just have to know where to look. If you don’t feel that networking with peers who also have interests in starting a business is right for you, then perhaps you should check out an organisation with mentoring facilities or website with a wealth of information.
We’ve featured a few of the best available. Read on to find out how they can help.
Prince’s Trust
If you’re looking for financial support but also a helping hand along the way, then the Prince’s Trust might just be for you.
A charity that helps young people overcome difficulties in their lives, they also provide training, mentoring and financial support to help young people realise their potential. If you’re aged 18-30, unemployed, living in England, have an idea for a business but can’t raise all the cash you need, Prince’s Trust could be the ones to give you a boost.The Prince’s Trust start-up support can provide up to £4,000 for a sole trader, an extra grant of £1,500 in special circumstances, a test marketing grant of up to £250, ongoing advice from a volunteer business mentor, and access to other products and services, including a free Legal Helpline.
You’re eligible to apply if you…
• are aged 18-30
• are unemployed or work less than 16 hours per week
• have not been able to get all the funding you need
• have a good business idea and are ready to make it a reality
• live in England or Northern Ireland
The Prince’s Trust does look at each application on its own merits, but due to limited resources they are unable to help everyone who is eligible for support – it’s not a guaranteed resource for all.
For more information, visit www.princes-trust.org.uk
Shell LiveWIRE
If you like the idea of support to hand at any time, then check out Shell’s LiveWIRE website. It’s a one-stop shop with tools to help users create their business plan and provides a mentor system, a discussion forum and an interactive learning section. It also gives an information library on how five of the core business areas (management, sales and marketing, finance, business planning and personnel) work.The website is aimed at 16-30 year-olds, and to create an account on the website is free, as is all the support that comes with it. If that wasn’t enough, Shell also has a LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, with a prize of £10,000 up for grabs.
Shell’s LiveWIRE programme has an impressive record. According to their website, the service has enabled ...
• 600,000 young people to explore starting their own businesses since 1982
• Approximately 16% of all enquirers each year to start a business
• An average of 2-3 new jobs created by each new business start up
• 65% of new start ups to still be trading 4 years later
• Over 300 export businesses to break into over 35 markets worldwide, generating £5.1 million in sales and creating over 200 new jobs
For more information, visit www.shell-livewire.org
Business Link
Although the Business Link website layout is quite dull and the reading material dry, there is a plethora of knowledge available on this website, and the topics covered are more than comprehensive for any young business owner’s needs.Perhaps a bit too comprehensive, but it’s always good to know you’ve got somewhere to refer to about ‘your waste responsibilities’ if you need to. If you’re worried that you might have overlooked something in the preparation and then the execution stages of your business, this is a great site to refer to.
For more information, visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/startingup
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