Leaders of organisations are increasingly looking for their staff team to be entrepreneurial. Public sector cuts are commonplace and demands on services are increasing. Having to offer more services with less resources in place is a common theme in the Public and Third Sectors and embedding entrepreneurial thinking is essential to get organisations on track.
A cut in grant funding or the loss of a key contract would be catastrophic to many organisations providing essential services to the most vulnerable in our communities. Older people, people living with disabilities, minority groups, those struggling with their mental or physical health, people living in poverty and children are most likely to be adversely affected by the failure of public and third sector organisations. We need to ensure that the vital organisations doing this work and the teams working within them are properly supported.
For this reason, we are keen that some candidates applying to The Circle Academy are not running start-ups, but instead need to become more entrepreneurial in their current workplace. People who have been tasked with finding new funding sources, increasing trading, innovating new products and services and building financial sustainability into an organisation along with good governance and robust accountability are ideal candidates for The Circle Academy.
The benefits to attending The Circle Academy will be:
- An intense 12-week practical education and training programme covering topics such as people, governance, finance, legal and planning to develop business and enterprise skills along with the correct mindset.
- An opportunity to be immersed in working on your project and away from your normal environment.
- Forming a cohort with other candidates bringing different experience and exploring diverse sectors and opportunities.
- Accessing trainers who have ran their own businesses and industry experts who are being paid for their time.
- Participating in income generation tasks.
- Accountability from The Circle Academy board for one year.
- Access to co-working space for one year.
- The opportunity to pitch for funds generated from tasks.
Other candidates in the cohort will benefit from sharing in the experiences of a professional that is embedded in a large organisation that some start-up entrepreneurs might aspire to. Sharing the reality of delivering products and services, having a social impact and being focused on financial sustainability is incredibly valuable.
We are keen to work with Training & Development colleagues to attract candidates and secure funding for their fees. If enterprise training is required across a team, our consultancy service can offer a bespoke package, like The Circle Academy, but delivered to a group and inhouse. Caledonia Housing Association did just that! Contact [email protected] for more information.
Apply now for The Circle Academy. You do not need to wait until you have secured funding.