Information Pack
Contents
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What can an ambassador expect?
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Make Your Mark campaign background
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Expression of Interest Form
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What can an ambassador expect? “Through being a Spark ambassador I have empowered women to follow their dream, equipped them with ‘can do’ and ‘will do’ attitude. I believe that, if you are passionate about an idea then you will find the determination and drive to make it happen and to succeed. With personal values and hard work, anything is possible” Hafida Sarachi – Handy Girl
Could you be an Ambassador? An ambassador is an individual who has already made their mark and can use this experience to inspire others and encourage them to turn their ideas into reality. We are looking for pro-active people who can drive forward their ideas to encourage women and girls into enterprise. As a successful female entrepreneur who has made an idea happen, has a positive outlook and a belief in your ideas we’d like to invite you to be an ambassador. This would mean representing the network locally and/or nationally, to inspire and encourage other women to consider enterprise as a viable option. What does an Ambassador do? We are asking our ambassadors to be pro-active in their local and business communities by engaging other women with the stories of their own successes. There are a variety of routes, including setting up peer support groups and networks, offering to speak in local schools and colleges, seeking local press opportunities, taking part in debates and applying for business or enterprise awards. We ask for at least a 4 day commitment a year or a couple of hours a month dependent upon the type of activities you are involved in. What’s in it for you? By taking part in local, regional and national activities you will be raising the profile of you and your business, which in turn could offer you some excellent PR opportunities, help you improve your speaking skills, give you the opportunity to take part in policy shaping, and networking with influential people. We also hold quarterly meeting to enable you to meet other ambassadors and share best practice
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Benefits include: •
An invitation to be part of the prestigious Spark Ambassadors network of inspirational women, with the opportunity to use the Spark logo
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Have a chance to feedback to central government on the key issues surrounding Women’s Enterprise
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Promotional opportunities for you and your business through our national press office, newsletter and campaign websites
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Speaking opportunities at schools, colleges, universities or at networks, conferences and events
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Other o o o
personal development opportunities: training information on relevant awards invites to networks and events offering opportunities to meet well-known business people, media and celebrities
Existing Women’s Ambassadors in the Northwest have stated they find being part of the programme “encouraging” “inclusive” and “motivational”. One WA summed up the experience as: “A wonderful opportunity to meet inspirational brave inventive women from all walks of life and to hear stories of success and overcoming challenges” What we need from you Included in this pack is an expression of interest form, if you wish to join the women’s ambassador campaign please fill it in and return to the address stated on the form. The information and data you provide will be used for case studies, sourcing PR and training opportunities and corporate benefits. The more information we have on each ambassador the more able we are to tailor offerings such as PR opportunities (please note that national and women’s press are always more interested in the human aspect behind every story – see inspiring stories section). Some data is required for national reporting in order to analyse types of ambassadors, however personal data is only shared with Regional Development Agencies and Make Your Mark and no other third parties.
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Make Your Mark Campaign background Northwest Regional Development Agency The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest. As a business-led organisation, the NWDA provides a crucial link between the needs of business and Government policies. As such, a major responsibility for the Agency is to help create an environment in which businesses in the region can flourish through offering business support, encouraging new start-ups, matching skills provision to employer needs and bringing business investment into the region. The NWDA is committed to the Women’s Enterprise Agenda and to ensuring that women in the Northwest have access to all the support required to help them grow and sustain healthy businesses in the region. Alongside the coordination of the Womens Enterprise Ambassador campaign the NWDA also established the Northwest Women's Enterprise Forum (NWWEF) in 2004 to increase the number of women starting up and growing their own businesses in the region. The Forum aims to create an environment in which women have the skills, confidence, support and opportunities to make an equal contribution to economic prosperity. Visit www.nwda.co.uk/women for more information about the NWWEF and its work to date.
What is Make Your Mark? Make Your Mark is the national campaign to unlock the UK’s enterprise potential. We aim to create a culture that supports enterprising people and enterprise to create economic and social impact. This year we will scale up our successful young-people facing activities whilst also reaching others with untapped potential. We will: •
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Increase numbers of people with confidence and motivation to be enterprising, through initiatives like Enterprise Week and Girls! Make Your Mark Increase numbers of people who have enterprise experiences and ambitions, through activities like Make Your Mark Clubs and Make Your Mark Challenge, the UK’s biggest live enterprise competition Reach new groups by looking at the barriers and triggers to enterprise within the over 50s, women and specific ethnic groups
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Why do we need the campaign? Many people have untapped entrepreneurial potential and lack the motivation, confidence, experience and capability to turn their ideas into reality. New and existing businesses often fail to grow at a rate that would drive UK competitiveness and productivity. This is against a backdrop of ferociously competitive global markets and unprecedented global challenges. We aim to use enterprise to unlock the talent and potential of everyone in the UK.
Campaign impact to date Since 2004 we have seen an increase in enterprise participation, aspiration and action amongst young people, helping to create a new generation of entrepreneurs. This is demonstrated by: •
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The proportion of business start-ups by 16-24 year olds rose from 6.5% in 2003 to 8% by 2007 Running a business is the top career choice for nearly two-thirds (62%) of young people Make Your Mark has played a major role in shaping enterprise policy and practice not least in: o
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Demonstrating that every part of society has a role to play in creating an entrepreneurial culture, including education, business, media, government and the third sector, as no single sector or organisation can create opportunities on this ambitious scale Promoting the vital role of enterprising people in creating enterprising businesses and enterprising communities
Why does enterprise matter? Having a can-do attitude and the skills to spot opportunities and implement ideas benefits every one of us. New businesses boost our economy. Social entrepreneurs and social enterprises stimulate enriched, sustainable communities. Enterprising employees revitalise organisations. Unlocking the talent of everyone in the UK, and building a more enterprising culture is important in an increasingly globalised world.
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We believe: • • •
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We can make a huge difference by unleashing the potential of every young person in all parts of the UK and from all backgrounds We aim always to be bold, audience-led, catalytic in making things happen and connectors who get people together The best things happen when people work together, and our partners in business, government, education, the third sector and the media help us achieve greater things That joining-up existing activities, coordinating new ones and mainstreaming enterprise within every type of organisation can have a big impact The energy and approach of successful entrepreneurs should be shared more widely We should encourage and recognise our entrepreneurial staff, who run websites, businesses and networks and bake great cakes!
Who is behind Make Your Mark? The campaign was founded by the four leading UK business membership organisations – the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors. Their Director Generals sit on our board. It is also supported by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and is endorsed by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. National organisations working closely with the campaign include: Arts Council England – Association of Colleges – Black Training and Enterprise Group – Business in the Community – Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform – Department for Children, Schools and Families - Enterprise Education Trust Learning and Skills Council – National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship - National Education Business Partnership Network – National Federation of Enterprise Agencies – Prowess – Scottish Government – South-East England Development Agency (representing Regional Development Agencies) – Shell LiveWIRE – Social Enterprise Coalition – Specialist Schools and Academies Trust – The Prince’s Trust – UnLtd – Young Enterprise
Corporate and media support Make Your Mark works closely with both corporate and media partners on specific elements of the campaign including Microsoft, Vodafone, Cobra, Bebo, MySpace, the BBC (including Dragons’ Den, BBC news and economics and Newsnight), handbag.com, The Financial Times, Daily Mail and Metro among others.
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Inspiring stories The campaign is backed by a range of celebrities from the worlds of TV, music, fashion, sport and business. These include Peter Jones, Levi Roots and Jacqueline Gold, Laura Bailey and Wayne Hemingway, Jamelia and Kasabian.
Over 1,000 entrepreneurs and over 800 networks actively support the campaign and we share their inspirational stories to inspire others.
www.makeyourmark.org.uk
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Ambassadors Programme - Expression of Interest Form If you are interested in putting your name forward to join Northwest group of the UK’s SPARK Women’s Enterprise Ambassador Campaign then please complete this form and return it to the address below. You will be contacted with further details about the campaign shortly. Name: Company: Address:
Telephone: Email:
Website:
How did you hear about the Campaign?
Please let us know what you are currently doing to inspire more women to think about starting or growing a business:
Are you happy for the Regional Development Agency to share your details with regional media and public sector organisations so that they can contact you with opportunities as and when they arise? Please delete as appropriate YES / NO Send to:
Or email: Or telephone:
Jo Cocker Northwest Regional Development Agency Renaissance House Centre Park Warrington WA1 1XB womeninenterprise@nwda.co.uk 01925 400100
Please note that all information will be shared with the national coordinators Enterprise Insight to maintain the national database.
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