Small businesses in Doncaster to receive productivity boost

Small business based in Doncaster are set to receive a boost in leadership and entrepreneurship skills which will improve their overall productivity, due to a government-backed project.

As part of the new programme, Doncaster Council, in partnership with Doncaster Chamber, Beta Technology and the Consultancy Academy, will work with the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) to pilot new ways to boost the leadership of small businesses.

The ‘Doncaster Leadership & Entrepreneurship Academy’ is a leadership and management programme designed to address the needs of Doncaster businesses.

The scheme takes academic theory and makes it relevant for SMEs, helping them identify strategies for sustainable growth.

Furthermore, the project also promotes peer-to-peer learning and support by bringing together small firms and business people from a range of sectors to share their experiences, aspirations and concerns.

Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones, said: “It’s a real feather in our cap to be the only council and the only area in Yorkshire to be supported through this innovative programme. We are committed to supporting our small businesses and entrepreneurs who are vital for stimulating growth, delivering jobs and creating a vibrant economy. With our partners, and the backing of the UKCES, we can help Doncaster business owners hone their entrepreneurial skills and expertise so they can grow their business and contribute positively to the local and regional economy.”

Dan Fell, CEO Doncaster Chamber, added: “I am delighted that our partnership has been able to co-create, with UKCES, this great initiative that will help local firms grow. I love two things in particular. Firstly the scheme is very much customer led with businesses identifying their own challenges and needs and the partnership then tailoring business support to suit. Secondly, I am delighted that so many of Doncaster’s larger firms have pledged their support and are willing to open their doors to Doncaster’s SMEs to share their best practice and help develop outstanding business practices in Doncaster’s growing firms. I think this is a great model that will set a new benchmark for what high quality business support looks like in Doncaster and the Sheffield City Region.”

Julie Kenny CBE DL, founder of Pyronix Ltd, a small business in the security sector, and Commissioner at UKCES, also commented: “Small businesses form the backbone of the UK economy. Yet constraints on their time and resources mean they are the least likely to develop the leadership and management skills that will help them grow.

“Owner managers and senior leaders of small companies need to spend their time and money wisely, and see clear benefits from the start. Current training programmes are often too broad or vague to be usefully applied in the real world. Simply gaining access to good programmes can also be difficult - for instance if you operate in a more rural area.

“We need new ways to reach these businesses, and we need solutions that are relevant to each small firm. The anchor institutions we will be working with have demonstrated a strong understanding of the specific issues that small businesses face in their local community. They have also shown that they have the ability to reach out to businesses who often find themselves excluded from national programmes.”

This project is one of eight that has been selected as part of the UK Futures Programme, run by UKCES. Each is trialling new ways to improve the productivity of small businesses in their local community by boosting their leadership and entrepreneurship skills.

Each project represents a joint investment with UKCES, with organisations investing in cash, alongside a maximum government contribution of £200k per project. The total government contribution is £1.3m.

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