​Innovative Entrepreneurship for Women programme in Gorey

A new Entrepreneurship for Women programme has started in the Adult Education Department in Gorey Community School, Co Wexford.

“We identified this area as a need to be filled in our area,” said Fintan Kemple, Director of Adult Education in the school. Indeed, nationally, promoting female entrepreneurship is viewed as a key source of job creation and innovation and a necessary step for addressing income inequality and social exclusion.
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Particular factors affect female entrepreneurship, including lower levels of self-confidence, lacking visible role models, fewer networking opportunities, and a greater fear of failure.

A new Entrepreneurship for Women programme has started in the Adult Education Department in Gorey Community School.

Community

This programme has been designed to create a community of women who want to get a business idea off the ground. It will help them to develop the skills to become an entrepreneur and to fine-tune and develop their business idea.

“We are running the programme through three QQI Level 5 modules – Entrepreneurial Skills, Personal Effectiveness, and Communications,” said Fintan. “So, the participants will get to research, test, and get the groundwork done to progress their business through the assignments. This makes the course of real practical benefit to the participants.

“The plan is to have speakers from relevant funding organisations as well as other women in existing businesses address the group. And, again, this is about making sure that the programme is tailored to the needs of the participants. Everything about the course is designed to move their business idea along and to help them prepare a business plan.

The new Entrepreneurship for Women programme has been designed to create a community of women who want to get a business idea off the ground.

Overcome barriers

The course is particularly relevant now, said Fintan, as women continue to be under-represented as entrepreneurs. In Ireland, more men than women actively plan and start new businesses. And research has shown that the rate of entrepreneurship among women in Ireland is eighth highest in Europe. The rate of entrepreneurship among men in Ireland is the fourth highest.

The course is delivered by Deirdre O’Flynn, who has run a content and training bureau in Wicklow and Wexford for over 20 years. She also facilitates a network of women in business management, the professions and the arts, which meets monthly.
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The programme is funded under the Back to Education Initiative, which aims to give qualifying participants an opportunity to combine a return to learning with family, work, and other responsibilities.

The programme is funded under the Back to Education Initiative.

Information points

You will find details of all night classes in Gorey Community School on their website, on Facebook, and Instagram.