Newry Mourne and Down Enterprise Week 2021 returns from the 8 – 12 November with the theme of “Make it Your Business’ highlighting skills and career choices for future entrepreneurs, and providing a myriad of free business events, clinics and supports with the aim of assisting those who are thinking or starting a business, those who have started a business, including social enterprises and providing advice and support to established businesses, who are wanting to develop and grow their business.
As the Newry, Mourne and Down business and education community looks ahead to recovery post Covid-19, the Council has partnered with key organisations such as Newry and Mourne Co-Operative Enterprise Agency, Down Business Centre, Southern Regional College, South Eastern Regional College, Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, local Schools and InterTradeIreland to name a few, to curate a week-long programme of events with an emphasis on inspiring young people to make their mark, focusing in on career guidance and empowering students at a critical time in their education, as well as providing careers teachers and parents with a wide range of inspirational talks, events and virtual workplace visits. The week will also deliver business focused seminars, workshops, online networking opportunities and mentoring sessions, offering something for all Newry, Mourne and Down residents, including students, new business start-ups and established local businesses.
Councillor Cathy Mason, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, said: “It has been over 18 months since the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded and we now look ahead to the serious work of rebooting our local community for a better, more forward looking and post pandemic world. Many businesses have faced overwhelming challenges in recent months, across all aspects of their operations. NMD Enterprise Week 2021 will be a fantastic opportunity for our local students, schools and businesses to foster their skills, talents and focus in on how to plan, start and grow across the region.
Cllr Mason continued, “Local businesses are the lifeblood and character of our local villages, towns and city. Over recent months, the Council has actively encouraged local people to stay local, shop local through promoting our ‘Make it Local’ campaign and Artisan markets. This Enterprise Week 2021, we are keen to ensure that established and future entrepreneurs know that there are business support networks in place to help local residents and businesses start up and grow a business within our District.”
To make the week as accessible as possible, all events within NMD Enterprise Week will be free of charge. Amongst the highlights of the five-day programme are student skills and advice clinics, to help support the in-school learning and give a ‘real world’ perspective to the week. There will be helpful business Start Up clinics and podcasts and business growth workshops ranging from, social economy support, growing your business online, accessing new customer bases, building new business networks, digital sessions, as well as how to grasp new opportunities like tendering and engaging with customers.
In addition, the Programme of events during the week will bring together a range of speakers and businesses to raise their profile and to discuss the current range of issues and challenges facing the local economy and will allow participants to make informed decisions about how best to navigate a way forward through the recovery and revitalization stages post Pandemic.
So, Make it your Business to get involved, to inspire, to engage and to connect and visit the wide range of events on offer at https://nmdbusiness.org/enterprise-week-2021/