Home Boost Business Lancashire logo

Business mentoring programme creates over 400 Lancashire jobs

Mentoring web

A popular business mentoring service has helped 500 Lancashire firms achieve growth after seeing “unprecedented demand”. Latest figures show the Boost Growth Mentoring programme has helped Lancashire firms create 418 jobs and added an estimated £7.8m to the region’s economy.

Available through Boost, the county’s business growth hub, the programme is funded by Lancashire County Council and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and delivered by Community & Business Partners and Enterprise Lancashire Orvia.

It pairs growing business owners with experienced entrepreneurs to help them overcome challenges and identify new opportunities. Growth Mentoring has been so successful that funded places are now fully subscribed. Community & Business Partners has moved to satisfy demand by launching the Northern Mentoring Programme, allowing businesses to access similar support on a self-funded basis.

Jaydee Davis, operations manager for Community & Business Partners, said: “We expected to run Boost Growth Mentoring until the autumn, but we’ve seen unprecedented demand which has seen all the Boost-funded places filled early. “We’ve launched the Northern Mentoring Programme to continue matching Lancashire businesses with experienced business mentors to get advice in areas such as business planning, finance, sales, marketing and HR management.”

County Councillor Michael Green, Cabinet member for economic development, environment and planning, said: “It’s great to see Lancashire businesses making the most of the support on offer through Boost. The fact this support is leading to job creation and increased economic activity is a clear indication of its effectiveness. “Growth Mentoring has been incredibly popular, so we welcome news that Community & Business Partners can continue meeting demand with a paid-for service with the Northern Mentoring Programme.”

The Northern Mentoring Programme allows the service to be opened up to businesses who previously didn’t quality under the ERDF funding criteria, including businesses-to-consumer companies and firms that aren’t necessarily high-growth businesses. 

Boost is currently submitting a bid for a third phase of funding support with the aim of allowing a new programme of fully-funded business mentoring support to be made available from 2019.

Share

You may also like...

British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme provided with additional capacity to support businesses affected by global tariff changes Growth Guarantee Scheme
15th April 2025
 | 
News
British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme provided with additional capacity to support businesses affected by global tariff changes
Announced by the Chancellor on April 14, 2025, the Growth Guarantee Scheme will provide approximately £500m of additional lending capacity to help more smaller businesses across the UK.
Preston named as host city for new Lancashire innovation and tech festival PP17 LIFT photo
8th April 2025
 | 
News
Preston named as host city for new Lancashire innovation and tech festival
Preston has been announced as the host city for LIFT, the inaugural Lancashire Innovation, Funding and Tech festival, marking another major event secured for the city.

Sign up to our newsletter

For insights and events to help your business thrive.

In completing this form, you understand that Lancashire County Council (Boost) has a requirement to process your personal data. Lancashire County Council will only ever process your personal data where it has a clear lawful basis for doing so in full compliance with data protection legislation - UK GDPR and The Data Protection Act (2018). We will ensure the security and confidentiality of your personal data at all times. For full details of how Lancashire County Council handles your personal data please see our privacy notice here . Some information relating to this public funded project may be declared to third parties under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Funded by local govmt
Department for Trade and Business
Lancashire County Council

The website uses cookies.

Some are used for statistical purposes and others are set up by third party services. By clicking 'Accept all & close', you accept the use of cookies. For more information on how we use and manage cookies, please read our Cookie Policy.