The Women & Micro-Enterprise Project (WAM)
The Women and Micro-Enterprise project, which started in April 2006, aims to improve the economic position of women in rural Devon by promoting and supporting new business start-up activity and the development and growth of existing women-owned micro-enterprises.

The project runs in the North Devon, Torridge, West Devon and South Hams districts and, building on the success of earlier community learning projects run by CCD, it operates through a series of community Business ‘Host’ groups that represent or involve women.

Host Groups
Business Host groups can be any not-for-profit community or special interest group such as a pre-school group, village hall committee, childminder’s association, parent-teacher association, business club, parish council, WI group etc.

There is funding for a total of 16 Business Host groups, spread across the four project districts. As a Business Host Group you will receive the support of the WAM project worker to find out what your members need in terms of business advice, guidance and support and personal training and development. You will then be guided as to the various services already available to support business start-up and business development and gain help in selecting additional support services that meet the needs of your group members.

Project Participants
Any woman over the age of 16 who lives within one of the four project districts is eligible to participate in the WAM project, provided she is interested in finding out more about the possibilities of business start-up or developing her existing business. Wherever possible support and training events will be held locally and funding is available to help with transport and care costs.

Funding
Business Host groups are able to claim up to £1500 of funding towards the additional support and development services that they may wish to buy in for their group. The transport and care cost funding is additional to this amount.

Project Leaflets for Download:
Leaflets are available from the Community Council of Devon on request or by downloading them on line as a pdf file:

Leaflet for potential Women Project Participants

Project Background
Research conducted in 2004 by Exeter University and CCD confirmed the significant barriers faced by rural women wishing to join or return to the labour market and recommended entrepreneurship as a flexible and accessible employment opportunity for rural women. WAM is a partnership project managed by The Community Council of Devon on behalf of the Devon and Torbay Learning Partnership. It is funded by Devon Renaissance and Devon County Council and is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
If you wish to be considered as a “Community Business Host” please call or email to have an informal discussion about your ideas as a voluntary group or organization to jan@devonrcc.org.uk or
phone 01392 381256.