The Women’s Rural Entrepreneurial Network (WREN) programme is being credited with supporting seventeen entrepreneurs in creating new businesses and jobs over the last nine months. Led by SECAD, the WREN programme supports female entrepreneurs and start-ups led by women or those interested in becoming self-employed through training and business development supports. The programme is operated in partnership with Ballyhoura Development, Cork Institute of Technology’s Rubicon Centre and Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence and funded by Department of Justice and Equality and the European Social Fund.
The WREN programme includes personal development and business skills training, one to one and group mentoring, female ‘role model’ sharing of experience and support, themed networking and experiential learning events, formation and facilitation of the facilitated networking sessions and a networking/business pitching event.
The programme is currently recruiting for the next round of potential female entrepreneurs, which would begin the next WREN programme in September 2018 until May 2019.
Commenting on the programme, Suzanne Kearney, Assistant CEO of SECAD said: “Given the success of the WREN programme to date, we are keen to recruit women to the programme. The programme will provide the option of accredited training as well as business and employment supports, and is hugely valuable in terms of economic development in rural areas and as equality of opportunity.”
Pictured above: Suzanne Kearney, SECAD with Silvia Lopez of Hola Students, Claire O’Connor of East Cork Cookery School and Frances Doyle, SECAD at the WREN Showcase
Image by: Darragh Kane
