Dundee businessman Tim Allan has become the founding social sponsor of Women’s Business Station.
Mr Allan, owner of Tricorn Capital, chair of V&A Dundee and president of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, is investing £20,000 in the social enterprise.
Social sponsor is a term Women’s Business Station has created to spotlight the social impact generated by a financial contribution.
Women’s Business Station supports women on their business journey, empowering them to achieve their goals, whether big or small.
It has an ambitious 10-year plan to enhance the socio-economic empowerment of 10,000 women in Scotland by 2030.
Aspiring Women teach wide range of skills
Launching in September, the Aspiring Women programme will specifically target women in vulnerable positions who aspire to be in a better situation.
The pilot will focus on the Dundee community, before extending to Perthshire, Angus and Fife.
The free programme will take 12 women on a 20-week journey from self-belief and mindset to enterprise and business skills.
Mr Allan says: “Women’s Business Station has been doing outstanding work and has a proven track record of creating real impact amongst women setting up in business.
“However, there are many others who need our support.
“By reaching out to women who perhaps don’t have the experience, confidence, self-belief or autonomy to achieve what they want, we can really make a difference, empowering them to move onwards.”
The free programme will teach participants about empowerment, wellbeing, motivation, routine and having the right mindset.
Aspiring Women will also include activities around enterprise and business skills.
Investing in people
Angie De Vos, chief executive of Women’s Business Station, hopes Tim will be the first of many sponsors.
She says: “This programme is a local game changer.
“Tim’s generous investment of £20,000 will allow us to launch this new Aspiring Women programme.
“We hope Tim will be the first of many social sponsors to support us by investing in people.
“Unlike most entrepreneurial programmes, this one is aimed at all women who are stuck in generational or work poverty.
“It is packed with empowering content, local support, tools, and action-based activities that will awaken and inspire positive change.
“Tim’s investment will raise ambition and create equality of opportunity for local Aspiring Women.”
Mr Allan believes that “investing in people is one of the best investments you can make”.
He says: “People who have been fortunate enough to have had some success in business and seek to help their local communities are always looking for maximum return on their investment.
“Women’s Business Station delivers real impact and outcomes which benefit our wider society and for me, that’s worth investing in.
“There’s a duty on all of us not to leave anyone behind and, if you’ve got the resources and tools to do something to help, I feel strongly that you should.”