Women’s Enterprise Ambassadors Programme

Each Regional Development Agency was tasked with the recruitment of 100 ‘ambassadors’ in their region to reach the target of 1,000 network members. Enterprise Insight manages this network at the national level under the "Spark" brand and will be collating details of Ambassadors from all regions into a national database. Enterprising Women are currently managing the East of England network.

Who could be an Ambassador?

‘Ambassadors’ are women who are already inspiring other women to start businesses. They will already be talking to people about enterprise, writing articles in local newspapers about their experiences, talking to young people in schools, setting up peer support networks, mentoring others in business...

They are women entrepreneurs who run their own business and who are passionate about helping women achieve their potential through self-employment.

What will an Ambassador receive?

National benefits for ambassadors will include:

• being part of a national network of ambassadors, which has Ministerial support and endorsement;
• national PR/media opportunities;
• potential to influence women's enterprise policy-making through meetings with the Task Force on Women's Enterprise;
• some ambassadors may also wish to be considered, as members of national advisory bodies addressing women's and women's enterprise issues.

Regional benefits will include:

• EEDA will provide the regional media and public sector partners such as Business Links, Learning and Skills Councils and Jobcentre Plus, with contact details of Ambassadors, so that they can contact individuals as and when PR and other opportunities arise.
• Ambassadors will be expected to be proactive and to follow up any opportunities themselves – the Regional Development Agency will not be able to do this for them.