Why do we need a dedicated Women in Business Network?

SLIGO Women in Business Network ( SWIBN) has been running for over 11 years and is funded by Sligo Local Enterprise Office. The Network is facilitated by Oonagh Monahan of Alpha Omega Consultants on behalf of the LEO.

“Our vision is to develop and grow the community of working women in Sligo - one that it more active, engaged and better connected to each other to supports outside” said Oonagh.

The focus on developing the proportion of women starting and developing businesses continues to be of central importance to both Irish and European policy- makers. Following the publication of recent GEM reports, and the 2014 National Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship in Ireland, the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation published a study on supports for female entrepreneurship and women in business. Looking specifically at one central tenet of the policy statement, an objective which seeks to: “Promote female entrepreneurship through identification and promotion of female role models, targeted events and awards, support for female entrepreneur networks and promotion of a dedicated area on corporate websites” the Committee found that “a lack of specific focus on female enterprise or on barriers facing women” existed – though it also noted one of the most encouraging “pro- female measures of recent years has been the establishment by Enterprise Ireland of a dedicated unit to promote female enterprise.”

SWIBN’s facilitators design and deliver tailored, targeted mechanisms for the development and support of female entrepreneurs, funded by Sligo LEO.

They possess a total of over fifteen years’ direct knowledge in developing, measuring and implementing programmes for female entrepreneurs, SMEs and networks. This knowledge spans EU- funded projects, collaborative interventions in conjunction with third level institutions and both national and international networks.

There is an ongoing need to support women in business and continue to actively encourage female entrepreneurial activity through targeted supports. In fact, feedback from members of SWIBN over the course of 2016 and in previous years indicates that there continues to be a strong local demand for it through a dedicated Women in Business Network.

For more information contact oonaghswibn@ sligoenterprise. ie or see www. swibn. com