COVID-19 Response Programme: Recovery & Resilience

New peer-learning online programme specifically designed to support SME leaders in Lancashire & Cumbria following the Coronavirus pandemic.

About the Programme

This is a historic programme that was funded by ERDF between 2014 and 2020. For further information about other business development opportunities please get in touch with us.

This online peer-learning programme, supported by Boost; Lancashire's business growth hub and Cumbria Growth Hub is designed for established Lancashire and Cumbria SMEs who employ more than five members of staff. The programme aims to support ambitious leaders to refocus their business following the coronavirus pandemic. Delegates will explore ways to drive business recovery in the short-term as well as planning for a more resilient long-term future.

During the five half-day sessions you will:

• Explore potential future scenarios, changes in consumer behaviour and what the “new normal” might look like

• Identify the impacts of these scenarios on your own business, your customer markets and supply chains

• Work through your current and potential new markets and customers, including what their needs and wants are, and how your existing assets and resources can be used to address these

• Develop a change management framework to engage staff in wide-scale change

• Work towards a stronger and more resilient business model to build for the future and protect against potential future crises

Please note: This programme is aimed at ambitious leaders of established businesses who employ 5 or more members of staff.

Programme Elements

Participants will attend one half-day online session per week which includes a workshop, break-out sessions and offline activities. You'll participate in a range of challenges and tasks to develop strategic thought processes and skills, and the focus on practical learning means there are no formal assessments.

Online interactive workshops on key topics: The New Normal, Strategy, Business Model Innovation, Leading Change and Business Resilience

Access to leading academics and business experts from world-leading management school

Peer-network support with like-minded SMEs

Access to wider business support opportunities across the University

To discover more about the COVID-19 Response Programme, and how it could transform your organisation, please complete our enquiry form and we'll be in touch shortly.

The Benefits

This programme gives you the time, space and framework to work through challenges whilst looking for opportunities. You will be provided with tools to be able to focus on strategic options for the business, develop personal action plans and establish how to implement change effectively whilst keeping employees engaged. The peer network provides the support and the University provides the challenge to your thinking and ways of working.

"This programme is designed for business leaders to benefit from the expertise of our world-leading academic and business minds, while also sharing and working through real-time experiences with a strong peer network. The beauty of this opportunity is businesses can shape their own learning outcomes with the support of the University and their peers" Matt Hutchinson, Programme Manager

Costs & Apply

This programme is fully funded and available to businesses which are eligible under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) criteria, as follows:

Based in Lancashire and Cumbria
Employ fewer than 250 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
Annual turnover of less than €50 million (or the equivalent in GBP)
Received less than €200,000 of de minimis State Aid in the last 3 years