AN INNOVATIVE programme from Ceteris (Scotland) Ltd has come to a close after helping 12 new start-up business launch in the Wee County.

Last year, the team behind Clacks Women into Self Employment (ClacksWiSE) asked ladies in the area if they wanted to be their own boss and build a flexible work-life balance that suited them and their families.

The response was overwhelming and almost 40 women received advice and support from Alison Davidson, Dorothy Henke and Mandy Campbell.

Now, after a packed schedule of 21 workshops and personal development days, this one-off back-to-work programme has come to a successful close.

Those who received help have applauded the experience – saying it gave them confidence and developed their abilities.

Emma Wilson was supported through the ClacksWiSE programme and has now launched her new business Head to Toe Complementary Therapies.

She said: “ClacksWiSE came just at the right time for me. The team were all very encouraging and supportive, providing useful workshops and one to one sessions for those trickier topics.

"Thanks to ClacksWiSE my young business and the necessary building blocks are now all in place, giving me the confidence to enjoy, grow and establish my business.”

Charlaine Dunham, who launched Treasure Every Moment Body Casting, echoed her thoughts.

She said: “ClacksWiSE gave me the confidence and skills to believe in my abilities.

"The team were so supportive and the experts that came in to run some of the workshops were fantastic.

"I’m so grateful that they gave up their time to help us all."

All ClacksWiSE events and workshops were free of charge and covered topics such as business planning, finance, IT, social media, and marketing.

The programme also offered free access to the touchdown space networking hub in the Alloa Business Centre and provided experienced advisors to support and encourage.

It also facilitated interactive training sessions in confidence building, assertiveness, communication and presentation skills.

Alison Davidson, business development manager at Ceteris, said: "ClacksWiSE was set-up to support women in Clackmannanshire who were looking to return to work or were considering self-employment but were lacking in some of the skills and confidence to do so.

"Our aim was to help them start and grow sustainable businesses and provide them with the best chance of success. I am thrilled that we met these objectives and were able to provide a positive economic contribution to Clackmannanshire.”

A number of the women on the programme are still in the process of considering what kind of business to set-up, such as Clare Johnson.

Now, thanks to an introduction by ClacksWiSE, she volunteers at The Japanese Garden at Cowden.

She said: “ClacksWiSE was a super confidence boost given my starting point and a lovely nurturing environment.

"The range of workshops was wonderful and the tailored 1-2-1 sessions were fantastic."

ClacksWiSE was funded by The Royal Bank of Scotland Skills and Opportunities Fund which was set up in 2015 to create opportunities for people in disadvantaged communities to gain qualifications, find work or start a business.

As well as ClacksWiSE, Ceteris also run the Business Gateway Clackmannanshire contract (recently awarded for a further five years) and offer bespoke business training and advice to companies of all sizes across Clackmannanshire.

For more, call 01259 726430, visit ceteris.co.uk or find them on Facebook and Twitter.