A Dorset-wide business mentoring service is expanding across the county and has more than 80 experienced business people who give their time freely to mentor local businesses.
Due to the recession, there has been a sharp rise in people in Dorset who now run their own firms.
Dormen – a name that comes from the words Dorset and Mentoring – has pulled together a group of individuals with a wide range of skills and talents who are keen to help.
It’s now calling on businesses of any type, whether long-established or in the early years of trading, to consider whether someone impartial to talk to and bring a fresh perspective could help them.
As well as support from the local authorities, recent funding from ‘Chalk and Cheese’ and ‘Sowing Seeds’ is specifically targeting help at businesses in the rural west, north and east of the county.
Vivian Dunn from Dormen said: “We have these incredible resources in the form of highly experienced business people. We want more people to be aware we are here and are keen to help.
“The service is confidential and we use our experience to partner businesses with mentors who we think will suit them.
“All mentors are volunteers who give their time for free. There is a one-off administration fee of £100 but thanks to ‘Chalk and Cheese’ and ‘Sowing Seeds’ funding, the fee can be waived for eligible businesses who sign up by September 2013.”
Rod Cooke has been mentoring Luke Stuart (both pictured) at the White Pepper Cookery School in Lytchett Matravers for nearly a year.
