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Stepping Stones to Small Business program

24 July 2023 | By Brotherhood of St Laurence

Stepping Stones is a program tailored for women from refugee, migrant and asylum seeking backgrounds and any women over 50. It provides opportunities for women to achieve financial wellbeing through starting a business, finding employment, training pathways, mentoring and support.

Financial wellbeing is key to women’s security and safety

The Stepping Stones program offers participants the opportunity to learn in an environment which is supportive, gender aware, friendly and actively reduces the barriers that prevent women from mainstream business training. English as an additional language (EAL) is supported.

The program offers the following:

  • Join with other like-minded women and learn all that is needed to know about the specific small business industries (food, services and makers).
  • Access to ongoing mentoring support, workshops, training, marketing and networking opportunities.
  • Additional one-on-one time with staff, including information and referrals for additional personal and professional support.
  • Extra training to become a leader.

The free one-year program includes the following courses for Winter/Spring 2023:

  • Empowerment Program Online: 1 to 30 August 2023
  • Small Business Taster Program: 6 and 13 September 2023
  • Small Business Program: 2 October to 20 November 2023
  • Online Business Training (extra support through tutorials – optional): 4 October to 15 November 2023

Classes and workshops have fun activities in a safe learning space where women can connect to one another. All courses are between school hours and are running online.

Grants and Funding Employment Mentoring

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