UBA

UBA - Upskilling business advisors

The UBA project is an EU LEONARDO DA VINCI Transfer of Innovation programme sponsored by the European Commission DG Education and Culture. With members in the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Portugal and the UK, it aims to adapt and transfer [1], the manual for community business advisors based on the SFEDI core UK National Occupational Business Support Standards which has been developed by the UK-based Association of Community Based Business Advice (ACBBA) in partnership with Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI). The handbook was published in 2008 at a price of £34-50, but in 2011 appears to be out of print.

Business advisors play a crucial role when it comes to helping start-ups from communities at risk of social exclusion to develop sustainable businesses. They serve as first point of reference, maintain regular contact with their clients and help entrepreneurs to design appropriate business strategies.

As there is neither a generally acknowledged education program nor formal accreditation for business advisors in Europe, advisors often lack access to systematic, updated and targeted training materials to enhance their skills. This applies in particular to those business advisors coming from and working with communities at risk of social exclusion.

The UK-based Association of Community Based Business Advice (ACBBA) in partnership with Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) has therefore developed a manual for community business advisors based on the SFEDI core UK National Occupational Business Support Standards. It is the aim of the UBA project to export and adapt this manual to four other European countries.

The network will conduct a series of activities including:

• (online) expert groups on business advisor skills and training
• case studies with business advisors and entrepreneurs
• regional roundtables with major stakeholders
• articles, speeches and presentations to promote the European political dialogue

UBA website: http://www.uba-europe.net

UBA has ben the platfrom for the launch of the Network of European Community Based Business Advisers.

Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Network-of-European-Community-Based-Business-Advisers/110935162281679?ref=ts