A MAJOR new project aimed at boosting business opportunities for people not in work has been launched at the Farnham Maltings.

Budding entrepreneurs in the M3 corridor region are being invited to participate in the Inspiring Enterprise scheme.

This two-year project is being backed through £1.45m of funding from the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund.

The intention is to help at least 500 unemployed and disadvantaged people take steps to set up a business or improve their work readiness.

Part of the Building Better Opportunities programme, the project offers advice and support through workshops, taster sessions, training and mentoring.

Not-for-profit business support company WSX Enterprise is managing the scheme and is partnered by Action Hampshire, Surrey Community Action, Fredericks Foundation, and the University of Winchester.

It is aimed at people who are unemployed and young people not in education, employment or training, as well as lone parents, older workers, people with disabilities, and people in minority groups.

WSX Enterprise project manager Liz Wright said: “Inspiring Enterprise will focus on helping unemployed and disadvantaged people into self-employment and social enterprise creation.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to offer participants a chance to increase their skills and confidence and develop their business ideas.

“We will do this through a comprehensive package of support, including training, mentoring, enterprise clubs, pop-up shops, meet-the-boss sessions, access to finance, and one-to-one advice.

“By supporting unemployed and economically inactive people to start and grow a business we hope to ensure sustainability and effectiveness in any new organisations that are created.

“Our partners bring skills, expertise and experience to the table and have a proven track record of working with our target beneficiaries to achieve business creation or employment opportunities.”

The free support programme, which was launched at a conference for stakeholders at the Farnham Maltings, will run until the end of 2018.

Addressing the conference were Dean Packer, of Events R Me, and David Shervill, of Global Music Visions, who both participated on previous similar schemes and went on to launch their own companies.

To be eligible for help through Inspiring Enterprise, people must live within the M3 corridor and be currently unemployed.

The M3 corridor runs from the New Forest to the M25 and includes Winchester, Andover, Alton, Farnham, Basingstoke, Farnborough, Camberley, Woking, Bracknell, and everywhere in between.

To find out more about Inspiring Enterprise, visit inspiringenterprise.org.uk or call 0800 140 4537.