Welcome to The Women’s Organisation

The Women’s Organisation was established in 1996, as a non profit distributing social enterprise, in order to promote a range of high quality business support services for women.

Our founder members, drawn from the voluntary, private and education sectors, recognised that the existing business support provision failed to recognise the specific needs of women seeking self employment as it was mainly inaccessible

and inappropriate. Our vision of an integrated business support service laid the foundations for the way in which we now deliver our services, and has enabled it to be recognised as one of the leading women's enterprise development organisations in the U.K. We deliver a comprehensive range of business support services required to successfully encourage and support women, through the business start up through to business growth. We thank you for taking an interest in working with us and look forward to supporting you along your journey. The Women’s Organisation CEO Maggie O’Carroll What Our Client Say About Us “Setting up a business is never easy but with the help and guidance of The Women’s Organisation it helped focus my mind so that I could concentrate on the creative side of my work.” Ruth Sanderson, Vanity Aforethought “The Women’s Organisation were great. Everyone I came into contact with was extremely helpful and supportive. My adviser was always willing to help and it was so nice knowing there would always be someone at the end of the phone to support me when I needed it.” Corrine Sankey, Where There’s a Will

Mission The Women’s Organisation is an innovative women’s organisation that provides quality enterprise and employment services and influences policy, in order to improve the economic position of women.

Our values underpin everything we do:

To be inclusive, recognising the needs of individual women and particularly ensuring that we reach and respect the needs of disadvantaged and underrepresented women. To be innovative, continually improving the way we work and provide services by incorporating new ideas, information and methods. To work in partnership, adding value to what we do by working with others to build trust, develop mutual understanding and through reciprocal actions develop social capital.

To strive for quality, committing the organisation to improvement and high standards in all aspects of its activities and working environment.

We aim to achieve our mission by:

1. Providing a range of quality, client sensitive enterprise and

employment services for women in the North West.

2. Influencing local, regional, national and international policy and practices in the area of women’s economic development.

3. Developing and maintaining The Women’s Organisation as a

sustainable organisation able to achieve its mission.

“It is a great honour to be part of the process which is nurturing and supporting women and helping create the inspirational role models for

future generations of women across Merseyside”

Pat Shea Halson, Chair The Women’s Organisation

About Our Services

The Women’s Organisation offers a wide variety of services to support women’s personal and professional development. These services focus on:

• Community Engagement

• Women’s Personal Development – self-esteem, self-confidence

• Women’s Health & Well Being

• Women’s Business Support, Advice, Training, Networking

Our wider services include:

• Business Incubation Space

• Hireable Meeting Rooms, Training Rooms & Conferencing Centres

• Supporting Women’s Economic Development Through our International Research Hub and Women’s Economic Development

“The Womens Organisation has been a great benefit to me for the business and for personal development.”

Rekha Kothari, In Style Opticians

“We would like to thank The Women's Organisation yet again for another successful year of trading, with us managing to double our turnover from our first year to our second year - their support has been invaluable! We cannot recommend their services and support enough for any women looking to set up in business.”

Helen Rehm RMC Accountancy

Images by Jess Lang Photography

Personal Development Support

The Women’s Organisation offer courses to help women to prepare themselves for a brighter future.

Become a More Confident You

This interactive Personal Development course is focused on building confidence and self-esteem and creating a more positive outlook for you to make a positive plan for your future.

The Course aims to help you to:

Identify positive achievements in your life

Identify your many qualities and skills

Set goals and create the future you want

Learn how to behave in a more positive way

This interactive course includes the following:

Positive thinking exercise

Identifying our achievements

Learning styles (how do we learn?)

Learning how to say no in a positive way

Build your confidence and raise your self esteem

By the end of this course, you will have identified what qualities and capabilities you have and be more confident in deciding where your future lies

“The help and support I have received from The Women’s Organisation has been fantastic. Going on the personal development programme really helped to give me the confidence I needed to turn my business idea into a reality.” Debra Roberts, Meals for Home

Business Advice Meet with an experienced business adviser to discuss your business needs, whether you’ve got a new idea or want to develop and grow your existing business. Our friendly advisers will work with you to:

Understand your business needs and agree a plan of action

Provide accurate, relevant and up to date information

Produce a comprehensive business plan that you really understand

Identify available business grants and loans you could apply for and help you to understand the application process

Our team of Business Advisers have extensive experience in working with women to set up and grow their own businesses, so can give you expert help to understand your key considerations and responsibilities.

“The Women’s Organisation offered the most tailored and up-to-date advice specific to my business! What a relief.”

Charlotte Fournier LIVE Languages

“The Women’s Organisation has been fab. They were great for me because I had no business background and didn’t know how to start

writing a business plan. I couldn’t have had better support from anywhere else.”

Val Hughes House of Pearl

For more information, to check full eligibility criteria and to book contact our team on 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk

Training

Our enterprise hub business start-up programme offers training alongside advice to help women develop their business skills, and opportunity to work alongside other women who are in the process of setting up a business. Planning for Success A full day interactive course for women with a clear business idea wanting to turn their idea into a reality. Understand how to develop a business plan; Set realistic aims and objectives for your business; Understand your customers’ needs; Check out your competitors; Design a marketing plan and complete financial forecasts.

Building a Social Media Strategy

This informative half-day session will give you an understanding of the different social media tools available to help you to promote your business, and help you evaluate which ones are right for you. Learn how to build a time saving social media strategy that will make an impact.

Basic Book Keeping

This lively and interactive half-day session improves and enhances participant’s book keeping skills. Through simple techniques learn how to manage their business finances.

Understanding Tax and National Insurance

This course helps sole traders and partnerships to understand what to do in order to keep on top of their tax and national insurance responsibilities. Understand key HMRC guidance and deadlines. These course are offering FREE to those on our business start-up

programme. Speak to your business adviser to book a place. “I think the business advice was priceless and the on-going support is really

good. It has been amazing and has helped so much” Deborah Alfa

Specialist Digital Training

Additional training is available to women/men looking to upskill in digital marketing techniques for business for just £25 each, or buy an ‘Ultimate Business Bundle’ to attend 5 for the price of 4 at £100.

Maximise Linkedin for Business This course will give you all the advice and resources that you need to build an expert LinkedIn profile using all the tools and features to maximize the potential of your profile. Maximise Twitter for Business This course will give you practical hints and tips, as well the all the tools you need to tweet your way to success and make the best use of this social media platform. Hootsuite & Smart Social Media Hootsuite is a social media management system and supports many sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, in the one place. It allows you to schedule posts and content. This course will show you how to use it and how to build a content strategy. Introduction to Facebook for Business This course will look at the Facebook ‘Like Page’ function. It will help you understand how to maximise the potential of a Facebook page as well as utilise the paid for advertising services. Getting Started with Instagram for Business This course will take you through the fundamentals of Instagram and look at how you can use this growing social media channel as a business tool. Blogging for Beginners This course provides an introduction to Blogging. It covers different blogging tools that are available as well as advice on how to build great content and following. Understanding SEO – The Basics of Search Engine Optimisation SEO training course is suitable for anyone who wants to know how to raise the ranking of a website in Google's search engine results pages but has limited or no previous experience of Search Engine Optimisation. Winning at Pinning – An Introduction to Pinterest We will show you how to create a Pinterest for Business Account, how to move around Pinterest and understand the key functions, and think of some great content ideas for your Pinterest Business Account

Networking - Business Club

The Women’s Organisation would like to invite female business owners to join our Business Club. We know the importance of networking and are dedicated to creating and maintaining a leading Business Network for women. At the core of our Business Club are three key values; Connecting, Sharing and Supporting.

Business Club, exclusively for women business owners (and their team), is here t to help your make those key business connections and contacts through regular networking. We are also passionate about giving you an opportunity to share your experiences and provide mutual support to each other in a safe and welcoming environment.

For a donation to our charity, business owners can join for a 12 month period and begin to connect, share and support with other women in business.

Benefits of Business Club:

- Discounted prices to networking events

- Access to the Business Club private LinkedIn group

- Opportunities to be a ‘Featured Business’ at events

- Discount rates for member to member services

- PR and Case Study opportunities

- Event Delegate lists prior to the event

. “Really enjoyed participating in the event on Social Media. Fantastic facilities and a great opportunity to speak to people with similar issues.” Caroline Smith “Lovely evening at The Women’s Organisation. Good to meet up with inspiring women” Jackie O’Carroll, Room of Possibilities Email businessclub@thewo.org.uk to enquire and join

Prestigious City

Centre Address

in L1 from

£18 per Month

This £18 virtual office deal includes: 54 St James Street as registered company address with

prestigious L1 postcode

Mail notification and holding service

10% discount on meeting rooms booked (as little as £9 per hour)

Free wireless access in centre

Website listing

This package can be upgraded to include:

Landline telephone number, voice mail and message forwarding to mobile or any other landline number

For more information, Contact venue@thewo.org.uk or 0151 706 8100

Training & Conferencing Rooms to Hire in L1 from £15 per hour 54 St James Street, Liverpool, L1 0AB

Our stylish boardrooms benefit from facilities of plasma screen; TV; integrated audio visual and IT. The Suites provide smart environments ideal for hosting more intimate training events and staff development sessions. Available from just £15 per hour! Full or half day rates are also available.

Rooms suiting training events from 10 - 150 people

With fabulous views of the River Mersey and Liverpool City, our Roddick Rooms can be used as one or divided into two/three separate areas benefitting from break out space on our roof terraces. Fully equipped with integrated audio-visual equipment these are elegant training and event spaces. A full day rate starts at just £90 for one, £158 for two rooms or £300 for the full

suite. Half day rates available!

For more information, bookings & viewings

Contact venue@thewo.org.uk or 0151 706 8100

@54StJamesStreet

/54StJamesStreet

The Women’s Organisation, 54 St James Street, Liverpool, L1 0AB

(Please note the building is located on St James Street and NOT James Street)

Disabled parking is available on request, places are limited so please call - 0151 706 8111 in advance to arrange. There is also on-street parking around the building subject to availability with a 2 hour maximum

stay between 8am and 6pm. For longer appointments or day courses there are three car parks nearby.

With the Support of:

@TheWomensOrg

/TheWomensOrganisation 0151 706 8111

hello@thewo.org.uk