The aim of the Accelerate Management Development programme administered by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) is to provide owner/managers with the management, leadership, business skills and knowledge to achieve sustainability and growth in their business. The programme helps participants to address their business challenges effectively and to develop and grow their business.
Through the Programme, LEO clients gain a greater understanding of:
- Customer value proposition and future growth challenges
- Marketing their business
- Continuous improvement
- Developing the business owner/manager and their entrepreneurial capabilities
- Sales and selling techniques
- Managing finances
- Developing their business needs.
The programme is delivered over a six to nine month timeframe by the LEOs (comprising of seven workshops and six mentor consultations).
The Accelerate programme was delivered by 19 LEOs (then City and County enterprise Boards) during 2013: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork City, Cork North, Cork South, Cork West, Donegal, Dublin City, Dublin South, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Fingal, Kilkenny, Limerick County, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Tipperary North and Tipperary South. Some of these programmes were delivered on a regional basis, e.g., Carlow/Kilkenny and some ran more than one programme, e.g., Dublin region undertook three programmes. In 2014 to date, the Accelerate was run in by the following LEOs: Cork City, South Cork, Dublin region, Longford and Leitrim, Louth, Waterford City & County and Westmeath.
On average there are 12 participants on each Accelerate programme. Over 200 participants completed the Accelerate programme during 2013 with some additional stand-alone modules also undertaken.
The total cost of providing a complete Accelerate programme is €17,000, which covers all training and mentoring costs for up to 12 participants. At just over €1,400 per participant this fee covers all workshops, six one-to-one mentor sessions and Accelerate materials, including a manual and all PowerPoint hand-outs, etc. Participants generally pay a fee to participate (on average €300-€400). Costs may be shared across a number of LEOs depending on the numbers participating in the programme.
An internal evaluation of Accelerate is conducted routinely, with feedback on each programme module and an overall evaluation conducted at the close of the programme with each participant. The LEO Centre of Excellence at Enterprise Ireland is scheduling a comprehensive value for money and impact analysis on the Accelerate programme in 2015.
