Migrant Women in Business

A start-up project for aspiring women entrepreneurs in West Yorkshire

Project background

Migration Yorkshire has been awarded a 9-month contract by West Yorkshire Combined Authority to deliver an entrepreneurship project for migrant women. It’s a pioneering project whose results will help inform the design of future start-up provision in West Yorkshire.   

We know that aspiring entrepreneurs from migrant communities struggle to enter mainstream business support. Migrant women are especially disadvantaged when trying to access relevant support. The Migrant Women in Business project will offer tailored support to aspiring entrepreneurs as well as help build a bridge between migrant communities, business support agencies and financial institutions.  

Project structure

As part of the project, we will be offering:

6 x 2 hour group workshops (online & face to face) for each participant.
6 hours of 1:1 mentoring support for each participant.
Access to peer support and business networks, including The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN).
Opportunity to apply for an interest free loan at the end of the project, through Skylight Venture.

Who is eligible

We'd like to hear from women who have a business idea but need help to get started.

To be eligible for this project, you need to live in West Yorkshire and either:

Have arrived to the UK as a refugee (this includes indefinite leave to remain, temporary and humanitarian protection, and resettlement programmes including: UKRS, ACRS, ARAP, Community Sponsorship).
Be a Hong Kong BN(O) status holder
Have arrived through the Ukraine Family Scheme, Homes for Ukraine or Ukraine Extension Scheme.

We are also able to consider your application if it is likely you would have applied for asylum but are currently on a family or spousal visa.

How to apply

We are currently recruiting the first group of participants. If you’re interested, please fill in this form by midnight on Tuesday 13th February. We will review each submission and invite shortlisted applicants for a short informal chat (online) on one of the following dates: 21st, 22nd, 28th & 29th February.

If you have any questions or need help with filling in this form, please email ewa.lelontko@migrationyorkshire.org.uk.

Project partners

This project is funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Migration Yorkshire is the leading partner and The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN), Skylight Venture and University of Leeds (Dr Deema Refai, Leeds University Business School) are the supporting partners.