Last month in EnterpriseUpfront we featured an overview of The Association of Community Based Business Advice, this month we focus on the philosophy and practices of the Sirolli Institute’s Enterprise Facilitation model®.
The basic principles of Sirolli are that:
- You can not help anyone who does not want to be helped
Within every community there are people who have the skills and the passion to achieve their goals - Within every community there are people who are willing to share their skills in order to help each other.
Enterprise Facilitation® is a mechanism which allows communities to effectively engage with local citizens who have ideas to start or expand enterprises.
The Sirolli Institute will not visit a community unless it is invited to. Therefore Enterprise Facilitation® begins with a community leader becoming aware of the model and seeking further information which is often through a one day introductory Enterprise Facilitation workshop®.
When a community decides to establish an Enterprise Facilitator it forms a management team who have responsibility for securing funding for the project. The management team are then trained in the philosophy and practices of Enterprise Facilitation® and are taught how to recruit their full time Enterprise Facilitator.
An Enterprise Facilitator never initiates contact with a client, they are passive until approached. It is therefore imperative that they are visible and accessible in their local community and have the support of a volunteer network. The Enterprise Facilitator will provide a client with confidential, competent business management advice and will refer a client to specialists for advice on other areas.
The Enterprise Facilitation model® focuses on supporting clients to fulfil the Trinity of Management® (product/service, sales and finance). It does not train clients in these areas it supports them in their implementation.
This is done with the support of a volunteer team who are specialist in their area and are interested in the betterment of the community. The team are trusted members of the community and can be representatives from private and public sector networks and businesses. The volunteer team agree to introduce the Enterprise Facilitator to their network and to a monthly meeting with the aim of supporting clients with their experience and networks.
Enterprise Facilitation® conveys an important message to the client that successful business is always a team effort. The Institute reports that businesses who participate in an Enterprise Facilitation project® are more robust and have sustainability rates of 80% or better after 5 years.
For further information on the Sirolli Institute visit www.sirolli.com