Local scheme next year

Press, 29 May 1985, Page 35

Local scheme next year

A small-business scheme along the lines of that run in Scottish universities should begin next year. The scheme is being coordinated by the Canterbury Development Council, which has won the preliminary approval of the University of Canterbury to provide cooperation. The Scots scheme draws on a graduate population of about 10,000. The Canterbury scheme will be aimed chiefly at graduates and recent graduates of the University, Lincoln College, and Christchurch Polytechnic. It will be aimed at graduates and recent graduates, but will not be limited to them. Mr Doug Kerr, of the corporation, says other young people may be accepted into the programme in special cases. He expects about 20 applicants to be selected for the counselling stages, and a final two to be helped into business each year. Some seed capital may be made available to the final pair; how much will depend on individual cases and plans.

Mr Kerr expects the scheme to cost the corporation about 515,000 a year to administer. There will be further costs in payment of counsellors and advisers. The corporation will be seeking the support of local businesses. The scheme has an ideal chief at hand in Dr Bob Hamilton, of the university’s business administration department. He played a key role in the setting' up of the first graduates-into-business scheme, at Stirling University.

Professor Tom Cannon will be holding discussions with the planners of the Canterbury scheme over the next month.