Welsh ICE and Cardiff University Team Up to Launch Student-Led Social Enterprise Program

Welsh ICE and Cardiff University have announced their partnership on a new 5-9 Club program designed to support student-led social enterprises in Cardiff. The 5-9 Club is usually an eight-week after-hours course specifically designed to provide entrepreneurs with the essential knowledge and support required to make their business ideas successful.

This special version of the course began on the 21st of March and will continue to run every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5-9pm for four weeks. The 5-9 Club will cover all the fundamental areas of starting a business, including idea generation, entrepreneurship, marketing, branding, funding, business plans, and much more.

One unique feature of this programme is its socially focused element. This aspect of the programme is particularly important as social enterprises play a crucial role in addressing local issues through trading and then reinvesting the income they earn into the things that matter to them.

The course will be taught by industry experts and like-minded individuals in a supportive and fun environment. The 5-9 Club culminates with a pitch night where participants will be invited to share their ideas with experts. This pitch night provides valuable industry insight, professional contacts, and positive feedback to help guide the participants on their entrepreneurial journey.

On the partnership, Georgina Moorcroft from Student Futures at the University said:

“We are excited to be working with Welsh ICE who are providing this fantastic opportunity for our students. It is great that we can develop this partnership with shared goals of supporting Cardiff University students and graduates to develop vital skills in setting up their own businesses. This social enterprise programme will provide an additional level of support to what we offer currently and we look forward to seeing what ideas are born out of this new partnership.”

ICE Academy Manager, Tom Phillips, believes that developing an entrepreneurial skill set has always been a powerful tool. He said:

“Whether it’s to apply to an existing role, tackle a social issue, or to create something completely new for yourself, taking that entrepreneurial approach could be the big difference. The need for more socially conscious entrepreneurs has been evident over recent years, and are dynamic components of the Welsh economy. 

Addressing local issues through trading and then reinvesting the income they earn into the things that matter to them. I’m extremely excited to be leading on this partnership with Cardiff University, and look forward to helping their students and graduates achieve their goals and create profit for purpose.”

This is the first 5-9 Club Welsh ICE has run in Cardiff, a notable partnership for the organisation. The ICE Academy has successfully supported 850 individuals in the South Wales Valleys to pursue self-employment since 2019. A diverse range of individuals have benefitted from the program, including 739 women, 174 under-25s, 122 over-50s, and 121 individuals with diagnosed physical or invisible disabilities.

Welsh ICE is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.

For more information about Welsh ICE, you can call 02920 140 040, email hello@welshice.org or go to www.welshice.org.