What does long-term business growth actually look like for SME leaders? For more than 330 participants on a high-impact leadership and management course at UWE Bristol, it has meant building stronger strategies, more resilient teams, and lasting peer networks that continue well beyond the classroom.
The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 12‑week, 90% funded programme that gives SME leaders the skills, confidence, and support to take their business to the next level. Delivered across the UK by Small Business Charter-accredited business schools, to date it has helped over 10,000 leaders strengthen their strategy, sharpen operations, and accelerate growth. With a mix of online and in‑person sessions, dedicated 1:1 mentoring, and practical, ready‑to‑use tools, the course is built to deliver real impact from day one.
At UWE Bristol Business School, the course is delivered by academics and industry experts, with a focus on strategy, innovation, digital adoption, financial management, and leading people.
This year marks a milestone for the course. Now entering its sixth year of delivery at UWE Bristol, the programme has so far supported 330 business leaders to complete the course – each bringing their own challenges, ambitions, and ideas for the future of their organisations.
Since 2020, we’ve welcomed SME leaders from across the region and from a huge variety of sectors. Some arrived from organisations of five people, others from organisations of more than 200. That mix has always been one of the strengths of the programme: leaders learn as much from each other as they do from the curriculum itself.
A network that doesn’t disappear after 12 weeks
One of the clearest signs of the programme’s impact is the strength of the community that has formed around it. With an established national and local Alumni Programme, participants are offered learning and networking opportunities through varied content and events once the 12 week course ends.
Individual cohort communities also continue to support each other – members of Cohort 8, who completed the course in March 2021, still meet every month for peer support sessions. They’ve spoken at alumni events, and two members of the group are now launching a joint venture together.
This particular group shows that what starts as a structured programme can become an invaluable ongoing source of support, accountability, and collaboration.
Real change inside real businesses
Over the years, participants have used the course to tackle some major turning points in their organisations. Some have been preparing for succession, others exploring employee‑ownership models. One business has since transitioned to full employee ownership, using the course as a springboard for that journey.
Many alumni have also stayed connected with UWE Bristol through other opportunities. One has taken part in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership, others have worked with our student consultancy teams, and many have joined additional funded skills programmes such as Skills Bootcamps, Made Smarter, and the Leadership Fundamentals Programme. A number have even returned as guest speakers, panellists, or case study contributors – helping shape the experience for future cohorts.
“From the first session, I felt less overwhelmed with my workload, and gained clarity on how I needed to structure my business, and remove myself from the day-to-day in order to focus on the bigger picture.
The course has more value than you could imagine – the advice, experience, insights, resources and the mentorship hours you get access to is so worth it. The peer group you graduate with is also an incredible resource. The company I started the course with looks quite different to the company I completed the course with.”
Lou Fitzpatrick, Director at PrePitched
Mentoring that makes a difference
Mentoring is a core part of Help to Grow, with each participant having the opportunity to access 10 hours of 1:1 mentoring during their time on the course – and it’s been a real success story. Our mentors bring a wealth of experience, and the relationships they build with participants often continue long after the course ends. One of our Help to Grow alumni was recently named as a finalist at the National Mentoring Matters Awards, and one of our mentors recently won a national award, crediting his success to the work he did with his mentee through the programme:
“For me, the mentoring element of Help to Grow is where the learning becomes real leadership – it’s the bridge between knowing what to do and actually putting it into action. I joined Help to Grow to give back, but mentoring has turned into an unexpected long term partnership that has added value to both of our businesses.”
Olly Reid, Co-Founder of HUM4NS and Mentor on the Help to Grow: Management Course
Looking ahead
Reaching 330 alumni is something we’re very proud of – not just because of the number itself, but because of what it represents. It reflects hundreds of hours of learning, collaboration, and problem‑solving. It reflects businesses that are more resilient, more confident, and better connected. And it reflects a community of leaders who continue to support one another long after the course has finished.
As we enter our sixth year of delivery, the programme continues to grow and evolve. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to supporting SMEs across the region and helping leaders build the skills, networks, and confidence they need to take their organisations forward.
We’re excited to see what the next year of Help to Grow brings, and to continue working with the businesses and people who make Help to Grow what it is.
We’re thrilled to be delivering a new Help to Grow: Management Course cohort, starting in July 2026.