The services provided to our clients and the wider MSME sector include:
Technical Assistance & Advice
A series of capacity building and institutional strengthening services, including business counselling and advice, business proposal and business plan writing, marketing, promotional activities, preparation support to participate in trade shows and exhibitions (CARIFESTA, Trade Missions, etc.).
Advocacy & Lobbying
Represent the sector to Government to facilitate an improved regulatory and administrative environment for the MSME sector. Lobby and advocate the wider business community on the behalf of MSMEs in the areas of contract negotiations, access to finance, supplier agreements, among other areas.
Training & Education
The CED focuses on building the capacity of our clients and offers education and training activities to equip MSME owners to manage their businesses. Training is offered in the form of physical and virtual classroom sessions and business clinics.
The CED regularly offers seminars and workshops in:
• Getting Ready to Start a Business
• Government and Your Business
• Essential Legislation: Laws that Affect Your Business
• Customer Service Excellence
• Financial Management Module I: Establishing Best Practices in Costing and Pricing
• Financial Management Module II: Introduction to Recordkeeping
• Financial Management Module III: Financial Statement Analysis, Budgeting & Forecasting for Business Planning and Risk Management
• Writing a Business Plan
• Micro Business Simulation Game
• Design Thinking to Develop a Business
• Lean Canvas
• Supervisory Management Techniques for the Private and Public Sector
• Effective HR Management
• Digital Transformation: Leveraging Technology for MSME Management
• The Essential of Business Communication
• Marketing Your Business
• The Management of Change
• Good Manufacturing Practices
• Leadership
• Corporate Etiquette
Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Training (YOUBET)
The goal of YOUBET is to expose young people to entrepreneurial and business education as a means of encouraging them to seek alternative avenues for employment creation and income generation. The programme also seeks to nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship.
This programme targets unemployed youth; youth who own businesses or who may wish to start businesses. It is held in collaboration with government departments, schools and community organizations.
Community Programme for Entrepreneurial Development (CPED)
Through this programme, the CED aims to assist rural communities to generate wealth by equipping residents with the necessary knowledge and skills to start and operate successful enterprises in their communities.
CPED provides a forum for participants to acquire the necessary information that would be required before engaging in a business activity. It also encourages an approach to entrepreneurship that requires proper planning. In addition, this programme seeks to facilitate the development of a culture of entrepreneurship in St. Vincent and the Grenadines through the creation of viable MSMEs, and in the growth and development of such existing businesses.