A successful business owner, Alina Chirvase, originally from Romania but now based in London, is one of 5,000 mentors helping other businesses shine as part of the government’s Help to Grow: Management course.

Speaking of her background which makes her all the more equipped as a mentor, Alina, said: “I have a double specialisation in philology and marketing, as well as a master’s degree in business communications. My first job was in television in Bucharest, Romania, as an editor, reporter and then a copywriter.

“I learned the basics of corporate communication as a PR manager at Ogilvy PR, and then I led communications for a creative industries NGO. That was for about 10 years.

“I co-founded two creative businesses, which gave me the confidence to start a branding studio eight years ago. I’ve worked with large clients, including Heineken, LG and Vodafone, and with many entrepreneurial indie brands. This is where I feel I can bring real value and make a difference.”

Alina wanted to become a mentor after feeling the need to be in touch with the real difficulties organisations face, the desire to share what I’ve learnt and a genuine interest in finding better ways of doing business.

According to the Office for National Statistics, improving and developing management practices can result in a productivity boost of up to 10 per cent. *

The Help to Grow: Management Course offers senior business leaders one-to-one support from an experienced and fully rated business mentor included in 50 hours of leadership and management training across 12 weeks, with the government covering 90% of the costs involved. Training is delivered via a national network of over 50 business schools.

Emma Jones, founder of small business support platform Enterprise Nation, part of the consortium of businesses contracted to recruit volunteer mentors for the course, said: “It’s so important right now for businesses to be able to access high quality support like this.

“The Help to Grow: Management Course online platform allows businesses to find the perfect mentor so they can start to put what they have learned into practice.”

A digital platform uses data and weighting technology to pair businesses with mentors based on location, sector, and mentoring support required. Mentors sign up on a voluntary basis and offer a commitment of 10 hours, over 12 weeks, plus time to engage in training offered by the Association of Business Mentors.

In exchange for offering their time and experience, voluntary Help to Grow: Management Course mentors receive significant value in the form of industry recognised mentor training, access to qualified content, networking opportunities with other mentors, and the possibility to join a national effort aimed at supporting the growth of the UK economy by increasing small businesses’ productivity.

Led by business support group Newable and including Enterprise Nation and the Association of Business Mentors the consortium has been appointed by the Government to develop a national network of business leaders and experts who will share their skills and experience with firms on the practical management training course.