Oldham Women Launch Businesses Through Groundbreaking FreelanceHER Programme

Women across Oldham are building their own businesses through FreelanceHER, a fully funded programme that removes barriers to entrepreneurship and equips participants with essential skills and confidence for self-employment.

The initiative comes through a partnership between Oldham-based charity Support and Action for Women’s Network (SAWN) and professional technology skills provider IN4 Group, bringing the award-winning programme to local women. FreelanceHER, developed by IN4, has already supported over 400 women across Greater Manchester and the UK in their journey to self-employment.

The programme specifically targets women from underrepresented and diverse backgrounds, offering expert-led workshops, peer mentoring, and hands-on business development support. Through SAWN, which works extensively with women from the African diaspora community and those facing social and economic challenges, FreelanceHER delivers culturally aware support to those who need it most in Oldham.

Participants receive tailored guidance on starting and growing businesses, covering entrepreneurial mindset, business planning, digital marketing, and financial management. The support comes at a critical time - recent figures show 11 per cent of economically active women in Greater Manchester are unemployed, while the region’s overall economic inactivity rate stands at 28.6 per cent, higher than the national average of 21.6 per cent. Additionally, 58 per cent of low-paid workers in Greater Manchester are women.

“The barriers to self-employment can often feel insurmountable for many women, particularly those who are new to the UK or have experienced challenges such as domestic violence or financial hardship,” said Rose Ssali, CEO of SAWN. “By bringing FreelanceHER to Oldham, we have done more than offer training; we have opened doors to economic independence, self-confidence and long-term stability for these women.”

Since 2007, SAWN has championed the welfare of first-generation Black African women and families in Oldham, supporting more than 2,000 people in the past year alone to access vital services and opportunities.

Alana Borkwood, Director of Enterprise Programmes at IN4 Group, said: “IN4 Group is dedicated to creating equitable access to entrepreneurship for women across the North West. Partnering with SAWN has allowed us to extend this opportunity with FreelanceHER to Oldham’s aspiring entrepreneurs, ensuring they receive the support, skills, and community connections they need to thrive.”

The programme is funded by the £2.6bn UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the UK government’s commitment to levelling up all parts of the UK by investing in communities, people, places and businesses.

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