COVID-19 VIC: Business – Business Recovery and Resilience Mentoring

This program aims to help small businesses navigate the economic challenges posed by restrictions to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). It will be delivered in partnership with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

This program helps businesses:
- Build customised strategies for recovery, market transformation, digital literacy, supply chain diversification and upskilling of existing employees.
- Mitigate risks and financial exposure.
- Connect to other Government support and local professional services.

The program offers tailored guidance on:
- Business recovery – to strengthen business recovery (cost reduction, debt and cashflow management).
- Market transformation – to understand how coronavirus (COVID-19) has triggered or accelerated market changes.
- Digital literacy and engagement – to help businesses reach new customers and markets.
- Market and supply chain diversification – to reduce exposure to supply chain risks.
- Reskilling and retraining – to help businesses upskill their existing workforce.

Eligible business owners will be matched with an experienced professional who will provide them with up to four one-on-one mentoring sessions over a three-month period. Each session will last for two hours.

Before being assigned a mentor, applicants will be asked to complete a brief diagnostic tool designed to assess the specific needs of their business recovery. Following the initial session, applicants will be provided with a detailed action plan, with advice specifically tailored to the individual needs of their business.

Mentoring sessions will be conducted by phone, video conferencing and if appropriate, face-to-face.

Applicants will also be connected with further support for their business as needed. This may include financial counselling, digital expertise and coaching, and mental health support and training.

The mentor will then schedule up to three follow-up sessions with the applicant over the following three months to check on their progress, and provide additional support and guidance as needed.

Eligible applicants include owners of small businesses with less than 20 full-time employees. For the purposes of the program, a small business owner can be a sole trader, partnership, private company or trust that operates a small business. Twenty full-time employees means the total of all standard hours worked by all employees (whether full-time or part-time) in standard hours as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Businesses must also:
- Hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Not be a public company, charitable business (one that does not operate to make a profit) or body corporate under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997.
- Intend to re-establish or continue operating in Victoria.