A University of Aberdeen student who has turned her passion for helping people into a business is in the running for a £75,000 top prize in this year's Santander Universities 2021 Entrepreneurship Awards.
Gosia Little started her new business WeeChange in June last year, while in her first year of a Postgraduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling from the University and while working as a volunteer counsellor for Childline.
Offering multilingual counselling and coaching, the business builds on Gosia’s interest in and passion for helping people achieve their individual potential.
The Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards is one of the UK’s largest student and graduate business pitching competitions, with universities allowed to put forward just one start-up business involving a student or graduate.
As the University’s chosen candidate, Gosia will be involved in a number of networking and pitching events, to build up her skills ahead of the selection of eight finalists who will compete at the competition’s National Final, which is held in October in London.
All finalists will receive funding for their business, with six finalists receiving £5000, the runner-up £50,000, and the winner £75,000.
Speaking about her experience of starting up a new business during the pandemic, Gosia said:
“I believe that the Covid-19 situation has helped raise awareness about importance of mental health and its impact on people’s lives, and I felt a calling to help people.
“I found that any time is good to start new venture if you are clear with your vision and your purpose, and for me virtual networking was effective and fruitful as I was able to reach out to many people that I would not be able to speak to face to face.
She added: “Ultimately I am delighted to be given any opportunity that allows me to be brave and ambitious, and trusting in my business gave me a boost of confidence that my dreams are closer to becoming reality.
“As a student of person-centred counselling, I am proud to represent the University of Aberdeen in promoting the importance of diversity and inclusion in wellbeing and mental health.”