CyberWise support for SMEs in Ards and North Down area
Free mentoring and practical cyber support are available to small and medium-sized businesses in the Ards and North Down Borough Council area.
CyberWise programme to improve cyber confidence of local businesses
Ards and North Down Borough Council is fully funding a cyber security mentoring programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the area.
The programme will help SMEs improve their digital security and resilience by providing practical, hands-on support over four months. Participants will benefit from:
- cyber security readiness assessment to identify risks and vulnerabilities
- 15 hours of one-to-one mentoring with a certified cyber security specialist
- workshops on resilience, incident response and business continuity
- a tailored improvement plan, aligned with the Cyber Essentials framework
The programme is designed for non-technical users and focuses on realistic, achievable steps to reduce risk.
Who can apply
To be eligible, your business must:
- be an SME with 1–250 employees
- be based within Ards and North Down Borough Council
- operate in any sector, including manufacturing, retail, hospitality, digital or professional services
Places are limited. Priority will go to eligible businesses that submit a strong application and can demonstrate the strategic benefit of taking part.
The programme will run from December 2025 to March 2026.
Applications for Cohort 1 close on Wednesday 3 December 2025.
Eligible businesses can express their interest on the CyberWise website.
First published 25 November 2025