Lisbon Mile Second Presentation

Mainstreaming the results of Equal on Entrepreneurship

Peter ramsden

Community of Practice on Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Amadora 28° February 2008

What is Copie?• An open network for people in Europe who are passionate

about widening opportunity for entrepreneurship

• Bringing together policy makers, practitioners, advisers, municipalities, managing authorities

• Developing an action planning methodology for use at city or regional level

• Working in a structured way to build and share good practice and using web tools to help

• Also using a diagnostic assessment tool that brings user views of weaknesses in the enterprise support environment

Background to the COP

• 5 years of managing authorities and partnerships working together on the Equal Thematic Group on Business Creation

• Around 300 partnerships that have innovated on the ground.

• Wide network of 11 managing authorities and 8 National Thematic Groups that are used to working together

• Experience of organising events and workshops (London, Warsaw, Amsterdam, Hannover)

• Above all commitment to working together on entrepreneurship

Evolution of COPIE

• COP proposal accepted December 2006 and granted €300,000 for 12 months. Starts Jan 2007

• Five founding partners: Flanders, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Wales)

• France, Wallonia, Greece, Netherlands observers

Integrated Business Support

Access to Finance

Culture + Conditions

Entrepreneurial ladder out of social exclusion

Consolidation & Growth

Stages of setting up a business

3 parts of the tool to take the lessons forward

• An assessment matrix to look at the strengths and weaknesses of entrepreneurship support from the point of view of under-represented groups

• Good practice exchange methodology

• Working towards action plans for inclusive entrepreneurship

Background on cooperation in the ESF

• Around 3-4 billion euros. Similar size to EQUAL• But no calls (unlike Regional Fund

ERDF/FEDER)• Decentralisation to Member States• Contact points and data base• Support for joint work in themes of EU interest• COPIE is one of seven pilot COP’s. The only

thematic one• New Call for COPs in early 2008

The snowball is growing

“To continue their work till 2013, I believe we need to build a platform for inclusive entrepreneurship in the new Structural Funds period”. Nikolaus van der Pas

“We need to see the COPIE tool applied everywhere.” Alun Michael. Welsh MP and former cabinet minister.

“The Entrepreneurship for All platform must be a permanent, staffed structure, not an ad hoc one”.Jan Olsson, rapporteur of the EU Economic and Social Committee

Exploring the experience of selected target groups

• Formerly unemployed• Women• Migrants and ethnic minorities• 50 plus• Young people • Under 30• People with disabilities• Social enterprises • Other groups can be added (e.g. ex offenders)

Four tables in the matrixOne page per stakeholder

Where? What ? Who fills it in? How many questions?

Page 1 Enterprise ecology data Experts 50

Page 2 Four parts of the ladder 10 Policy makers 20

Page 3 Four parts of the ladder

15 Business advisers

30

Page 4 Four parts of the ladder 50 Entrepreneurs – half from equal, half outside

20

Scoring specific question on the matrix

PAGE 3 SPECIALIST ADVISERS FILL IN THE COLUMNS THAT THEY DEAL WITH        

THEMES Statementno specific target group Unemployed women

migrants and ethnic minorities 50 plus

CREATING THE CULTURE FOR ENTRE-PRENEURSHIP

Schools have introduced entrepreneurship into the curriculum          

 Teachers have been trained to work on enterprise issues          

 Specially adapted teaching materials have been developed          

 Children/ students are able to form real or simulated companies to learn about trading          

 Businesses are regularly involved in school activities.          the subject of setting up a business is presented comprehensively and regularly by both regional and national media

events and trade fairs targeted at start ups take place regularly          

First results of the Assessment Matrix

• Rapid appraisal –8 weeks start to finish, 15 minutes to 1 hour• Engages the key stakeholders: policy makers, business advisers,

entrepreneurs• Provides 360 degree view based on different perceptions of system• Enjoyable and interesting • Generates evidence and data on which to base policy dialogue and

practical actions • Comprehensive results that identify service weaknesses for key

groups

• But difficult to mobilise stakeholders to produce action plans for inclusive entrepreneurshipp

1

2

3

4

Unemployed Women Migrants andethnic

minorities

50 plus Youngpeople under

30

People w ithdisabilities

Socialenterprises

Average score for target group Total average score (all target groups)

Figure 3: Specialist advisors’ view on entrepreneurship culture by target group

Traffic light scoring

 ENTREPRENEURS/USERS                

Start Up support

no specific target group

Unemp-

loyedWome

n

migrants and

ethnic minoritie

s50

plus

Young people

under 30

People with

disabilities

Social Enter-prises

Aver-age

score

The advice system is easy to access and to get around 2.00 4.00 2.88 2.00 2.25 3.78 4.00 2.00 2.86

The business support available is friendly and answers my needs 1.00 4.00 3.38 2.50 3.25 4.00 2.00 2.00 2.77

I have had access to a mentor 1.00 3.60 3.00 2.50 2.50 3.44 1.00 1.00 2.26

Specialised training and materials are available which meets my needs 1.00 3.00 2.88 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 2.73

It is possible for me to obtain recognition and accreditation for training and experience which reflects my real skills 2.00 3.00 2.25 1.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 2.16

There are affordable business premises with easy to enter conditions (short leases, etc) 1.00 3.40 2.13 2.50 1.50 3.11 1.00 2.00 2.08

 AVERAGE SCORE 1.43 3.40 2.82 2.21 2.43 3.32 2.14 2.29 2.50

Good practice clickable matrix

Current Activity

Implementing the tool in • Spain Extremadura, Andalusia and Pais Vasco, • Czech Republic Moravia, • Portugal, Norte, Algarve • Germany Brandenburg and Rheinland Pfalz • Romania to be determined• Ireland completed and reporting

Other COPIE activity

1. Exploring new regions and cities…. 2. Improve the bank of good practice and put it on Wikia.Copie3. Go interactive on our website with NING4. Case studies and success stories5. Develop new exchange sub groups

– enterprise education– Regulation and welfare bridge to self employment– Social economy /business creation hybrid models (incubators, starter firms)– Finance and management (micro-finance, financial literacy)– Quality assurance (for advisers and support systems)– Area based approaches (markets, streets)-

6. Develop action plan methodology for inclusive entrepreneurship

7. Prepare for new proposal COPIE 2

Thankyou

Temporary website atwww.cop.downloadarea.eu

http://copie.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Contact:Paul Soto [email protected]

Peter Ramsden [email protected]