WRC´s in Estonia Sirje Vällmann NGO ETNA Estonia 22. March 2016 Tallinn

Before FEM project - lack of resources for women Weak gender equality policy and unbalanced regional policy. Little awareness on state level about different needs of men and women in business. Entrepreneurship policy oriented to growth and creating the new jobs. Voice of the male dominated big companies.

But women want to have smaller firms - “lifestyle business”;... a woman starts a business to create a job for herself and/or her family; Lack of start-up resources – self-confidence, money, networks + entering into men’s world; Entrepreneurship support system offered by state did not work for women – ‘You need help to ask for a help’. FEM project – survey of female entrepreneurs, , N=604

Positive starting position 65-70% of entrepreneurs are men, but among ‘potential’ entrepreneurs men and women are represented equally.

Project``Women can`` how it started , 5 women Trainings: local trainings, senior trainers from Sweden, business fairs, business camp, study tour to Sweden, Gavle region, ALMI workshops in Pärnu, Viljandi ….

The aim of the FEM project To create a structure for the support of women’s entrepreneurship and to strengthen the role of women in local and regional development

Creating the support structure for women from ‘zero ground’ ‘One door shop’ – WRC is offering support, training, networking, knowledge about mentorgroups, microcredit and internationalisation Pärnu FEM NET Võru FEM NET Rapla FEM NET Tartu FEM NET Jõhvi FEM NET

Resource centres organisations Võrumaa Development Agency in Võru Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu Raplamaa Business Development Centre in Rapla Pärnu Farmers Union Advisory Centre (Ltd) in Pärnu Ida-Virumaa Farmers Union (Ngo) in Jõhvi

The Swedish model of female entrepreneurship development of female entrepreneurship promotion of a female view in the regional and social development sensibilisation for gender stereotypes and a gender view in politics to overcome the social isolation cooperation and networking of business women and female entrepreneurs to protect the existing businesses and to develop new products, new offers and services

to get support in starting up an own business and establish contacts with other business women to have a community with the network resourcen center in order to exchange experience to sensitize the partners in the network (local authorites, banks) for the special needs and situation of female entrepreneurs

Achievements in Estonia Raised awareness on state level – soft values in business, niche-entrepreneurship Strenghtened the voice of women in business and regional development Created the structure that meet the needs of women

Achievements in Estonia 800 women were activated 100 new enterprises and 300 developed enterprises

Something innovative Childcare in seminars and workshops Idea trips to neighbours on local and international level – breaking the barriers Summer schools for female entrepreneurs

Methodology for supporting women Knowledge about women’s needs Cooperation and contacts – synergy between project partners on transnational level FEM as pilot project for Estonia Experiences, success stories, best practices Competence on state level to go on...

Project ``New networks of Women Resource Centres (WRC) in Nordic area`` 2009 Partners from Sweden Networks and organisations in Malmö, Lund, Kristianstad Special thanks for Arja Niemi, Viia Delveus Regional Resource Centre for Women in Skåne Bodil Nilsson

ECULT - How to Get Cultural and Environmental Elements Strengthen Rural Tourism Estonia, Finland, Poland ECULT was a Learning Partnership project. It meant exchange experiences and learn from each others between the partners. So each one will be able to develop her own activities in training, councelling, advising etc. Võru WRC was engaged Train trainers Study tours Seminars Workshops

Young entrepreneurial women establishing working places Tamsalu 62 participants 30 trainers Used different methods for beginners in business Established PAIK NET

Cultural Heritage of Women and Entrepreneurship Origin WRC - Sweden ETNA, PAIK NET Latvia RWA Ideatrips, seminars Best practices, handbook, Workshops, Sonja Torstensson trained WRC leaders

Network of women entrepreneurs Our vision was to create a network of women entrepreneurs around the Baltic Sea, a network that expanded to more women after the project period (August 1, 2011 – June 30, 2013). The network based on communicating via Skype and Facebook to find business partners and exchange experiences.

project it is co-funded by European Commission; the aim was to encourage young women to start entrepreneurship; more information

ETNA shared experiencies and good practicies in Sakha Republik In Jakutsky University, NGO International Business-garden "Sakha-Microcredit" In Saskõlah (near the sea Laptevite) In Georgia, in Tel Avi – coorporation with organisation ´´Women in Georgia Regions´´

New WRC-s, after FEM project PAIK NET Järva NET- 2015

Thank you! NGO ETNA Estonia Member of WINNET Europe Facebook: Sirje Vällmann Skype: sirjevallmann