The European Tool for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

6th march 2009Peter Ramsden

Freiss Ltd

The Issuedespite the large amounts of money spent by the Social Fund on entrepreneurship under EQUAL, there is a strong risk that the measures supported will be dispersed among a series of isolated measures which do not add up to a coherent strategy for entrepreneurship - particularly at the lower end of the market.

(Paul Soto March 2005 Amsterdam)

Our proposal for EQUAL in 2005

• A diagnostic tool• A combination of the two approaches• A way of looking at a Member State or Regional

enterprise support system• Identifies strengths and weaknesses• Cross Member State comparisons become

possible• Diagnostic element on what needs to be

prioritised

Entrepreneurial ladder out of exclusion

Integrated Business Support

Access to Finance

Culture + Conditions

Markets

Stages of setting up a business

The Tool look at experience of 8 target groups

• Formerly unemployed• Women• Migrants and ethnic minorities• 50 plus• Young people • Under 30• People with disabilities• Social enterprises

Four tables in the toolOne page per stakeholder

Where? Who fills it in?

How many questions?

Page 1 Experts 50

Page 2 Policy makers 30

Page 3 Business advisers

30

Page 4 Entrepreneurs

25

Results of the European tool

• Rapid appraisal – 4-6 weeks start to finish, 15 minutes to 30 minutes

• Engages your key stakeholders: policy makers, business advisers, entrepreneurs

• Enjoyable and interesting • Generates evidence and data on which to base policy

dialogue and practical actions • Comprehensive results that cover all target groups

Set up phase

• Form a tool support group• Select region to be studied• Select consultant for 30-40 days• Agree target group focus• Translate the tool into national language• Identify lists of interviewees of policy makers• Sample clients and obtain phone numbers• Notify key people that the study is taking place, its

purpose and potential results

Implementation phase

• Start interviewing business advisers (focus group and written)

• Interview clients by phone• Interview policy makers face to face• Carry out analysis using excel of responses –

prepare graphs and tables• Analyse written responses• Produce final report according to template

Dissemination phase

• Produce a summary emphasising the recommendations

• Put up results on website locally and for COPIE • Send final report to key stakeholders and

respondents• Hold stakeholder meeting• Keep up the pressure using the tool support

group

Traffic light scoring ENTREPRENEURS                

Start Up support

no specific target group

Unemp-loyed Women

migrants and

ethnic minorities 50 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

Asturias conclusion

• Advisors identified a lack of mentors and coaches with real business experience, recruited from the community

• Lack of quality standards for business consulting. • Weaknesses in support for immigrants and

ethnic minorities• Strong efforts in the schools with good

programmes but there were no visits to schools by entrepreneurs

Table 1 Regions that worked with the COPIE European tool from 2007

Phase 1 January -May 2007

Expert Version comments

UK Wales Caryl Cresswell V1 Report completed and on website

D Berlin Mitte Norbert Kunz and Stephanie

Koenen

V1 Report completed and on website

ES Asturias rafael.rossi.ext@juntadeandalucia.esRafael Vigil Alvarez, Virginia Jimenez Guijarro

V1 Report completed and on website

B Flanders Stephanie Devisscher and (IDEA

Consult),

V1 Report completed and on website

P Lisbon Prof Jose Manuel Henriques V1 Report completed and on website

Phase 1.5 Summer 2007

Ireland (Limerick, Longford,

Dublin)

Dominic Mullan (Lorne Patterson

from Longford)

V2 Glossy publication, no MA involvement

Phase 2 December - April 2008

Es Basque Country Inigo Urkidi and V1 Presented bxl april 08

Es Andalusia Rafael Rossi MA Victoria Trillo V1 Presented bxl april 08

Es Extremadura Virginia Jimenez Guijarro,

Angeles Mejia Garcia Hiero,

V1 Presented bxl april 08

D Rhineland Palatinate Ralf Saenger and Heike

Bennewitz

V2 adapted Presented bxl april 08

Cz Ustecky Oto Potluka V3 (translated) Presented bxl april 08

Phase 3 After April 2008

UK Northamptonshire (EM) Simon Denny University of

Northampton

V3 Ongoing (stalled)

D Brandenburg Norbert Kunz and Stephanie

Koenen (funded by German

ministry of labour Bettina

Reuter)

V3 (translated) Report completed?

P Norte Carlos Ribeiro (funded by EQUAl

Maria de Carmo Nunes)

V3 (translated) Reported at Nov 08 Porto meeting

It Venice MILE project contact in city of

Venice Mara Vittoria and Roberta

Capuis

V3 adapted (target group

migrants)

Used for MILE local action plan reported june 08

in brussels

Issues with the tool• Some successes – General awareness of specific needs has

increased, Results have informed dialogue• Welsh focus on ageing and disability• Norte – establishment of regional group on inclusive

entrepreneurship• Some improvements in coordination• Also challenges• Slow set-up because of problems procuring experts • Getting the right people to be ‘owners of process’ (MAs, IBs, DPs,

Providers)• Lack of follow through on results• More connection needed with ESF and ERDF