Mentoring
in Latvia
The first mentoring program for entrepreneurs
in Latvia started in 2005, implemented by
the businesswomen and leaders association
“Lidere” in co-operation with
the Women’s Enterprise Agency (Finland)
and with the Ministry of Economics of the
Republic of Latvia.
The aim of the program is to support newly
started entrepreneurs and those who would
like to start their business in the cities
and regions of Latvia; support development
of new enterprises and work places; provide
the possibilities to get information and
consultations.
In April 2006, BPW Latvia started a mentoring
program for women entrepreneurs in technical
industries which is the focus of the project
“Diminishment of Profession Segregation
Causes”, and the framework of the
EQUAL program of EC in association with
“Lidere”.
In 2006 "Lidere" started two
more mentoring programs for entrepreneurs.
The second mentoring program started in
March 2006 matching 11 pairs – 19
mentees and 13 mentors. Three companies
were developed with expectations of establishing
another eight companies. Compared to the
first program, there has been an increase
of 37% young businessmen and 63% young businesswomen
as protégés /mentees. The
business spheres of protégés
/mentees are retail, real estate, information
and social spheres, delivery, non-traditional
agriculture, creative and entertainment
industry, and public catering.
There were twelve pairs for the first mentoring
program in February 2005 (six in Jelgava,
four in Riga and two in Rezekne). Through
the program framework, experienced businesswomen
(mentors) shared their experience and promoted
the mentoring concept in Latvia to the newly
established entrepreneurs.
"Lidere" Establishes
Mentoring in Latvia
January
2004:
- Representatives of Lidere
visited Women’s Enterprise
Agency (Finland) to get acquainted
with the practices of mentoring
programs for entrepreneurs;
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April
2004:
- Published the first bulletin
“Lidere” and organised
the conference “Let’s
Exchange Experiences”
for Latvian business women
to explain and demonstrate
the mentoring experiences
of other countries; organised
informative meetings for regional
women to explain mentoring
ideas and advantages;
|
July
2004:
- Conducted seminar “Would
you wish and could you be
a mentor?”. Lecturer
Ritva Nyberg, Managing Director
of Women’s Enterprise
Agency (Finland) |
March
2005:
- Translated, published
and launched the book “Many
Faces of Mentoring”
in Latvian and Russian by
Tuulikki Juusela, Tuula Lillia
and Jari Rinne. The first
book of its kind published
in Latvia.
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1st
Mentoring Meeting for Latvian
Entrepreneurs
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The
Beginning of Mentoring for
BPW Latvia
- In early 2005, Association
Lidere and Women’s Enterprise
Agency signed an agreement
on implementing the first
mentoring program for entrepreneurs
in Latvia based on the methodologies
developed by the Women’s
Enterprise Agency.
|
-
In February 2005: Trained
co-ordinators for the program
- March 19, 2005: Start-up
seminar for the first 12 pairs
- Introduced the idea to the
Women’s Club of Rezekne
SENTIO and Jelgava Regional
Adult Education centre
There were 12 pairs for the
first mentoring program in
February 2005 (six in Jelgava,
four in Riga and two in Rezekne).
Through the program framework,
experienced businesswomen
(mentors) shared their experience
and supported to newly established
entrepreneurs. |
|
Supplementary activities to promote
mentoring in Latvia
 |
In
October, the first Baltic Mentors Conference
took place in Riga where participants
from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland,
Austria and the United States attended.
|
The Association “Lidere”, in
collaboration with a market and social research
centre “Latvijas Fakti”, executed
a research project “Evaluation of
Mentoring”, in which the following
goals were clarified:
(1) The advantages and disadvantages of
a mentoring program from the point of view
of mentors and protégés /mentees;
(2) Mentors’ characteristics as viewed
by mentors and protégés’/mentees’
characteristics as viewed by mentors;
(3) Mentors’ and protégés
/mentees’ personal qualities, which
either encourage or impede co-operation;
(4) Mentors’ and protégés’/mentees’
capabilities as an “ideal mentor”
and an “ideal protégés
/mentee”. Ten mentors and ten protégés
/mentees were interviewed during the research.
| “Year
of Mentoring -2006” |
 |
The award was established to promote the
mentoring idea in Latvia and thank those
mentors who contributed to the development
of entrepreneurship in Latvia.
More information on the 1st Baltic Mentors
Conference and the research on “Evaluation
of Mentoring” can be found on: http://www.lidere.lv/en_mentorings.html
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