Completed

Entrepreneurship support measures in the Zemgale Planning Region

Zemgale Planning Region ·Latvia

€931k

Grant awarded

Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Cultural Cooperation

Programme

30 July 2021

Signed

About this project

<h2>Project objective</h2> To reduce social and economic disparities between the local governments of the Zemgale Planning Region (ZPR), strengthening the capacity of specialists and entrepreneurs and creating mechanisms for the development of innovation and business in the region. Target groups: municipalities, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations, including organizations representing employers, children and young people, schools and educators. Main activities: 1. Strengthening the capacity of the entrepreneurship centre and local governments. 2. Regional marketing promotion activities. 3. Regional mentoring of youth entrepreneurship. 4. Support to increase employment and competitiveness, implementing region-specific activities 5. Publicity. Results: <ul> <li style="text-align: justify">19 professional employees trained;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">entrepreneurship support capacity strengthened for 50% of local governments;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">entrepreneurship support capacity of the ZPR strengthened;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">2 experience exchange visits to Norway;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">6 training courses for the specialists of local governments;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">3 business situation games for the business specialists;</li> <li>38 enterprises supported with strengthened operational capacity;</li> <li>50% of local governments involved in regional promotion activities;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">2 trade missions organised;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">12 support days for local entrepreneurs organised;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">participation in 3 international exhibitions;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">6 training courses for entrepreneurs organised;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">40 seminars organised for entrepreneurs;</li> <li style="text-align: justify">10 persons supported for the development of local enterprises;</li> <li>the Youth Career Consultation and Motivation Centre of Jelgava City equipped;</li> <li>10 business idea generation workshops for young people in schools;</li> <li>3 business idea competitions for young people;</li> <li>the creation and maintenance of the co-creation area for young business talents;</li> <li>2 new ideas implemented (region-specific solutions):</li> <li>1  market for local manufacturers created in Jekabpils City;</li> <li>4 video tours created for the popularisation of Zemgale tourism entrepreneurship.</li> </ul>

Bilateral cooperation results

a. How the project benefited from having a donor project partner? Our project international partner was from Norway – NGO Innovation circle network. Zemgale Planning region has cooperated with this organization also in other projects and for long time of period, since 2007. Cooperation with NGO Innovation circle network was successful, project team and target groups were satisfied with organized visits in Norway. Also, NGO representatives were satisfied with possibility to participate in trade missions and Norwegian specialists were glad to hear the presentations from our Zemgale region NGOs. Our international partner visited Zemgale region schools and that was good experience for our pupils how to present business idea in English, how to learn things differently, how to cooperate. b. Describe the main results from a bilateral level. NGO Innovation circle network organized 2 visits in Norway. Norwegian partner organized 2 trade missions in Norway. Our international partner visited Zemgale region schools and that was good experience for our pupils how to present business idea in English, how to learn things differently, how to cooperate. c. Plans to continue the bilateral cooperation. We have received invitation from NGO Innovation circle network to participate in another project.

Project partners

Innovation Circle network Donor project partner· Norway
Jelgava City municipality Project partner· Latvia
Jekabpils City municipality Project partner· Latvia

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