Best initiatives of entrepreneurship in Lubuskie ARSENIUSZ WOZNY Department for Regional Development Marshall Office of the Lubuskie Region POLAND Seville, Spain – 26 th May 2011

The most northward vineyards in Europe? THE GREAT ESCAPE 76 Allied POWs from Stalag Luft III in Sagan Oder-Warthe Bogen Miedzyrzecz Fortified Area 5 interesting facts on Lubuskie Forested in 50% - abundance of wildlife World`s highest statue of Jesus (Swiebodzin)

5 important figures on Lubuskie 1.Number of enterprises: March Number of the self-employed December Number of the unemployed: April Rate of unemployment: 15,8% April 2011 The unemployed starting economic activity: km 2, forested in 50% 1 million, December 2010

Promoters and supporters of entrepreneurial spirit in Lubuskie: Labour offices, Voluntary Labour Camps, State Fund for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Self governments of all 3 levels, Various associations (including entrepreneurial), Educational & trainings centres for adults, Trade unions. They don`t give fish to eat, They give a rod to catch many fishes Helping strengthens Best initiatives of entrepreneurship

«New chances - vocational and social activation of women caring for the dependent person» Support in returning of the women (endangered by social exclusion and the professional marginalization) on the labour market in form of: employment, placement, voluntary service, flexible form of the employment. Vocational Education Centre Zaklad Doskonalenia Zawodowego Zielona Gora Offered activities: psychological support, general training for preparing to work in the most wanted jobs in the region, group and individual vocational guidance. Thanks to «New chances … »: 24 women got the work placement in a commercial firm (10) and offices, before ending the project 1 woman was offered a job. WEAKNESSES: the project is directed to women that want to work somewhere in …, but not to be the self- employed, effects – project too recent, but how many women will get a job?

Thanks to the «Stop the passiveness»: women became more active in seeking a job, all of 45 women reached certain standards of qualifications and skills, 15 women received a driving license, 24 women participated in a 3-months placement with various firms. Best initiatives of entrepreneurship «Stop the passiveness - vocationally active woman» Voluntary Labour Corps Ochotnicze Hufce Pracy Zielona Gora Enlargement of ability employed thanks to: purchase of qualification and skills demanded on the labour market, The activities offered to the target group: psychological trainings, giving knowledge on the labour market, car driving course, vocational training (office work and storeman). WEAKNESSES: Effects – how many women will get a job?

22 projects (including Be your own boss) realized by county labour offices in Lubuskie offering complex support for start-ups. Target group: the unemployed setting up a business. The pattern of support and activities in 22 projects included: coaching and training on various aspects of running own business, financial support (for start-up and/or bridge financing for next 6 months), and/or psychological test. Thanks to the «Be your own boss»: by the end of 2010 thanks to 22 projects 413 people from the Lubuskie started running a bussines. «Be your own boss» Best initiatives of entrepreneurship WEAKNESSES: Uncertainty of the newly created enterprise`s future (?) Are they able to employ more people ? County Labour Office Powiatowy Urzad Pracy Sulecin

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship WEAKNESSES: the target group is only one of a potential 3- DIS, lack of certainty that final beneficiaries will start a new business or will be employed somewhere else. «Complex support for workers of restructured enterprises» Trade Union SOLIDARNOSC Gorzow Wlkp. Trade Union Solidarity enabled to its members developing skills & qualifications during evening courses that included 13 various professions. The initiative was directed to: 300 employed people, beneficiaries of project worked in shifts, beneficiaries have family duties, a successful factor was to fit courses to individual needs of participants! Thanks to the «Complex support for workers...»: were given new qualifications, growth of awareness and motivation of 300 workers. PROFESSIONS: welding, sewing, security worker, operators of trolley and heavy equipment, COURSES OF: driving (various types of vehicles), foreign language, use of a computer, make up and visage, massage.

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship Zielona Gora Foundation for Active Rehabilitation FAR «Support of physically disabled persons on the labour market - II» Secod edition of the systemic & nationwide project supporting people after spinal cord injury to be more active on the labour market. Objective of the project: preparation to enter or return on the labour market, enabling commencing (taking) or continuing education. Beneficiaries: Leader: State Fund for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Partners: Foundation for Active Rehabilitation FAR (also branch in Lubuskie), CARITAS Polska, Association INTEGRATION, Polish Foundation of Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship Who can enter & return on the labour market among disabled? I. People after training and rehabilitation who are independent in life, they can: to dress up, to transfer to and from the wheelchair, to move within the home and out of doors, to move through the city ( overcome natural and architectural barriers). II. Those who are physically strong enough & take part in sport activities. III. Persons whose members of family/caregivers need support to live with a disabled person. «Support of physically disabled persons on the labour market - II» (2) Training of motor activities various techniques

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship What did the initiative achieve? Growth of the chances to enter of disabkled on the labour market, complex forms of support!! Vocational sphere: guidance and the development of individual careers by a coach, counselor supporting in seeking a job, vocational training, cooperation with the employer, establishing professional relationships, outplacement workshops, help with the commencement of employment or continuing education. Psychological issues: improvement self-esteem and self-confidence of a disabled person, improvement the capacity of entering into social relation, workshops for families and caregivers how to influence on disabled and motivate them to seek a job. «Support of physically disabled persons on the labour market - II» (3) Developing keyboard skills and learning computer software Job interview

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship There were recruited almost 270 people by FAR in the Lubuskie region. 156 people took part in the project, including: 76 physically disabled, 76 members of their families or caregivers, 45 people completed Workshops of Professional Activation, 78 members of families and caregivers completed workshops of becoming independent, 2 persons completed vocational trainings. 8 people completed a job placement, by the end of May 2011 seven persons from Lubuskie found a job !! By the end 2011 each Polish region will have to indicate minimum 10 people with a job. «Support of physically disabled persons on the labour market - II»(4) Why was it successful? I have the job !

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship What are the weaknesses of this initiative? «Support of physically disabled persons on the labour market - II»(5) Lack of money for: the adaptation of flats for self-employment of a disabled person, removing architectural barriers on the way to the work or / and school, municipal transport in small towns is not adapted to the needs of wheel-chaired / or there is no such a form of transport at all, potential participants are too young to work, they have to graduate a school/university, acquire skills and qualifications and then seek a job or be self-employed. There are psychological and physiological barrier of disabled persons in social contacts, number of jobs limited to: IT specialist & computer graphic, teacher/lecturer, office work, telephonist, a sales representative and office work in general. All of them together make that number of beneficiaries of entrepreneurial initiatives is relatively low.

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship Why is it the best practices initiative ? The idea of supporting disabled people was transferred to Poland in 1988 from Sweden on the basis of Rekryteringsgruppen for Aktive Rehabilitering, in Poland FAR is an initiative created by "wheel-chaired" people for "wheel-chaired" people - fully understanding their needs and capabilities, the project was realized by 5 nation-wide institutions and associations, after 23 years of activity in Poland, Foundation together with Swedes transfer experiences and good practices including «Support of physically disabled persons on the labour market – II» to: Byelorussia, Lithuania, Ukraine. «Support of physically disabled persons on the labour market - II»(6)

Best initiatives of entrepreneurship Thank you for your attention ARSENIUSZ WOZNY Department for Regional Development Marshall Office of the Lubuskie Region, Zielona Gora, POLAND tel. +48 (68) mail: