Training & Mentoring

EDUCATION, TRAINING & MENTORING PROGRAMME

Education and training approach is based on a blend of ‘classroom’ and online modules, led by experienced trainers also supported by an innovative MOOC and sharing e-learning platform.

In addition, mentoring activities will strengthen the entrepreneurial support by regular, individual, one-to-one meetings with experienced mentors and thematic group sessions.

CONTENT & STRUCTURE

MODULE 1: Idea Generation

You will have the opportunity to implement your idea: the module will help developing entrepreneurial thinking skills, such as the ability to identify marketplace opportunities and discover the most appropriate ways and time to capitalize on them.

* 4h classroom session + e-learning follow-up; practical exercise; further reading list

* 1^st Forum meeting – Meet the mentors

* Individual, face-to-face mentor-mentee meeting

MODULE 2 : Introduction to Business Model

Analyse the fundamentals of your business idea and evaluate its feasibly by creating a small business model. This module provides business plan elements, with a focus on the business model (lean canvas), and useful operational tools that will help develop and evaluate the potential success of their business idea.

* 4h classroom session + e-learning follow-up; practical exercise; further reading list

* Individual, face-to-face mentor-mentee meeting

MODULE 3 : How to promote your Business Project

Interpersonal and communicational skills are relevant competences you need to acquire. Indeed, you must be able to work and interact with people with different cultural backgrounds. The module will work to reinforce intercultural and language skills, and, at the same time, it will give small marketing suggestions to facilitate the promotion both on online and offline.

* 8h classroom session + e-learning follow-up; practical exercise; further reading list

* 2^nd Forum meeting – Meet the inspiring entrepreneurs

* 2x Individual, face-to-face mentor-mentee meeting

MODULE 4: Legal, administrative and fiscal regulation

You will receive all the information related to requirements that need to be followed to open up a business in a foreign country. For these reasons, the module will work on your abilities to deal with bureaucratic processes by addressing the following topics:

· business registration and how to obtain a licence;
· labour law;
· tax regulations and declaration;
· basis of accounting and finance management tips;
· basis of funding opportunities.

* 8h classroom session + e-learning follow-up; practical exercise; further reading list

* 2x Individual, face-to-face mentor-mentee meeting

Pitch sessions and matchmaking

The final training event will be the opportunity for you to present the final version of your project work to have matchmaking sessions with peers and project stakeholders. Mentors will participate as “Key Testimonials” to discuss and evaluate your project works and share their experience and point of view.

* 4h classroom session; practical exercise; further reading list

* 3^rd Forum meeting (group mentoring session)

* 2x Individual, face-to-face mentor-mentee meeting

Please note that mentoring activities (individual face-to-face meeting and group meetings).

FOR MENTORS

Mentoring is an integral part of the YMCB support scheme that takes place in parallel to the training of prospective migrant entrepreneurs to start their own businesses in Austria, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. Each potential migrant entrepreneur, participating in the YMCB support scheme, will be matched with a mentor, preferably from the same business sector.

As much as possible you will be matched with a mentee from your own country of residence. In some cases we will ask you to be matched with mentees from the other YMCB implementing countries.

Qualifications: Are you an (retired) entrepreneur who…

has experience and related knowledge in setting up a business?
is willing, interested and able to share these experiences with persons who are just starting-up?
is able to volunteer a total of about 30 hours over a six months period?
has strong communication and listening skills, able to not only inform, support and encourage the mentee, but also to challenge them?
is open-minded, able to empathise and respect other people’s views, backgrounds and life experiences?

Benefits: Why should you become a mentor?

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a free, optional training on mentoring which includes training on some skills such as cross-cultural competences, active listening, giving and receiving feedback and non-violent communication which are applicable to many areas of life; all which will be documented in the handbook for mentors for reference.
You will receive information on the latest financial services for migrant entrepreneurs, which may also be relevant for your own business, and also be trained on how to adequately transfer this knowledge to your mentee.
Mentoring will give you the opportunity and sense of “giving back” and positively impacting other people’s lives.
You will have the opportunity to engage with people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.
Mentoring may enable you to gain new perspectives or expose you to new ideas.
Through mentoring, you will enhance your entrepreneurial knowledge and skills as well as other key skills such your ability to transfer knowledge, communication skills and interpersonal relations.
Through the forum meetings, you will be able to engage in and benefit from peer learning.
You will become part of a network of migrant entrepreneurs that will be created through the YMCB support scheme.
You will be acknowledged by getting a mentoring certificate.

Role: What is expected of a mentor?

Transferring entrepreneurial knowledge, expertise and skills by providing advice, coaching, information and contacts to potential migrant entrepreneurs, improving the potential entrepreneurs’ chances of successfully setting-up their business.
Helping potential migrant entrepreneurs better understand the political, social and cultural peculiarities of the host countries.
Providing personal and business support to potential migrant entrepreneurs and also encouraging them and providing constructive feedback and criticisms aimed at improving and developing the potential entrepreneurs’ business ideas.
Transmitting important soft skills to potential migrant entrepreneurs important in setting-up and running a business such as how to deal with feedback, communication skills, interpersonal skills.
Supporting potential migrant entrepreneurs in unleashing their potential and making important decisions regarding the businesses.
Reassuring the mentees thereby increasing their self-confidence, drive and motivation.
Contributing to the training of potential migrant entrepreneurs by clarifying aspects of the course that may not be understood, as well as supporting the mentees to apply what they learn into practice in their project ideas.
Providing necessary contacts to the mentees and supporting them to increase their networking capabilities.

Time requirements:

YMCB mentors are asked to volunteer their time for a six-months period:

Approximately 10 hours for the mentors’ training (2-day training).
Around 12 hours for mentor-mentee relationship (6-8 meetings during the programme, to be organised individually by the pairs: when, where, how long).
About 8 hours for attending forum meetings (4 meetings of about 2 hours every six weeks). Forum meetings involve all mentors and mentees in the YMCB support scheme. They feature inspiring talks from experienced entrepreneurs and offer room for discussion and exchange of ideas.

The mentoring in the YMCB support scheme is based on a voluntary basis and the mentors will not receive any financial compensation, nevertheless, participating in the mentoring will impact both the mentors and mentees positively, as described above.