CONTEXT According to European Commission data, women account for 29% of the total in the entrepreneur’s category, with a slight increase of 3% from 2008 to today(1).These data show an underutilization of the female workforce, corroborated by statistics on the overall employment of women in Europe, equal to 67.4% in 2018 (compared to an average of 79% for the male counterpart(2).The European Union is founded on cardinal values, including equality AND promotes equality between men and women at all levels is one of them (3). Promoting self-entrepreneurship and female entrepreneurship, to increase employment levels and the economic autonomy of women, is therefore a desirable action. THE PROJECT The "European Handmakers Network" project is part of this theme, proposing the creation of a digital platform that allows European women handmakers to have a place where they can be followed by online mentoring in English, in order to increase their skills and turn their hobby into a micro enterprise. This mentoring activity may concern not only women already operating in the manual work sector, but also those who want to transform their home-based craftsmanship into a working activity. In fact, many women in various regions of Europe already deal with the production of artefacts, which contribute informally to the livelihood of the family. In addition, women who are already successfully pursuing their entrepreneurial activity would be given the opportunity to exercise a role as trainers and to be a good example for other women, as well as to promote their activity at European level. The digital platform would allow: 1. To deepen the financial training of the handmakers; 2. Provide methodological tools on starting a self-employed job; 3. Develop the communication and training skills of the mentors registered on the platform; 4. Spread the exchange of good practices, through peer-to-peer mentor-handmaker training; 5. Create a sustainable training network at European level between mentors and users. The project therefore envisages cooperation between different partners at European level, with a specification of the roles and tasks to be performed. The organizations involved will thus be able to make available their skills in communication, training, ICT and financial education to be able to carry on the project, under the coordination of Creativi108 which already has projects focused on similar issues, such as the project " Florà: Handmade across Europe "(2017-1-IT02-KA204-036766). TARGET GROUP: - Hobbyist women - Unemployed women -Women who intend to start their own micro business -Successful businesses run by women - Training bodies in the economic and financial field BENEFICIARIES: -Women handmakers -Women who intend to start their own micro business -Women entrepreneurs - Businesses run by women - Women's organizations - Households where women informally manufacture artifacts -EU organizations in the field of female employment -Training bodies that deal with self-entrepreneurship EXPECTED IMPACT: On women handmakers: -Development of skills useful for establishing a micro enterprise -Acquisition of methodological tools to start your own business -Ability to join an online community to increase your success -Ability to be able to transform your informal home business into a micro-enterprise that generates income -Ability to be able to learn about good practices -Be part of a European solidarity network On women entrepreneurs: -Development of communication skills in mentoring (through mentoring guide) -Exchange good practices -International advertising of their businesses through training activities -Be part of a European solidarity network The project consortium aims to respond proactively to what is stated in article 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union regarding equality between men and women in all areas (4).It will bring together 6 partners from EU countries, among which there will be organizations that deal with communication and with skills on digital platforms and others that will be able to make their contribution since they are already involved in training projects for handmakers. (1) Horizon2020News, reporting European Commission data, http://www.horizon2020news.it/donne-imprenditrici-ineuropa-ce-pubblica-studio-sui-dati-statistici, last consultation, 10/02/20 (2) Eurostat, employment statistycs, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statisticsexplained/index.php?title=Employment_statistics/it, last consultation, 10/02/20 (3) European Parliament, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/it/sheet/59/uguaglianza-tra-uomini-e-donne, last consultation, 10/02/20 (4) Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_it.pdf, last consultation, 10/02/20
The mutual learning proposed in the EHN project has strengthened capacity and empowerment pathways to support low-skilled women in Europe. It has set up national networks in each participating country to share good practices. According to the Council's recommendations. The project has promoted access to lifelong learning for more than forty women, coming from four different EU countries. GOALS: - share good practices in adult training; - experiment with the peer to peer model and mentoring to support handmakers; - developing an online mentoring platform; - support key skills of handmakers; - provide methodological tools to start your own micro-business; - development of communication and training skills for mentors registered on the platform; - disseminate knowledge of good peer to peer learning practices.
“European Handmakers Network” promoted female self-entrepreneurship, useful for increasing the levels of employment and economic autonomy of women in Europe. The project was aimed at training dedicated to the craft sector (hobbyists/artisans). The project generated a virtual and non-virtual place where students followed mentoring activities with successful artisans, in order to increase skills and be able to transform their hobby into a micro business. A peer to peer learning opportunity. Many women, in various European countries, are involved in the production of manufactured goods, the sale of which informally contributes to the sustenance of the family unit. An opportunity also for women who are already successfully carrying out their entrepreneurial activities to be able to play the role of trainers and to be a good example, as well as to promote their business at a European level.