Community of Practice on Inclusive Entrepreneurship (COPIE) Lessons from the Basque Country

CO NTENT THE BASQUE COUNTRY IN FIGURES THE BASQUE COUNTRY KEY EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES THE CONTEXT OF COPIE STUDY KEY STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION

THE BASQUE COUNTRY IN FIGURES

THE BASQUE COUNTRY KEY EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES

THE CONTEXT OF COPIE STUDY

KEY STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION

1. THE BASQUE COUNTRY IN FIGURES Total landmass: 7.261 km 2 Urban and Rural diversity Bilbao: strong industrial tradition reconverted towards service sector San Sebastian: tourist amenities Vitoria-Gasteiz: From sleepy and devitalised town into an administrative and service centre 2.129.339 inhabitants equally distributed (gender). Half of the population is concentrated in the Historic Territory of Bizkaia Unemployment rate of people of working age: 3,1% GDP per cápita (2006): 28.821 € (23.400€ - UE) Immigrant people: 4,5%

2. KEY EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES Bizkaia Regional Government expenditure in Social Salary 1.121.000€, Gipuzkoa Regional Government expenditure in Social Salary 6.038.000€ and Araba Regional Government expenditure in Social Salary 4.402.000€. Gipuzkoa province has the highest expenditure in Social Salaries The Basque Government expenditure in Social Salary summed up 139.212.355€ in 2005. The Basque Government expenditure in Bizkaia was 103.034.988€, in Gipuzkoa 21.498.936€ and Araba 14.678.431€. High Basque Government expenditure in Social Salaries ( 5.060€ per person ) The massive presence of women in the service sector makes the distance to men working conditions greater. Service sector is less structured , has greater employee rotation and poorer contractual conditions than the industrial sector. In general women suffer worse working conditions Women suffer worse working conditions Bizkaia has the highest unemployment rate (3,9%) in comparison with Gipuzkoa (2,4%) and Araba (2%) Highest unemployment rate by territories Bizkaia is the most active territory in comparison with Gipuzkoa and Araba but it also represents the main negative figures for employment and unemployment rate Main territorial disparities Under 25 unemployment rate, 7,1 % High youth unemployment Activity rate of 31,5 % (below the CAPV average, 68%) Low youth employment activity rates Key points Problem

3. CONTEXT OF COPIE STUDY 42 interviews 5 policy makers 18 specialist advisers 19 Users Mainly face to face interviews E-mail interviews when distances and time required time to obtain responses Objective GAIN QUALITATITATIVE VIEW OF THE STUDY

3. CONTEXT OF COPIE STUDY Framework of the Study… Strategy Culture & Conditions Start up support & Training Support for consolidation & Growth Access to Finance

3. CONTEXT OF COPIE STUDY Remarkable aspects… All participants were positive and willing to participate Questions to entrepreneurs prompted stories , barriers, etc. Facilitates identifying existing gaps in the provision of support and infrastructure Facilitates identifying existing different entrepreneurship views across policy makers, specialist advisers and users

4. KEY STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES The need to embed entrepreneurship and enterprise within core teacher training programmes Pre–start support to the 50+, people with disabilities and people under 30 More events in regional areas Involve business education in schools There are complex and slow administrative processes for start up The need for an overall and a global strategy to coordinate all initiatives (no collaboration and coordination mechanism & methods) Lack of a more comprehensive and inclusive entrepreneurship strategy Challenges Entrepreneurship culture is developing Pre-start support is good Growing development of adapted teaching materials Lots of initiatives and programmes at regional and local levels Lots of public budget for entrepreneurship activities Culture and conditions Defining a possible framework for a more integrated entrepreneurship policy between Basque Public Institutions Strategy Strengths

The need to embed entrepreneurship and enterprise within core teacher training programmes

Pre–start support to the 50+, people with disabilities and people under 30

More events in regional areas

Involve business education in schools

There are complex and slow administrative processes for start up

The need for an overall and a global strategy to coordinate all initiatives (no collaboration and coordination mechanism & methods)

Lack of a more comprehensive and inclusive entrepreneurship strategy

Entrepreneurship culture is developing

Pre-start support is good

Growing development of adapted teaching materials

Lots of initiatives and programmes at regional and local levels

Lots of public budget for entrepreneurship activities

Defining a possible framework for a more integrated entrepreneurship policy between Basque Public Institutions

4. KEY STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES Coordinated support for start-ups Scarce provision of incubators and lack of space Lack of specific mentors for people with disabilities Lack of mentors with real business experience No accredited training for business advisors Scarce access to networking opportunities There is good access to mentors Lots of people are available to give support and advice Subsidies and grants to start ups Start-up support Variety of financial products for entrepreneurs - particularly in growth sectors Banks need to provide more debt crisis advice Need for financial management support for grants Scarce financial services for socially excluded groups Need for a more joined-up approach for growth Availability and accessibility of premises for post start up Mainstream business networks around clusters/ sectors Challenges Great competitive activities between Financial Institutions Special financial service providers , e.g. “Cajas de Ahorro” through their “Social Tasks” programme Access to Finance There is free access to mentoring for Social Economy Enterprises Growth and Consolidation Strengths

Coordinated support for start-ups

Scarce provision of incubators and lack of space

Lack of specific mentors for people with disabilities

Lack of mentors with real business experience

No accredited training for business advisors

Scarce access to networking opportunities

There is good access to mentors

Lots of people are available to give support and advice

Subsidies and grants to start ups

Variety of financial products for entrepreneurs - particularly in growth sectors

Banks need to provide more debt crisis advice

Need for financial management support for grants

Scarce financial services for socially excluded groups

Need for a more joined-up approach for growth

Availability and accessibility of premises for post start up

Mainstream business networks around clusters/ sectors

Great competitive activities between Financial Institutions

Special financial service providers , e.g. “Cajas de Ahorro” through their “Social Tasks” programme

There is free access to mentoring for Social Economy Enterprises

ENTREPRENEURIAL DYNAMIC Entrepreneurial Programs… Inter-Institutional Planning for employment Emprender On-line HASI eta HAZI EJE program KOSMODISEA Gipuzkoa Emprendedora 1. Culture & Conditions 6 2. Start-up support ENTREPRENARI SUSTATU EMEKIN SARBIDE EKINTZAILE TXEKIN URRATS BAT PRONUE 8 3. Consolidation & Growth INCUBATION STRATEGY CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE ENTERPRISES 2 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HAZIBIDE SEED CAPITAL SEED CAPITAL BIZKAIA SPRI FIARE ELKARGI 4. Access to Finance 6

ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT Specialist advisers… Centre for Inclusive Enterprises in San Sebastian…

4. QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION How can Public & Private Institutions move to a more comprehensive and inclusive entrepreneurship ? What can be done to get socially excluded people to be involved in entrepreneurial processes ? What can be done to involve business in Education ? How can these entrepreneurs develop Networking opportunities ? How can we adapt current Financial availability ? 1 2 3 4 5

Thank you very much for your attention!!! For further information please contact: Ainhoa Unamuno [email_address] Iñigo Urkidi [email_address]