Early Warning Europe Mentor Academy (EWE Mentor Academy) focuses on improving the availability and the scope of services for companies in distress by mobilising experts and mentors across Europe, training them and ensuring expertise exchange, while at the same time linking them with other European networks providing services to SMEs.
The project will create a modular training programme that can be used by business mentors working with companies in financial crisis and at other decisive moments of their lifecycle (e.g., transfer of business ownership).
The training programme will be co-created by experienced and new mentors in a series of peer exchanges. The experienced mentors will provide critical expertise, best practices and practical insights that will be used to structure the programme and create the content, while the new mentors will be the primary users of the programme. Once it is validated, both the experienced and non-experienced participants will be able to act as trainers for other mentors in their respective countries, using the elaborated modular training programme.
The project will contribute to the dissemination and transfer of best practices in helping SMEs in distress, and will enhance the competences and skills of mentors. Would you like to meet our mentor? The video was recorded in the EWEMA´s first workshop, held in Barcelona
The Early Warning Europe Mentor Academy is an initiative of the European Union which designed the project “Improving the Availability and the Scope of Services for Companies in Financial Difficulties”. It is implemented by AARC Consultancy (Ireland), Erhvervshus Midtjylland (Denmark) and Fundacja Firmy Rodzinne (Poland).
Fortyone experienced mentors from all over Europe gathered in Barcelona on 26-27 October for the first workshop of the Early Warning Europe Mentor Academy (EWE Mentor Academy). During this two-day event, participants analysed each stage and challenge of the mentoring process. Their objective was to come up with a flexible methodology and set of tools that will be used to expand Europe’s network of mentors, and enhance the quality and availability of tools for successful mentoring.
For many mentors, the workshop provided an opportunity to meet other mentors with specialist skills in key areas and to consider a range of alternative tools and approaches. Experience as a mentee, crisis management and financial literacy were identified as ‘must have skills’ for new mentors. Case studies with peer coaching / peer-to-peer discussions, role play, and checklist aids were recommended as useful methods for training new mentors.
Participants embraced the concept of developing common tools and a methodology to use as a benchmark in European countries. They emphasised the importance of early engagement between entrepreneurs and mentors, before challenges become too urgent.
How will new mentors benefit?
As a new mentor, the EWE Mentor Academy will offer you the opportunity to:
Application criteria include:
Deadline for applications: 15.04.2023
