ILO training packages and supports for various target groups and we hold a vast toolkit for entrepreneurship education, women's entrepreneurship development and management training tools is recognized by the UN:

The United Nations recently took a step in promoting entrepreneurship as a centerpiece of economic growth and stability around the world. Following through on a mandate from its Entrepreneurship for Development resolution, the UN General Assembly convened a diverse group of experts to examine how to create environments that help entrepreneurs launch and grow startups that eradicate poverty, generate wealth and improve lives.

The objectives outlined in the UN resolution align closely with those of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest celebration of entrepreneurship that will be held this Nov. 18-24 for the sixth consecutive year. GEW is an initiative founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in 2008 that connects people to help them take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey.

Thom Ruhe, vice president for entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation, was one of the experts who addressed the Assembly.

“Like the UN, GEW’s goal is to foster entrepreneurship worldwide as a tool for development,” Ruhe said. “It is an honor to bring Kauffman’s research and expertise in entrepreneurship education to the Assembly’s discussion. Education is, indeed, the first step toward empowering the citizens of the world through entrepreneurship.”

The resolution encourages all UN-related bodies to “recognize and integrate entrepreneurship in its various forms into their policies, programmes and reports, and to support national efforts in this regard.” The United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and theInternational Labour Organization (ILO) have embraced the charge by getting actively involved in GEW and organizing events to examine public policies important to growth.

The UN and ILO are just two of 9,000 partner organizations worldwide that hold events, activities and competitions during GEW each November to expand and strengthen their entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Entrepreneur-driven communities like Startup Weekend, Endeavor and Entrepreneurs’ Organization plan and host activities to help startups launch and grow. Universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Cambridge hold events to educate students while strengthening connections with the private sector that help them commercialize research from their labs. Youth-focused groups like Youth Business International and Junior Achievement take a lead role in organizing national campaigns in more than 20 countries. Major corporate brands, like Dell, sponsor the global initiative or get involved at the national or local level like Virgin, IBM, Ernst & Young and others.

National campaigns in 135 countries will attract roughly 10 million participants this November.

Learn more HERE

ILO and the Welfare Association sign a partnership agreement to promote entrepreneurship education in the oPt.

The Welfare Association (WA) signed, on Thursday July 12^th, a partnership agreement with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in its headquarter in Ramallah, in the aim to support the nationalization  of the ILO entrepreneurship education package ‘’ Know About Business ‘’ in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The agreement was signed by the Director General of WA in Palestine, Dr. Tafida Al Jarbawi, and by the ILO country representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, Mr. Mounir Kleibo. The event was attended by officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Labour.

Dr. Al Jarbawi pointed out the importance of youth employment and youth education both representing priority areas of intervention for the WA. A total of USD 17 million was allocated to implement youth employment projects and to support young entrepreneurs in the establishment of their small businesses and thus create job opportunities. The latter contributed to the creation of hundreds of job opportunities for new graduates coming from vocational training and academic backgrounds; in addition, tens of small enterprises were established and have helped entrepreneurs generate income to support their families in different regions.

Dr. Al Jarbawi confirmed the importance of the ILO  initiative to nationalize the "Know About Business" Programme  in the occupied Palestinian territory and the extent of its contribution to support vocational education, develop the entrepreneurial skills of graduates, and strengthen the link between the education system and the labour market.

Mr. Mounir Kleibo thanked the WA for its financial contribution to the KAB project and reiterated ILO’s strong commitment to promote decent and productive work in Palestine while focusing on women and youth.

A press release by the Al Ayyam newspaper can be accessed on the following link: http://www.al-ayyam.com/article.aspx?did=195334&date

At the request of the Development and Employment Fund in Jordan, a KAB Awareness Workshop was held on Monday 24 October at the DEF offices. The workshop was jointly facilitated by Mr. Samih Jaber, KAB Regional Key Facilitator, Ms. Rania Bikhazi and Ms. Alexandra Irani. The workshop was attended by all department directors to ensure their exposure and understanding of the KAB Programme prior to its implementation. Special interest was depicted from the directors and managers of the loan disbursement and training departments.

A side meeting was held with the Director of DEF, Mr. Omar Omari, to finalize the proposed KAB project document for implementation during 2012-2013. DEF is expected to sign an MOU with the ILO early 2012 to initiate the project.

As part of the business development center's (BDC) continuous efforts to spread awareness on entrepreneurship and build the NCET teachers' training skills, a Business Game session was held on Saturday November 26^th 2011. The Game was facilitated by 4 KAB Teachers from the NCET with the participation of 20 candidates from the Maharat program.

Maharat is a USAID funded program which  provides youth with training and employment opportunities based on the belief that access to productive work is the best way for youth to realize their aspirations, improve their living conditions, and actively participate in society. The Maharat program enhances economic development by achieving the following objectives:

• Improve the business and personal skills of recent university and college graduates
• Create new jobs for recent university and college graduates
• Unleash youth’s potentials, capabilities, innovation and creativity through promoting entrepreneurial skills among them

The second phase of KAB courses at the National Company for Employment and Training started on December 18^th 2011. A total of 370 students will be taught by 20 NCET teachers from various vocational training specialities who attended a KAB TOF and have already delivered a first round of courses. The training will take place till March 15^th 2011 where both BDC and ILO will be conducting monitoring visits to evaluate the teachers' performance for their certification as KAB National Facilitators.

JUST TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK 2001!
November 14-20, 2011

Calling ILO partners and trainer’s networks:

! UNLEASH YOUR IDEAS and TAKE ACTION !

Show us what it means to you by launching an activity or participating in GEW events nearest you.

Submit your stories, (videos, pictures, etc.) to us via Facebook (ILO WED page) or upload them on to knowaboutbusiness.org!

As a kick-off...here's our attempt! Watch our short youtube video and enjoy!

Your ILO HQ SEED team

Indeed, Triodos Facet is still working together with VETA, and in particular the Morogoro Vocational Teachers Training College (MVTTC), in promoting entrepreneurship among youth in vocational training.

In the first 4 years of the project, we developed a tailor-made Entrepreneurship curriculum for VETA in English and Swahili, including a Teachers manual and Trainees handbook. We also used some elements of KAB, as well as the ILO business game. In the current 4-year project, we are upscaling the implementation of the curriculum to 120 VTCs nationwide. Please also find our newsletter attached with more information.

We are also collaborating with ILO-YEF. The YEF coorindator for Tanzania is a member of our consultative committee, and we are also represented in YEF´s national advisory committee.

Read the Newsletter to find out more!

Under the framework of the Skills Development Project, a second KAB pilot phase was implemented in 7 vocational training centres in various regions in South Lebanon. Following the success of the first Business plan competition that was held in July 2010, KAB participants were encouraged to submit a business plan to be viewed and assessed by a jury on 13 and 14 January 2011.

59 business plans were submitted of which 15 were chosen to present their business plans in front of the jury. There were 4 in-kind prizes of which a 1^st prize amounting to 1000$, a 2^nd prize amounting to 750$, a 3^rd prize of 500$ and a 4^th prize of 250$. As there were business plans presented by very young students, honorary prizes were awarded to 3 students with outstanding business plans.

The winners were presented with certificates and their respective prizes during a graduation ceremony that was held in Nabatieh on the 29^th of March 2011.

Attached are some photos of the event and the winners.

Under the framework of the Skills Development Project, a KAB pilot phase was implemented in 7 vocational training centres in various regions in South Lebanon. At the end of the KAB course, participants were encouraged to submit a business plan to be viewed and assessed by a jury.

50 business plans were submitted of which 12 were chosen to present their business plans in front of the jury. There were 11 in-kind prizes of which a 1^st prize amounting to 1000$, a 2^nd prize amounting to 750$, a 3^rd prize of 500$, a 4^th prize of 250$ and a 200$ prize for a business plan from each school (a total of 7). As this competition encouraged students to attend KAB till the end and present a business plan it was decided to be replicated in the second phase of the pilot.

The winners were presented with certificates and their respective prizes during a graduation ceremony that was held in Saida on the 8^th of July 2010.

Attached are some photos of the event and the winners.