WECAN first IO 1 Summary

FOR DISSEMINATION PURPOSES

WECAN (Women’s Entrepreneurship CoAches training) is a strategic partnership project co-funded by the Erasmus + programme of the European Commission (project number 2019-1-FR01-KA204-062215).

The project aims at enhancing women’s positive perceptions of their skills to start a new business through a coaching journey in which women coaches with relevant entrepreneurial experience will show them what it actually takes to be an entrepreneur.

The first result of the project is composed by a Methodological Guide and a Toolkit with energizers and ice-breakers activities.

Download the PDF version of the INTELLECTUAL OUTPUT 1

INTELLECTUAL OUTPUT 1 (EN)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

English

 

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Macedonian

 

Italian

 

Spanish

 

Greek

 

The Methodological Guide for WECoaches

The Methodological Guide is a theoretical tool supporting women entrepreneurs in their journey as coaches.

The guide defines and describes the WECAN coaching methodology and is based upon 4 pillars:

• The use of non-formal and unconventional practices and approaches to engage with adult women out of employment,
• The notion of coaching as a non-formal and creative learning approach which can enhance women participation in the economic life of the society in which they live,
• The transversal competences of the European Reference Framework for Lifelong Learning (ERF),
• The EntreComp Framework as the main reference framework for the development of entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and attitudes applicable in all spheres of life.

Effective coaching interventions for women willing to start up a business means identifying the barriers they face and remove them by addressing their knowledge gaps. This is why the WECAN methodology focuses on a peer-to-peer approach – in fact, a women entrepreneur who is more experienced and has gone through similar challenges can help the coachee in finding her way towards her entrepreneurial goal. But being the relationship between two individuals a delicate subject, the methodology is aimed at sorting the main steps of the coaching pathways and at identifying obstacles and solutions that can be adopted by the coachees.

The methodology places emphasis on reflexivity or reflective-reflexive practice thus encouraging peer learning and co-creation – thanks to the methodology, the coach will understand where their coaches are positioned, they will learn how to explore their language and also how they approach obstacles and overcome them.

The methodology is divided into 4 Chapters, each addressing 4 different topics and coaching relationship stage:

1. The Coach-coachee match
2. Entrepreneurship
3. How do we learn?
4. How to design the coaching journey

Topic 1 highlights how all relations are different (there is no one-model for the coach-coachee journey) but all relations need the same qualitative skills: trust, experience, interpersonal, open-mindedness, shared values.

In topic 2, the methodology explores the notion of entrepreneurial learning that is included in the key competencies of ERF for lifelong learning which enhances work-based and project-based learning. The ERF seeks a reinforced and systematic collaboration between education, training and employment learning settings to support lifelong learning pathways. The EntreComp Framework is analysed in the topic as well since showing how entrepreneurial attitudes are capable of unlocking personal potential, creativity and self-initiative.

This topic thus leads coaches to understand and find out what types of entrepreneurship exist to later understand the kind of coaching support is needed. Each mentee needs a different mentoring support depending on the type of business she aims at, her personality traits, or decision-making style.

In topic 3, the methodology places an emphasis on the pedagogical notions of reflective-reflexive learning and encourage peer learning and co-creation -  exploring language, style and presentation in a reflective way, which is how knowledge is actually acquired. Emphasis is put on communication and confidence building.

Topic 4 helps WECoaches in understanding what type of support the coachees need at each stage of the coaching relationship, that is, initiation, cultivation, separation, and redefinition stage. In order to do this, the methodology explains the three crucial moments of the coaching relation:

1. design the coaching sessions,
2. the implementation phase and
3. the evaluation stage.

Energizers & Ice-breakers for the WECoaches

The second part of the first Intellectual Output gathers 18 activities which are aimed at supporting the WECoaches during the coaching relationship and three Energizers based on the use of Methaphors. The activities are divided into Energizers and Ice-Breakers, the firsts being activities to boost the coachees’ involvement and participation in the coaching journey, while the seconds are meant to ‘break the ice’ and give the WECoaches practical tools to help the coachees to start each coaching session with a positive and committed attitude.

The activities have been developed in parallel with Part A, the Methodological Guide. The activities, in fact, are associated with the four topic addressed in the Guide. Each topic is backed by several activities which will help the WECoaches incentivize a collaborative relationship. The activities are therefore in support of the WECoaches who can use them in the different phases of the coaching relationship and every time they feel the need to. The activities will be useful for the WECoaches to empower the trainees and to support them along the journey.

The activities have been designed in an engaging way that can help the coaching relationship overcome standstills or difficult situations. The WECoach can use them to start the coaching activities or engage the coachee if she loses her focus and attention. The activities offer the WECoaches the tools to encourage:

• Self-analysis and self-awareness,
• Motivation and goal setting,
• Sense of initiative,
• Active listening and communication,
• Self-management, problem-solving and stress management.