Training of facilitators on conducting a gender self-assessment in business support organizations

A three-day training workshop aimed at facilitators who learn how to assist business support organizations to carry out a self-assessment of their level of gender awareness and gender mainstreaming. The “FAMOS check” aims to promote internal learning in business support organizations, and to identify good practices and gaps regarding gender mainstreaming and provision of services to women micro- and small-scale entrepreneurs.

A three-day training workshop aimed at facilitators who learn how to assist business support organizations to carry out a self-assessment of their level of gender awareness and gender mainstreaming. The “FAMOS check” aims to promote internal learning in business support organizations, and to identify good practices and gaps regarding gender mainstreaming and provision of services to women micro- and small-scale entrepreneurs.

1. Background

In order to improve their capacity to deliver high-quality training and post-training support services to both male and female-operated small and micro enterprises, many business support organizations are interested in conducting a self-check or audit using the ILO-WEDGE FAMOS methodology. The FAMOS check refers to a self-check for organisations working with MSMEs with the aim to improve the organisation’s activities, services and outreach for Female and Male Operated Small Enterprises. The self-check takes place in the context of broader support towards economic empowerment of women and mainstreaming gender equality concerns in the field of entrepreneurship development.

The specific objectives of conducting a FAMOS check are usually:

  • To identify good practices regarding the promotion of women’s enterprise development, gender equality and gender mainstreaming in their internal practices and their external services to the clients;
  • To identify gaps or potential areas where gender-sensitive can be further mainstreamed in order to develop an organization’s full potential, to improve their outreach and services that benefit both female and male operated small enterprises, and to offer recommendations on how to address the gaps and challenges.
  • A FAMOS check can also include questions related to disability inclusion, in order to generate recommendations for improved services to disabled women and men entrepreneurs.

In order to respond to increased demand for capable facilitators, the WEDGE project in close collaboration with the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry is implementing a second training of facilitators in Vietnam.

2. Objectives

The specific learning objectives for the participants in the training of facilitators are to:

increase their knowledge and capacity in using the ILO’s FAMOS Check Guide

improve their skills for how to facilitate a participatory workshop to gather information related to gender sensitivity and gender mainstreaming

enable them to prepare action plans to conduct FAMOS check for their own organization and other BDS providers.

3. Expected Outputs

As a result of this training, some 15-20 facilitators will have improved their skills and awareness on how to help business support organizations to assess their current level of gender mainstreaming and to identify gaps and opportunities.

4. Target groups

The workshop is intended for expert trainers from a variety of institutions, who have a background in business or enterprise development and at least a basic understanding of and sensitivity towards gender equality.

5. Tentative date and venue

18-20 May 2011, Hoa Binh, Vietnam.

6. Implementing Agency

ILO-WEDGE Project

Contact

Mr. Nguyen Thai Minh, National Project Coordinator

Women’s Entrepreneurship Development and Gender Equality (WEDGE)

Tel: (84-4) 3848 9314

Email