About
Are you a woman with a vision? Do you want to develop as a social entrepreneur to lead change? Then apply to the She Entrepreneurs leadership programme – call for applications open 6 September to 6 October 2016.
She Entrepreneurs is a Swedish Institute leadership programme connecting women in social entrepreneurship. Between 6 September and 6 October 2016, you can apply to She Entrepreneurs and become part of an active network of women social entrepreneurs and take your social business initiative to a whole new level.
Entrepreneurial solutions for social change
She Entrepreneurs is a recognised leadership programme for young emerging women social entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) and Sweden. During two and a half weeks on two separate occasions, the programme offers personal and professional development to women whose social enterprise delivers a solution for positive social change.
The hands-on and practical study programme consists of seminars, workshops and interactive learning methods combined with reflection sessions, team-building and practical exercises. Facilitators and expert mentors are available for guidance.
Application deadline is 6 October 2016.
Who can apply to She Entrepreneurs?
To apply to She Entrepreneurs you have to:
- have the drive, ambition and interest to use social entrepreneurship to implement a social business initiative that you have already started working on
- be a citizen of Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine*, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia or Yemen
- your social business initiative should be based and implemented in your country of citizenship or in one of the countries of the She Entrepreneurs programme listed above
- be between 20 and 36 years old
- have a good working knowledge of both written and spoken English.
*Palestinian ID holders, including Jerusalem ID
Please note that we are not able to make any exceptions to the eligibility requirements. Only completed applications will be considered.
How to apply?
The call for applications is open between 6 September 2016 and 6 October 2016. Apply by filling out our She Entrepreneurs Application Form 2016 and by going to our application portal. Deadline for applications is 6 October, 2016. Only applicants who have submitted a complete application will be considered for the programme. A complete application consists of:
- a completed application form in English, including your contact details and the contact details of two reference persons*
- an updated CV in English
- a photo (not compulsory).
If you have any questions regarding the application form, please send an email to sheentrepreneurs(a)si.se.
*We may contact the reference persons of the applicants who are selected for an interview.We accept references who speak English, Arabic and French.
Due to the large number of applications that we receive, we are unfortunately not able to send personal replies to all applicants. Hence, if you have not heard from us by 10 December 2016, you have not been accepted to the She Entrepreneurs Programme.However, you are more than welcome to apply again for next year’s programme.
How do we evaluate your application?
A selection committee consisting of staff from the Swedish Institute as well as representatives from partner organisations and field experts evaluates the applications according to the following criteria:
- applicant’s social business initiative that will be the focus of the programme
- applicant’s drive, motivation and commitment, as well as her answers to the questions of the She Entrepreneurs application form
- assessment of the applicant’s CV.
Around 60 shortlisted applicants are called for interviews as a second step in the selection process. The interviews are conducted through Skype. Around 28 successful applicants will then receive an offer to participate in the programme. This offer is valid only under the condition that the participant obtains a visa to travel to Sweden. SI will facilitate the visa application process, but cannot guarantee a visa. In recent years, applicants living in conflict-ridden areas have in a few cases seen their visa applications rejected.
The She Entrepreneurs programme is an intensive programme with a full-day schedule and many evening activities and all selected participants have to commit to participating in all activities of both module 1 and 2.
Important dates
- Call for application opens: 6 September 2016
- Deadline for application: 6 October 2016
- Skype interviews: 7–11 November 2016
- Selected participants will be informed: (No later than) 10 December 2016
- She Entrepreneurs 2016 module 1 in Sweden: 27 March–7 April, 2017
- She Entrepreneurs 2016 module 2, location to be confirmed: 16–22 September, 2017
Aim
Participants will learn in group from both experts within the field and from each other. She Entrepreneurs consists of seminars, workshops and interactive learning methods mixed with reflection sessions, team-building and practical exercises. Facilitators and expert mentors are available for guidance. There are also study visits and meetings with inspiring social entrepreneurs.
She Entrepreneurs is an initiative from the Swedish Institute (SI), a public agency that promotes interest and confidence in Sweden around the world. Swedish values and experiences include creating a sustainable and equal society globally. Sweden is a reputed innovation leader and gender equality role model.
A network of women entrepreneurs
The overarching purpose of She Entrepreneurs is to support young women social entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and Sweden and allow them to emerge with a strong and active network of likeminded women who support each other in driving important changes in society.
A social enterprise has the potential to change the world for the better. Adding new skills and innovative tools to the personal drive and unique capabilities of a social entrepreneur increases the impact of any social business.
Personal and professional development
At the heart of the programme is also personal and professional development. Participants will learn to think like entrepreneurs – from generating ideas to executing a strategic and sustainable business model.
The programme will help increase participants’ knowledge on topics such as social entrepreneurship, business development, communication, branding, sales, finance and funding. It delivers the tools and opportunity to develop social initiatives and business plans.
She Entrepreneurs also gives the participants individual feedback on their social business initiatives from leading social and business entrepreneurs and group mentors in Sweden and MENA. The feedback gives them a chance to rethink and fine-tune ideas. It also places participants right in the middle of an active network of young emerging women social entrepreneurs who support each other.
Learning methods
Participants will learn through seminars, workshops and interactive learning methods mixed with reflection sessions, team-building and practical exercises. Facilitators and expert mentors are available for guidance. There are also study visits and meetings with inspiring social entrepreneurs.
Exchanging knowledge and inspiration with each other is central to the programme, as is finding common solutions to global challenges.
What is a social entrepreneur?
A social entrepreneur addresses a social challenge and strives for positive change through an initiative based on entrepreneurial principles. A social business, as opposed to a non-profit organisation, almost always has income-generating activities – even while social change is more valued than profit.
If you are a social entrepreneur, you know how to turn ideas into action, and you want to understand how to develop your business to make it more effective at creating value for society and generate money.
She Entrepreneurs is intended for women who have already started to build a social business. It is not enough to dream of social change; one must also find it exciting to take risks to accomplish that change.
SI has produced a handbook on social entrepreneurship specifically for participants of She Entrepreneurs.
A programme for women
Many women entrepreneurs face unnecessary and made-up obstacles because of their gender. She Entrepreneurs wants to capitalise on these women’s capacities of bringing solutions to many of society’s major challenges.
The programme was started in 2011 to create a platform for women entrepreneurs to exchange experiences, empower and inspire each other. Women participating in all aspects of society – including in the world of business entrepreneurship – is undeniably of great benefit to everyone in society.
Practical information
The programme is made up of two and a half weeks divided into two modules at separate times. Module one is ten days long and always takes place in Sweden. In between the modules, the participants work on their own initiatives locally, coached by group mentors over digital platforms.
Module two is for one week and takes place in Sweden or in the MENA region. The programme is in English. All costs related to accommodation, food and transport during She Entrepreneurs are covered by the Swedish Institute.
For more information click "Further official information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://eng.si.se/apply-now-to-she-entrepreneurs-2017/