Siekio ID is a Capacity Building Programme in Lithuania that runs a coherent learning programme for NGOs, NGO Academy. The aim of this programme is to provide knowledge and support to NGOs aiming to start their social business. Each year (in 2020 and 2021), 12 Lithuanian NGOs are selected to participate in the NGO Academy’s programme of their choice – the Social Leadership Programme or the Social Entrepreneurship Programme. In each programme, a great number of expert lecturers consult participants on how to improve different aspects of their business: strategy, communication, finance, entrepreneurship, leadership and project management.
For more about NGO Academy check out: https://www.siekioid.lt/ngo-academy/
Tim van Wijk, the lecturer of social entrepreneurship, has been helping programme participants to adapt social business strategies.
‘It is very important to apply classic business development knowledge to social enterprise planning because most social entrepreneurs don’t start out from a business point of view. We normally start from a social point of view, and then we aim to make a business out of that.’
Tim states that a lot of social businesses fail to be successful due to a lack of strong business management skills and planning. ‘People can get lost and think: why am I doing this, everything is much harder than I thought it would be, is it worth it? The lack of business planning could lead to many complications in achieving your main goal’. The planning process consists of several different aspects that social entrepreneurs should carefully consider before starting their businesses, such as partners, costs, main activities, etc.
‘Three years ago, I participated in a similar learning programme myself, I know without it I would not have started the business that I started 2 and a half years ago.’
According to Tim, it is not only business knowledge that is really important, but it is also crucial to test your ideas and get others to help you. ‘I remember one mentor of the program had been trying to make me change some aspects of my idea. She set up meetings with different people and tried to persuade me. But these were the most important meetings that I had, because I had to think about why my way would be the best and how to improve it. That is the whole point of these incubators, simply to make your idea better.’
Everyone interested in learning more about the social business environment in Lithuania, and looking to get more valuable ideas and advice on social entrepreneurship, is welcome to follow Geri Norai on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/gerinorai.lt ), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/gerinorai.lt/) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/geri-norai).
