Fundacja FUNDUSZ WSPÓŁPRACY

Obviously, the firms are not prepared for cooperation with foreign companies. There is no effective network of contacts between small firms and entities established for stimulating the labour market. A lack of a common communication platform and exchange of information makes it more difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises to establish business contacts, and limits access to information and new markets.

Therefore, the Partnership decided to offer a support program to 260 final beneficiaries representing small and medium-sized enterprises from tourism, metal, timber and plastic sectors. The target group are persons with little education and no IT skills, i.e. those who do not meet employers' expectations. The beneficiaries come mostly from rural areas or small towns, so they often have difficulties with developing vocational skills.

The project will involve setting up of Support Centres for Cooperation Networks of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CWSK), that are model channels of information and new technology exchange, which additionally provide a platform for developing a suitable promotion strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises. The centres will facilitate establishing cooperation and using model solutions applied by foreign companies. CWSK's activities are to cover also representatives of local authorities and institutions, which will support building common economic and legal vision of the Neisse Euroregion. SME's from tourism sector will be offered Quality Attack Model, a model for standardizing services in a network of small lodging and catering facilities that will
make it possible to compete with larger companies. SME employees will have an opportunity to develop new professional skills and competencies at training seminars offered by Information Society Education Center. The beneficiaries will be offered traditional training sessions and virtual lectures on an e-learning platform, so they will not have to leave their workplaces during the courses. The entire educational offer will be developed on the basis of a map of competence taking into consideration specific needs of small businesses. Companies will learn how to stimulate development of their employees as successfully as large corporations do.

It was not possible earlier because the cost of professional training was too high and small businesses could not afford it. The Partnership will prepare teaching materials for both vocational training and teaching the beneficiaries how to use IT and communication technology. It is vital to involve, beside companies and employees, the representatives of NGO's and local government organizations to ensure that the impact of the project is maximized.

The project is going to be extensively promoted through dissemination of solutions preventing discrimination on the labor market and cooperation with organizations and institutions on partnership-minded terms. Promoting the results will ensure strengthening of good patterns of cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises and business support organizations and increasing the contribution of local authorities into creating an effective social and economic policy for small businesses.

• Model of Information Society Education Centres Network