News from LPW President`s Desk. Fall 2011

Focused on supporting SME business development&Life long Learning (LLL) issues

• The meeting “LPW working group on LLL” was held on 11 Octoberin Kiev. The meeting focused on LPW strategic planning on life long learning(LLL) issue in period 2012-2014. The main strategic goals on LLL are following: development innovative, demand-driven training and consultancy services with a focus on women entrepreneurs; development of unique adult learning programs for different target groups; creation of partnership adult learning programs. Meeting attended by networks members, it was hosted by Olena Lazorenko, LPW President. Meeting`s minute was prepared and should bedisseminated byemaillpw.network@gmail.com  to group`s members. ***
• Workshop "Developing business associations: best practice and further steps" (CIPE, USA) was held on 22 September2011 in Kiev. The workshop completes a series of training program of the first group of business associations held during the period of December 2010 to May 2011. The LPW network coordinator took part in the training.

The LPW was one of the first organizations to have sent the program assessment and appreciates the gift it was presented with. i.e. the book «Strategic Marketing of NGO».The Workshop was hosted by the Kiev Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was attended by around 50 participants from Ukrainian regions and Center of Private Entrepreneurship (CIPE) from Washington D.C. The LPW President Olena Lazorenko took part in the session. The workshop presented an excellent opportunity to exchange experience and ideas with the representatives of business associations, for instance, the Union of Entrepreneurs of Ukraine, Fortetsa, Kiev Chamber of Commerce, Sevastopol Chamber of Commerce and the Association on Corporate Governance.  (see the agenda at http://www.cipe-eurasia.org/pages/uaconfinfo.htm)***

Advocacy activities at the national and regional levels (Eastern Europe) The LPW is focused on the gender equality and efficient international assistance Winter-Spring2011 theLPWPresident: Took anactive part in the meeting of the leaders of Ukrainian women`s organizations with the representative of the UN Women Fund as to women movement development and renewing the national mechanisms of gender equality that was held in February. The LPW was one of the initiators to write an open letter to the authorities. In April it became known that the issue of gender equality is determined as one of the tasks of the ministry of social policy issues*** Raised an issue of considering gender issue when concluding trade agreements including Free Trade Zone Agreement with the EU at the event hosted by Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce in February, the EU Directorate on Trade in March and the Verhovna Rada (Parliament) Committee in September2011.*** In September 2011 began consultations at the national level and at the level of the Eastern Europe and Central Asiaplatform (organized by UNWomen), dedicated to the preparation for the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan in the end of this year. ***

Training agenda of the first group of business associations supported by CIPE

Training Program «Developing potential of business associations», supported by CIPE, USA held during the period of  December 2010 to May 2011. The LPW representative Natalia Martynenko was selected on the competitive basis and attended three training modules of the program. The first module "Fundamentals of business associations" was held in Kiev on 6-9 December  2010 and covered  the following issues: strategic aspects of planning, budgeting, membership, services, funding and basic communication. The LPW President Olena Lazorenko made a presentation «The LPW and our Values» in the session «Membership in business associations. How to involve and maintain?». You can uploadall the presentation sat http://cipe-eurasia.org/pages/uaconf.htmThesecondmodule«Activityofentrepreneursunions: legal, financial and communicative aspects» was held inYaltaon February 28 –March 3, 2011 and covered legal and financial issues, fundraising, communication and legal instruments of communication. Materials can be accesse dat http://cipe-eurasia.org/pages/uaconf.htm. The third final module «Advocacy» was held in Kiev on May 23-26,  2011 and covered the following issues: technique sof effective communication, advocacy methods and instruments, fundamentals of legislative andlaw-making process, new media, development and presentation of action plan on advocacy campaign realization. Information on the training can be uploaded at : http://upload.com.ua/get/902637433/MODULE.rar ***

Eurochamber Academy (East Invest Project)in July 2011, Irpin city, Kiev region.

Foto: Eurochamber Academy Opening, July 2011

Valentyna Lehka, the LPW member was able to participate in "EUROCHAMBRES Academy for BSO" thanks to the LPW participation in a three-year project East Invest implemented by Easter Alliance under the EUROCHAMBRES and funded by the EU Commission. You can get to know more about the East Invest project and its initiatives on small and medium business support in Ukraine and other East .

Foto: Team-building exercise, July 2011***

Train the Trainers at East Invest project in June

Another direction to expand the LPW institutional potential as to business development support was participation in Train the Trainers Program for representatives of SME on internationalization of their activity and the EU legislation. Natalia Gurjeva, LPW business committee coordinator and the LPW Board Member tookpartin the sessions held in Minsk and Chisinau. For more information please check East Invest web-site http://www.east-invest.eu/en/activities/for-bsos/seminars-2  ***

Organization Management

1. Open LPW Board meetings were held on 5.05.2011 and 31.08.2011 in Kiev. The agenda was disseminated through the LPW Network lpw_network@i.ua. The Board meetings are normally open for any network member upon their registration.***

2. The LPW was audited, upon EUROCHAMBRES request by German company. In July the LPW partners got the right to submit a bid for twinning tender in 2012. Weappreciate the assistance of Olena Lazorenko, Natalija Martynenko, Natalia Gurjeva, Olena Kudrjashova, Zhanna Akimova and Yulia Slutskaja in preparation of documents, assessment interviews and report sediting.

Photo made on 23.03.2011 – the LPW members with auditor from German***

3.The LPW is looking for anactive, result-focused LPW  Network coordinator to be in charge of maintaining contacts with the LPW members and consultants, expanding the LPW services, encouraging the LPW members to get involved 70 hour voluntary work/free-of-charge services, work with regional groups, etc. If you are interested in the position, please contact lpw@voliacable.com***

PLANS /MEETINGS 25 September – Olena Lazorenko, LPW Presidentmet with Miron Stahiw, Fulbright Programs Director to discuss potential ways of cooperation in 2012. 26-29 September – The USA Days in Kharkiv. Ludmila Smirnova, LPW member residing in Kharkiv, took part in the event. More information on the agenda and educational opportunities in the USA is available at http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/amdays-kharkiv.html October – November 2011 – The trainings for SME representatives on internationalization of the activity and the EU legislation under the East Invest Project will be done in Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Moldova. The SME representatives from LPW to participate in the training in Ukraine will be notified directly by the organizers (Euro Chambers). 21 October – LPW President attended CSR Market place which took place in Kiev. She discussed the Draft of the National strategy on CSR development in Ukraine. 25-26 October – UNDP international conference on gender issue. The event organized by Equal Opportunities and Women’s Rights in Ukraine Programme in Kiev. Date and venue for the 2011 LPW Annual Meeting have not been identified yet. The information will be available through the LPW Network *** 5-6 December – two LPW network members from Science& Education Section will be attended the "Tempus and Erasmus Mundus – Opportunities for the Eastern Partnership", a conference centred on the Tempus and Erasmus Mundus programmes, which will take place in Kiev, Ukraine.

Expanding Network

Foto: Ukrainian participants, East Invest partners under the EUROCHAMBRES**

1: The first Conference of partners and associated members of Eastern Alliance under East Invest Project in April 2011

2: Summer meeting 2011

Summer meeting was held on Saturday, 11 June 2011 and was called: «Fruit Tour without GMP» Кiev-Uman-Кiev. You can learn more about it at Ukrainian web-site http://lpw.org.ua/ua/news/?pid=606
At the English version of the LPW website you can find an article «Hidden jewels in Ukraine, fruits and wines for connoisseurs, food for thought, food for magic Observations from a foreign lady privileged to participatein project) LPW "fruittour" to Uman, Ukraine on 11.6.2011» written by Gudrun Rumpf, Germany, who works in Ukraine under the EU project. http://lpw.org.ua/en/publications/?pid=607 ***

Summer Meeting 11.06.2011

Uljanych and Anastasija Takar.You can start emailing your ideas as to the next summer meetinglpw_network@i.ua ***

Quality Management Assessment of the LPW network through polling is going to be held at the end of the year, with questioner being at http://www.lpw.org.ua/ ***

Our thanks and appreciation go to those to organized «Fruit Tour without GMP» Kiev-Uman-Kiev in  2011: Olena Lazorenko, Tamara Fedorova, Marina Kobalinova, Natalia Denisenko, Аnna Fedorova, Zhanna Akimova, Vitaliy Manzij, fedor Parij, Olena.