Rural youth entrepreneurship programme “LAUKIEM BŪT!” (THE COUNTRYSIDE WILL BE!)
About this good practice
The Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LLKC) has launched the 'The Countryside Will Be!' (in Latvian: Laukiem Būt!) programme to promote entrepreneurship among rural youth and foster the development of rural areas. The main goal is to provide the business-related knowledge and offer chance to win a financial award that can be used to implement business idea. The programme is available in all Latvia, except for major cities. It includes:
- 5-DAY TRAINING + Business Idea Presentation (25h+), covering 14 topics vital for business success – idea generation, business basics, taxation & accounting insight, funding opportunities in rural areas, financial planning, market analysis, marketing, sales, good business practices, etc.
- AWARD COMPETITION: after completing the training, within a two-year period participants can submit their business plan for the Award Competition. Business ideas must focus on rural regions or small towns with populations under 15,000, in either agriculture or non-agriculture sectors. Awards range from 150 EUR to 2,900 EUR for winners placing 1st to 6th in three categories.
- INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATIONS: participants can receive tailored support for starting business ideas or exploring the development opportunities for an existing company.
- GROUP COACHING: joint group sessions aimed at developing various skills based on participants' needs.
The programme targets young people, aspiring entrepreneurs & newcomers aged 18 to 40 living in rural areas.
Resources needed
-Training content and delivery (lecturers/experts) costs,
-Financial award (~20’000 EUR annually),
-Administrative and organisational costs.
Financed by the Latvian Rural Support Service and the Ministry of Agriculture, with additional support from the financial institution Altum.
Evidence of success
From 2012 to 2023, 2534 young persons participated in the training, and 644 participated in the business ideas competition; Over half of the participants started or continued their businesses.
- It’s the only initiative for rural youth and rural entrepreneurship in Latvia, offering both learning + competition = money prize
- 26 LLKC offices across Latvia facilitate widespread implementation
- Long-term cooperation (consultations) with LLKC available post-training/competition
Potential for learning or transfer
The "Laukiem Būt" programme is a small-scale initiative that is easily transferable to other European regions. It helps to address the depopulation of municipalities and promotes their sustainability, particularly in rural areas.
To reach potential participants, LLKC uses widespread availability of its offices (26 across Latvia) and an individual approach to engage participants.
When organizing such a or similar programme, it must be considered that despite varying levels of participants' knowledge, equal quality must be ensured for everyone. To achieve this, LLKC trains its employees and provides guidelines.
Finally, the programme, with its small scale, offers hands-on experience in applying for state/EU-funded support.
Further information
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Good practice owner
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