The Bodossaki Foundation and Fondation CHANEL aim to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in Greece by co-funding fifteen selected civil society organizations to carry out organizational development initiatives and actions promoting gender equality or women’s empowerment.
As part of this funding, Women Do Business was chosen in 2024 to implement the ‘Three-Month Mentoring Program “Find your Mentor”‘ and the ‘Volunteer and Employee Training Academy of Women Do Business Organization.’”
“Find your Mentor”: A Mentoring Programme for Women’s Empowerment
The ‘Three-Month Mentoring Program “Find your Mentor”‘ aims to empower thirty women from across Greece, with a focus on the Crete region, by pairing them with thirty mentors from the organization’s network for monthly online meetings over three months, from March to June 2024. The program concludes with a closing networking event, allowing mentors and participants to meet in person, share their experiences, and exchange ideas.
The goal is to empower women from diverse economic and social backgrounds, enhance their initiatives at a personal and professional level, improve their professional performance, and mature their potential business ideas through developing both their professional and personal skills. Simultaneously, the program offers mentors the opportunity to evolve and develop their skills through collaboration with the women.
Strengthening Organisational Capacity through the Women Do Business Training Academy
The second project involves the ‘Training Academy for Volunteers and Employees of the Women Do Business Organization,’ which includes a 12-hour training academy for the organization’s volunteers and employees.
The academy covers basic principles and functions of organizations and civil society, gender equality issues, and team-building activities, followed by training in areas relevant to each participant’s employment sector, such as project management, fundraising, communication and social media, and human resources.
The project’s goal is to develop the skills of each volunteer and employee, strengthen the organization’s structure and function, and significantly enhance the organization’s impact by providing substantial knowledge and tools.
The training sessions will then focus on topics relevant to each participant’s field of work. The main areas on which the training will focus are: project management, fundraising, communication and social media, and human resources.
The goal of the project is to develop the skills of each volunteer and staff member of the organization, while strengthening the structure and operations of each of the organization’s subgroups. Acquiring practical knowledge and tools provides opportunities for volunteers and staff members, both in their personal lives and in their professional careers, while also playing a decisive role in maximizing the organization’s impact.
*The participation of Women Do Business and the implementation of the ‘Find your mentor’ project are supported by the Bodossaki Foundation and Fondation Chanel within the framework of the Civil Society Organizations Empowerment Program focusing on gender equality.