On this page

1. Special events and activities

2. Networks and partnerships

Special events and activities

INVEGA produces a large number of easily accessible publications related to labour market trends and skills demand. While these are not directly related to entrepreneurship, youth can use these products to help identify areas in the economy with excess demand. In addition, the Ministry of Economy organises an entrepreneurship week, which helps increase the profile of entrepreneurship and serves as an entry point for those interested in learning more about business creation and self-employment. Information dissemination efforts appear to be sufficient at the national level, but very few examples can be identified at the regional level (OECD, 2015).

Networks and partnerships

Junior Achievement and Enterprise Lithuania actively promote entrepreneurship to youth. Junior Achievement directly reaches more than 20 000 students (15 to 18 years old) each year through its education programmes. This far-reaching organisation is therefore well-placed to shape a positive image for entrepreneurship. both to youth and in the wider business community. Community efforts include the Business Hall of Fame, which aims to promote successful entrepreneurs. One of the most important roles that Junior Achievement has in Lithuania its teacher training because they are able to raise awareness about entrepreneurship for these important role models to youth.

Enterprise Lithuania is also active in promoting entrepreneurship. One of their missions is to address youth’s fear of failure in entrepreneurship. Examples of promotion activities include the participation in entrepreneurship events and the planned national mentoring network.

Entrepreneurship promotion in the media is growing but continues to lag behind other EU countries (OECD, 2015). The SBA Factsheet showed that entrepreneurship’s media attention and its social status in Lithuania are both lower than the EU average, despite a year on year increase, respectively from 37% in 2012 to 48% in 2013 and from 53% in 2012 to 57% in 2013 (OECD, 2015)

The bulk of information provision to youth about business creation and self-employment is done by non-government organisations. For example, the Public Enterprise Business Initiative (Viešoji įstaiga “Verslo iniciatyva”), which is a non-governmental organisation, encourages and helps young people to develop businesses in Kaunas as well as other regions. In addition, organisations such as Junior Achievement have a wide reach through their training programmes. As result, they are well-positioned to provide information to youth. The government uses these partnerships effectively (OECD, 2015).