TAMK coaches older people in entrepreneurship – "When these people retire, a huge amount of knowledge will be hidden"

The main aim of the Silver Entrepreneurs project is to empower and equip people over 60 with the essential skills and confidence needed for today's entrepreneurship. Experts from TAMK highlight that people approaching retirement age are often in a weak position in the labour market, leaving their full potential untapped. 

“When these people retire, a huge amount of skills are hidden", says Project Manager Eeva Heikkilä.

The project will provide participants with tailored coaching to directly address the challenges faced by older people in working life, such as outdated knowledge and skills. In many respects, the project is on the participants' terms, with coaches involved to provide guidance and support in navigating entrepreneurship. 

“For those approaching retirement age, it is important to bear in mind that each person has individual priorities in everyday life. We start from the premise that each participant will provide services within the limits of the time and effort they want to put into entrepreneurship", says Leila Kakko, Project Manager and Coach. 

"We've got a really good team together"

The group consists of people from a wide range of backgrounds. Some are already retired, some are still working. 

"We've got a really good team," says Heikkilä. 

“Some of them have had the idea of starting a business before but have never formally started one. Others have already had a business. The latter are looking for more inspiration and to broaden their own perspective", says Kakko. 

What all the participants have in common, however, is that they still want to do something and feel needed. In addition, at least some of them have the idea that entrepreneurship could provide them with additional income. 

The aim of the project is that by the end of the coaching, each participant will have a business plan. Participants' business ideas will focus on consultancy, forestry entrepreneurship and tourism and accommodation services.

Encounters are where ideas become clearer

TAMK offers business coaching within the framework of the project. The training consists mainly of group coaching and the training theory is strongly based on service design. 

A total of five trainers are involved in the project: two from TAMK's Proakatemia, one from the business side and two from the service business. Under the guidance of the trainers, the participants have been introduced to services for entrepreneurs, business taxation and insurance, for example. 

Originally, the training was designed to include both individual and group coaching, but as per the request of the participants the coaching has been more group-based. 

“They get so much more from the group. In a group, people throw ideas around and ponder them together", says Kakko. 

“We have noticed that there has been a need not just for the necessary information, but especially for social encounters and peer support", Heikkilä continues. 

Peer support is the most important thing, but the meetings also generate new ideas on how to combine the participants' work. In the coaching group, they can build networks that are valuable for their own businesses.

Visits to foreign companies

In addition to Finland, the project operates in Latvia and Sweden, where similar coaching teams are active. During the project, training and visits are organised in all three countries to visit local businesses and to network with participants from other countries. 

“In particular, it has been easy for the participants to find people to work with during the visits abroad. I know that some of them have stayed in touch with each other", says Heikkilä. 

The international nature of the project poses its own challenges. For example, Latvia has different legislation on company taxation compared to Finland, which has made it difficult to create common training content.

Action generates interest

Experts in the project have noticed that the project is working on something topical and important. 

“This has been more than we expected. Now, during the project, we have had some interesting contacts from all over the world. In New Zealand, for example, they are about to launch a somewhat similar coaching programme," says Kakko. 

“It makes us wonder whether we should continue to develop the coaching", says Heikkilä.

The Silver Entrepreneurs project supports entrepreneurship among people over 60. The main aim of the project is to empower and equip the target group with the skills and confidence required for entrepreneurship. The project provides entrepreneurship training that directly addresses the challenges faced by an ageing workforce. The project is funded by the Interreg Central Baltic (CB) programme and TAMK is participating as a co-implementer. Project duration 1.4.2023–30.9.2025.
 

Additional information:

Eeva Heikkilä
Project Manager
Tampere University of Applied Sciences
eeva.e.heikkila [at] tuni.fi (eeva[dot]e[dot]heikkila[at]tuni[dot]fi), +358 503182139

Leila Kakko
Project Manager and Coach
Tampere University of Applied Sciences
leila.kakko [at] tuni.fi (leila[dot]kakko[at]tuni[dot]fi), +358 503119623