Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure IE-2008-1/2531 – measures in Ireland
Country | Ireland , applies nationwide |
Time period | Open ended, started on 01 January 2008 |
Context | Restructuring Support Instruments |
Type | Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Category |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
Author | Roisin Farelly (IRN Publishing) and Eurofound |
Measure added | 23 June 2022 (updated 11 November 2022) |
The Mentor Network is funded through Enterprise Ireland, a government agency. The Enterprise Ireland Mentor Network helps companies to identify and overcome obstacles to growth. Enterprise Ireland’s Mentor Network has a panel of more than 400 highly experienced business people.that provide tailored advice, guidance and support to help businesses accelerate growth and build management capability.
Mentors are senior executives, drawn from the private sector, with a proven track record in business. They act as a confidential sounding board, advising companies on key operational and strategic issues.
The network provides expertise in marketing, strategic development, organisation development, R&D, funding and first-time exporting across the software, services, life sciences, environment, food and consumer products sectors.
A mentoring assignment consists of five to 10 visits from a mentor over a six to 12-month period. Companies choose a mentor from a short-list of mentors with the experience to meet their stated needs. The goals and objectives are established by the client in agreement with the mentor at the start of the assignment.
Enterprise Ireland provides grant support to qualifying companies towards the cost of a mentor for up to 10 sessions (to a total of €1,750). EI pays this directly to your mentor on your behalf. The mentor network involves no cost to the mentee (other than some travel costs).
This is available to managers of manufacturing or internationally-traded services companies employing between 10 and 249 people (small and medium enterprises - SMEs) and High Potential Start Ups (HPSUs). The mentor service has nationwide coverage. It is targeted at the software, services, life sciences, environment, food and consumer products sectors. It is mentor network, not a consultancy
Since it was established in 2008, the Mentor Network has provided almost 5,000 Irish companies with pragmatic advice and assistance to help them identify and overcome barriers to growth. A 2018 survey of companies (Enterprise Ireland, 2018) which have participated in Enterprise Ireland’s Mentor Network has shown significant increases in sales, exports and employment as a result of participation. More than 90% of respondents described the mentor’s input as either important or very important.
The 2018 survey shows the following statistics: 88% of Enterprise Ireland's clients continue to be in contact with their mentor after the programme; 94% felt their mentor was well or very well matched; 96% were satisfied with the Mentor Network service; and 73% felt their company had grown because of their mentor’s intervention.
A Forfas review (2014) noted an evaluation of the mentor network for the 2008-2012 period which found the following:
The Forfas review of mentoring services (2014) found that there could be a more holistic and integrated approach taken to mentoring services. This review also noted there is no standard approach to monitoring and evaluating the impact of mentoring.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Does not apply to workers | Applies to all businesses | Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
Company / Companies |
National funds
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | No involvement as case not in social partner domain | No involvement as case not in social partner domain |
Form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
Social partners are not involved
No espoused views of the social partners on this initiative.
Citation
Eurofound (2022), Enterprise Ireland Mentor Network, measure IE-2008-1/2531 (measures in Ireland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/IE-2008-1_2531.html
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