Organizer 1
Unni Beate Sekkesæter
Doctoral Researcher & Programme Manager - Microfinance
Bradford University School of Management & Norwegian People's Aid
Bradford University School of Management, Emm Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD9 4JL, UK

Tel: +44-1274 235309
Fax: +44-1274 546866
Email:u.b.sekkesaeter@bradford.ac.uk







Workshop description:
Microfinance for Minorities - A workshop with focus on learning from international experience. Examples from: USA, UK and Norway. Get a taste of what microfinance is all about. You will also learn & discuss how the strategy may help, especially women entrepreneurs, to enhance the quality of their business and their life. What are the important sucsess criteria for building microfinance programmes as public - private partnerships? Discussion time will be ensured.


Goals of the workshop:
1)To throw light on excisting practises in microfinance with specific targeting of minority groups in metropolitan areas. 2)To contribute to policy debate around public-private partnership in the field of microfinance 3)To challenge mainstream financial institutions to get more involved in reinvesting in their local communities, and specifically in microfinance partnership programmes.




Policy relevance and topic: -Focus on policy implications of including new minority businesses into the formal economy - consequences for public spending -Show the need for public support for the option of becoming self-employed rather than being unemployed/"frustrated" employees


How international comparisons are included: By comparing microcredit in UK, Norway, France and the US, the international comarative perspective will be ensured.


Reference to concerns with policy-making and best practice: Need for focus because of increased difficulty of accessing loans from ordinary banks. Need for policy focus on public-private partnerships to make microcredit institutions financially viable.


Presenters / participants /other information
Presenter:
Christine Bakke
Customers relations & lending associate
Cultura Sparebank (An ethical bank), Oslo, Norway. E-mail:
christine.bakke@cultura.no

Moderator:
Vivian Wrede-Holm
Deputy Director of the Integration Department, The Strategic Development of
Equal Opportunities Section
Directorate of Immigration - UDI, Norway E-mail: Vivien.Wrede-Holm@udi.no

Participant:
Magdi Garas, Proprietor of Mega Computers, Oslo Norway E-mail:
m.garas@megacomputer.no



Summary:
Microfinance for Minorities - A workshop with focus on learning from international experience. Examples from: USA, UK and Norway. Get a taste of what microfinance is all about. You will also learn & discuss how the strategy may help, especially women entrepreneurs, to enhance the quality of their business and their life. What are the important sucsess criteria for building microfinance programmes as public - private partnerships? Discussion time will be ensured.




Date: 10 September


(1 session is 3 hours)
Number of sessions: 1

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