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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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Press Release

Enhancing Entrepreneurship through Participation in the SME Mentorship Programme
Thursday, September 7, 2006

The Trade and Industry Department (TID) hosted a cocktail reception today (September 7) to show gratitude to 49 co-organisers and 104 mentors and volunteer contributors to the 2005/06 SME Mentorship Programme for their wholehearted support and commitment in making the Programme a success. SME entrepreneurs who had participated in the programme also took this opportunity to express their thankfulness and to share benefits gained from the programme.  

Speaking at the cocktail reception, the Acting Director-General of Trade and Industry, Mr Clement Leung said, "The Programme provides SME entrepreneurs who are at an early stage of business with the opportunity to learn from and be guided by mentors who have abundant business experience, and are willing to offer free counselling services on a one-on-one basis during the mentorship period."

The numbers of mentors and mentees have grown to 286 and 545 respectively since the implementation of the pilot SME Mentorship Programme in 2000. The number of co-organisers has also increased from 9 to 49 in the 2005/06 programme with a good representation from various industrial and trade sectors.

Apart from learning from their mentors, mentees are encouraged to participate in SME seminars and workshops organised by the Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs (SUCCESS) of TID. Various tailor-made activities relating to business management were also available to broaden and enhance mentees' business knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.

Most mentees found participating in the programme very useful in enhancing their entrepreneurship, widening their business network and improving their managerial skills. They were grateful to mentors who were willing to advise them. Some mentors were in the same business field as their mentees.    

Proprietors of locally registered companies that employ fewer than 20 employees and have been established for less than five years are eligible for participating in the SME Mentorship Programme. They may seek advice from a mentor assigned to him for a period of nine months. Mentors will listen to their views and problems in running a business, share with them their thinking and experience, and give them advice.

The TID will announce details of the next SME Mentorship Programme soon.  

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