Two weeks ago, I finished my month-long stay in Spain, where I had the opportunity to work remotely and participate in the Break Fellowship program. This program, supported by EOI Business School, Impact Hub Madrid and NextGeneration EU, is aimed at women who are working on their own projects or planning to start one. It aims to foster a strong professional network among women in the EU and contribute to the local community. In this blog post, I will tell you more about this time.
Flexibility as a success factor
TOWA's flexible working policy made it possible for me to participate in this program. The ability to work from anywhere has allowed me to be in Spain while fulfilling my professional obligations. This experience contributed to my personal and professional development and provided me with valuable skills and experience that I can use in my future career.
A typical day during my stay started with a coffee in the co-working space. After about 5-6 hours for TOWA, we started the Break Fellowship program. Here we worked for 3-4 hours with mentors or in workshops, but also on local challenges. The day often ended with events in informal gatherings with the local entrepreneurial community or over dinner. On free weekends, I had time to explore Spain. Although the schedule was packed, every minute was valuable and enriching.
Experiences from the Break Fellowship Program
Workshops and Mentoring
During my stay in the city of Aranda de Duero, north of Madrid, I attended a series of workshops on project management, marketing, and work-life balance. These workshops provided a wealth of information and practical advice to help me manage and market my projects more effectively.
I also had the opportunity to participate in mentoring sessions with professionals from Spain and self-reflection sessions with participants from across Europe. These sessions provided a platform for sharing ideas and experiences and allowed me to gain new perspectives and challenge my own views and approaches.
The importance of diversity
It has been an enriching experience to work in an environment that encourages the participation of women, especially in an industry that is often dominated by men. It showed me that it is possible to create a more balanced and inclusive work environment and inspired me to advocate for more diversity in the tech industry.
What makes the Break Fellowship Program different?
The Break Fellowship Program is more than a series of workshops and mentoring sessions. It is a community of driven and ambitious women who support and encourage each other. During the program, we had the opportunity to participate in open innovation activities to solve local challenges. These activities gave us the opportunity to develop practical solutions to real-world problems while expanding our skills and knowledge.
Local Challenges
The Local Challenge is the most exciting part of the program because we get to make a difference for small, local businesses - and that's really great! The projects we worked on were diverse and ranged from creating a hiking trail map to promoting a thrift store. My team had the pleasure of working with some great small business owners and helping them develop a social media plan. We only had a few sessions available within a month, which isn't a lot of time, but we were able to lay the groundwork for future growth.
Self-reflection and personal growth
The program also provided space for self-reflection and personal growth. By participating in self-reflection sessions, I was able to better understand my strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to further improve my skills and overcome my weaknesses.
My top three takeaways
In just one month, I was able to take away many important insights for both my professional and personal life.
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Self-confidence
It is important to do your best and remember that you did your best when problems arise. This attitude helps you face challenges with confidence and determination, and promotes a positive work environment.
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Concept Development
In our fast-paced world, we often tend to do things quickly and fail quickly. But sometimes it makes sense to take more time to develop a concept. Thorough concept development can help make projects more successful and sustainable.
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Supportive friendships
Shared professional interests can be the basis for strong friendships that leave room for personal issues. These types of friendships can be an important source of support and inspiration, helping to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
What's next for me
Upon my return from Spain, I am determined to apply and continue to contribute what I have learned to my work at TOWA. I plan to use the skills and knowledge I have gained to manage and market my projects more effectively and to promote a more inclusive and diverse work environment.
I also hope to nurture the relationships I have built during the program and continue to benefit from the strong network of women in the EU. Not only that, but I strongly believe that by working together and supporting each other, we can achieve more and have a positive impact on the technology industry and beyond.
Finally, I would like to thank my team for their flexibility and support. Without them, I would not have been able to take advantage of this unique opportunity. I look forward to sharing my experiences and inspiring others to follow their dreams and achieve their goals.
Do you want to know more?