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More Than Money: Social Entrepreneurship Heroes
More Than Money: Social Entrepreneurship Heroes
Start date: Aug 1, 2014,
End date: Jan 31, 2015
PROJECT
FINISHED
European societies are facing a range of social problems; yet, undoubtedly youth unemployment is one of the biggest issues of today. As a result of it, youth often gets socially excluded from the society and finds it difficult to actively participate in it. One of the ways to tackle these problems is social entrepreneurship. To promote this concept, a project “More than Money: Social Entrepreneurship Heroes” will be hosted in Lithuania. It will consist of two actions: youth workers mobility (September 20-27, 2014) and a youth exchange (October 25 – November 2, 2014). The project is implemented by organizations from countries where youth unemployment and other social problems are especially acute (Lithuania, Spain, Italy, Romania, Turkey, UK). In the 1st action there will be 24 youth workers involved (4 / country); while the 2nd action will have 36 participants (5 unemployed youngsters aged 18-30, 1 youth worker from the 1st action / country). Priority will be given to those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with fewer opportunities.
The main objectives of the project is to: (1) teach youth workers the essentials of social entrepreneurship and the non-formal education (NFE) methods to share this knowledge; (2) coach unemployed youth on how to create their own social enterprises and the key skills needed for that; (3) generate fresh ideas for social enterprises. At the same time the project intends to promote the concept of social entrepreneurship amongst the target groups and the general public. In the long run this would ensure a positive impact on both youth unemployment and the resultant problems throughout the participating countries. The project also aims to help the participants grow professionally, keep them active, involve them in multi-cultural discussions, develop a number of skills and competences and create new partnerships across Europe.
In order to achieve these objectives, a range of NFE methods developed by all the partner organisations will be employed. Main activities will identify benefits of social entrepreneurship, teach the competences needed, and create the means of spreading information about the concept to the public. Involvement, creativity and initiative of all the participants will be encouraged throughout the activities, which will include: 1) interactive workshops, 2) generation of new NFE methods, 3) discussions in non-formal environment, 4) meeting social entrepreneurs, 5) country presentations, 6) visits to social enterprises, 7) application of art and sport as NFE methods, 8) analyses of relevant video materials, 9) quizzes, 11) specialized group exercises, games, 12) feedbacks, reflections, evaluations and much more. In order to facilitate integration of the participants: 13) cultural evenings, 14) energizers, 15) ice-breaking and socializing activities will also be organised. Since the project goal is to reach the public and disseminate the results effectively: 16) special videos, 17) workshops for unemployed and 18) e-booklet will be prepared by the participants. All of this will ensure that the project would induce a positive effect on the participants, organisations and the target groups in regional, national and international levels.
It is expected that participants will not only improve a number of skills and competences, but will also get a chance to extend their networks by meeting potential investors, social entrepreneurs, etc. This would make them more competitive professionally and help them in creating their own social enterprises. The participating organisations would increase their knowledge on social entrepreneurship and learn new NFE methods, all of which could be used in their future initiatives. At the same time, the project would help them grow internationally, increase public awareness of their actions and enhance their capacities of reaching the objectives of youth development.
General public and unemployed youth within it are expected to be impacted as well. Firstly, the participants will share the knowledge acquired throughout the project in workshops for the unemployed within their own communities. Likewise the participating organizations will employ social media and similar future projects to promote the concept of social entrepreneurship. The results dissemination will be also facilitated through involvement of mass-media and spreading of videos and e-booklet prepared during the project. As a result, unemployed youth in participating countries are expected to increase their chances of getting employed and/or actively involved in the society.
The project is anticipated to not only help participating youth enhance their skills and get involved in social entrepreneurship, but also increase general awareness of this concept in participating countries. As a result, long-term benefits of minimizing youth unemployment and solving social problems through social entrepreneurship are expected; thus, making the project results very important.