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Eco-social-fair business - capacity building for young people
Start date: Aug 1, 2016, End date: Jan 31, 2017 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The project ECOBUSSI has emerged from the collaboration of young European people that got to know each other in the course of the projectA POSSIBLE WORLD. ECOBUSSI is the result of one year of discussions about ideas on sustainable development also in an intercultural context, identifying needs in the surroundings of the young adults in their different countries and last but not least three European meetings in Verona, Czestochowa and Stuttgart. In these three intensive meetings, the participants interchanged ideas and finally designed the project ECOBUSSI. ECOBUSSI will ensure the sustainability of the network, give the young adults an opportunity to keep on working together on a common topic and above all provide them with professional tools in order to build a sustainable future in the business context.The project has to be seen in the context of increasing rates of youth-unemployment, the need for transformation of business models and to combat the global challenges.The general objective of the project is to raise awareness on alternative models of sustainable entrepreneurship in Europe. The specific objective is to give young people an introduction to sustainable entrepreneurship and provide them with professional tools and skills for starting an own business that is based on social justice, environmental criteria and fair economic business practice. The project will foster intercultural understanding and tolerance.The participants are characterized by a variety of different backgrounds. It is not important what kind of qualifications or interests they have, but this common aim to achieve knowledge about starting an own eco-social-fair business. The mix of people and (cultural) backgrounds will give the Youth Exchange this special character of intercultural learning and group learning.The participants will be chosen by the partner organization in collaboration with the young people who designed the project proposal. The participants will be between 22 and 28 years old. From each partner country 8 participants will be expected (7 young people and 1 group leader) what makes a total of 32 persons. Priority will be given to unemployed young people (with or without experience in starting an own business) and young people with a migration background.The selected participants will meet before the Youth Exchange in their respective countries and will work out a list of criteria for being a “sustainable” business that is based on social, ecological and economic fair aspects. After that they will do a kind of research and collect the sustainable businesses in their city/region/country.The Youth Exchange takes place in Stuttgart, Germany, for 6 days. It will provide the young participants with professional skills and tools, foster intercultural learning and understanding, tolerance, diversity and teamwork. First the participants will build a common understanding of what it means to be a sustainable business. From day 3 to day 6 theoretical inputs from experts, discussions with them and group working sessions will be combined with excursions to sustainable companies from various sectors, e.g. food, mobility, energy, etc. The objective is to show that a sustainable alignment is possible for all sectors. The participants have the possibility to discuss with the owners their lessons learned and challenges they have encountered. A reflection session is included at the end of every day and a more detailed one at the last day. Back home in their countries the participants will spread their knowledge in their local communities and networks. A continuous reflection is considered as a key element of the Youth Exchange as well as the follow-up phase in each partner country.The Youth Exchange will be learner centered. The participants acquire their knowledge by short theoretical inputs, discussions with experts and owners, group working sessions in order to apply the gained knowledge and to strengthen intercultural competences. The visit of existing sustainable start-ups and the discussions with the owners about their lessons learned serve as motivating case studies.The project will have impacts on the local, regional, national and international level. The follow-up phase ensures that the topics will be spread in the national networks. Each national group will edit and spread general information on how interested people can take the first steps to create a sustainable enterprise and where to find the relevant information. The research on already existing enterprises in the different countries will be spread as well. It will be a guide for consumers in the respective countries. The elaboration and discussion of “sustainable” criteria is included.By connecting young people from 4 different countries we ensure the prolonging of the learning as they share interesting news about sustainable business. In total ECOBUSSI contributes to combating unemployment among youth and to facing global challenges.
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