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YW-Youth ENTREPRENEURization
Start date: Mar 1, 2015, End date: Nov 30, 2015 PROJECT  FINISHED 

39 youth workers and youth leaders from 7 countries (Norway, Armenia, Czech Republic, Romania, Moldova, Slovakia and Georgia) participated in the international training course “Youth ENTREPRENEURization” which took place in Yerevan, Armenia from 1 to 13 September 2015. Unemployment is a big challenge in Europe and neighboring partner countries. The problem is more severe in case of young people with fewer opportunities living in deprived rural and urban areas due to limitations related to their geographic location and lack of access to education and work opportunities. This issue is targeted mostly from macro level through the notion of wise policy and effective management of the economy. We believe this is not enough. We are convinced that a true and sustainable solution can only come inside¬out; when a shift in thinking and change in perceptions takes place in the minds of young people who come to understand that they have more control over their lives than they think and they are empowered to be proactive and strategic, to seize opportunities, to see the potential and take risks. We believe in the potential of small synergistic actions in local interdependent realities and the need to promote entrepreneurial spirit among young people. Entrepreneurship is an alternative (and also creative) approach to create jobs and improve livelihoods and economic independence of young people. It helps integrate youth into the value creating cycle of the economy. Youth workers and youth leaders working directly with young unemployed people are uniquely positioned to inspire and empower youth to gain entrepreneurial and business knowledge, experience and skills through non-formal and informal activities and raise their self-confidence and enthusiasm which leads to promotion of entrepreneurship and higher awareness of personal empowerment. The international training course “Youth ENTREPRENEURization” aimed to train and equip youth workers and youth leaders working directly with young unemployed people in deprived rural and urban areas with essential business and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills and support them to contribute to tackling of the problem of unemployment among youth through promoting self-employment and entrepreneurial culture. Objectives of the training course: -Deepen the understanding about the concept of self-employment and entrepreneurship within the context of youth. -Study the status-quo of young unemployed people in deprived rural and urban areas. Map reasons and consequences of long term joblessness. -Explore ways, methods and tools to help unemployed young people make a transition to self-employed. -Share best practices on how to integrate alienated and marginalized youth back into the value creating cycle of the economy and give them a sense of responsibility and empowerment. -Understand effective ways for working with youth in difficult physiological conditions due to joblessness. -Expand knowledge about how non¬formal and informal education can be used to help youth develop new skills and experiences. -Promote creativity and spirit of flexibility in youth in deprived rural and urban areas. -Developing business ideas, entrepreneurial initiatives and partnerships among participants. -Promoting Erasmus + Programme and opportunities for youth in rural and urban areas and shape a comprehensive understanding about what can be done under Erasmus + Programme to tackle the problem of unemployment through youth work. -Develop and publish the "Electronic Catalogue of Tools and Approaches for Effective Youth Work with Young People with Fewer Opportunities in Rural and Urban Areas". The impact of the training course was felt quickly. One participant from Georgia went on and opened his first business (a bar in Tbilisi) right after the training course. Many others said they were inspired and wanted take this as their career and or educational path. Most participants testified this training course equipped them with what they needed to advance the concept of self-employment and entrepreneurship within their organizations, communities and youth groups they work with. The training course was based on non formal education methodologies and was centered on participants’ input and experience as the main source of mutual learning through group discussion, role plays, simulation exercises, case studies and interactive presentations. The project successfully demonstrated the potential of Erasmus+ Programme as a tool for youth empowerment and raised awareness about Youthpass tool which can help young people learn, harness skills and grow personally and collectively.
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