Fostering Youth Social Entrepreneurship and Practical Career Management Skills in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia through the Innovative Social Student Companies (SSC) Approach

Location of the action:
Armenia, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine
Duration of the action:
24 months
Overall Objective

Foster the active participation of youth in both democratic life and in the labour markets of UKR, MLD, GEO and ARM with a special focus on disadvantaged youth, thus contributing to sustainable and smart growth, social cohesion and reduction of inequalities in EaP countries. 

Specific Objective

Foster youth social entrepreneurship and develop youth’s career management skills, digital skills and skills needed for green transition in UKR, MLD, GEO and ARM through the innovative educational concept SSC, with the integral involvement of civil society actors, authorities and entrepreneurs at local, regional and national levels.

Expected Outputs 1 and 2

Output 1: The necessary foundation has been laid for the development of successful SSC in MLD, GEO and ARM by capacitating representatives of CSOs and youth centres as competent trainers, developing educational materials and establishing an online portal for SSC. 

Output 2: An education programme on SSC with the potential for national and international enlargement has been implemented in schools across UKR, MLD, GEO and ARM, resulting in at least 24 established SSC, and 100 young people have completed short internships in social enterprises.

Expected outputs 3, 4 and 5

Output 3: Best practices from the local pilot programmes are disseminated to the national level of all four countries through awareness-raising work and published materials, as well as through the integration of the SSC model into curricula and/or local school systems in MLD, GEO, and ARM (based on the successful Ukrainian experience). 

Output 4: Permanent national and transnational SSC networks and partnerships are created and an annual award for the best SSC in UKR is established. 

Output 5: Youth affected by armed conflicts (those who are confronted with the war atrocities and psychological and social traumas) received skills and knowledge for enhancing economic and societal resilience in their countries through access to within the project developed online courses on social and green development skills and psychological support.

Each output is attained through a cluster of activities:

  • Output 1 envisages the implementation of the SSC concept through focus groups, ToT programme, online portal and development of education materials, thus preparing for output 2 activities. 
  • Output 2 foresees the piloting of an educational programme on SSC in selected schools: 60 schools are selected for workshops. Further competitive selection gives 24 schools the opportunity to establish SSC through mentoring and grant support. 100 young people take part in SE internship programmes. 
  • Output 3 covers the dissemination of best practices from output 2 through awareness campaigns, a methodological guide on SSC, and the integration of SSC into curricula of secondary/vocational education through cooperation and advocacy meetings with the MoEs. 
  • Output 4 establishes sustainable structures for SSC through study trips, a multinational SSC network, international conference for authorities, CSOs, established SSCs, SEs and business sectors, a SE support system based on existing youth centres, an annual SSC award in UKR and an SSC summer school for young trainers and entrepreneurs. 
  • Output 5 provides, based on a survey conducted within the project, tools to improve the socioeconomic situation of youth affected by the conflict including psychological support.

Contacts:


This project is funded by the European Union.

Partners: ChildFund (Germany), School of ME (Ukraine), EcoVisio (Moldova), Vesta (Moldova), EDEC (Georgia), CODE (Armenia). 

 


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