Young Entrepreneurs- Learning by Experience is a project focusing on cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices between 5 schools in European Union: Mazsalaca secondary school in Latvia as the coordinator with partners: Escola Básica e Secundária de Moimenta da Beira in Portugal, Sint-Romboutscollege in Belgium, Tamsalu Gymnasium in Estonia and Geniko Lykeio Volou in Greece. There are 100 participants involved in transnational project meetings and learning activities both for secondary school students aged 15-19 and their teachers. The project involves more participant s and teachers in its cross curricular activities throughout the whole period of 2 years. The project covers a variety of topics: entrepreneurial learning - entrepreneurship education, ICT - new technologies - digital competences, Intercultural/intergenerational education and lifelong learning. The objective of the project is to give students a chance to learn how students of their age deal with the same employment difficulties in other EU countries, and learn from their experience The project aims at giving students extra motivation and inspiration by learning from their European peers and their communities to see what different and creative ideas they could apply in their own local entrepreneurship. Use of their newly made international contacts can be an advantage for future cooperation to promote their businesses on a larger scale than they would without such a project. Thus the project encourages them to stay in their town, motivates them to get education and acquire ICT important for their future, prevents the problem of early school leaving and drop-out of education and enables them to earn a living, create new workplaces and develop their area. Another objective is to promote students’ knowledge about what they do for their local community, what ideas they have for social entrepreneurship. Also, there is a need to understand the diversity issues in EU, especially through migration, overcoming stereotypes and prejudices, to develop tolerance and understanding towards the need of integration and social inclusion. A general approach throughout the project is to turn the whole process into practical and mutual learning. During the project the main tools for communication for partners will be the Internet: e-mails, video conferences, Facebook project page, Skype and other messengers. The achievement of the objectives is ensured through 3 transnational project meetings and 5 transnational learning activities. To make the impact greater and provide continuity of learning, a variety of activities will be scheduled throughout the whole project both locally and virtually. They involve exploring and researching the themes, carrying out surveys, analyzing the data collected, identifying one's own best practices and developing ways of peer-learning to share. The participants will bring back new knowledge, skills and experience from the meetings at their partner schools and will apply the new ideas in practice by organizing workshops, events and looking for new ways to bring benefit to their communities. The transnational learning activities are an essential part of the whole process as they provide a full insight into European dimension and raise awareness of cultural and linguistic diversity. Partners will also organize a display for the items created at workshops and in activities. This will provide the next students an opportunity to explore the project results and also try out some activities. Teachers will use the results in their study process. The school websites in English will be an illustrative example of students’ contribution to introducing school life to wider, international audiences. The project has several practical outcomes: * Organization of a practical event in terms of social inclusion and local community service which could be very well incorporated in the curriculum at the upcoming Christmas time (charitable bazaar support a charity, an animal shelter, an orphanage etc). * Organization of a practical event regarding entrepreneurship (student businesses at school – producing candles, pencil cases etc). * Creating a school website in English and updating it. * Practical event in terms of intercultural communication, integration, tolerance, cultural diversity (a conference, a day with guests devoted to the theme etc) . * Organization of a practical event in terms of social entrepreneurship in their school or local community (promotion of selling items either created by less advantaged or those in need) The project progress and results will be published in town or regional websites, at eTwinning so anyone interested can use them and the ideas. The schools will also inform their policy makers, or methodology groups or councils about the project results.
"Young entrepreneurs - learning by experience" was a project aimed at exchanging good practices between schools: Sint-Romboutscollege in Mehlen Belgium, Tamsalu Gymnasium in Estonia, Geniko Lykeio Volou in Volos Greece, Mazsalaca secondary school in Latvia as a Coordinator and Escola Básica e Secundária in Moimenta da Beira . The transnational project mobility involved 100 participants: students aged 15-19 and their teachers. It is estimated that there were at least 1250 beneficiaries in total in all partner schools in line with the project objectives. The project covered different topics: entrepreneurship, ICT - new technologies - digital competences, intercultural competences, social inclusion. The aim of the project was to give students additional motivation to learn about entrepreneurship from their European peers. They will use this knowledge and experience when deciding on their future occupation. The project provided practical knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, thus encouraging students to consider how to use it in their region. This would enable young people to stay in their town, because there would be a job. The project also provided an opportunity to improve their knowledge of different project topics, foreign language and ICT skills. Another goal of the project achieved was to make students think about what they can do for their local community. Another important theme of the project was cultural diversity in the EU, including migration, overcoming stereotypes and prejudices, promoting tolerance and awareness of the need for integration and social inclusion. The main methods of the project were collaboration and learning from peers. Workshops, field trips were also important. The objectives were achieved through 3 transnational project planning meetings and 5 short-term LTTAs. During the project various local activities, preparation for trips, work on themes, events, charity, questionnaires and analysis of results were carried out. The lessons learned from the school will be used in the learning process. As a result of the project, each school has on its website information in English about the school, about the Erasmus + project. The project progress and results were published on the school and municipal website as well as on the eTwinning platform. The municipality supports further school participation in Erasmus + programme.