BACKGROUND Unemployment in Europe is high and many young people can expect an uncertain future with difficulties of getting into the labour market. We as schools have an obligation to equip our students so that they can create employment opportunities for themselves as well as for others and contribute to economic growth. This is done through an entrepreneurial approach and the acquisition of skills to implement one´s own ideas. Young Europeans will act in an international environment so they will need knowledge and understanding of both national and international conditions for business and entrepreneurship. Schools play a crucial role in preparing young people for this entrepreneurial era and knowledge needs to improve about how this important work can best be done. This is the motivation for our project YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS - THE FUTURE OF EUROPE. MAIN OBJECTIVES To introduce our students to the world of entrepreneurship in an international context. To provide them with the knowledge and skills for entrepreneurial success so that they can turn ideas into actions and create jobs for themselves and for others. To teach important so called 21st century skills. To teach specific tools e.g. how to set up an e-commerce. To exchange best practices in the field of entrepreneurship training, through observation, discussion, and through a company simulation. To improve the English language and the use of ICT. NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS The project has 4 partner schools situated in Italy, Romania, Spain, and Sweden. The first three have extensive knowledge of running Erasmus+ projects while Sweden has no previous experience. Each school will have 4-7 pupils directly participating in each of the international meetings plus a large team of students (250) and teachers beyond that who will help to prepare and carry out each LTT meeting as well as the subsequent distribution of the learning outcomes. Some of the students come from a disadvantaged social, cultural, or educational environment, some live in areas with a high rate of unemployment, or have a migrant background. ACTIVITIES Training Course No 1: First part of a business plan - Market insights and business strategy Training Course No 2: Second part of a business plan - The operating plan Training Course No 3: How to create a successful e-Commerce Training Course No 4: A European Company METHODOLOGY In order to support the objectives of the project, the methods chosen aim at transferring knowledge, inspire, and motivate. Our focus will therefore be on lectures, workshops, and study visits. Lectures - held by teachers and other specialists in areas of expertise necessary to develop a successful business project. Workshops - hands on experience in the areas of expertise mentioned above e.g. market research, intellectual property, branding, building a business model, promotion, e-commerce etc. Study visits - meetings at companies, organisations, and incubators that are relevant to the subject of entrepreneurship MONITORING AND EVALUATION The project will be monitored throughout the project period by a monitoring team. Evaluation of activities will made both locally and after LTT meetings. Project evaluation will be implemented at the end of the 1st and 2nd year. Methods of evaluation and assessment will vary. Both students and teachers will contribute in order to assess the quality and the success of the project. RESULTS AND IMPACT In general, the project not only improves the practical ability of starting companies but also to think creatively and ambitiously. It benefits students because it teaches them to think outside the box and it nurtures unconventional skills. Furthermore, it creates opportunity, ensures social justice, instills confidence and stimulates the economy. Specific results are e.g. an international e-learning manual for entrepreneurship that will help trainers and users in the process of creating a business project, an E-commerce manual etc. LONG TERM BENEFITS Dissemination of the project and its results will be spread after each mobility within the individual schools through presentations to other students. Participating teachers will hold seminars on good practice and experience resulting from the project. The e-learning manual as well as the e-commerce manual will be integrated into the entrepreneurship education at each school. This ensures that the results of the project will benefit future young students. Dissemination outside participating schools will include feedback to visited organisations and companies. Posting of the project and its results on each schools website will contribute to increased awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship. The e-learning manual for entrepreneurship and result reports will be available through eTwinning and School Education Gateway. We plan to continue to work together within this partner group with an Erasmus+ project that builds on the results gained from this project.
BACKGROUND All four partners had identified a need for further development of its entrepreneurship education in light of fewer possibilities for young people in the labour market in Europe. The need for international perspective on business & entrepreneurship education was obvious. OBJECTIVES The main objectives of the project have been to introduce participating students to the different aspects of entrepreneurship and setting up a business in order to inspire them and install self-confidence so that they will be more likely to turn ideas into actions and create jobs for themselves and for others in the future. Another main objective was to exchange best practices in the field of entrepreneurship education between participating schools and to inspire each other. Other important objectives have been to offer the students an opportunity to feel that they are citizens of Europe and a possibility to improve their English language skills within a real-life situation. ACTIVITIES Each of the four LTTAs has been unique and has addressed necessary aspects of entrepreneurship and the start-up of a business. The work has been documented in order to produce a guide on how to start a business. Staff meetings have had exchange of experience on entrepreneurship on the agenda. Every LTTA has also had cultural exchange for both students and staff on the agenda. At the first three meetings the programmes were extensive with informative days of lectures, workshops, students presentations and company visits as well as cultural visits. The fourth meeting was shortened to three days due to the fact that it was virtual. Although a lot is lost in virtual meetings compared to physical ones, we managed to cover most of the planned topics. RESULTS AND IMPACT The main achievement is that participating students have been equipped with high quality skills and competences that will enable them to create job opportunities for themselves and others thus they can expect a brighter future. They also have the tools and the motivation to become entrepreneurs. In general, the project has not only improved the practical ability to start a business but also inspired participants to be creative and think outside the box. A very important result has been the deepened knowledge about the other countries, their people, and their unique cultures. The project has also resulted in improved proficiency in English for participating students and a unique opportunity to start building a European network for the future. Dissemination of the project and its results has been spread after each mobility within the individual schools through presentations to other students thus inspiring them to learn more about entrepreneurship. Participating teachers have exchanged ideas and inspiration in order to develop entrepreneurship training on a larger scale. An international e-learning manual for entrepreneurship is another result that will help trainers and users in the process of creating a business project or developing an e-commerce. The manual is sufficiently detailed to guide an entrepreneur-to-be or a trainer in the right direction throughout the process of setting up a successful business. The guide is easily available on the projects webpage, through eTwinning and School Education Gateway and through the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. Furthermore, the e-learning manual will be integrated into the entrepreneurship education at each participating school. This ensures that the results of the project will benefit future young students. LONG TERM BENEFITS We strongly believe that young entrepreneurs ARE the future of Europe and our project contributes to the realization of that vision. Research has shown that people who have received even moderate entrepreneurial training are more likely to start a business later in life, to employ a greater number of people, to run more viable businesses and to be unemployed to a lesser degree. The projects focus on entrepreneurship will gradually improve entrepreneurship training in schools in Europe and will result in more young people being prepared to create job opportunities for themselves and for other Europeans. Entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow will work in an international environment. A deepened knowledge about the cultures and people in Europe bring Europeans closer together and lowers the threshold for taking businesses and people abroad. In the long run people will begin to perceive that they are part of a common market to a larger degree than is the fact today. We are convinced that our project will serve as an inspiration for continued work with international projects to promote entrepreneurship to the benefit of young Europeans. More widespread entrepreneurial skills and competences will mean that more job opportunities to the benefit of individuals, nations, and the European union. This in turn will stimulate the economy in Europe and improve social justice in the long run.