The project COOLSKILLS- cultural heritage as a fountain of modern youth skills collects 4 partners in strategic partnership: FRDL MISTiA Kraków (Poland)- leader of the project, EDUCentrum Zu (Czech Republic)-project partner, Vidzemes Planosanas Regions (Latvia), Powiatowa i Miejska Biblioteka Publiczna im. Marii Fihel w Miechowie (Register of cultural institutions number: RIK Nr 1/00) The main aim of the project is to identified new, more effective youth education tools and best practices which connect culture and heritage education with soft skills development needful for new type of creativity in Entrepreneurial learning - entrepreneurship education and social entrepreneurship / social innovations. The project is based on innovation and exchange practices among 4 partners during 24 months. The main target group: youth staff- project coordinators, coaches ,trainers, members of boards responsible for youth work, key youth local policy makers.
The main goal of the project was to support capacity building of youth staff by identifying youth education tools that combine education in the field of culture and heritage with the development of soft skills needed to generate creativity in entrepreneurship, including social entrepreneurship and social innovation, the development of civic and social competences and cultural awareness and expression, as part of the exchange of good practices, knowledge and experience between the 4 project partners. Through the implementation of the project, the partners wanted to contribute to the future: development of key youth competences, increasing youth competencies leading to the development of entrepreneurship, including social entrepreneurship and social innovation, development of civic and social competences as well as cultural awareness and expression.
The main premise for the implementation of the project was the need to deepen knowledge and exchange experiences between partners in the field of developing youth education tools that combine education in the field of culture and heritage with the development of entrepreneurial competences, including social entrepreneurship, civic competences and cultural awareness and expression. The project responded to the needs related to the development of youth competences in order to increase their chances of entering the labor market. Eurostat data showed in 2020 that youth are a particularly vulnerable group on the labor market, due to the lack of professional experience, it is more difficult for them to enter the labor market and start a business. Youth are also more likely to be dismissed if the economic cycle is weak – the high level of youth dismissals was shown by the economic crisis of 2008 and the crisis caused by the COVID-19. COVID-19 has also had a negative impact not only on economic indicators in Europe, but also on the social context, especially cultural life. Hence the idea for the project, look for examples of education that use education in the field of heritage and culture with the development of key competences of youth.