BACKGROUND and NEEDS In EU Green Deal (2019) is written “Achieving a circular economy requires a full mobilisation of industry. It takes 25 years – a generation – to transform value chains. To be ready in 2050, actions need to be taken now.” In GD HIVE we will give a special attention in developing circular economy skills and competencies, especially focusing on youth business activities (whether the youth are entrepreneurs, business owners or they work for companies, or they thinking to establish a start-up or even they are unemployed). In 2019, there were 3.3 million unemployed young people in the EU. 29% of youth is at risk of poverty or social exclusion and 11.6% are not included in the process of education, training.They also benefit less from mobility, including Erasmus+. GOALS GD HIVE goal is to empower youth with new competencies, and enhance their employability in green/circular economy. This is a key long-term investment in human capital. Specific objectives: • map existing competences in partner countries on CE and Green Deal in businesses and youth, CE entrepreneurship (40 young people in each country); KPIs: 5 competencies maps / 40 young people / 200 completed questionnaires • develop a platform (with an e-course) to ensure that young people acquire the knowledge, skills and competences in the field of circular economy business/entrepreneurship KPIs: 1 + platform with integrated course (see IOs),> 30 young people with certificates • create training material, develop a platform and course through “short-term staff training” and “short-term mobility for young people”. 30 young people and 15 individuals - staff KPI: successfully performed activities and acquired knowledge, competencies, skills • develop GD Hive space KPI: 1 GD Hive “a space” for mentoring youth, • perform multiplication events, dissemination KPI:> 100 (overall 1000) • org. networking and with youth, stakeholders KPI: MoU PROJECT PARTNERS GD HIVE includes 5 partners from 5 EU countries, with required competences, experiences and skills to implement project activities and realize project objectives. TARGET GROUPS a) Youth (18-24 years): who are involved or have already completed formal and non-formal forms of learning and training and have an interest in acquiring additional or new knowledge, skills and circular economy and business/entrepreneurship competencies. Youth could be unemployed, employed or trying to set up start-ups. We will encourage creative thinking, collaboration and develop digital competencies. b) Staff (trainers, youth workers) in various institutions working with youth (e.g. youth organizations, companies, NGOs) interested in increasing their knowledge circular economy in businesses, as well as the desire for greater exchange of experience between organizations. c) Organizations working in the fields of sustainability, circular economy, business, entrepreneurship. Their needs are largely intertwined with the educational needs of the staff. d) project partners, who will use the outputs and results within their organizations and by their own activities. METHODOLOGY GD HIVE will be realized via O1-O4, C1-C2, and E1-E6. IMPACTS We expect several types of impacts: Short-term: 1. Impacts of training/education during the project. In the short term, project will increase the competencies and knowledge of > 100 youth through participation in project activities, validation of the platform, e-materials, GD hive 2. Impacts of dissemination during the project life. In the short term, 1000 people (youth and other stakeholders) from partner countries will be aware of GD HIVE activities, mainly through multiplication events, dissemination activities, closing conference. 3. Impacts on youth and society - with new knowledge and competencies, youth will be able to get specialised in GD, CE, innovations, better employ their own competencies, become more confident, adopt appropriate skills to start innovations, which has a positive impact on their lives and society (environment). Long-term: 4. Impacts of post-project training. We expect youth to show great interest in acquiring competencies and knowledge in GD, CE, innovation, business opportunities. Long-term partners will trained at least 10 youth every year for 5 years after completion of project (at set up at least 1 innovative business/year - GD hives), thanks to the work invested and the results obtained. 5. Dissemination effects upon completion of the project. Long-term we will continue with dissemination (website, social media) and inform at least 250 youth and others about it annually. Stakeholders who will be able to exchange experiences and gain new knowledge on existing website, e-platform (last at least 5 years after project ends).
By implementing this project, we want to kill two birds with one stone: by supporting young people to start their own business and doing that in the fields of circular economy and the Green Deal topics, great opportunities will open up for them in the future. Many new companies with a high innovation potential will be needed in the future to fight climate change, use renewable resources in a sustainable way, protect soil, air and water and still ensure social and economic stability. If that path will succeed European societies and societies worldwide will profit in the future.
The reason for the application of this project was the fact that the transformation of our linear economy to a nature based and circular economy takes more than twenty years. Several European strategies aim at this transformation on different levels in different sectors. Awareness must be risen now in order to be able to have enough work force in the respective fields in the future. On the other hand, there are more than 3 million unemployed people in the European Union (2019). The field of circular economy and the topics addressed in the European Green Deal mean a great opportunity for young people to start business activities and be part of this urgent and highly necessary transformation.