DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
Youth entrepreneurship is a critical element in the development of sustainable knowledge economies due to the creativity and innovation of young people. It is appropriate for the current times as young people are most severely affected by the financial crisis as evidenced by the significant rise in youth unemployment.
The Youth Exchange "Get up start up" gathered 35 participants from 5 European countries (6 participants age 18-30 years old and 1 team leader without age limit per organization): Greece, Portugal, Italy, Romania and Turkey. It took place in Athens from 13 to 21st April, 2018 and covered a variety of topics which linked to: youth unemployment, entrepreneurial learning - entrepreneurship education, improving digital skills.
During the Youth Exchange, participants gained knowledge about the concept of entrepreneurship and sustainable development. The Youth Exchange was built on the principles of non-formal education applied in the project activities through creative and practical workshops and therefore carried an in-built component of intercultural learning and active participation. The natural and cultural environment were used to discover the entrepreneurial reality in other countries and to give a practical meaning to the work of the Youth Exchange. The project aimed to give voice to the young people and motivate them to combine all theoretical knowledge with innovative ideas driving entrepreneurship.
THE AIM
THE OBJECTIVES
Learning by experience: learning from experiencing different activities involving people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Learning to play, playing to learn: learning through games, actions and playful environment.
Practicing digital skills: having youth as digital content creators.
Learning to play, playing to learn: learning through games, actions and playful environment.
Practicing digital skills: having youth as digital content creators.
THE HOSTING ORGANISATION
DreamTeam is a group of young people active in youth work and its activities are based on non-formal education methods and structured dialog. Culture, arts, creativity, youth active participation, social inclusion, solidarity and tolerance, mutual understanding and respect, human rights, cooperation, European awareness are the core elements of the group.
OUR PARTNERS
The project partnership consists of organizations with significant experience in European Projects, with contacts throughout Europe and wide dissemination networks.
1. Kesif Dernegi from TURKEY
2. ASOCIATIA CENTRUL PENTRU STRATEGII DE DEZVOLTARE A TINERETULUI from ROMANIA
3. Cripta Maynarda from ITALY
4. EXPERIMENTACULO ASSOCIACAO CULTURAL from PORTUGAL
1. Kesif Dernegi from TURKEY
2. ASOCIATIA CENTRUL PENTRU STRATEGII DE DEZVOLTARE A TINERETULUI from ROMANIA
3. Cripta Maynarda from ITALY
4. EXPERIMENTACULO ASSOCIACAO CULTURAL from PORTUGAL
THE PROGRAM:
DAY 1: Ice-breaking Activities, Introduction to Erasmus+
& YOUTHPASS
DAY 1: Ice-breaking Activities, Introduction to Erasmus+
& YOUTHPASS
The first day of the project was mainly dedicated to ice-breaking and team building activities. The day begun with the name circle so we get to know each other’s names and then we continued with the "Mission Impossible" that is a fun way to start cooperating and learning more about each other.
After a successful "Mission Impossible" where participants cooperated and developed their creativity, they created a song, a countries' map, an Instagram account, a hashtag of our project etc. they wrote down their expectations, contributions and fears about the project. Our facilitator explained the project, how it would be developed, we made a timetable analysis, explained the rules, the desired results, listened to ideas and proposals and we continued with team building activities. All the participants had different backgrounds with different possibilities, education and system.
In the afternoon, we discussed the aims of this youth exchange and we worked on the possibilities that Erasmus+ program offers. We also had an activity about YouthPass as many of the participants were not familiar with it.
Everyday we had an evaluation form to fill. Before going to dinner we were separated small groups and fill these forms. It was very useful reflection way for the activity days.
Everyday we had an evaluation form to fill. Before going to dinner we were separated small groups and fill these forms. It was very useful reflection way for the activity days.
DAY 2: Introduction to the Entrepreneurial World
The Power of Youth Entrepreneurship,
E+ for Young Entrepreneurs
&
"Little Onion Design" Presentation
The Power of Youth Entrepreneurship,
E+ for Young Entrepreneurs
&
"Little Onion Design" Presentation
The day started with energizers so the goup would be prepared for their presentations. After energizers, each country had 20 minutes to create an overview of the entrepreneurship and start-up businesses in their countries and then present it to the group. The variety of countries in our group gave different aspects to youth employment and how easy or difficult it is to create a company in each country. Every team explained what options does an individual have when he/she wants to start an entrepreneurship in particular country. We also discussed taxation system, fees and financial conditions in each country. Every country explained which kind of financial support they have in their countries for entrepreneurs. After that, our facilitator also explained the "Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs" program and EU opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
Introduction to the entrepreneurial world: Types of entrepreneur (theatre)
After we learnt more things about youth employment and entrepreneurship in our countries, we were seperated in 4 teams in order to learn the type of entrepreneurs. Each team was given an envelop with a specific kind of entrepreneur and its characteristics and they had to perform a play describing the entrepreneur. The rest of the team had to guess the type.
Groups were extremely creative and prepared quite enjoyable performances. To explain the Types of entrepreneur participants wrote short scripts and showed us short theatre plays. 
Official website: http://littleoniondesign.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/littleoniondesign
DAY 3: Start-ups in Athens (outdoor activity)
& Study Visit at Romantso
& Study Visit at Romantso
In the monring, participants were divided in 3 teams and had the task to visit a different neighborhood of Athens exploring the start-up community in each neighborhood, they visited various creative hubs, start-up companies and businesses and interviews people involved in these businesss and also the locals.
More specifically:
Team no. 1 explored Exarcheia neighborhood and visited "The Cube", a business incubator where they met Maria and Stavros, the founders of the place and interviewed them.
Team no. 2 explored Kerameikos neighborhood and visited "InnovAthens", the hub of innovation and entrepreneurship of Technopolis and "Found.Ation", a leading technology and innovation enabling platform in SE Europe activng as a hub, a digital transformation accelerator for corporations and a tech education hive, where they had a tour at the offices.
Team no. 3 explored Monastiraki neighborhood and interviewed local businessmen that have touristic shops about innovation and change.
In the afternoon we all met for our study visit at Romantso.
Romantso, the former printing plant of the famous "Romantso" magazine is situated in the historic centre of Athens and functions both as an incubator for start-up companies and as a cultural centre organizing and hosting a variety of events open to the public. It is the most successful incubator and the first that opened at the city of Athens.
Thus, it was a great honor to have the chance to meet Mr. Vasilis Charalambidis, the creator of Romantso, who gave us a tour at the building, speaking to us about youth entrepreneurship in Greece and the opportunities that rise for the ones who want to create their business in Athens.
We were guided to the four flours of the building and saw some young creative minds inside their working spaces. We saw their ideas coming to life and we were inspired by their work.
Our video:
DAY 4: Cultural Visit
The fifth day was dedicated to explore the Greek cultural heritage. Let's not forget that 2018 is the Year of Cultural Heritage. Participants had the day for themselves to visit the Acropolis and the museum and in the afternoon they visited the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio and enjoyed the impressive sunset.
DAY 5: Create Your Own Business
The fourth day focused on participants' creativity and innovation. Participants, divided into 4 mixed nationality teams, had to come up with innovative and sustainable business ideas implementing all the theory of the first phase: think of a sustainable business idea, create a business plan for their business, make a competition analysis and then move on to the creation of a digital marketing campaign for their businesses. Participants wrote short scripts inspired by their everyday lives and they created shorted advertisement plans and a poster about their business and what they offer.
This phase resulted to critical thinking and participants' active interaction. They applied the theoretical knowledge gained during the first phase of the activities and it resulted to digital competence, public speaking, cooperation, innovation.
Here are their creations:
1. ReBorn
2. B.A.C.T.O.R.
3. Pig Eco
DAY 6: Create a digital campaign for your business
& Revolut Press Event
This was a fun and really creative day and participants enjoyed a lot. We created a digital campaign presenting our businesses to the group creating posters, logos and "catchy" phrases for our initiatives.
In the evening, we attended the presentation of a new online banking service, called "Revolut". We gathered at the start-up incubator "The Cube", located in Exarcheia and listened to the presentation while enjoying pizza and beers.
Participants had the chance to listen to the Greek representative of this new service, ask questions, meet people from the Greek entrepreneurship scene, have some gifts and we finished the night with a night out at Exarcheia.
In the evening, we attended the presentation of a new online banking service, called "Revolut". We gathered at the start-up incubator "The Cube", located in Exarcheia and listened to the presentation while enjoying pizza and beers.
Participants had the chance to listen to the Greek representative of this new service, ask questions, meet people from the Greek entrepreneurship scene, have some gifts and we finished the night with a night out at Exarcheia.
DAY 7: Project Incubator,
Follow Up & Future Plans
YouthPass Ceremony
As we always say, this youth exchange does not finish the day we have to leave back to our home countires. Its results will be visible to each one of us and the new friendships, knowledge and lessons we learnt, will be kept forever. This last day we made the presentations of our NGOs and we set up the seeds for our future projects that we hope they will grow in the near future.
PROJECT OUTCOMES:
In the end of the exchange, participants formed strong friendships and felt more empowered and self confident on the topic of entrepreneurship. They learnt about entrepreneurship in Europe and the opportunities they have for starting a business.
- they met Greek entrepreneurs and young leaders.
- they visited business incubators in Athens (The Cube and Romantso), talked with the owners got inspired and had a clearer perspective about entrepreneurship in Greece.
- they became aware of the opportunities they have a young people to create something of their own, via E+ for Young Entrepreneurs or via private funding.
- they became more self-confident about creating a business of their own by listening to true stories of successful entrepreneurs and businessmen.
- they learnt about each others countries' opportunities and obstacles on youth entrepreneurship
- they exchanged thoughts and problematics with people from different cultural backgrounds
- they practiced their english, their presentation skills and cooperated in big international teams.
-they shared opinions, fears, thoughts and expectations, ideas, dreams.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES:
Dissemination ia always an important goal of DreamTeam, the hosting organization of the exchange. Dissemination activities offer immediate value to the participants and also raise public awareness. In this report we present the actions taken by the partnership to disseminate the work which has been performed from 13-21 April 2018 in Athens, Greece.
The purpose of this report is to highlight the main achievements of the dissemination activities carried out, share results, gine inspiration to future projects and analyze the impact of our work.
Main dissemination tools:
- Our website
- Social media
- Social media
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/dreamteamgoesto
YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVrivv5S5G-uMl5SbFpuMNw
Instagram account: @getupstartup18
- Web newspaper "zougla.gr": http://www.zougla.gr/money/agores/article/get-up-start-up-nei-apo-5-diaforetikes-xores-sizitisan-stin-a8ina-gia-tin-epixirimatikotita that was reposted by the Greek National Agency.
- Local community via our outdoor activities
- Intercultural night open to the community.
- Intercultural night open to the community.
- Partner organizations' websites:
- Erasmus+ Projects Results Database: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/eplus-project-details/#project/2c43d446-9be2-4cc5-93a2-3e342aa066c2
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