Ideas Ark 2nd edition
Training Course 21-28 February 2022
EKO’s delegation returned to Greece from an inspirational and unforgettable training course that was coordinated by “Monomyths Association” in Bucharest, Romania on February 21-28 2022. The training gathered together 22 youth workers from different backgrounds and countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain).
Country | Partner Organization |
Bulgaria | SDRUZHENIE WALK TOGETHER
|
Croatia | Ludbreška udruga mladih entuzijasta |
Denmark | Danish Youth Team |
Estonia | SEIKLEJATE VENNASKOND |
France | Au Carrefour de l’Ocean Indien |
Greece | Entrepreneurship and Social Economy Group (EKO) |
Lithuania | Tarptautinis bendradarbiavimo centras |
Portugal | FAJUB – Federação das Associações Juvenis de Braga |
Spain | Backslash |
The overall aim of the project was to challenge the participants become familiar with youth sustainable values, a green business mindset, pro-environmental behavior, while answering the question “How does my start-up prototype help solve environmental and social problems?”.
In particular, the objectives of the training were:
- To raise awareness about sustainable entrepreneurship by creating a social media campaign called “Green100”. This is a google map that highlights 100 green or sustainable start-ups (from the partner countries) that were created by young people under the age of 30.
- To create a digital playbook, which includes numerous activities of non-formal education and available resources for youth non-profit organizations that are keen to offer local sustainable entrepreneurship education activities in an interactive way.
- To implement 22 one-day workshops or webinars. Specifically, eleven 1-day workshops for European youth workers and eleven 1-day workshops for young people to test the digital playboo
Through the training activities, participants worked in a team, using various nonformal education methods such as brainstorming, decision making process, creativity, innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship. Moreover, the youth workers discussed the Green Deal, watched some Sustainable Ted Talks and finally they came up with green business ideas, created a prototype, a business plan and pitched about it. This process would not be successful without the lead of the great facilitators Emilia, Luminita and Alina.
The training included some really interesting visits. Participants visited the office of “Monomyths Association” and the place where the trainers used to work, planning the project. The facilitators had already invited some guests who presented their aims, motivations, achievements and shared some really useful pieces of advice. Participants had the chance to meet Mr. Adrian Munteanu, the founder of “Cooperativa de Energie”, the first cooperative supplier and producer of renewable energy in Romania and Mr. Alexandru Agatinei the CEO of “How to Web”, a leading European conference on entrepreneurship and innovation. They also visited the “EFden”, a student-driven non-profit organization, which designed and built two solar and energy efficient houses, and met one of the founders Mr. Claudiu Butacu, who showed the participants around the houses and explained how this kind of houses are functioning.
Despite the busy and productive agenda, participants had time for leisure in the evenings. They had some intercultural evenings where they tasted some traditional delicacies and attended the presentation of each country. Additionally, they had the opportunity to visit some of the most attractive landmarks in Bucharest, as the Palace of Parliament, Arcul de Triumf, Muzeul National al Satului “Dimitrie Gusti” and walking around the beautiful and historical old town of Bucharest.
One of the evenings, the facilitators took the participants for dinner in a typical Romanian restaurant, where they danced Romanian dances and tasted some traditional dishes.
With this new experience and knowledge in their professional portfolios, participants will be able to instill passion and transmit knowledge and new skills to their target groups, with a specific focus on teaching sustainable entrepreneurship to disadvantaged youngsters.
