ABOUT THE PROJECT

MY IDEA, MY FUTURE: FURTHERING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RURAL AREA

 The project is a response to the situation in which young people find themselves, not only in Slovenia, but throughout Europe. The Pomurje region is one of the least developed regions in Slovenia. It is characterized by depopulation, aging, low fertility and high mortality rate, the outflow of young professionals from the region and the highest rate of registered unemployment in the country. A high proportion of brain drain is also detected, as young people are looking for jobs and a better future outside of the region and the rural area. The project aims to improve the situation of young people in rural area, i.e. their social and economic situation. The project sees the solution of this situation in the concept of social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship represents a concept of sustainable economy, characterized by a resistance to market shocks, a great potential for social integration and employment and the perfect adaptation to local challenges. Social entrepreneurship strengthens social solidarity and cohesion, encourages peoples involvement and volunteering, strengthens the innovative ability of a country to address social, economic, environmental and other problems, provides an additional range of products and services in the public interest, developing new employment opportunities, provide additional jobs and social integration and professional reintegration of the most vulnerable people in the labour market. Encouraging young people to develop entrepreneurial ideas and supporting them by taking first steps to social entrepreneurship can be an effective in reducing youth unemployment and creating new employment perspectives, not only at the regional, but also at national and European level.

The project combines the innovative model of the so called “Living Lab”, a structure of non-formal mentorship and the usage of modern technologies with the purpose of informing and educating in terms of social entrepreneurship and the detection and exploitation of potential in rural areas. Within the project’s framework a “Living Lab” will be constructed the purpose of which will be channelled towards experimentation and co-creation of social innovations. At the same time it will represent a place for young people and will be suitable for teamwork, individual work, meetings, gatherings, etc. The “Living Lab” will host different workshops and events that will be open to general public. In connection with this concept we will organize different non-formal events regarding entrepreneurship and the development of rural areas that will be appealing for young people and will offer them knowledge and motivation for socio-entrepreneurial engagement.

 

INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS 

Q1: Manual: »My idea, my future: first steps to social entrepreneurship"

Q2: Mobile application:« My idea, my future"

 

 

THE FESTIVAL OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

 The Festival of social entrepreneurship will combine an international conference and a market. At the conference young people will present the intellectual results of the project: the manual and the mobile application. The festival will include representatives of local, national and international authorities (from the partner countries), entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, representatives of employment services, development agencies and the interested public, especially young people. The market will be organized as an open event where young social entrepreneurs from Slovenia and other partner countries will present their social based companies. This will be a great chance for promoting social entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurs as well as the potential of rural areas, networking and for dissemination of intellectual project results.

 

 The project is co-financed by the European Union (Erasmus + program: Youth in Action)