Developing Entrepreneurship and Self-employment Skills of Immigrants Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing Entrepreneurship and Self-employment Skills of Immigrants

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Integration of refugees

Project Summary

Europe is experiencing one of the most significant influxes of migrants and refugees in its history. It is interesting to note that more than a million migrants and refugees crossed Europe in 2015. This migration is mostly forced due to civil wars or armed conflicts and it derives from the wish for a better and safer life. In this regard, the role of the host countries becomes crucial especially when it comes to finding lasting solutions for migrants and refugees in terms of their resettlement and integration to the host society. Immigrant and ethnic minority entrepreneurship has attracted increasing attention in the last few years. Migrants’ contribution to the economy through the direct creation of new businesses is an aspect that has received limited attention. In order to enhance the entrepreneurial skills, it is crucial to create, develop and promote the new forms and ways of raining to support growth and business creation.

Through their participation in the labour market, including entrepreneurs, migrants can add value to society in their adoptive country. However, migrants often lack knowledge of, and information about, the cultural business and regulatory environment of their host country. Furthermore, administrative and socio-cultural difficulties may hamper the potential of migrant entrepreneurs and impact on the sustainability and growth potential of the businesses they set up. As a consequence, effective and targeted business support schemes have an important role to play in supporting migrant entrepreneurs. These supports can be provided by education and trainings

Our project is looking for both: to promote the entrepreneurship education of immigrants and to use the entrepreneurship as an important tool of integration and social inclusion for the immigrants regards so many exclusion factors that they have to suffer. The situation of immigrants has motivated this partnership to create the best tools possible to gain entrepreneurial adequate skills and competencies, based on successful real-life experiences of entrepreneurs will contribute to the shaping of unemployed immigrants into future entrepreneurs, helping them to fight the social and economic exclusion.

Our strategic partnership will focus on promoting access and learning through Open Educational Resources (OER), supporting ICT-based teaching training. In the field of adult education, the partnership aims to improve and extend the offer of high-quality learning opportunities tailored to individual adult learners, including through innovative ways of outreach and delivery. All of that is an essence of entrepreneurship experience journey as an important integration tool for immigrants. Project idea comes from the result of a previous collaboration of the partnership in the projects related to entrepreneurship education and training, which serve as an important base to keep this journey on and benefit from its social implication in the field of adult education.
The main objectives of our project that will help to achieve all of that are as follows:
• To develop and create more efficient and innovative training focused on entrepreneurship and self-employment for immigrants.
• To transform and integrate the entrepreneurship as a new tool for social integration and inclusion among immigrants;
• To integrate and complement social inclusion methods with practical and innovative methodology according to immigrants with fewer opportunities needs;
• To motivate immigrants in order to spread and facilitate their access to self-employment

All major expected results are listed & detailed in the Intellectual Output of the project;
O1- DESSI Training Manual
O2 -DESSI E-Learning Platform

The main activities will be occurred by intellectual outputs, multiplier events(150 participants).
The project will contribute enormously to inspire all the community and increase immigrants entrepreneurs opportunities at European and national level. Also will have an important impact on immigrants who are at a disadvantage in comparison with their peers. As a short term impact project network expect to extend the use of innovative e-learning methodology of education and training in member countries.
As a long term impact, we expect to increase the number of entrepreneurs willing to become mentors and of newborn companies among immigrants across the European business community.
At a European level, the project results will hopefully have a longer-term impact, with key agencies benefiting from the outcomes and results. The partnership will also identify appropriate European events such as the partners are invited and participate constantly, ensuring the successful transfer of results to the key policymakers in the EU. Moreover, it will be engaged in other initiatives focused on the promotion of entrepreneurship in Europe. The database of relevant stakeholders will be constantly updated and will be offered as a resource available for all stakeholders

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 165000 Eur

Project Coordinator

shelter international e.V. & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Aydin Kulturel Gelisim Dernegi
• KULTUR PEDAGOGISKT CENTRUM “ESTETY”
• INNOVATION HIVE
• Non-formal learning club “WE”
• S.A.F.E. Projects