Welcomeship! Building inclusive communities through community-based entrepreneurship Erasmus Project

Project Title

Welcomeship! Building inclusive communities through community-based entrepreneurship

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 youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Inclusion – equity; Integration of refugees

Project Summary

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES
The recent increase in negative attitudes towards immigrants and refugees in some European countries put the fundamental values of the European Union, such as respect for human dignity, equality, solidarity and freedom, on a proof. To address these issues, the project “Welcomeship – Building inclusive communities through community-based entrepreneurship” came into place. Project objectives were to build more inclusive communities, change the attitudes of community stakeholders and influence policies; moreover it strived to position young migrants and refugees as potential change makers and not as a threat by focusing on their assets and added value to society, building their capacities and opening new opportunities. To achieve these objectives, the Welcomeship model of inclusion was designed and piloted in 7 communities of 6 European countries in 5 languages. It is multi-dimensional and based on non-formal learning methods. The project closed a gap in collaboration and dialogue between the local residents, local young people, young migrants and refugees, as they worked in one group throughout the project. It fostered community spirit and provided young people with community-based entrepreneurship skills, as well as competences to become active contributors to the society and communities where they live. These objectives have been reached. The project has shown that diversity and multi-culturalism in Europe is a key asset which needs to be fostered, supported and celebrated.
TARGET GROUP
Young people with fewer opportunities, including local youth, migrants and refugees; youth workers, community stakeholders and policy makers.
ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS
Youth workers in partner communities got trained as trainers of the community-based entrepreneurship (Welcomeship) model. They delivered a community-based entrepreneurship course of 5 Modues to a total of 109 young migrants and refugees and local young people with fewer opportunities in Germany, Sweden, Finland, UK, Portugal and Italy. Local workshops and online learning were combined with local Welcomeship Nights which brought together young people with community stakeholders and policy makers. This multidimensional learning, community events (24 Welcomeship Nights, 9 Multiplier events), the development of entrepreneurial ideas and projects with community stakeholders involved more than 1.000 people. These were other young people, representatives of schools and institutions, private companies, policy makers and other community stakeholders. The project also reached out direclty to almost 29.000 subscribers and followers alone through Facebook and Instagram, and to 4.000 people through direct mailing of results.
At an international level, intensive peer exchange and learning took place through two international partner meetings in Berlin, Germany, the Training of Trainers in Solna, Sweden, a blended mobility event for young people in Albenga, Italy, the online learning platform www.welcomeship.org, the Tutorial Programme and online coaching sessions for trainers organised by P1 (GER).
These Intellectual Outputs were developed, tested and fine-tuned:
O1. Welcomeship Learning Kit: the Guidebook and Exercice Book in English, German, Swedish, Italian and Portuguese.
O2. The community-based Entrepreneurship Course piloted with blended learning activities
O3. The Welcomeship Tutorial Programme of 18 video tutorials (11 on the 5 Modules and 7 with trainer recommendations)
O4. The Welcomeship Channel, an online learning platform, a dissemination tool for the project results and an advocacy tool for policy change.
O5. The Guide for Inclusive Communities with analysis of community-based entrepreneurship as a tool for the inclusion of young migrants and refugees, as well as policy recommendations for the local, regional, national and EU level.
The Outputs were presented at 9 multiplier events in 6 countries and 7 communities to 363 (228 eligible for funding) potential users and stakeholders.
The project had a strong focus on video messages, so there were 73 videos produced (tutorials, voices of young people, trainers and policy makers, videos of events, etc.). Policy makers were involved in discussion about designing more inclusive policies for young migrants and refugees across Europe, in particular in the field of entrepreneurship.
IMPACT
In the course of the project, young people gained entrepreneurial skills, built their confidence and became more integrated and engaged in their communities; some developed real entrepreneurial projects. Youth workers became competent trainers and community-oriented professionals with a skill set in entrepreneurship teaching for a specific target group. Partner organizations became the engines of inclusion within their community, and community stakeholders and policy makers got involved in the project activities to design and support more inclusive policies at local, regional and international level.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 237959,74 Eur

Project Coordinator

INTERNATIONALE AKADEMIE BERLIN FUR INNOVATIVE PADAGOGIK PSYCHOLOGIE UND OKONOMIE GGMBH (INA) & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Associazione di promozione sociale YEPP Albenga
• Youth Office of the Municipality of Kristinestad
• VEREIN FUR JUNGE AFRIKANISCHE UND ANDERE DIASPORA VJAAD EV
• THE UBELE INITIATIVE
• OUT OF THE BOX INTERNATIONAL
• DYPALL NETWORK: ASSOCIACAO PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DA PARTICIPACAO CIDADA
• Comunità Impegno Servizio Volontariato