ACTIVATING WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS AND SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN THE COVID-19 ERA (ACT4WOMEN) Erasmus Project

Project Title

ACTIVATING WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS AND SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN THE COVID-19 ERA (ACT4WOMEN)

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 : Partnerships for Creativity

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Gender equality / equal opportunities; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

The project ACT4WOMEN focuses on the group of women living in rural, remote, isolated or marginalised areas who have restricted access to the world of work and who are engaged in the production of handicrafts or any other form of “homemade” productions or services related to culture and/or the community/environment they live in. Rural women are the driving force for the maintenance and development of these areas, both in cultural and financial terms, as they contribute to the preservation of traditions/culture and the development of the countryside which faces a constant process of depopulation.

This group of women however, face underemployment, poverty, lack of basic services in the field of education and traditional, have to deal with stereotyped issues for the woman’s role in the society and issues with regards to the their involvement in entrepreneurial and digital employment. It’s a common fact that many women who live in these areas are largely excluded from the labour market and social participation. Most of them are engaged in home-based productions (handicraft, sweets, herbs, bakery products etc.) or provision of services (tourist guide, coffee shop etc.) characterized by long hours, low income, high dependence on intermediaries with limited skills and training opportunities.

The project aims to equip and empower women with key competences (social entrepreneurial and digital related), skills and tools in order to turn entrepreneurial ideas into start-ups, with a view to tackling discrimination between genders and also to impact their community and their culture. It also aims to empower them with self-confidence to start their own or in cooperation with others social enterprise in the form of a ‘home-based business model’ by providing the necessary social entrepreneurial and digital knowledge, mindset and skills with the focus on traditional handmade production or any other type of business related to the culture, community and environment they live in. Access, social inclusion, gender equality and non-discrimination are among the priorities addressed here.

The project address the following priorities:
HORIZONTAL: Skills development and inclusion through creativity and the arts
HORIZONTAL: Supporting individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences
ADULT: Increasing learning demand and take-up through effective, outreach, guidance and motivation strategies
HORIZONTAL: Social and educational value of European cultural heritage, its contribution to job creation, economic growth and social inclusion

The partnership comprises of 7 partners with a transnational status representing: UK, France, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Greece and Portugal. The partners have different expertise and experiences, that complement each other with the main aim to support all needs and requirements of the project.

The consortium plans to produce several products as part of the 4 main Intellectual Outputs such as a mapping tool to present good practices on line, successful women’s entrepreneurs profiles, interactive platform, gamification for learning and assessment purposes, new teaching and learning material and provision of upskilling programme-service. The project includes also 4 transnational project meetings and one blended mobility activity where women from all partner countries (except Cameroon) will participate to share their experiences.

During the lifetime of the project 6 Multiplier Events will be organized whereas the project will be disseminated through an official website, social media, leaflets and newsletter to a wide network of stakeholders and associate partners. The project aims to reach out to a large number of women, adults, adult educators, social workers, authorities, local councils, cultural agents, stakeholders and associate partners to raise their awareness about the potential of exploiting entrepreneurship education with a social impact for including women in the labour market.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 275435 Eur

Project Coordinator

CIVIC COMPUTING LIMITED & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Inspire Bulgaria – Association
• AGIS, NOTE et INNOVE
• PROJECT NET
• A & A Emphasys Interactive Solutions Ltd
• MUNICIPIO DE PAREDES
• AINTEK SYMVOULOI EPICHEIRISEON EFARMOGES YPSILIS TECHNOLOGIAS EKPAIDEFSI ANONYMI ETAIREIA