CReativity in Action to promote YOung eNtrepreneurShip Erasmus Project

Project Title

CReativity in Action to promote YOung 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 higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

CONTEXT
According to some of the EU publications and reports (EU Skills Panorama 2014, EURYDICE 2012 study “Developing Key Competences at School in Europe”, amongst others) show that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are not providing the required skills demanded by the labour market. Specifically, the CRAYON’s project focuses on improving the acquisition of entrepreneurship, creativity, social responsibility, analytical, problem-solving skills and other transversal skills.

OBJECTIVES
CRAYON’s project aimed at motivating HEI students and recent graduates, and to stimulate their social entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation and transversal skills.
Besides, the objectives achieved include the development of the Intellectual Outputs, piloting a strategic partnership between HEIs, Business Incubators, Entrepreneur centres and business and to create a community of interested users.

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS
In the CRAYON’s project 6 organisations from 5 countries have participated (4 EU countries and 1 EU candidate). The organisations are from different backgrounds:
– 2 HEIs (FLORIDA – ES and UTH – EL)
– SME consultancy (IBOXC – ES)
– Non-profit organisation (PRIME – NL)
– National Innovation Training Centre (NCDIEL – MK)
– Business Incubator (CICIA – RO)
This has enriched the project development, as all of them are part of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem and all of them have different perspectives and contributions to make in this field.

DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ACTIVITIES
All Intellectual Outputs (IOs) developed can be accessed from here: http://crayonsproject.eu/en/deliverables/
1. INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGY. Including Motivation 3.0, Creativity, Gamification, LEGO® Serious Play® and Business Model YOU. It is designed to create, develop and evaluate an entrepreneur idea.
2. TRAINING COURSE developed, integrating the CRAYON’s methodology developed, as well as Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Social Responsibility.
3. MOOC developed. It guides students to generate business ideas and develop and implement these, especially focusing in the form of social companies. The MOOC is published and freely available at the UTH’ e-learning platform: http://eclass.uth.gr/eclass/.
4. TRAINING VIDEOS to guide on-line students in the learning process. They have been used for the CRAYON’s MOOC
5. Organisation and testing of the IOs developed in an INTENSIVE STUDY PROGRAMME in Romania and at national level
6. Mentoring of ideas generated by students and support during the project
7. Other activities: dissemination events, Project Management, Quality Assurance, Evaluation, Exploitation and Sustainability of CRAYON’s outcomes

RESULTS AND IMPACT
Through the Multiplier Events and dissemination activities organised, CRAYON’s project has reached over 2500 persons from different contexts: students, entrepreneurs, teachers, trainers, HEI lecturers, managers (Human Resources, Innovation departments, etc.), staff from different type of organisations, etc. There is detailed information on dissemination activities available here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-qcLZOSKO-UTm9DdzN3Sjh6U0U (multiplier events are in a separate folder).
Also, we have reached around 9500 persons over social networks and project website (8200 persons in Facebook, 300 persons in Twitter and almost 1050 users in the website).
Relevance of CRAYON’s project is the qualitative impact reached. According to the information gathered from questionnaires and feedback received afterwards, the project has achieved relevant changes in some organisations, especially HEIs:
– Over 20 teachers and lecturers have used CRAYON’s methodology in their lectures to work entrepreneurship skills (teamwork, creativity, innovation, etc.) and team building
– Primary, Secondary Education and VET Centres have contacted us to use CRAYON’s methodology to work soft skills (empathy, communication, teamwork, flexibility and other interpersonal skills) within their classes.
– We have been requested assistance to guide organisations in their internal change process. The methodology has proven to be a very powerful tool to identify needs and problems within an organisation, to think of new solutions (avoiding biases), and organise the change process. Also companies find CRAYON’s methodology useful to develop, transform and regenerate processes or services within the organisation. Besides, they have used it to enhance the teamwork and group cohesion

LONG-TERM BENEFITS
– Partners have a Skype meeting scheduled in November 2017 to discuss about the preparation of a training course for European teachers, trainers and lecturers to exploit CRAYON’s results (methodology, training course and MOOC)
– CRAYON’s methodology has been integrated in Compulsory Secondary Education, VET and Higher Education levels, more specifically in the following University degrees: Primary Education Teaching, Early Education Teaching, and Entrepreneurship subjects within other education qualifications provided

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 197606 Eur

Project Coordinator

FLORIDA CENTRE DE FORMACION SOCIEDAD COOPERATIVA & Country: ES

Project Partners

• Stichting Project Realisatie van Initiatieven door Modulatie van Entrepreneurschap
• PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS
• Centrul de Incubare Creativ Inovativ de Afaceri
• I-BOX CREATE S.L.
• ASSOCIATION OF CITIZENS NATIONAL CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING SKOPJE