Social Enterprise by Synergy and the Added value of youth Mentoring in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Social Enterprise by Synergy and the Added value of youth Mentoring in Europe

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 addressing more than one field

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

It’s a world-wide movement that businesses and individuals aim at changing the world for the better. There is growing attention for innovative enterprises that have primarily a social mission: social enterprises. They aim not so much at financial gain, but at having a meaningful activity. This attention is recognized by young people, who increasingly express the wish to create added value within their local society and region.

On the other hand, the situation of young people in Europe asks for further innovation and the development of a supporting network. As proven, intervention policies on an individual level provide a support mechanism that is tailored to their needs and therefore works best. One such an invention is mentoring, focusing on the personal development of young people. It binds generations in the activity of sharing experience and knowledge.

Seven organizations in Europe (VET’s, business incubators, a social institution and a local authority for education) declared the ambition to create synergy of expertise and innovate through a powerful tool: combining social enterprises and mentoring support. Leading organization Friesland College (NL) and its partners Salpaus (FI), KSM (LT), Bridging to the Future (UK), Inqubator (NL) Servei Solidari (ES) and Bursa MEM (TR) set the step to empower and equip young people through an innovative cross-sectoral cooperation: project SESAME, creating Social Enterprise by Synergy and the Added value of youth Mentoring in Europe.

By linking education and businesses, bringing together young people and mentors, you enlarge the reach of a mindset, skills, experience and network. The strategic partnership activated multisectoral partners across Europe who support young entrepreneurial talent and new ideas in order to solve social problems. By linking education and businesses, bringing together young people and mentors, the project enlarged the reach of a mind-set, skills, experience and network.

The project was implemented in 2014 – 2017, creating outputs, new networks and an infrastructure impacting people, organizations and regions.
Project partners developed seven intellectual outputs: a manual, a training social enterprise, online toolkit, an European platform, local one-stop shops, and a mentor methodology. The development was supported by a needs analysis, and two pilot testing actions in the form of teaching and matching activities. Multiplier events in different conditions enabled the strategic partnership to gain input from stakeholder and to co-create. These events – engaging representatives of the quadruple helix – became a way of involving people in the project implementation. Project activities made a unique combination between the ambitions and potentials of young people, and the method of social enterprise, by means of improving curricula. The combination of social entrepreneurship and mentoring is a structure supported by society. It is based on wisdom and strength in people, causing empowerment. It is less influenced by power, control of money or government.

Setting the path of social entrepreneurial learning has challenged a new set of skills, network and mind-set of young people. In the different stages of their personal and entrepreneurial development, students need people that serve an a sounding board and positive example to them. Through these role models, participants find the match between their ambitions, talents and the specific challenges in their region or local environment. This personal development can only be supported in a tailor-made way, which is why mentoring is a powerful instrument to support social entrepreneurial growth.

SESAME project developed tools and methods to tackle dropouts, youth unemployment and the need of young entrepreneurs for support. This was made possible by social entrepreneurial learning and mentoring support. Activities set in motion young people, education, businesses and local communities, and equiped them with an entrepreneurial skillset and a connection to purpose through promoting social entrepreneurial innovation as an agent of change.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 348378,37 Eur

Project Coordinator

Friesland College Stichting voor Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs, Beroepsonderwijs en Volwasseneneducatie & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Kauno statybos ir paslaugu mokymo centras
• BRIDGING TO THE FUTURE LTD
• STICHTING INCUBATOR
• Bursa Il Milli Egitim Mudurlugu
• FUNDACIO PRIVADA SERVEI SOLIDARI PER LA INCLUSIO SOCIAL
• Lahti Region Educational Consortium Salpaus Further Education