younG ENterpreneurs In eUropean Schools Erasmus Project

Project Title

younG ENterpreneurs In eUropean Schools

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

The project “GENIUS – Young Entrepreneurs in European Countries” has emerged as a common idea of all participating schools. This project was innovative for all of these schools, since, except of one school, these are general education schools which do not include this subject in their programmes. It has touched upon the issue, which is currently fundamentally akin to all EU countries, because youth unemployment is reaching menacing numbers in some countries, approaching 50 percent.
The basis for the whole project was the excellent interpersonal relationships among the participating schools, which were the guarantee of future successful cooperation. Almost all of us have got to know each other from previous activities. The entire project was well started up at the planning meeting held in February 2015 at our school and the first transnational meeting of project coordinators in Copenhagen.
Five secondary schools were involved in the project: Gymnasium Myjava (SK), Loviisa Gymnasium (FI), Gladsaxe Gymnasium (DK), Lyceum of Eleftherios (GR) and IISS Enrico Medi (IT). They were, apart from the Italian school, related entities in size, number of students and educational programmes. In addition, they covered almost the whole of Europe – represented by the Nordic countries, central Europe and its southern part, so we really could look at the issue globally.
The main objectives and outputs of this project can be divided into two parts: Part 1 was the output for all schools – didactic and study material that schools included in their curricula. This material creates a thematic unit dealing with issues of entrepreneurship, youth activism, labor market overview and the successful placement of young people in it. It will be taught as a whole for general-purpose humanities and as a cross-cutting theme for other subjects. Part 2 was the output of each student mobility made and these outputs were comprehensive and detailed business objectives (with a possible resultant product or service) that were presented not only during mobility but also after it, in their own schools and in local communities. Subsequently, as subsidiary material, they were included in the above-mentioned teaching materials within the curriculum of individual schools.
During the duration of the project 5 mobilities were planned – each school sequentially hosted all other partners. The number of mobility participants,with the agreement of all the partners, was agreed on 6 students and 2 teachers from each school. During the week of mobility, students were accommodated in the host families and then they hosted foreign partners. Thus, twenty-four students and eight teachers from each school took part in the mobilities during the duration of the project.
As we wanted to connect learning with practice as much as possible and use innovative “learning by doing”, we contacted some experts and businessman who participated in the project through professional lectures, demonstrations, guaranty of each activity and in two cases through the final assessment of student business plans. In addition, excursions and workshops took place in private companies, especially during mobilities. Work on the project, however, has not only been going during them, but in fact during all three years. At the schools, preparations were made in accordance with the topic and in cooperation with experts and authorities which culminated during the week of mobility through joint work in international teams, which output was complex proposal from foreign partners for an improved and detailed business plan, together with any product or service, developed in all aspects (idea, market research, budget, marketing, advertising, SWOT analysis, etc.) and analyzed in terms of all the positives and possible risks. In this way, students could inspire each other. The best intentions were subsequently presented at their own schools to other students and employees.
Additionally, of course, the project also brought added value in the form of many benefits for schools and students. The long-term and sustainable benefits for schools are the follow-on drawings from the project results in the daily future teaching of the subject, this ensuring a positive impact for all current and future school students.
The project was estimated by participating students and teachers with superlatives. Many of them, who have already had rich experience from previous projects, have evaluated this project as the best that their school has so far been involved in. Markus Gango, Lovisa Gymnasium (Finland): “I think this GENIUS project was the best one I have experienced in my position as a Project Coordinator within 12 years, we had a great team of teachers and great students! We have certainly achieved something useful for school and future practical life.”
The GENIUS project has clearly fulfilled all the goals set. At all schools, the sustainability of project outcomes for future students and educators is ensured.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 118765 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gymnazium Myjava & Country: SK

Project Partners

• IISS ENRICO MEDI
• General Lyceum of Eleftherios Venizelos
• Gladsaxe Gymnasium
• Lovisa Gymnasium