Young Women as Social Entrepreneurs – path to better life Erasmus Project

Project Title

Young Women as Social Entrepreneurs – path to better life

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: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

The WomenPRO project develops an integral and holistic training approach to motivate & support young women especially from remote and rural areas to start and manage their own social business in the local community. The training course provides the women with the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes required of a female entrepreneur to succeed. It allows them to turn their vision for a successful new business into a reality (from idea to business plan). It empowers young women with employment, skills and hope.

The project general objective was to enhance & promote social entrepreneurship spirit among young women by raising awareness about & supporting them in evolving their skills in entrepreneurship, creativity & innovation.

The primary target group of the project included:
– young girls and women from rural and remote areas who have difficulties to find employment in their region and are forced to move away to bigger cities (unemployed/ disadvantaged/ minority/ migrant women under 29 years)
– coaches, trainers, professionals working with aspiring female entrepreneurs in the partners’ regions.

The secondary target group of the project included:
– unemployment offices &labour directorates
– consultancy companies, NGOs, professional associations, career orientation centres
– different local educational institutions e.g. VET providers
– organisations which working with start-ups or social entrepreneurs
– associations & professional unions of (social) entrepreneurial consultants, start-ups supporting structures, professional trainers
– local administration structures
– agencies for development of entrepreneurship
– public & governmental structures
– universities, colleges, high education providers, nation-wide VET centres, etc.

The project delivery consisted of 5 phases:
1. Learning Model (SIF)
2. WomenPRO pack development (OIC, SIF & AVA)
3. WomenPRO Platform (EuroSC)
4. Piloting of the outcomes (AVA)
5. Refining WomenPRO pack (OIC, SIF & AVA)

The WomenPRO project developed the following Intellectual Outputs:
1. Learning Model (IO2): provides didactic methodology (reversed training methodology) for WomenPRO training course and the Manual for coaches as well as increases the capacity of trainers to facilitate training program for young women. The instructional design for the Learning Model is explored with reflection to the Need Analysis undertaken in partnership countries by interviewing 18 women-entrepreneurs from Poland, Lithuania, Cyprus and Bulgaria.
2. Training Course (IO3): modular training course which consists of 5 main modules (Be motivated, Be creative, Be skilled, Be informed, Be successful). It combines traditional training with self-paced learning on the e-learning platform. The course consists of 186 academic hours (2 hours of introductory session, 178 hours of the training course both face-to-face and online learning, 6 hours of the final assessment – business plan presentation and pitch).
3. Manual for Coaches (IO4): It is the ultimate guide to WomenPRO blended learning, combining online learning on the WomenPRO platform with face-to-face instructions. It guides the coaches/trainers through the process of delivery of the Introductory session and five modules of the WomenPRO Training Course.
4. Interactive exercises and tests (IO5): tests for pre-assessment and post-assessment of the obtained soft skills – it forms integral part of the learning process as it guides trainers/coaches in the approach taken to reach the learning objectives of the WomenPRO training course and perform evaluation of learning outcomes regularly and systematically (pre-assessment, end of the module evaluation and post assessment). It includes 175 self-assessment questions (35 per module) and the Business Plan template.
5. E-learning platform: online environment for both trainees and trainers with theoretical and practical content (Open Educational Resources) on the modules of the course. It brings coaches/trainers and trainees together with open source.

All the results are freeely accessible as open source material in all partner languages: PL, GR, LT, BG and EN on the WomenPRO website and e-learning platform.

The partners secured wide coverage of the project at local, national and European level and impact on the target groups and stakholders. In the piloting phase, 21 aspiring female entrepeneurs and 7 trainers were involved to test the resuts and provide their first-hand feedback on their usability and applicability. Multiplier events were organized in all project countries and attended by 117 people. The partners estabilshed a network of 14 associated partners, strongly supporting the project.

The project has its dedicated website: https://www.womenpro.eu/ and social media account.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 139866 Eur

Project Coordinator

Polska Fundacja Osrodkow Wspomagania Rozwoju Gospodarczego OIC POLAND z siedziba w Lublinie & Country: PL

Project Partners

• G.G. EUROSUCCESS CONSULTING LIMITED
• SOCIALINIU INOVACIJU FONDAS
• AVA Creations Foundation