SELF EMPLOYED ENTREPRENEURS MEET EXCHANGE GET RESULTS & ORGANIZE WORK

Background The European 2020 strategy recognises entrepreneurship and self-employment as key factors to achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Moreover, the top priority of the Commission is "to get Europe growing again and to increase the number of jobs without creating new debt". Now, its even more relevant because of COVID-19. We wanted to ensure that existing self-employed will remain with the same status and will not become unemployed,and young people will be motivated to work as SEs,thus we proposed this project.The SE (particularly youth and women) also often lack the entrepreneurial skills that are crucial for identifying and exploiting new opportunities,while access to entrepreneurship education is rather limited (especially for disadvantaged groups).A study by Dias da Silva and Turini (2015) across the EU,using data from the European Structure of Earnings Survey finds that groups of people who belong in nonstandard employment like the SEs are less covered by social protection benefits (health, pension and unemployment insurance) and are underrepresented in labor market policies.The project facilitated the exchange of practices between participating countries showing what is applicable to each country's legislations. Objectives Τhe objectives of the project are aligned with the pillar of employment and entrepreneurship of the youth strategy prepared by the Youth Board of Cyprus. Namely the objectives are: · To combat discrimination, inequality and other forms of exploitation in the workplace · To learn, through sharing of practices and regulations, the realities in other countries. What kind of opportunities and possibilities do self employed have? What are the risks of being self-employed and what are your benefits? · To create a European network among at least the four organisations who work with youth, advocacy and labor right to ensure the exchange of good practices and support of SE rights · To foster participants' knowledge, skills and abilities about entrepreneurship and sound management skills. · To help the participants to develop their soft – skills · To equip youth workers and youth self - employed with the basic concept and skills of advocacy to be able to create their own intervention. Implementation The project consisted of 3 partners meetings and 2 blended mobilities/learning events. The activities took place both in physical manner and followed up with virtual meetings with the participants. More specifically: Kick-Off meeting (virtual due to the covid-19 pandemic) - 1st Learning event in Cyprus - 1st Virtual meeting with participants - Partners Meeting in Slovakia - 2nd Learning Event in Italy - 2nd Virtual meeting with participants - Final Meeting in Greece. All activities were based on non-formal education and experiential learning, cultivating creativity and critical thinking. Through sharing of good practises, all the participants and partners were fully involved in the facilitation and implementation of the activities of the learning events as well as the virtual meetings. The projects’ activities up-skilled youth workers and those who are already self-employed, and freelancers, and provided sound business advice to improve soft skills, management skills and their future prospects for creating a sustainable entrepreneurial practice promoting an entrepreneurial mindset and culture among young people. Achievements It up-skilled youth workers and those who are already SE,freelancers,providing sound business advice to improve soft and management skills & future prospects for creating a sustainable entrepreneurial practice.It promoted an entrepreneurial mindset and culture,networking opportunities for business development,cultivating unique skills and helping participants think outside the box.It facilitated intervention at local and international level through advocacy and effective representation of the self–employed in the decision making.The activities enabled participants to reveal their hidden problems,protect their interests,increase their volunteer engagement, and create alliances between them.The exchange of knowledge empowered the SE by assisting them in making informed decisions,speaking about their needs and strengthening their capacity. All of these findings for reducing inequalities regarding the SE were organized in a manual. It includes the current situation (where we stand), the suggested changes both locally and in EU level (where we want to go) and the actions that need to be taken (how are we going to achieve equal labor rights).Overall it facilitated personal development,career advancement and overall job satisfaction.