Social and Sustainable skills for young NEET population

The SOSUSK consortium aimed at facing an important challenge related to the NEETs' skills and competencies and also fostering their sustainable opportunities for employment and self-employment wit...

SOSUSK sought to upskill NEETs (especially those living in remote or rural areas) to enhance employability, develop social and green entrepreneurial opportunities, and allow them to engage in dialogue with various stakeholders to explore possible solutions for creating sustainable enterprises. In this context, SOSUSK’s objectives were to: • Promote digital education among young people • Improve the social inclusion of NEETs through the starting of new social enterprises • Ingrain the green and digital transition in the DNA of the EU’s Youth • Support young people with key competencies needed to transform entrepreneurial ideas into start-ups with positive social, economic and environmental impact • Facilitate innovative learning practices as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic by developing an online educational toolkit • Promote practices based on sustainable, smart and inclusive growth • Equip youth organisations with innovative working tools to invest in young people’s potential and social capital • Create a space for European organisations to network and come up with clear ideas aiming at boosting youth participation, social change and better understanding of the EU values and concepts

Project Management: As the project coordinator and in close collaboration with all partners, the Academy of Entrepreneurship (AKEP) ensured SOSUSK’s smooth implementation throughout its life cycle. AKEP prepared the bilateral agreements for the partners to sign, prepared and shared with all partners the Project Management Manual (Action Plan, a guide that contained all project activities, allocation of responsibilities and timeframes), the Code of Conduct, and the templates for periodic financial reports & financial/budget management. It also set up a collaboration and storage tool (Google Drive), created the Risk Management Plan, arranged monthly online meetings with the partners to evaluate the state of the art and working progress, share opinions and take strategic decisions for the next steps, organised the first Transnational Meeting in Athens, and prepared the Interim and Final Reports. Regarding the TPMs, BREZA organised the second one in Osijek (HR) and ARESEL organised the third one in Bucharest (RO) Dissemination: CCITABEL (Dissemination leader) created the project’s visual identity (logo, templates, letterheads, leaflets, newsletters, etc.), the project website (https://sosuskproject.eu/), the social media pages (Facebook, LinkedIn), the Dissemination Plan, and prepared the dissemination report for the activities undertaken by each partner in assigned periods. The partners translated all dissemination material into their national language to ensure the project’s impact at a national level. Regarding social media planning, the consortium adopted a rotation scheme where each partner was responsible for the social media posts for one month and then rotated with the other partners until the end of the project. A relevant part of dissemination was the organisation of the national Multiplier Events that attracted 203 participants in total. Last but not least, AKEP created the Exploitation Plan to ensure the sustainability of the project and its results after the end of SOSUSK’s life cycle. Quality Assurance: BREZA (QA leader) ensured the project’s quality through evaluation surveys (bi-annual, quality of project results, TNMs, training activity, Multiplier Events). Project Results: PR1 - Good practices collection and analysis on innovative digital learning methods for green and social entrepreneurship: SWUNR and ARESEL (PR1 leaders) defined the structure and guidelines for the desktop research and the collection of best practices. A specific document was produced defining the selection criteria, collection process and templates. The partners proceeded with the desktop research and identified at least 3 practices each based on the set criteria. SWUNR compiled the analysis report integrating all partners’ inputs. The report provided a comprehensive understanding of all the issues related to education on green and social entrepreneurship and the need for skills and knowledge improvement for NEETs. The partners provided their comments and suggestions to be analysed and included in the finalisation of the report in EN and afterwards in all partner languages. PR2 - E-learning toolkit for green and social entrepreneurship: AKEP (PR2 leader) compiled a methodological guide that included training objectives, key findings derived by PR1, the structure of training modules, modules allocation, guidelines for desktop research and pilot testing, and relevant templates to be used. Glocal Factory (co-leader) developed the peer review process in the context of this activity. The methodological guide was reviewed and accepted by all partners. The partners researched and reviewed already existing training material to avoid repetition and identified potential gaps for the development of the modules. Each partner identified 3-5 training resources, and after reviewing and comparing the content, they started developing the 7 modules (1 module/partner). To ensure a better quality for the e-learning toolkit, each partner reviewed one module of a different partner by completing a specific template. Based on the feedback, the partners made the necessary adjustments to the modules and translated them into their national language. AKEP created guidelines and specific tools for preparing and implementing the pilot activity in each country in consultation with the partnership. 217 participants in total validated the toolkit. Following the provided feedback, the partners made the necessary changes to finalise the toolkit in EN and the national languages. PR3 - Web-based accelerator program: MOBAD (PR3 leader) developed the platform, set it into use, and shared with the partners a template for the content of the platform so that each partner adapts their module accordingly. MOBAD created 2 videos for each module using an AI tool and AKEP provided the FAQs for the platform. Then, it was tested by youngsters during the transnational training activity and, after its validation, it was translated into all national languages.

SOSUSK produced 3 main outputs/results: 1) PR1 - Good practices collection and analysis on innovative digital learning methods for green and social entrepreneurship: The final result was an Analysis Report that included best practices across Europe regarding digital learning for social and green entrepreneurship. It was translated into all national partners' languages (GR, IT, HR, BG, FR, RO, PL). 2) PR2 - E-learning toolkit for green and social entrepreneurship: An e-learning toolkit that provided a practical framework for developing specific and targeted entrepreneurial skills and incorporated innovative digital learning methods in the learning process. The toolkit, in a modular format, included the following topics: - Definition of the legal framework of Social and Green Entrepreneurship in partner countries - Creation of a Social Business Plan/guidelines for an online plan presentation - Creation of a Financial Plan and access to funding opportunities - Entrepreneurship and climate change. - Ways of adopting Sustainable Development Goals in the entrepreneurship sector - Presentation of EU policies related to entrepreneurship through animated videos - Pitching: How to present ideas Each partner conducted a pilot testing to validate the content of the toolkit with 15 youngsters/country. Upon its finalisation, the partners translated it into all national partners' languages (GR, IT, HR, BG, FR, RO, PL). 3)PR3 - Web-based accelerator program: The web-based accelerator program is an interactive education platform for early-stage social and green entrepreneurs. This web platform (https://portal.sosusk.eu/login) includes all the modules of the e-learning toolkit in digital format along with a FAQ section. A 5-day transnational training took place in Warsaw (Poland) during which 4 youngsters/country tested the online platform to assess its effectiveness. Following their feedback and the necessary amendments, the partners translated the platform (Home page, FAQ section) into all national partners' languages (GR, IT, HR, BG, FR, RO, PL). Besides these 3 main results, SOSUSK also delivered the following: - Project website: https://sosuskproject.eu/ - Project logo - Dissemination Plan - Exploitation Plan - 1 SOSUSK promo video - 3 newsletters (translated into all national partners' languages) - 10 articles - A project leaflet - 4 videos from the training activity in Warsaw - Risk Management Plan - Quality Assurance Plan - 6 national Multiplier Events The main results of SOSUSK have been uploaded on the Erasmus project dissemination portal.