Supporting youth innovative minds for cultural and

Background Covid-19 has already put 3 million young Europeans out of work. According to the ILO, young people constitute major consequences of the pandemic, and there is a risk that they will be scarred throughout leading to the emergence of a “lockdown generation”. The pandemic comes to accentuate already well pronounced barriers and difficulties faced by youth and in particular of disadvantaged young people not in employment or education (NEETs). It is reported that disadvantaged youth in NEET situation are severely and recurrently underrepresented in the Youth Guarantee schemes; subsequently, these young people have increased chances to become long term unemployed and as such be on the brink of social exclusion. The project is premised on the observed link and beneficial character of youth activation mechanisms and culture and creativity. Previous studies and project work show the benefits of deploying culture as a tool for the empowerment, confidence building and social inclusion of disadvantaged youth. At the same time, young people have a tremendous creativity and innovation capital that need to be unleashed to drive the growth of European economies and societies. Entrepreneurial spirit goes hand in hand with the feelings of independence. Creating value in the field of culture goes beyond economic growth and reinforces social inclusion, feelings of belonging and optimism for the future. As illustrated in the UNIDO report on Creative Industries for Youth (2013), the creative sector is not just a commercial arena; it is a symbolic and social space. In the words of the European Parliament President, David Sassoli, art has a cathartic power that can accompany a post-pandemic society on the road to resilience (ibid). Digital transformation opens up new channels for cultural and creative expression and renders cultural and creative entrepreneurship is more inviting as they are relying more on invention and innovation i.e. human capital. Moreover, based on a very recent study conducted by EY in 2021, at the end of 2019, the cultural and creative economy was a European heavyweight. To this end, the aim of the project is to create a non-formal learning ecosystem to entice, engage and equip NEETs with skills to enter the cultural and creative economy and to allow their creativity, entrepreneurial and business skills to bloom. Objectives skills to enter the cultural and creative economy and to allow their creativity, entrepreneurial and business skills to bloom. Its specific objectives are to : -- Raise the capacity of youth workers to to support youth cultural and creative entrepreneurship (SO1) -- Motivate and activate youth in NEET situation to channel their creative and innovation capital towards entrepreneurial ideas for the cultural and creative economy (SO2) -- Equip youth with skills (digital, entrepreneurial, creative) through non formal learning approach (SO3) -- Empower youth by providing them with the opportunity to produce and share their work (SO4) Activities R1: Handbook for Youth workers: The Hows and whys for Cultural and creative entrepreneurship R1-A1: Stocktaking and review (theory, policy and practice) R1-A2: Handbook content development R1-A3: Online seminars for youth workers and practitioners R1 -A4: Integrating feedback from seminars and delivery of the final Handbook The content of this page is published for information purposes only. The project was funded by the European Union. However, the communication about the project that is published through this page expresses the views of the project beneficiaries only and it does not represent the views of the European Union or the European Commission. It shall not be deemed to constitute legal or official notice on behalf of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for this content nor the use thereof made by any third parties. Page 2 of 3 2021-2-PL01-KA220-YOU-000048960 Generated on: Jan 9, 2026 R2: The Young Cultentrepreneurs course to engage, inspire and unleash the youth potential for the cultural and creative economy R2 -A1 Course design R2 - A2: Content development R2 -A3: Course piloting/delivery R2 -A4: Feedback F2F and online meetings R3: The Young Cultentrepeneurs scrapbook for cultural and creative economy: Meet the innovative young minds R3-A1 Young Cultentrepeneurs scrapbook methodology and teams R3-A2 Innovative thinking workshop for entrepreneurial ideas on cultural and creative economy R3-A3 The Young Cultrentrepeneurs stories - Meet the innovative minds of the future R3-A4 Development of the digital scrapbook Impact R1: The Handbook for Youth workers: The Hows and whys of Cultural and creative entrepreneurship. The handbook published in digital format in six (6) languages and available online will be a prime educational resource for youth workers and practitioners. Online seminars will be implemented in 5 countries with the participation of 100 youth workers in total. R2: The Young Cultentrepreneurs course to engage, inspire and unleash the youth potential for the cultural and creative economy. The course will be a blended learning experience and will be available in six (6) languages to be piloted in Poland, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Sweden to a total of 80 young persons aged 18-29 in NEET situation. R3: The Young Cultentrepreneurs scrapbook for cultural and creative economy: Meet the innovative young minds. This result will put young people in the driver’s seat and will give me the space and freedom to build their own entrepreneurial ideas for the cultural and creative sector. The scrapbook will be published in English, Polish, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. Further to this, the project will organise five (5) multiplier events at national level and 1 Final Event that will attract more than 200 direct participants. Link to project card: Show project card The content of this page is published for information purposes only. The project was funded by the European Union. However, the communication about the project that is published through this page expresses the views of the project beneficiaries only and it does not represent the views of the European Union or the European Commission. It shall not be deemed to constitute legal or official notice on behalf of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for this content nor the use thereof made by any third parties. Page 3 of 3