To introduce opportunities and alternative resources to support the social entrepreneurship run by youth in Baltic states, the project ImpactYouth was developed in cooperation of Social innovation centre (Latvia), Viesoji istaiga Bendruomeniu kaitos centras  (Lithuania), INVOLVED (Estonia), VIAINDUSTRIAE (Italy) and Makesense (France), executed under the Erasmus+ programme and co-financed by the European Union. The main objectives of the the project started in summer 2016  are to:

  • support alternative financing ways of youth social businesses in Baltic states,

  • spread the idea of social enterpreneurship in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia and promote it as positive trend to the society,

  • provide necessary competences and support tools to enable young people to develop social business ideas at regional, national or international level,

  • initiate stronger collaboration between existing business incubators, youth centres and NGOs for development of social business incubation for youth,

  • introduce the “Art-ups” and the creative social entrepreneurship as one of possible ways for young people t start own social business,

  • encourage young people to think innovative and creative ways, collaborate and take a risk,

  • promote good practices among local and international partners to archieve sustainable, collaborative, social business support within youth sector.

The first intellectual output of the project has been guidelines for youth organizations “How to facilitate development of social business incubation for youth“. It provides an insight into the structure of youth organizations in Baltic countries that creates opportunities and support for youth in development of social business. In addition, experience of partner countries France and Italy in relevant field forms methodologies and support mechanisms to implement in Baltic countries. The guidelines focuse on the possible mechanisms for young social entrepreneurs’ startups to be successful and partner countries’ experience in youth support to be taken over.

To make the project more viable in terms of practical implementation, the manual for problem-solving workshop has been created in a form of short “Hold-up“.

As another result of the project the crowdfunding platform on www.impactyouth.eu was created and promoted in Baltic countries, so social entrepreneurship ideas can get necessary financial support for the business development and making social benefit at the same time. The concept is really simple – young man or women  can “pitch” own idea with any kind of promotional means (video, pictures, links etc.) and invite others to invest in the idea, so in the end the money can be used for real business development. It works if the necessary minimum percentage of the requested amount is achieved in limited period of time. If the project idea fails to collect the funds specified in the website, the investments are returned to the “sponsor”. More details are to be found here.

So,

The Intellectual Output 1    open-file-icon

Hold-up manual   open-file-icon

The crowdsourcing platform   open-file-icon

The terms of use for ImpactYouth crowdsourcing platform   open-file-icon

Video about the use of platform in English    open-file-icon

Video about the use of platform in Latvian    open-file-icon

 

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