Europe is facing a difficult situation in terms of unemployment, social and economic problems, cultural crisis, lack of motivation among the youth, etc. This situation has affected mainly young people, particularly those with fewer opportunities. From Iniciativa Internacional Joven (Malaga, Spain) we were invited to participate in a project, positively contributing to personal and professional development of young people, through social entrepreneurship which also has a social objective of common interest. Facing the necessity to inform, advise and support on the best possible way young people and professionals about the essential aspects of social entrepreneurship, such as supporting sense of initiative and creating a space for exchange and European debate on this subject, they organized the International Training Course “Methodologies on Youth Social Entrepreneurship” from 9th to 15th of March 2015 in Malaga (Spain).
At this training course Travelogue has participated with 3 youth workers, educators, youth leaders and young people together with professionals from seven European countries (Italy, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, Romania, Greece and Spain).
The main objectives of the course are:
– To analyse benefits, strengths and weaknesses of social entrepreneurship projects and/or activities carried out by young people.
– To acquire new skills to attend and advise young people with fewer opportunities, supporting them in the process of social inclusion.
– To exchange good practices to develop new educational tools, strategies and an innovative methodology to promote the participation of young people with fewer opportunities in social entrepreneurship projects.
During the course contents connected with social entrepreneurship, opportunities and weaknesses when the protagonist is a young person, specific needs, inclusion tools, resources and steps to address young people with fewer opportunities, etc. will be developed. Furthermore, the working methodologies of each country, exchanging good practices and presenting concrete experiences. Finally, a comprehensive analysis will be carried out and common strategies will be developed to promote the initiative and social entrepreneurship of young people with fewer opportunities.
During November and December 2015 a young girl from Iniciativa Internacional Joven had an experience of job shadowing inTravelogue, cooperating with local social enterprises.