Shift -> towards online and offline enterpreneurship community

The project focuses on the need in the cross border region for development of employability skills and self-responsible attitude towards employment. The main idea is to offer a space not only for learning but a space that will also serve as a community for sharing, practicing and exchanging ideas. The project will be implemented through various activities, among which are the creation of an online platform for learning and sharing positive practices from Bulgaria and Macedonia, seminars, a study visit in the CB region, and a caravan as a final activity where all the outcomes and on spot offline and online activities will be organized for local communities in 6 municipalities in Bulgaria and Macedonia. In this way the opportunity for professional development will be accessible even for the most disadvantaged groups. The outcomes of this project are: a number of participants who will attend the seminars in the CB region, a number of successful entrepreneurs who will receive the space to share their knowledge and use the platform for capacity building of their employees, a number of created networks for future cooperation in the CB region and a joint start-up and self-employment initiative.

Проектот е фокусиран на потребата во прекуграничниот регион за развој на вештини за вработување и самостојно одговорен однос кон вработувањето. Основната идеја е да се понуди место не само за учење, но еден простор кој ќе служи како заедница за споделување, вежбање и размена на идеи. Проектот ќе се реализира преку различни активности, меѓу кои се создавање на онлајн платформа за учење и размена на позитивни практики од Бугарија и Македонија, семинари, студиски престој во регионот, како и караван како завршна активност во која сите резултати, офлајн и онлајн активности на лице-место ќе бидат организирани за локалните заедници во 6 општини во Бугарија и Македонија. На овој начин, можноста за професионален развој ќе биде достапна дури и за најзагрозените групи. Очекуваните резултатите од овој проект се: голем број на учесници кои ќе присуствуваат на семинарите во прекуграничниот регион, голем број на успешни претприемачи кои ќе добијат простор да ги споделат своите знаења и употреба на платформа за градење на капацитетите на нивните вработени, неколку создадени мрежи за идна соработка во прекуграничниот регион и иницијатива за заеднички старт-ап и самовработување.

Проектът се фокусира върху необходимостта да се развият умения за заетост и самостоятелно отговорно отношение към заетостта в трансграничния регион. Основната идея е да се предложи пространство не само за учене, но пространство, което ще служи като общност за споделяне, практикуване и обмен на идеи. Проектът ще се реализира чрез различни дейности, сред които са създаването на онлайн платформа за обучение и обмен на добри практики от България и Македония, семинари, проучвателно посещение в трансграничния регион, и каравана като краен дейност, когато всички резултати и на място, офлайн и онлайн дейности ще бъдат организирани за местните общности в 6 общини в България и Македония. По този начин достъпът до професионално развитие ще бъде възможен и за групите в най-остро неравностойно положение. Резултатите от този проект са: брой участниците на семинарите в трансграничния регион, редица успешни предприемачи, получили място за споделяне на своите знания и използвали платформата за изграждане на капацитет на своите служителите, изградена мрежа за бъдещо сътрудничество в трансграничния региона и съвместно инициативи за самонаемане.

The cross-border impact was visible though: A joint platform that has been used by both diverse groups of citizens from both Bulgaria and Macedonia and that is aggregating news with opportunities for further engagement on the topic. A website that will continue being used in the next 3 years. 6 groups of stakeholders encouraged to continue collaborating and using the whole cross-border region for future activities and common projects. Encouraged a group of 60 mostly young people to collaborate together in the future when practicing the competences they developed from the seminars that were organized in Bulgaria and Macedonia with mixed groups Space for entrepreneurs from both regions to share their work and learn about the work of other entrepreneurs from the region. The team will continue encouraging the entrepreneurs to share information about their work on the online platform

Indicator; Reached value; Comment Supported joint start-up and self-employment initiatives;1.00;Through the implementation of the project itself the participants were encouraged to use all the online and offline tools developed under the project to create their own business plan or self-employment initiative. Four online courses were created and integrated on the project's web platform and were implemented in 2 cycles. The following topics were elaborated within the online courses: Project management, Entrepreneurship, English and Business communication which provided knowledge and opportunity for personal skills development needed for start ups and business management. In that regard Brochure on social entrepreneurship was developed by expert contracted under the project which elaborates step by step approach for start ups and running a social enterprise. This brochure was disseminated among the project participants online (interactive online version of the Brochure is available on shiftlearning.net) and offline (a printed version of the Brochure was promoted and shared with relevant local institutions: schools, universities, employment agencies, local government units and etc). During the project study visit the participants had the opportunity to meet and interact with successful entrepreneurs in the cross border region and use their experience and advice for development of their own business and career. The companies visited during the study visit were registered on the platform and contact information and support was shared in the section Local companies in order every interested visitor to have an opportunity to find out more about certain business and get acquainted with successful entrepreneurs. As a result some participants expressed their interest and willingness to work in the social business sector. During the project implementation period nonfinancial support was provided under the project to the newly founded civil society organization called “Center for personal and creative development-Percipio” led by Mrs Aleksandra Mihajlovska. The entity is initially registered as civil society organization taking into account the legislation framework in Macedonia regarding social entrepreneurship and social business. At this point the Ministry for labour and social policies published a draft law on social entrepreneurship which is open for public debate and consultation and it is not adopted yet. The founded organization has social mission, to create educational curriculums that will support the ongoing personal development processes and care for mental health, through promotion of inclusive art methods, working with all age groups, with emphasis on theater and stage techniques as tools for personal development and active participation in the society. Further, the organization advocates for mental health care and protection, development of psycho-educational activities and counseling. The idea for the concept was inspired by the activities and the content presented on the project platform shiftlearning.net, providing information about initiatives, experiences and legislative framework on social entrepreneurship in the CB region. The organization received continuous nonfinancial support (consultation support from the project team and experts team contracted under the project for development of the concept, registration and the start off; the organization is registered on the platform and the platform is used as a space for learning and networking with stakeholders in the region. Memorandum for future collaboration on projects was concluded). - During the implementation of the online courses launched on the project platform shiftlearning.net a business plan was developed by 6 participants. Consultancy support was offered and provided by the experts contracted under the project in order to support the participants to develop successful business plan. Possible funding options were explored and the participants were encouraged to register a company and on-going mentor support was offered. Number of participants (split into men and women) in supported training and qualification initiatives;71.00;During the the implementation of the project there were several opportunities for training and educational opportunities. The activities that supported this indicator are the following ones: Mechanisms for support of my business plan (Kumanovo, 20-23 April 2017 - 30 participants)(http://shiftlearning.net/%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%80/) Available mechanisms as a support for my business plan (Kustendil, 28-31 May 2017 - 30 participants) Study Visit “Entrepreneurs in our region” - Bulgaria and Macedonia (02-06 July 2018) (24 Partricipants) In total there were 71 Individual participants.(some of them overlapped on the seminars and study visit) 41 Female and 30 Male. Number of enterprises receiving non-financial support;14.00;-During the activity number 6- Study visit in Bulgaria and Macedonia, the following enterprises/social enterprises were visited: Association “Izbor” from Strumica and its social enterprise Pokrov, distribution company Kolid Fuds from Strumica, Association Kulturna riznica Skopje, street Magazin “Lice v Lice”. distribution company Fluidi M, Kumanovo, Cafe bar Agora, Kumanovo; clothing factory VITAL OOD Kyustendil, Center for social services Zilenci Kyustendil, “Public laundry” Kyustendil, furniture manufacturer “Bonana” from Petrich and company for meat delicacies “Me-sko” Petrich. Official representative from every of the above listed organization made a presentation about the respective organization and had interactive sessions with the participants on the study visit. During the study visit both project teams had meetings with the representatives appointed by the organizations, whereby the shiftlearning.net was offered as a platform for networking with stakeholders (other companies and organizations, unemployed people, local institutions in the region). Further, the project teams presented the educational and promotional tools that the platform may provide to support social enterprises and entrepreneurs whose activities generate social impact. Additionally, the CID's project team had a meeting with the representatives on the companies: Kitka Petrol Kumanovo, Bit-mak DOOEL Kumanovo and the social enterprise Nega Plus Skopje regarding to providing non financial support under the project and the mentioned companies were registered on the platform. Number of cooperation networks;6.00;During the activity no.8 Shift-Entrepreneur Caravan, 6 round table discussions with stakeholders were organized in 6 towns in the cross border area: Kumanovo, Shtip and Kriva Palanka in Macedonia and Kyustendil, Petrich and Bobov Dol in Bulgaria. Different stakeholders were invited and participated on the local stakeholders meetings including representatives from municipalities, employment agencies, schools, universities, business sector and other relevant local institutions. The main points on the agenda were presentation on successful stories on social entrepreneurship in the region, interactive discussions on the following topics: potential financial sources and supportive instruments for social business start-up, networking-establishing cross- sector links between institutions, business sector and civil society sector for future cooperation, promotion and development of social entrepreneurship. As a result of the local stakeholders meetings list of recommendations for future development and cooperation was developed and presented in the report of the facilitator of the discussions. As supporting documents for implementation of the event and fulfillment of the objectives, a list of participants, agenda and facilitator’s report are enclosed.