MAKING FIRST
STEP
Training
course in Limassol
Project “Coaching
Young Entrepreneurs - Providing Support in Making the First Step" (FIRST
STEP), funded by the EU through the ERASMUS+ programme, Key Action 1: Learning Mobility of Individuals (in
the field of youth workers).
Unemployment
is a major issue that Europe is confronting nowadays. Young entrepreneurs face
great difficulties in starting their own business. It is not only the external
environment that creates the chaos for young entrepreneurs but inner
difficulties such lack of self-confidence, lack of skills, insufficient
leadership capabilities and similar issues. One of the most important decisions
for any entrepreneur is choosing what sort of business he or she wants so we
will be looking at initial decisions that entrepreneurs need to look seriously
at and trainers/coaches need to be attentive to. Moreover, for an entrepreneur,
recognition and a sense of achievement are fundamental motivators, which have
significant consequences in the way entrepreneurs approach and manage their
businesses. In a similar way, entrepreneurs need to align their personal goals
with their business goals and need to have important skills like motivating
others. All these issues will be important in the training course.
The most
important objective of the project "Coaching Young Entrepreneurs -
Providing Support in Making the First Step" (FIRST STEP) is to provide
non-formal training to youth workers in order to enhance their capacities and
skills to be able to motivate youth in taking the initiative of starting its
own business and making a positive transition to the work field. The project addresses directly the issues of
entrepreneurship, creativity and employability of young people in Europe and
has a strong alignment with the objectives of the Erasmus Plus programme and
its objectives. The "FIRST-STEP" project aims at promoting young
people's commitment towards a more inclusive growth by helping youth workers to
become more aware and be able to stimulate young people’s spirit of initiative,
creativity and entrepreneurship and employability through the use of coaching
tools and promotion of the entrepreneurial spirit. The project is more specifically aiming at
providing a training course which will provide an educational learning
experience on the topic of providing coaching and support for young people
wanting to become entrepreneurs and thus will improve participants
’competences, knowledge, skills and attitudes in coaching and counseling.
DOREA
Educational Institute on 8-15 November 2015 invited 36 youth workers from 11
countries (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, United
Kingdom, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova
and Kosovo) to take part in very interactive training course in Limassol. Youth
workers and young entrepreneurs had a chance to engage in learning new tools of
coaching, be inspired, challenge themselves by going outside the training room
and in practice experience entrepreneurial spirit – to make those steps that
really bring them to knowing better how to be an entrepreneur.
Here are
some remarks from participants:
What was the biggest impact of training in your
professional life?
Giulia (CESIE,
Italy): In my personal professional experience, this training helped me to
observe things in a different way: from a rational and economic point of view
and what it’s necessary do to achieve a goal for example.
Attilio
(CESIE, Italy): I think the
biggest impact was the knowledge. Each moment of our professional life requires
a solid background based on past experience tht is why I do not consider
knowledge like a science related just to the studies but a mix of studies,
challenges, team, network and so on.
Marios (DOREA, Cyprus):
The biggest impact of the training in my professional life was the fact that I
met people who worked in different fields but all of them had passion for what
they were doing and it was inspiring to talk to them. Plus i learned very
useful information about starting and running a business from some of the
participants who were very experienced in this area. I still follow some of the
participants and we still help and support each other moving towards our
dreams.
How the training influenced your business
ideas, future work plans?
Giulia
(CESIE, Italy): The training encouraged me to implement and improve my own
skills and ideas entrepreneural through explanations, attitudes, and
comparisons of intercultural young people really motivated. So this type of
comparison developed me positivity and optimism as well as self- confidence.
Attilio
(CESIE, Italy): I think the
training strengthened my business ideas because it supported me with
rationality, methodology and gave me some insights for my future steps.
Marios (DOREA,
Cyprus): The training gave me a fresh perspective for my business ideas and the
desire and knowledge to be more productive and more profitable by doing a
business that i love.
What do you think how important for young
people in general to take part in such Erasmus+ programmes?
Giulia (CESIE,
Italy): According to me it’s very useful and important to take part in a such
wonderful experience, because, it is really rewarding and gratifying; it’s
really important also to compare own skills, culture, lifestyles, habits and
customs with different people. You learn to speak, and in general to
communicate in another language (generally English, but not always) you improve
your capabilities to stay and work in a group, so you can see how get along
with people from different countries. You can also study different subjects,
and learn new things that can be useful for your personal growth or
professional experience. And at the end it’s an amusing experience!
Attilio
(CESIE, Italy): I think Erasmus+ programmes help to get some values such as
team building, networking, rationality, challenges and a great experience with
nice and professional trainers
Marios (DOREA, Cyprus): It's very important for people who
are interested in entrepreneurship to take part in such Erasmus+ programs
because it brings them in contact with like minded people willing to advice
them and motivate them to achieve their full potential and realize their
dreams.
Would you advice to take part in such
activities for your country youth? How important it is for them considering their
employment possibilities in your country?
Giulia
(CESIE, Italy): Nothing in particular, as I said It’s very important to young
people relate with their peers or more in general people who comes from different
countries. To learn and to have a new specific knowledge in the field of
Entrepreneurship enhance the possibility of a settled employment.
Attilio
(CESIE, Italy): Yes ! Traditionally Italians are business oriented people so I
strongly suggest to Italian youth to participate in order to learn how to
manage future steps.
Marios (DOREA, Cyprus): I would suggest that unemployed or even employed
Cypriot youth takes part in similar training because this could make them
realize, as i did during the training, that money are all around us. Just solve
a problem, benefit some people and success will come. You don't need to wait to
be hired by someone. If you have a passion, just strive for it.
Any advice?
Giulia
(CESIE, Italy): Be yourself, don’t be shy, speak speak speak even if you make
mistakes!
Marios (DOREA, Cyprus): My advice is to
never let an obstacle or a failure stop you from achieving success. Just learn
from your failures and move on to success. Plus, surround yourself with like-minded
people - something that trainings can help you accomplish.
Team from
Belarus – Luba, Dennis and Anna - (Start Up Women) shares more of their
experience of training course: http://startupwomen.by/first-step-our-expirience/
Dennis was one
of the winners of Social media competition by sharing his photo on Facebook
from the exercise they had to do – mix teams going in the streets and earning
15 Eur from scratch. Most of the teams did amazing job. One group brought even
30 Eur of profit. So all the FIRST STEPers had to challenge themselves, being
creative, fast, interactive and creating strong teams – experiencing
entrepreneurial spirit from its roots.
To get to know
more about all the participants see previous posts of this blog.
This
project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This
publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be
held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained
therein.
