MAKING FIRST STEP

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.