Crisis no matter if it’s financial, environmental or political, is a driving force for transformation of the economy and the businesses. Tоday the digital transformation of the businesses is more needed than ever, since the global need of preventing and managing situations that can affect the market conditions and the traditional ways of doing business. While no one can anticipate organizational, financial, environmental, technological crisis it’s important that new businesses are ready to handle these situations should they ever occur. New business models, digitalization of services and products, remote work systems, cyber security, digital channels for communication with clients and employees are key factors for sustainability of every emerging business. Being an Entrepreneur in the Digital Age means to be aware of how to run a business which is agile and prepared to react to every crisis by implementing the right technologies. The educational programs in entrepreneurship should be also adapted by taking into account the emerging need of sustainability and digitalization.The “SMART Youth” project aims:1) to identify types of crises that can arise, the needed skills and knowledge required for running entirely digital business or business which is agile and ready to respond to change in situation of crisis 2.) to address the emerging needs of the new generation of entrepreneurs by launching a new curriculum; 3.) to build on the capacity of the staff in higher education institutions and other training organisations;4.) to foster collaboration among businesses, students, young entrepreneurs, academic staff and other stakeholders; 5.) to stimulate creativity of young people and to make them think about crisis management, new business models and sustainability through digitalization; The partnership involves four universities from Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania and Ireland as well as two chambers of commerce and industry from Turkey and Bulgaria. The role of the business-support organisations is to analyse the needs, the opportunities and the successful experiences in the field of entrepreneurship during crisis, to promote the project through their network of contacts, including Enterprise Europe Network, organisations in support of start-ups and entrepreneurship.The role of the universities is to bring their experience in development of educational programs, in building entrepreneurial skills and competencies and in implementation of new online methods for teaching and learning. Before starting the creation of the new Curriculum the project foresees the conduction of a research on risks and opportunities and a research on the needed entrepreneurial skills. The Curriculum will include at least six courses focused on development of specific skills that entrepreneurs need when starting a business that is agile and can work or adapt to work during crisis. The next step will be the organisation of a short-term joint staff training in Ireland that will be attended by the lecturers from the participating countries. It aims to build on the capacity of the PPs' staff and to ensure good understanding of the topics included in the curriculum. In order to test the Curriculum and to foster the transnational interactions and the exchange of knowledge between lecturers, students, successful businesses and solution providers, the PPs will organize international pilot training(virtual boot camps). The videos from the boot-camps will also serve as an example of innovative method for interactive teaching and learning that can be implemented in HE and other training institutions. These videos will be uploaded in a virtual space “Smart business toolbox” where young entrepreneurs will also have access to different types of tools and materials that will help them to start their sustainable businesses, to find digital technologies and reliable business solutions, to assess their digital competences, to find inspiring stories and best practices. The PPs will maximize the number of the organisations implementing the Curriculum, by developing a recognition toolkit that will ensure credit transferability, sustainability and substantial impact. In order to multiply the dissemination effect and increase the project visibility the PPs will implement a communication strategy, laying down promotional instruments and multiplier events. The PPs will strive to ensure proper implementation of the planned activities and sustainability of the action and its results. To ensure the efficient management and quality control the Coordinator and the PPs will follow preliminary defined procedures for reporting, administrative and financial control. The project success will be measured by set of indicators and the PPs will follow a methodology for evaluation of the project development at every stage.

"Europe faces the challenge to fight rising levels of unemployment. Too many young people leave school too early and adults are often only equipped with low skills, which increases the risk for (future) unemployment even further. Current figures, especially from Spain and Italy show that a percentage of 43% young adults are currently unemployed. But also in other European countries the percentage of youth unemployment is frightening. The Europe 2020 strategy foresees to foster a high- employment economy whilst ensuring sustainable growth with a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy. To address this issue and at the same time to counteract for fighting a prognosed shortage of skilled staff (especially in the Gastronomic sector, ""Lecture about future perspectives of the labour market, Dr. Helmrich- National Agency Germany 2013"") appropriate actions need to be taken. In addition the recognition and validation of formal, non- formal and informal acquired skills and competences form a center piece on the path of life long lerning and support career development. The project aims, through the development and training of key competences and skills, which are relevant to the labour market, and the usage of European Instruments (ECVET) to close an existing gap, which causes staff shortage and will fight future unemployment of low- skilled adults. The project will therefore develop a new Curricula and train participants accordingly in order to ease the access to the labour market. The new qualification will involve basic skills for the tourism sector as well as future skills, which are required to drive the change within tourism enterprise towards sustainable operations. This will contribute to the European 2020 strategy which aims to create a more resource efficient and greener economy. The creation of a self- analysis tool for previously gained non- formal and informal skills and competences applicable to the tourism sector will lead to recognition, validation and transparency and foster the ability of self- analysis as well as increased knowledge for future employment. Future cooperation between the target group and tourism enterprises in (different) partner countries will be fostered and will also stimulate participants to learn additional languages. The project therefore fosters mobility to enable the target group to react on future labour market changes including the flexibility to meet requirements of seasonal jobs. Equipped with additional skills as well as instruments, with which non-formal and informal gained skills and competences are made transparent will ultimately help to overcome personal barriers and obstacles. The long term benefits will help the tourism sector to fight a shortage of staff on the one hand and low skilled adults on the other hand by offering them a qualification in the tourism sector, which meets future requirements through the incorporation of sustainable elements. Through the application of the European Qualification Framework (EQF)during this process the VET system will improve its quality and the participating training institutions will benefit from and increased internationalisation, through the transnational cooperation within the project consortium. A peer group consisting of trainers, job counsellors etc. will offer feedback throughout analysis and definition of the key competences and the creation of the new curricula. The consortium is composed of five partner. The educational institution the Turkish Vocational College of Tourism provides the necessary expertise in the field of Tourism and applied analysis in the field. BEST will contribute to the project with its extensive experiences related to the recognition and validation of skills as well as the creation of new Curricula and the translation into online based tools. The Latvian Country Tourism Association and ARIS promote (sustainable) tourism among their members and have extensive networking experiences. KOAN consulting is deeply involved in the training of tourism enterprises, specialized in sustainable operations. Through these partners, which offer a wide range of networking activities, the usage, dissemination and exploitation of the results will be guaranteed:- the promotion of the new Curricula in the tourism sector, covering basic key skills as well as future skills to meet the demand of the target group, but also the demand of the target sector due to a shortage of staff- Transparency on the basis of ECVET valorises the qualification on local, regional, national and European level- Transparency of non- formal and informal gained competences and skills applicable to the tourism sector on the basis of ECVET- Obstacles through the new qualification and the acknowledgement of previous non- formal and informal gained competences and skills are removed, access to the labour market increases and the shortage of skilled staff within the sector declines"

"CONTEXT:In general, the non-wood forest products have always been - and remain - an important element of forest resource. However, until recently, not enough attention to their management and utilization lent .Paradoxically, in some cases a better understanding of non-wood forest products will be directly related to a process that causes destruction. As cultures and communities evolve towards a market economy tends to reduce the use of non-wood products for subsistence; Unfortunately, in general, this decline has not been accompanied by improved management of some non-wood products as an integral part of the development process. Consequently it is easy for traditional knowledge about those products are lost. Too often the true value of these products is perceived in the community is 0 at national level where supply sources have disappeared, either through lack of appropriate management measures, or measures of development without vision.OBJECTIVES:• Promote better information , transfer and recognition of youth employment and nonformal at European, national , regional and local level teaching. • Improve the capacity of the VET system as to the needs of the labor market in the NWFP sector. • Modernize and exploit the potential of economic development and innovation in the EU to increase the competitiveness of the forest sector. • Facilitate labor mobility, recognition at European level in the labor market by integrating business practices based learning. • Cooperate among the organizations in program countries in forestry.TARGET GROUPS:• Employers, workers and entrepreneurs related to rural activities and forestry, especially those working non-timber forest products. • Educational authorities ( teachers and trainers) . • Social agents in rural areas, groups and Unions Local Action. • Unqualified young rural women in search of "" first job "" or socially discriminated . • Youth and marginalized groups unemployed or uneducated finished studies encounter difficulties in accessing active and working life.ACTIVITIES:• Creating a Thematic Network , European Monitoring Centre for New Qualifications in the Forestry Sector and Resource Center Information and Online Learning, through which the integrated training, qualifications, monitoring, job creation system and will be organized tools to promote transparency of qualifications and the exchange of best practices on non- wood forest products.• Development of a Guide to Good Practice for the Management and Management of Non-wood Forest Products, indicating the steps for the modernization and adaptation of innovative European systems transformation , depending on quality. • Project web page to provide information , allow the dissemination of project activities and platform support training and telecommuting (Moodle ). • Imparting 4 courses and 36 seminars dissemination and exchange of best practices in NWFP .METHODOLOGY:• Design a basic non-formal training plan with the specific aim of encouraging entrepreneurship, competitiveness and employment through the development and acquisition of skills and competencies related to the real needs in the field of NWFP . • Integration of an innovative approach to teaching and learning, especially through a more strategic and integrated ICT and REA (web , Observatory, guide ... ) use. • Recognition of training modules for the new professional qualification through 4 pilot courses . • Organization 1 event set of training and learning short (5 days) as well as 2 training events combined mobility. • Establishment of a Broadcasting Plan and Use of Results .RESULTS:1. Thematic Network "" NWF Network"". 2. European Monitoring Centre for New Qualifications in the Forestry Sector (450 users).3. Resource Center Online Information and Learning (360 users).4. Guide to Good Practice for the Management and Management of Non-Wood Forest Products (1.800 copies). 5. Website of information and dissemination (3.000 visits). 6. Training and telecommuting Platform (Moodle ) . 7. 4 themed courses for curriculum validation NWFP. 8. 36 seminars and project dissemination and exchange of best practices in NWFP. 9. 3 Actions Training and Learning."