CONTEXT: In December 2016, the youth unemployment rate was 18.6 % in the EU-28 and 20.9 % in the euro area, compared with 19.5 % and 21.8 % respectively in Dec.2015. In Dec.2016, the lowest rate was observed in DE (6.5 %), while the highest were recorded in GR (44.2 % in Oct.2016), ES (42.9%) and IT (40.1%). In RO, the youth unemployment was in the first semester of 2016 of 21,8% and in the UK is 14,6%. As it can be seen, in the project partners ‘countries (RO, IT, ES), the youth unemployment rate was higher than the one at EU level, the only one with a more stable situation in the last period is UK. One of the reasons of Social exclusion is the low level of education, this being applied in different areas. 35 % of adults with at most lower secondary educational attainment was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2014 and overall, 9.5 % of the working EU population was at risk of poverty in 2014. The project will answer to this problem, by developing and offering training sessions on digital alphabetization, that will help the youngster better fit to the social and labour market needs. OBJECTIVES: OBJECTIVES AND TARGET GROUPS The project aims for the DIGITAL ALPHABETIZATION for 80 YOUNGSTERS WITH EDUCATIONAL DIFFICULTIES and disseminating the project results to a no of at least 220 persons, by developing a dedicated Training package (with its own Handbook and Assessment tool) and an e-learning app, piloting 4 training Barcamps in this topic (one/country), and 1 workshop (5 days, in Spain). NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS: The target group will gather at least 300 persons: • 80 Youngsters with educational difficulties in the Pilot course (20 persons/country) • 220 (at least) Decision makers, Experts, specialists, professionals- as results of the dissemination activities DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES: The project will generate a training package in Digital alphabetization of the youngsters with educational difficulties. A test of the training tool will be organized in Spain with 3 participants from each partner country. An e-learning app will be created, in order to ensure the proper future training of the youngsters. Then, a Handbook for Digital alphabetization will provide complementary information to the course developed. The final IO is the Assessment tool and recognition of learning outcomes, that will assess and validate the learning progress of trainees who have participated under the training course (IO2) and have gone through the E-Learning app experience. We will have 4 Digital alphabetization Barcamps (ME). The project will have a specific activity on Monitoring and Quality assessment and transversal activities will also be implemented: Project management, Dissemination and exploitation of results. METHODOLOGY TO BE USED: The project coordinator will ensure the smooth communication flow between partners. To legally ensure the successful realization of the project, a consortium agreement will be signed by all project partners. The lead partner will create a steering committee-SC (1 delegate/ partner), who will be responsible to report to the project coordinator and to the management team all the financial and administrative tasks of the partner. The SC will meet face to face 4 times, monitoring the development and progress of project's activities with the partners responsible and coordinating each project components (2 evaluation reports). A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN RESULTS: The project will achieve as main tangible results: - An e-learning app - A Handbook for Digital alphabetization will provide complementary information to the course developed - An Assessment tool and recognition of learning outcomes that will assess and validate the learning progress of youngsters with educational difficulties who have participated under the training course (IO2) and have gone through the e-learning app experience - 4 Digital alphabetization Barcamps (ME), one in each partner’s country - 1 Training - a 5-day workshop organized in Madrid, Spain for the youngsters with educational difficulties. IMPACT ENVISAGED: The impact that this project aims is rise the digital alphabetization skills to the youngsters with educational difficulties, with the purpose to make the transition from a lack of knowledge or low skills stage to a complete social inclusion, upgrading the competences needed on the work market, in a transnational approach. THE POTENTIAL LONGER TERM BENEFITS: Once the project is finished the expected impacts will continue. The main tools that will ensure this are the Facebook profile, the e-Learning app and the partners’ web site with project information. These tools will survive the project at least 3 years after it is finished. The training courses, the Handbook and the Assessment tool and all the other project materials, will be available from these tools also after the project life.

CONTEXT: In December 2016, the youth unemployment rate was 18.6 % in the EU-28 and 20.9 % in the euro area, compared with 19.5 % and 21.8 % respectively in Dec.2015. In Dec.2016, the lowest rate was observed in DE (6.5 %), while the highest were recorded in GR (44.2 % in Oct.2016), ES (42.9%) and IT (40.1%). In RO, the youth unemployment was in the first semester of 2016 of 21,8% and in the UK is 14,6%. As it can be seen, in the project partners ‘countries (RO, IT, ES), the youth unemployment rate was higher than the one at EU level, the only one with a more stable situation in the last period is UK. One of the reasons of Social exclusion is the low level of education, this being applied in different areas. 35 % of adults with at most lower secondary educational attainment was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2014 and overall, 9.5 % of the working EU population was at risk of poverty in 2014. The project will answer to this problem, by developing and offering training sessions on digital alphabetization, that will help the youngster better fit to the social and labour market needs. OBJECTIVES: OBJECTIVES AND TARGET GROUPS The project aims for the DIGITAL ALPHABETIZATION for 80 YOUNGSTERS WITH EDUCATIONAL DIFFICULTIES and disseminating the project results to a no of at least 220 persons, by developing a dedicated Training package (with its own Handbook and Assessment tool) and a Social learning platform, piloting 4 training Barcamps in this topic (one/country), and 1 workshop (5 days, in Spain). NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS: The target group will gather at least 300 persons: • 80 Youngsters with educational difficulties in the Pilot course (20 persons/country) • 220 (at least) Decision makers, Experts, specialists, professionals- as results of the dissemination activities DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES: The project will generate a training package in Digital alphabetization of the youngsters with educational difficulties. A test of the training tool will be organized in Spain with 3 participants from each partner country. A social e-learning platform will be created, in order to ensure the proper future training of the youngsters. Then, a Handbook for Digital alphabetization will provide complementary information to the course developed. The final IO is the Assessment tool and recognition of learning outcomes, that will assess and validate the learning progress of trainees who have participated under the training course (IO2) and have gone through the e-learning platform experience. We will have 4 Digital alphabetization Barcamps (ME). The project will have a specific activity on Monitoring and Quality assessment and transversal activities will also be implemented: Project management, Dissemination and exploitation of results. METHODOLOGY TO BE USED: The project coordinator will ensure the smooth communication flow between partners. To legally ensure the successful realization of the project, a consortium agreement will be signed by all project partners. The lead partner will create a steering committee-SC (1 delegate/ partner), who will be responsible to report to the project coordinator and to the management team all the financial and administrative tasks of the partner. The SC will meet face to face 4 times, monitoring the development and progress of project's activities with the partners responsible and coordinating each project components (2 evaluation reports). A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN RESULTS: The project will achieve as main tangible results: - A Social e-learning platform - A Handbook for Digital alphabetization will provide complementary information to the course developed - An Assessment tool and recognition of learning outcomes that will assess and validate the learning progress of youngsters with educational difficulties who have participated under the training course (IO2) and have gone through the e-learning platform experience - 4 Digital alphabetization Barcamps (ME), one in each partner’s country - 1 Training - a 5-day workshop organized in Valencia, Spain for the youngsters with educational difficulties. IMPACT ENVISAGED: The impact that this project aims is rise the digital alphabetization skills to the youngsters with educational difficulties, with the purpose to make the transition from a lack of knowledge or low skills stage to a complete social inclusion, upgrading the competences needed on the work market, in a transnational approach. THE POTENTIAL LONGER TERM BENEFITS: Once the project is finished the expected impacts will continue. The main tools that will ensure this are the Facebook profile, the eLearning platform and the partners’ web site with project information. These tools will survive the project at least 3 years after it is finished. The training courses, the Handbook and the Assessment tool and all the other project materials, will be available from these tools also after the project life.

The European Union and many European countries face a challenge in their efforts to tackle the high youth unemployment witnessed today. Entrepreneurship is high on the political agenda and various national schemes are underway to facilitate access to vocational training, entrepreneurial support and start-up funding among the European youth. The unemployed youth are striving to make an effective transition into self-employment or increase the sustainability and competitive advantage of their businesses and social entrepreneurship is one area of business that is on the uptake. As a result, peripheral organisations, such as private and public youth organisations or NGOs are re-organising their service provision and support structures, to include tools and services (called HUB by project partners) that will help young people getting started with a social enterprise. These organisations are one of the main beneficiaries of this project.In aiming to promote youth entrepreneurship, with special focus on social entrepreneurship, the partners set the following OBJECTIVES:→ to foster cooperation and exchange of experiences and good practices in the field of social entrepreneurship and youth employability;→ to contribute to the development of the quality of support systems and the capabilities of those who work with unemployed young people and young people who are classified as ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET);→ to develop a HUB MODEL KIT, which will be used by youth NGOs and other organisations engaged in youth employment;→ to introduce new approaches in youth work and strengthen cooperation on how to help youth organisations become stronger, more sustainable, and better able to serve young peoples’ needs;→ to improve young people level of social entrepreneurial skills and competences, necessary for their active participation in the labour market.The most important project output that will help tackling the issue of youth unemployment is the developed HUB MODEL KIT trough which partners will on one hand delivered a “ready to go” approach that the youth organizations can incorporate in their activities, in full or in parts and on the other hand it also educate other organizations, like public institutions and business on the role and potential that youth organizations have in tackling the problem of youth unemployment trough effective information and educational activities that develop and support the skills needed to become a successful social entrepreneur. In addition to the HUB model kit, the partners also prepared: one international training for youth workers, eight webinars and a series of entrepreneurial workshops for both youth workers and unemployed young people who are thinking about their own business path.Based on defined project's objectives the partners adopted the following methodology: non-formal learning, active learning, ICT based education, researches and cross-sectoral working and they implemented activities (webinars, educational workshops, communication activities, multiplier events, etc.) that have impacted a large number of direct and indirect beneficiaries (young people, NEETs, youth workers, youth NGOs, experts, general public etc.).In order to achieve the project objectives and to produce high quality results, a cross-sectorial consortium of diverse range of international partners with different experiences, profiles and expertise was set up:→ PiNA (Slovenia) as a Youth NGO and non-formal education provider;→ National Management School (Bulgaria) as a vocational and non-formal education provider;→ Drosostalida (Greece) as a social enterprise;→ Bridging To The Future (UK) as an incubator for social enterprises and SMEs.

According to the European Commission’s report on unemployment, in 2015, more than 6,6 million young people (aged 15-24 years) were neither in employment nor in education or training (NEETs) in the EU. In addition, half of the unemployed people are currently long-term unemployed, that is, unemployed for more than 12 months. As a result of this situation, poverty and social exclusion are affecting an increasing number of young people. However social enterprise, can reverse this tendency. Social enterprise creates sustainable growth by considering environmental impact and people and social cohesion. The social economy and social enterprises have managed to overcome economic and financial crisis, demonstrating the ability to overcome through social innovation. Indeed, a report on Social enterprise and social economy, endorsed during the 11th GECES (2016), shows that: in 2010, the social economy provided work to 14.5 million Europeans and, according to the latest estimates, it currently accounts for 10% of jobs in the EU and 8% of EU GDP. Nevertheless, young social entrepreneurs lack specialised training, visibility, support networks and often need motivational, technical and financial support. The project is needed, not only to give them the necessary skills and tools to carry out their ideas, but also to prepare them for a rapidly changing world, in which traditional jobs tend to disappear or to evolve. Learners should be given the opportunity to develop general skills such as problems solving, decisions making and risks assessing, which employers value. Our project will target people among 15-29 years old, both those who want to learn how to strengthen soft skills which are particularly sought-after by employers, and young would-be entrepreneurs who will be supported through a methodology already tested with success in more than 5 European countries. The Social SME Academy project aims to promote social entrepreneurship among young people by fostering their creativity and giving them support in starting up their entrepreneurial ideas through a Business Incubator Coaching Programme. The 24 months project is composed of 4 main parts. 1. Initially, partners will develop an Online Handbook on Societal Challenges faced by partners’ countries, which analyses current trends in Social Entrepreneurship, its diffusion in Europe (with particular focus on partners’ countries) and define the research basis for the development of the Social Entrepreneurship Manual (O2).The Handbook will be uploaded to the online platform as OER. 2. In the 2nd phase, on the base of O1, The Social Entrepreneurship Manual will be developed, to indicate steps that young people have to follow in order to become social entrepreneurs. The manual will including also a solid needs assessment which analyses the views of young people and youth workers at a European and national level, starting from the existing know-how based on the previous experience of the partners which developed another similar project together, desk researches & practical experience of the partners. 3. In the 3rd phase, 50 young aspiring entrepreneurs will participate to the BUSINESS INCUBATOR COACHING PROGRAMME that will be organised in the partners’ countries. Young people from all over Europe will be assisted during their startup phase, through direct and online mentoring and tutoring, in order to shape their business ideas in the social field and develop their hard and soft skills. 4. In the 4th phase, Partners will develop a number of 10 video tutorials (2 X each partner) based on the training materials used for the pilots and the Manual of Best Practices (O2). These videos will be uploaded to Social SME Academy website and on the YouTube channel and then they will be disseminated thanks to a strong online campaign. The videos will be used to strengthen the relationship with our target group of young people and attract more potential users by approaching them in a direct and practical way. The project Social SME Academy is based on an innovative methodology for startups and early-stage enterprises, providing support and access to the world of social entrepreneurship, thanks to integration of benefits offered by the Business Incubator Coaching Programme, containing useful training and inspiring resources, and those of BTFJCM (Bridging to the Future Job Creation Model) methodology. The project offers strong impact towards youth willing to undertake entrepreneurial experience in social field by empowering their skills and competences and supporting them in creation of new businesses. INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS • IO1 - Online handbook on Societal Challenges in each partner Country • O2 - Youth Social Entrepreneurship Manual & Self-assessment test for would-be Entrepreneurs • O3 - Startup Accelerator & Business Incubator Coaching Programme • O4 - SSME Academy Video Tutorials MULTIPLIER EVENTS • National Dissemination Workshops in each participating country

The consortium represents a multidisciplinary team for achieving the aims and objectives of this proposal. Each partner comes with a unique set of expertise and experience either in the field of education for Youth, or interactive technologies and Internet-based tools for education and training, policymakers and the world of work collaborative work in the field of Youth, entrepreneurship and education and training. Although partners have various background and expertise, there is a common vision, goal, and experience and that is the integration of young individuals in the entrepreneurship sphere. Within the framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy, this programme contributes to entrepreneurial education and training to tackle youth unemployment. What we see a lot, is that young people have finished their study and are still not able to find a job easily. Also, quite some jobs have simply disappeared by outsourcing to non-EU countries and by automation. The YES project helps Youth Workers very practically to learn in practice entrepreneurship with all modern and digital tools, within their Venture Achievement Pathway (VAP), that is their business project idea/plan. Youth Workers will be trained by trainers that are entrepreneurs themselves nowadays and share their current knowledge and experience with them. The intellectual output will be that youth workers have developed the basic competencies and confidence to create their own business and know how to use the practical tools for that. This programme has been already tested in more than 30 education and training organizations providers (ETP) in The Netherlands and is based on the “effectuation” methodology. The target groups of this programme are young people aged between 18 and 25 years old who are facing learning difficulties from lack of motivation to educational capabilities limitations. These individuals are at the end of their formal education courses and (almost) ready to work or to continue to the next level of education. In both cases, this programme will provide them a solid base for starting their own company and they even have the possibility to continue their concepts developed during this programme as a start-up company. The project aim at achieving the following objectives: - provide the Trainers the capacity to teach our methodology to Youth workers (IO1); - give the Youth workers the possibility to create their own businesses (IO1); - stimulate the use of Digital Skills on XXI Century companies (IO2); - create an International Network of Trainers in Entrepreneurship for youth workers (IO2); Within our programme, we stimulate and practise the use of Digital Skills on 21st Century companies, including literacy skills like 3D printing, Virtual Reality, website and webshop design and media literacy through e-learning and publishing, learning skills like conceptual and creative thinking, collaborating within a team and with other independent professionals and communicating via modern channels. Expert entrepreneurs have learned the hard way that the most interesting ventures are built in a space in which the future is not only unknown but unknowable. Still, yet, entrepreneurs do shape this unpredictable future. They use techniques which minimize the use of prediction and allows them to shape the future. The unique thing is that by equipping the Youth Workers, we create a multiplier effect among youth. From the start of the programme, Youth Workers start to engage in skype meeting, and/or other digital tools that support/enhance collaboration with experienced entrepreneurs and peer Youth Workers in other EU countries to get feedback on their concepts and to inform about the potential impact of their concept in that country. This way Youth Workers learn to think in an international context, enlarge their (international) network and benefit directly from this approach.