Project title: Strengthening entrepreneurial capacities of young people

Status of project: completed

Project type: international

Duration: March 2014 - June 2015

Financing: The project is implemented under the Operational Program of Cross-border Cooperation Slovenia-Croatia 2007-2013 and is co-financed by the EU under the. The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) and the Government Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy (SVLR).

Head of the project at SRC Bistra Ptuj: dr. Lidija Tušek

Partners:

• City of Rijeka, HR (Lead Partner),
• RRA Porin d.o.o., HR
• Faculty of Economics in Rijeka, HR
• School Center Ptuj, SLO
• SRC Bistra Ptuj, SLO

Objectives: The aim of the EnterYOUTH project is to bring the young entrepreneur's career closer by encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and practical help to realize business ideas. In the project, we will develop a computer program - a computer game that simulates the company in a virtual world, and then develop a training program for young people to acquire business skills. In this training program we will involve a total of 200 young people who will shape their business idea and test it with a computer program or upgrade their business skills. The benefits we promise from this project are the popularization of entrepreneurship among young people, the reduction of barriers to setting up their own businesses by increasing the competences of young people and increasing the success of young entrepreneurs.

The needs of the project: The GEM (Global entrepreneurship monitor) survey shows the level of entrepreneurial activity shorter than 42 months among the population of 100 adults with the Total Entrepreneurial Activity. The Croatian TEA index for 2011 amounts to 7.3% and in 2008 it was 8.4%. The TEA index of Slovenia was 3.7% in 2011 and 6.4% in 2008. The entrepreneurial climate in the region is markedly characterized by the lack of personal initiative, the skills of individuals for entrepreneurial activity and also encouraging government programs. The low level of entrepreneurship of the population in the region is also conditioned by historical reasons. Only 22% of unemployed people decide on entrepreneurship, but mostly from existential necessity and not because of a recognized entrepreneurial opportunity. Entrepreneurship resulting from personal choice has greater opportunities for development and survival. The more developed a country, the more entrepreneurial it is. In particular, the poor competitiveness of startup entrepreneurs is identified, among which young entrepreneurs stand out as a group that is particularly disadvantaged.
The unemployment rate of young people in Croatia among persons between the ages of 15-24 is very high and stood at 38% at the end of 2011, while in Slovenia it was significantly lower, ie 13.3%. The unemployment rate of young people in Croatia is far above the EU - 27 average, where it is 22%. Young people in Slovenia are more easily employed and their unemployment rate is lower than the EU-27 average.
In the system of secondary and tertiary education, too little attention is paid to entrepreneurial business, and young people who finish school do not have sufficient knowledge to start their own business. The acquisition of additional knowledge depends on the initiative of the professors as well as the pupils themselves and is most often tied to work outside the regular school curriculum. This is not accessible to all students who want to improve their knowledge in this field. The goal of strengthening economic knowledge and business skills is to promote a positive attitude towards entrepreneurship and to stimulate an entrepreneurial climate in young people. The conducted surveys have shown that young people will start their own business as an elderly person.
The most effective way of achieving these goals is the participation of students and students in practical projects and activities, where a real experience is emphasized and led by an experienced mentor. With education, combined with practical situations, they need to be encouraged to creativity, take initiative, and also risk.

Only 20% of newly established economic operators manage to keep themselves on the market. Some of the basic reasons for this are the lack of knowledge about the business, insufficient readiness for an entrepreneurial venture before entering into entrepreneurship and a lack of entrepreneurial skills. Creating conditions for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises requires a coordinated national policy covering activities in different fields - from education and science, eliminating administrative barriers and over-compliance with the rules, to strengthening support institutions of entrepreneurship and business infrastructure and regional development.
For entrepreneurs who are only in the process of starting their business, education, advice and assistance in the preparation of an entrepreneurial plan are envisaged, thus increasing the level of competitiveness of their company. Entrepreneurs will acquire the skills and knowledge needed to effectively manage the company.

Description / Results:

• Established cross-border support service for companies in the form of on-line student exchange research for better cooperation between enterprises and R & D institutions.
• Increased number of young people interested in self-employment.
• Better knowledge among beginner entrepreneurs on company management and business planning.
• Developed a model for the pro-active promotion of entrepreneurial ideas and systematic management of the company.

Benefits of project results for the local environment: The project urges young people to consider entrepreneurship as a career opportunity. This enhances entrepreneurial activity in the local environment and creates good examples. To the existing entrepreneurs, the project will offer assistance in the development of entrepreneurial skills and skills, which increases the likelihood of success for young entrepreneurs.

Links:

Web page

Business plan - application

Game keshUP

Business Beginner Guide1.17 MB