Project name: Cross-border Young Entrepreneur Center – CBYEC
Project No. CBC006.1.31.133
Lead Partner: Center for development of the Third North-East planning region Kumanovo
Project Partner: Association Regional Centre for European Integration – Kyustendil
A G E N D A
Two-day / Project management meeting
Kumanovo, 05, 06 November 2016

Background of the project:

The project activities implementation will have a positive impact to the general needs on the target region, shall lead to an improvement in the business climate and an increase in employment. Border regions are often facing disadvantages due to their peripheral geographical location sand relative isolation from national economies. Lots of young unemployed people, are in risk of social exclusion The young people in both regions, Kyustendil in Bulgaria and North-East in Macedonia do not have enough knowledge about the process of establishing new business, entrepreneurship, project management, creating a marketing strategy and know-how of its products. There is a lot of opportunities to develop new business which are competitive in the Cross border region. Due to the lack of basic knowledge and adequate information most of the young people leave the region. To improve contact between young people from both sides and the exchange of information between with the aim creation of new businesses is necessary to establish an business center for young entrepreneurs. Young people need knowledge, exchange of experience and understanding of best business practice. Also in the region, existing SMEs need innovations and innovative people to be competitive and youths need innovative environment and a structure and services to generate and develop their innovative ideas.

The project addressed the weakness: lack of knowledge of business development of young unemployed people. Young entrepreneur’s center will provide services to support Innovative ideas generation and develop them into business. Also will provides access to ICT and technology to unemployed disadvantaged youth by trainings and information to improve their knowledge and skills which increase their chance to develop their business.

Overall objective is to improve the business environment and to increase joint initiatives for economic cooperation in CB region. The "Center for Young Entrepreneurs" will contribute to deepening the cooperation between the partners from the border region. This objective will be achieved by stimulating young people from both sides of the border to the creation of new enterprises through training or support the management of already established. The idea is by training of young entrepreneurs to accumulated base of business knowledge, which will increased opportunities for creating new jobs, developing business in new markets, introduction of new working methods, and establishing effective business network in the border region. Enhancing economic development in the region meets the needs of the population in the short and long term. This will be reflected in the creation of forms of cooperation, facilitating contacts, networking, training for management and marketing.

Activities that will be implemented during the duration of the project:

1. Project Management

To ensure coordination and timely implementation of the activities, the project team will organize a two-day quarterly meetings (total of 4 meetings, 2 MK / 2 BG) and two online meetings using video equipment. Flexible project management and online communication will be used modern means of communication (e-mail, Skype, mobile phones). The first meeting will be in Macedonia. It will be planned tasks, set deadlines, resources, and responsibilities of the partners will discuss the tender procedures. Progress monitoring of the project will be ensured through the progress reports produced for each project period based on the standards, processes and criteria to be defined in the implementation manual. In addition, project partners will establish a virtual working space through a series of web-based administration and collaboration tools to speed up and extend project management and coordination. Will discuss the implementation of three joint conferences with the following themes: implementation, progress, final.

2. Selection of the participants

The choice of the most appropriate participants - direct beneficiaries among the target groups is а key for successfully implementation of project. Two experienced HR expert will prepare a questionnaire and criteria for selection of beneficiaries. The main criteria will be interest in entrepreneurship and starting their own business, motivation to participate, desire to participate in training of business entrepreneurship. They will make a connection with vocational schools and universities, SMEs and social institutions to identify potential candidates and to create a database of potential beneficiaries. Using a database of experts, partners will distribute questionnaires and collect responses to identify the most suitable candidates, at least 20 from Bulgaria and 20 from Macedonia. Also the questionnaire will identify the need for business training for participants in the project. With the help of the experts, partners will choose candidates for training. Candidates would have willing to start their own business, including the people with disabilities and minorities. In the frame of this activity project promotional material will be distributed

3. Common cross-border center for young entrepreneurs

With the aim to create a proper environment for starting a business from both sides of the border common Cross-border center for young entrepreneurs will be established. Cross-border center will have two offices on in Bulgaria Kyustendil and other in Macedonia in the premises of the Center for development of third North East region. Center for young entrepreneurs will provide learning environment for young persons to cultivate the necessary skills to succeed business development. The center will become a permanent forum of business in the border region. Entrepreneurs from both sides of the border have the opportunity when visiting the neighboring country in connection with business affairs offices to use as commercial offices in which to organize meetings, accept clients, negotiate and sign trade agreements.
The offices will be equipped with modern office and electronic equipment: 2 pcs. servers (2x1); 2 pcs. routers (2x1); 6 pcs. laptops (2x3); 2 pcs. Multi functional device (2x1); 2 pcs. printers (2x1); 2 pcs.; multimedia projectors (2x1); 2 pcs. Multimedia screens (2x1); furniture. Services to be provided by the two offices of the center will be promoted through specially made for the purpose web portal.

4. Business trainings

To ensure access to knowledge in business entrepreneurship direct beneficiaries, the unemployed and disadvantaged people each partner organizes trainings according to the identified needs of youth. Training modules will ensure new competencies development and understanding of business environment, establishing the business, the managerial role for maximum productivity. It will also develop skills for marketing and advertising, banking and credit product and Business language. It is expected that after completion of the training course the participants would have acquired knowledge important for every entrepreneur like: how to register a company and what form of commercial enterprise to choose, how to prepare a business plan, how to apply for credit and to perform electronic banking how to carry out marketing on the market, how to advertise and how to manage the business itself .Graduates will receive certificates proving their knowledge. About 20 people selected by BG (two groups of 10 participants) and MK 20 people (two groups of 10 participants) will be made trainings in business entrepreneurship. Training will include a total of 100 hours in 5 modules on the both sides of the border or in total 200 hours of training.

5. Business camp

In the frame of the activity two business camp (three days long) respectively in a Bulgaria and Macedonia will be organized. Within the business camp will cover the topics included in conducted trainings in activity 4. The young participants will form 4 cross-border teams. On the first camp focus will be on business opportunities on both sides of the border. Participants will have to implement various tasks associated with starting a business in the border region (market analysis, analysis of human resources, creation / identification of innovative ideas, etc.). On the second camp, teams will participate in various practical and rudder games. Emphasis will be placed on practical tasks associated with starting and managing a business.
Also Online team meetings at the Centre for entrepreneurs - at least two meetings each team will be held. On the meetings they will use provided computers and equipment (activity 3) of the center for innovation. Through video-conference discussions of the teams the materials for the publication of textbooks in the project - booklet "Guide to the young entrepreneur" and a documentary film school to start a business will be created and prepared. On the end of the camp participants will acquire experience from facing with real problems of businesses. Conducted through trainings they will be able to immediately apply their learning in establishing and / or doing business.

6. Networking and mentoring of young entrepreneurs teams

For further development of entrepreneurial ideas presented on the first Business Camp, a network of four teams each with the appropriate mentor will be created. The four mentors will be selected depending on the specifics of the ideas and on the basis of their qualifications, experience and their willingness to be mentors of the youth teams. Each mentor will work with one team on developing of entrepreneurial ideas and formulation of realistic business plan. Since the teams will be mixed (with the beneficiaries on both sides), most of the contacts will be online with using of provided equipment (activity 2) and in the premises of established center for youth entrepreneurs. Also an informal network of local small and medium enterprises in the border region will be created. Through the web site the partnerships between young people whom developed entrepreneurial ideas and small and medium enterprises will be established.

7. Web portal

8. Press Conferences

Communication tools

Expected Outputs