Social Entrepreneurship Innovation Camp Methodology Handbook
Social Entrepreneurship Innovation Camp Methodology Handbook is an outline of the guidelines for organizing innovation camps or similar events with strong focus on social entrepreneurship. This Handbook has been developed in the framework of the INDIGISE project(„Promotion of Social Entrepreneurship in the Youth Sector by Digital and Informal Education Tools“, April, 2020 – March 2022), which is focused on young people, who are looking for positive social and (or) environmental changes in society, and (or) feel the need to create own business, but lack support, competencies and finance. Combining the experience of universities’, NGOs’ and business networks’ professionals, and operating with the latest trends in education, INDIGISE project partners from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Norway provided such support and promoted youth social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region by digital and informal education tools.
This Manual is a set of interactive and innovative educational material and ICT tools as well as gamification and brainstorming methods dedicated to training, educating and raising awareness on the subject of social entrepreneurship among youth that is recommended to use by EU countries’ schools, universities, NGOs etc.
The content of the Handbook is of a recommendatory nature, can be easily modified according to the specifics of the innovation event, and contains the following main sections:
General parameters about when, where and how to organize the event, who should be the main key players of the innovation camp: their responsibilities and duties.
Time schedule: how to prepare for the innovation event on time and properly.
How to find and select the most motivated participants and to encourage sponsors, judges, trainers, conventional and (or) social business representatives, moderators, volunteers and other key players to participate in the event.
Social entrepreneurship is a unique idea – mission of the 21st century that, because of different historical and business ecosystem development as well as present attitude in different countries, is perceived and defined differently. Social entrepreneurship is a model of activity, the essential mission of which is to solve social and environmental challenges through commercial activities. Social businesses use innovative and business-based approaches to make life better in our communities or to address environmental issues.
Innovation camps are a highly effective tool for steering young learners towards developing social business ideas, that may one day be realized, something which is not always easily achieved in a traditional classroom context, as well as the perfect way to educate and motivate academic staff, non-formal education providers, industry experts how to encourage more entrepreneurship education in the classroom.
Baltic Sea Youth Platform is
an Erasmus+ Programme project aiming at empowering youth and fostering actual
participation in decisions and policy-making in the Baltic Sea Region. It started
on February 1st 2020 and was prolonged from August 2022 until December 2022. Despite
many difficulties and inconveniences caused by the pandemic, the project
partnership supported and got involved in many significant youth-oriented
initiatives throughout the past year, thus promoting the idea of BSYP.
In 2021 project partners
meetings were held online every two weeks, which contributed to building strong
engagement and developing new initiatives and great ideas for further
cooperation.
On March 1st, BSYP conducted
the Youth Forum within the 2nd EU Macro Regional Strategies week
hosted by DG REGIO. Julia Orluk, ERB’s Youth Board former Chairwoman, who’s
been engaged in the BSYP project from its’ very beginning, was among the
panellists of the bottom-up session
to empower the participation of Youth and Civil Society Organisations in MRS.
In March 2021, the First Interim Report for the Baltic Sea Youth Platform Erasmus+ project was submitted and approved by the Swedish Agency.
In April, the BSYP project
participated in two youth-oriented events:
BSSSC Youth Network on April 14th and Digital Youth Workshop on Green
and Social entrepreneurship co-organized with Youth4Nature.
May 2021 was another busy
month for BSYP. On May 6th BSYP became a part of a youth panel during a CBSS
trafficking conference focusing on human trafficking during the digital era. The
meeting was co-organized by TH-TFB and the CAR unit of the CBSS. Next, on 12th
– 14th May, the CBSS Ministerial Youth Edition was held, where again
BSYP was very active. During the event, young people from the Baltic Sea region
came up with great ideas that evaluated the CBSS Vision Statement Beyond 2030, presented
to the Foreign Ministers at the CBSS Ministerial on June 1st.
Finally, between 28th
and 29th May, BSYP joined the BSSSC Youth Spring Event, where modern
democracy, Baltic sustainability and entrepreneurship were discussed with
experts from EU Parliament.
On June 22nd, all BSYP project
partners and associated partners joined Partnership Day to work on the platform
vision with ACTER experts. Project partners discussed further steps regarding
virtual platform development, toolkits and guidelines issues within Baltic Sea
Youth Power Box, policy recommendations, youth input to the Baltic Sea Cultural
Cities and other matters connected to the external report.
August 2021 was also filled
with extraordinary events dedicated to Youth, and the BSYP project was proud to
be a part of them. Starting up with 41st Hanseatic Days days on 19th
-21st August, a hybrid event taking place in Riga and online. Among
others, the program included the “Youth Hanza” event, which was a
virtual meeting of young people from member cities, during which issues of
current issues in the region such as the climate and environment, the
participation of young people in these processes, as well as the history and
traditions of Hanseatic cities were discussed interactively.
On 28th – 31st
August, BSYP joined the ReGeneration Week 2021 – a hybrid event, where people
participated physically on the Åland Islands and through the streaming tool
Coeo. The ReGeneration Week provided an international meeting place for
intergenerational dialogues for a sustainable system change. The theme for the
ReGeneration Week 2021 was “ReThinking The System”, which highlights
the need for a sustainable recovery after the pandemic. ReGeneration Week 2021
offered interactive lectures and workshops, intergenerational dialogues and
provided tools to contribute to a more sustainable life in connection to the
five different domains in Anatomy of Action.
On August 29th, the Council of
the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)/Baltic Sea Youth Platform, together with the
Swedish delegation to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) and the Ministry
for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, organized the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth
Forum to promote dialogue between young people of the region and policymakers.
The Forum gathered young
people and members of parliament from the Baltic Sea Region who discussed how
to secure a democratically and environmentally sustainable future. It provided
an opportunity for young people to give input to policymakers on the issues at
hand and gain insight into international parliamentary cooperation.
Furthermore, BSYP was an
active participant at the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2021. On September 30th, CBSS
organized a panel discussion on Empowering Youth for Green Entrepreneurship,
which became a platform for young entrepreneurs from across the BSR to share
their insights on how to start a green business and provide their experience
regarding existing obstacles and barriers for receiving funding and building a
business model. The panel also gave the floor to representatives of financial
institutions and programmes. The participants also had an opportunity to
discuss how to improve the status quo regarding financial mechanisms and
accessibility and provide a more supportive environment for young people to
start their businesses in the BSR. The last day of the Forum was entirely dedicated
to youth issues. Participants joined a plenary session on Youth’s involvement
but also heard more about Klaipėda as the European Youth Capital 2021, the role
of Youth in implementing ambitious green agenda of the EU, the presentation of
Lithuanian Sea Museum, creative workshop on SDGs, presentations of sustainable
solutions of businesses and many more.
In October, CBSS announced a call for the Baltic
Sea Youth Dialogue 2021: Looking forward, looking back – 30 Years of
Collaboration in the Baltic Sea Region. The dialogue, held between 4th-28th November, consisted of three
lectures on the following topics: Safe & Secure Region, Sustainable &
Prosperous Region and Regional Identity. All participants of the lectures had
an exciting opportunity to dialogue with experts from the region. The
discussion was followed by two activities: a cross country assignment and a
learning diary. Each activity’s best creative entries were later awarded during
the online ceremony on December 11th 2021.
On November 1st, the Baltic Sea Youth Platform partnership
announced the recruitment for the Baltic Sea Talent Pool. Young people (18-30
years old) eager to be active in shaping policies within the region could apply
to join one of the working groups: advocacy – responsible for writing policy
recommendations and taking part in the events,
culture – implementing local actions and being
part of the development of the Baltic Sea Cultural Cities and Regions Project
Or to become a part of BSYP taskforce for
child protection policies.
On November 23rd, CBSS
presented the BSYP during the “Connecting minds across the ages” side
event at the NDPHS Partnership Annual Conference.
Finally, on 25th
and 26th November, the BSYP project partners met physically in
Stockholm for the first time after nearly 20 months. At the two day meeting,
organized in the premises of CBSS, representatives from Sweden, Norway,
Lithuania, Estonia, Germany and Poland, including many youth representatives,
had an opportunity to discuss the current status of the Project, partner
contribution, funding options, add-ons to be created, development of
intellectual outputs within Project as well as Strategy, Vision and Partnership
beyond 2022. The second day of the meeting was filled with some great workshops
within the Baltic Sea Belongs to Kids project and very fruitful discussions
among members of BSYP Working Groups.
BSYP Vision Beyond 2022
As a follow-up of the youth involvement in the first CBSS Committee of Senior Officials meeting in mid-September, BSYP was asked to provide a first draft of a vision for the BSYP after the project ended. The document is an internal document of the CBSS to continue the discussions on the institutionalization of the BSYP. It was meant to start a debate amongst the CBSS Member States on how financial support of the BSYP could look like after the Erasmus+ Project ends. On November 23rd, the CSO met and discussed the BSYP Vision Beyond 2022 proposal and how to move on with the BSYP.
Do you dream to #YouthUp your city in 2025?
The European Youth Capital (EYC) is a title awarded by the European Youth Forum designed to empower young people, boost youth participation and strengthen European identity.
Each year, a new European city is given the chance to showcase its innovative ideas, projects and activities that aim to raise up young voices and bring a new youth perspective to all aspects of city life.
Do you think your city has what it takes?
Here is your chance, as we are launching the call for applications to be the European Youth Capital 2025.
The EYC titlewill be awarded for the 17th time in 2025.
The first Capital was Rotterdam in 2009, and the last awarded city was Ghent, which will be European Youth Capital in 2024.
Why should a municipality apply to be the next European Youth Capital?
Young people must have an equal opportunity to shape the social, economic and political life in their community. They bring fresh ideas, they rejuvenate local democracy, and their contributions benefit all of the city’s residents. The European Youth Capital project supports both young people and the city to open up these possibilities and lead the way for other European municipalities to follow.
Around the year of the European Youth Capital, the winning city engages young people and celebrates their contributions to urban life. The title allows the city to showcase its commitments and engage residents in inclusive co-creation. It leads to stronger support for youth and their rights, and it improves connection with other European cities which prioritise their young residents.
The application process itself is also an opportunity for municipalities and youth organisations to work together, discuss youth priorities, and receive feedback from an expert group on their proposals.
– The European Youth Capital 2025 Application Form that cities must complete and submit.
– Thelegal terms and conditions governing the competition, which should be signed and submitted together with other application documents.
If you have any questions related to the application and selection procedure, please contact Ivan Neirotti (eyc@youthforum.org), Project Officer, at the European Youth Forum’s secretariat.
Deadline for applications: 21 February 2022
The European Youth Forum (YFJ) is the platform of youth organisations in Europe. We represent more than youth organisations, which bring together tens of millions of young people from all over Europe.
International Digital Innovation Camp has been organized online from 15-17th of November 2021 for young people from Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, and Norway to design and validate social entrepreneurship ideas designed by youth for solving specific challenges – loneliness and social isolation of people. The event has been scheduled for three days to introduce participants to the challenge and the context of their work, initiate brainstorming and idea conceptualization in national groups, engage mentors to provide feedback, develop their own presentation and present the solutions developed by young people.
The results were more than AMAZING! <3
So what exactly has happened?
Day 1 (16.11.2021)
The event has started with the short intro from the Digital Innovation Camp organizer, Tharald Lundvall from Junior Achievement Norway. An energizer activity was organized by Even Fjellestad from UiA CoLAB.
Mini-lecture was held by Chief architect, town planner, and co-housing idea enthusiast Michael Fuller Gee. He has introduced young people to the problems different society groups face today and the ways in which mindful city planning might solve them. He has spoken about the problem of loneliness and the inability to connect socially for those, who live alone. These problem has been clearly showcased by the Covid-19 pandemics and the rising numbers of depressions and suicides detected. There are different reasons for the single-person household trend and each case is individual. However in the future when there are twice more seniors as we have now, the consequences might not be beneficial, especially for those being unable to move on a long-distance or receive healthcare or other services due to living in distant places and having no support around.
Therefore Michael Fuller Gee has introduced his concept of co-housing and its’ principle’s implementation in the city design as a solution to the emergent problem. Co-housing allows to build communities around the living spaces and combat the feeling of isolation and loneliness among very distinct social groups and even within them. This introduction helped Innovation Camp participants to become more aware of the relation between city planning and the emotional state of its inhabitants.
After the presentation, participants were provided with information on the context of their work. Due to the Covid restrictions and inability to meet in Kristiansand, Norway (initially planned Innovation Camp destination), the video was compiled to show around the Kristiansand and the specific venue – the Kings Center in Kristiansand. The center is an old building being restored to transform it into a co-housing for the elderly, youth, and people with physical disabilities under the same roof. Kings Center has been introduced as an object and the basis for the projects developed by Innovation Camp participants.
Later participants were divided into national groups to work on one of the assignments proposed. They were supposed to design activities and services (e.g. care services, social activities, business activities) that make the co-housing centre an attractive place to live in for:
elderly people,
people with physical disabilities, or
students
Also, participants were supposed to explain how can their planned solutions be implemented/organized and carried out jointly by the inhabitants.
In national teams, young people started designing their ideas and discussing the possibilities.
Day 2 (16.11.2021)
During Day 2, national teams have continued to work on their project ideas. Each team had a chance to present their draft ideas to the mentors and receive feedback for improvements. Teams have discussed the variety of ideas with mentors from Norway, Denmark and Latvia, and chosen the ones with the highest potential. After consultancy with mentors and within the teams, participants were able to conceptualize the presentations of their developed solution.
Day 3 (17.11.2021)
On Day 3, all teams made their final touches to the presentations and presented their project ideas to the jury and Innovation Camp participants. The final presentations included one team from Latvia, one team from Lithuania, 2 teams from Poland, and 2 teams from Norway. Participants were assessed by the Jury based on the following evaluation criteria: Answering the assignment, Creativity, Feasibility, and Presentation quality.
On behalf of the INDIGISE project network, we applaud and congratulate all three winning teams of the Digital Innovation Camp – Team Poland (1st place), Team Lithuania and Team Latvia (shared 2nd place).
Team Poland
So, what solutions have been developed to ensure the King’s Center co-housing concept succeeds in delivering an inclusive social environment and emotional wellbeing to its inhabitants – youth, people with physical disabilities and youth?
Six teams of young people from Lithuania, Poland, Norway and Latvia have proposed the solutions, that has the potential to improve seniors’, youth’s and disabled peoples’ physical activity and emotional state indoors and outdoors, pointing out the opportunities to place training stations and areas around the King’s center in Kristiansand. The team from Latvia has even introduced the concept of E-sports Academy for seniors, focusing on seniors-customized and ergonomic video gaming and quality leisure time together with young gamers in a cohousing. Other ideas have introduced different concepts of spending time in a community environment by crafting and doing arts together, preparing food and sharing cafe areas, designing common communication platforms and motivation systems of volunteer and other stakeholder engagement in community life. Community gardening has also been chosen by several teams as a great idea to be introduced in a King’s community center to combat isolation, loneliness and improve life quality.
(pictures from the presentation of Innovation Camp participants – presented by the teams from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Norway)
The event has been developed under the INDIGISE project funded by the Erasmus+ programme. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.
Are you between 16 and 30 years old and do you represent the Baltic Sea Region? Do you organise conservation activities with children, other young people or a local community? Or maybe you have a project in mind to raise awareness of consumers on sustainable seafood or to use marine resources in the Baltic Sea sustainably? Or something completely different that you think has the potential to change things in the area?
Then we are looking for you!
The #Youth4Ocean Forum has launched a new call for project proposals, designed to promote the ideas of young change-makers in the Baltic Sea Region! All across the Baltic Sea Region, we are looking for young people that either are or would like to develop an ocean-related project and that are keen to become Baltic ‘Young Ocean Advocates’.
What do you get out of it?
As a Baltic Young Ocean Advocate, you will have access to exclusive benefits and resources to make a positive change for the Ocean:
Your project and personal profile will be showcased in the Youth4Ocean Forum section on the Maritime Forum website of the European Commission, and promoted on social media by the EU4Ocean Coalition;
You will get support and guidance from members of the EU4Ocean Coalition, to help you carry out your activities;
You will have access to the coaching/mentoring programme of the EU4Ocean Coalition to develop your project and skills;
You will be invited to participate in the EU4Ocean sea basin events on an equal footing with the EU4Ocean Coalition other members and get the chance to pitch your project and ideas in front of a broad audience;
You will be able to attend events and network with leading experts, likeminded young people and professionals from all over Europe.
You will get access to tools and networks to promote ocean literacy in Europe.
You will be able to participate in EU4Ocean Coalition discussion groups on topics: Food from the Ocean, Climate & Ocean, Healthy & Clean Ocean;
And last but not least, you will have the possibility to participate in the EU4Ocean final event (to be held in one the EU Member States in 2021/2022), and to win an award for your project.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for all kinds of projects or project ideas that take place in the Baltic Sea Region or that are somehow linked to the region. You can find more information in the Guidelines which include a handy FAQ section:
16–30-year-olds
From the Baltic Sea Region / or a project (idea) focusing on the Baltic Sea Region
Project (ideas) relevant to Food from the Ocean; Ocean and Climate; Healthy and Clean Ocean
Project (ideas) relevant to the ocean: focusing on marine education; conservation; research, performing or visual arts; Blue Economy and entrepreneurship; fisheries and aquaculture; maritime transport; coastal tourism; sports; etc.
Project (ideas) bringing a solution to a marine and/or social challenge, promoting sustainable development, community engagement, good practice and behaviour; etc.
All kinds of ideas to create the Baltic we want are welcome and there’s no limit to imagination!
Will we see you on the 26th and 27th of August in Helsinki, Finland?
Supported by the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission, the #Youth4Ocean and the #EU4Ocean Coalition are organizing the first Baltic Ocean Literacy Event taking place on the 26th and 27th of August 2021 in Helsinki, Finland. The event will showcase initiatives and activities from all Baltic Sea Region countries and gather all relevant Ocean Literacy stakeholders from across the region, to transfer and generate joint knowledge and to raise awareness about the ocean, its resources and its importance for the Blue Economy and human health. It will be a hybrid event, taking place both in-person in Helsinki as well as online.
In addition to the many benefits listed above, a successful application to become a Baltic Young Ocean Advocate will also give you a chance to pitch your project at the #EU4Ocean Baltic Ocean Literacy Event that is being organised on the 26th and 27th of August 2021 in Helsinki, Finland. We will select 5 pitchers that will be given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present their project to real ocean professionals. The winner of the pitch will be given the opportunity to present their project once more at the final event of #EU4Ocean taking place in 2021/2022 and receive extra mentoring to realize their project and bring it to the next level.
Now what?
Brainstorm – submit your application until 1st August 2021, keep your fingers crossed and hopefully see you in Helsinki!
Your project is not related to the Baltic Sea Region?
You can still submit it and if it is approved there will be many other occasions to present it!
Youth from Lithuania Poland, Norway and Latvia is invited to the Digital Innovation Camp!
The 3-day event will be organized on 15-17th of November (afternoons 13:00-16:00 CET) and will focus on social entrepreneurship. Young people in national teams will work on a real case to find innovative solutions.
The event will include:
creative lectures and workshops
work in national teams
mentorship and support
creative icebreakers
International networking
presentations, evaluation and prizes for competition winners!
Do you want to learn about and practice collaboration in the Baltic Sea Region? Let’s get together, get to know people from abroad and discuss what has happened with experts from the field. Even better – work on what has happened and can happen together with your peers!
The CBSS is calling 18–25-year-olds from around the region (citizens or residents from member and observer states) to join the Baltic Sea Youth Dialogue 2021: Looking forward, looking back – 30 Years of Collaboration in the Baltic Sea Region. The dialogue will consist of three lectures with the exciting opportunity to be in dialogue with experts from the region, and the following activity:
Cross-country assignment (group entry based on one of the lectures): Get together with three other young people from the region, meet, discuss, create and have fun together with the chance of winning a great prize; Only 36 places are available and an application is required!
Learning diary (individual entry based on an aspect from one of the lectures). As 15-25-year-olds, you can follow the streamed lectures and send in your thoughts for the chance of winning a great prize.
Applications, participation and creative entries are encouraged and there will be prizes for the three best groups (one in each category), and the three best individual entries. The finalists will be selected by a renowned jury and awarded during the online ceremony on 11th December 2021. The deadline for submission is Sunday, 28th November 2021.
Submissions: competition@bsyp.eu
Although young people constitute a substantial part of citizens worldwide, they are not fully recognised in policies and strategies, as a separate group of interest. They play a crucial role in societal and economic development and are often referred to as „agents of change“. Simultaneously, the unemployment of youth is one of the greatest global challenges.
Social entrepreneurship is a way to address this problem, contributing to sustainable and inclusive job creation.
Existing forms of youth engagement in economic activities are not sufficient and often not adequate for the targeted audience. Entrepreneurship education has very formal frames and structures, and it is rarely fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and attitudes among youngsters. There is an agreement, however, on the strong impact of youth work in entrepreneurship and culture. It develops transversal skills, gives an opportunity to exercise skills in practice and increases cultural activities which influence young people’s creativity.
Youth work and non-formal, as well as informal learning, play an important role in developing young people’s creative and innovative potential, including entrepreneurial skills underlined in recent youth policy and programmes at the EU and national levels. This brings us to the question of ”How to engage young people in this process successfully?”. The youth workers play a crucial role in the educational processes by introducing different initiatives (like youth cooperative activities) to the youth and providing information and advice on how to make a decision and provide the risk assessment, be creative and understand the market’s reality. But furthermost they help to develop social skills: establishing relations, leadership skills, conflict management and others.
The first chapter of the guide introduces social entrepreneurship and its importance for developing the skills and competencies of youth.
The second one presents the forms of learning methods: formal, informal and non-formal, their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
The next chapter reflects on the qualitative research carried out by the project partners and presents points of view of experts invited to participate, aiming at explaining the ways in which the social entrepreneurship of youth can be stimulated.
The fourth, last chapter describes the situation in the partner countries, as for approaches towards social entrepreneurship and interesting initiatives that are undertaken.
The guide “How to stimulate social entrepreneurship via nonformal and informal learning methods“ is being developed to assist youth workers (teachers, youth leaders, etc.). It identifies methods, techniques, and strategies for working with youth and promotes a holistic approach to young people’s entrepreneurial attitudes.
Please share the information within your networks. If you did not receive the newsletter, or there are people in your networks who would also like to be updated on our events, please subscribe here. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Aline Mayr, our BSYP Coordinator at CBSS: Aline Mayr aline.mayr@cbss.org
This year’s CBSS Annual meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Baltic Sea Region countries under the Lithuanian Presidency will feature a series of events giving a platform for young people to have their say.
If you’re 16-30 years old, sign up to have your say on the future of the Baltic Sea Region in a youth declaration that will be presented to the Ministers, ask all your burning questions in a Q&A session with the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis and learn about what we do at the CBSS to include young people in decision-making and what you can do.
Apply to participate in a hybrid meeting for young people and members of parliament from the Baltic Sea Region to discuss how to secure a democratically and environmentally sustainable future. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum on Saturday, 28 August 2021 will provide an opportunity for you to give your input to policymakers on the issues at hand and to gain insight into international parliamentary cooperation.
The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum is organised by the Swedish delegation to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference(BSPC), the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)/Baltic Sea Youth Platform and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden in order to promote dialogue between young people of the region and policymakers. The purpose is also to capture valuable input from the young generation, which is of great importance in our common endeavour to build back our region – better, greener and stronger – after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Open application
You are welcome to apply if you are between 16-30 years old, interested in climate change, biodiversity and/or democracy and the Baltic Sea Region, and based in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation or Sweden. Please apply by 30 April (noon (CET) and read more in the downloadable information sheet.Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum
