P1 Competitive economy
1.2. More entrepreneunial youth
Central Baltic
01.04.2020 - 30.09.2022
€799 270
€646 586
The project aims to help activating students with special educational needs (SEN-students) through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) based entrepreneurship. The project focuses on training SEN students in STEM-based entrepreneurship and to support and assist them in the business idea development process through counselling and mentoring.
The main activities are: (1) Training of SEN-students. Developing a curriculum and training materials for STEM-based entrepreneurship considering SEN-students specific needs. Training of teachers to deliver trainings as a team: both STEM and entrepreneurship teachers are involved simultaneously. Training of SEN students in STEM-based entrepreneurship, including the formation of joint cross-border STEM-based possible business ideas and (2) Establishing joint cross-border student companies. The project activities also include raising awareness about STEM-based entrepreneurial possibilities, especially in the SEN context through reaching out for a wide range of stakeholders and network development (3) influence a pro-entrepreneurial attitude in the society and among youngsters.
The main results of the project will be: (1) 5 new joint SEN-student companies in the areas of STEM established and operational; 7 business ideas implemented as “business simulations” (2) 20 mentors trained to provide guidance and counselling to student enterprises.
Eesti Puuetega Inimeste Koda
Country: EE
Partner budget: 240.042 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 202.835 EUR ERDF
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
Country: FI
Partner budget: 315.933 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 236.949 EUR ERDF
Latvijas Cilvēku ar īpašām vajadzībām sadarbības organizācija SUSTENTO
Country: LV
http://www.sustento.lv/?lang=lv
Partner budget: 203.871 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 173.290 EUR ERDF
Eesti Agrenska Fond
Country: EE
Partner budget: 39.425 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 33.511 EUR ERDF
Expected results
1. 5 new joint SEN-student companies in the areas of STEM established and operational; 7 business ideas implemented as “business simulations”
2. 20 mentors trained and providing guidance and counselling for the student enterprises
The project main results correspond directly to achieving the programme result indicator by establishing 5 joint student companies onto the open market and 7 active as business simulations. The number of SEN-students involved per established company & business simulation in 5-7; one student may participate in one or more cases. In each case the cross-border component is obligatory, i.e. students at least from two countries must be involved.
The specific competitive edges of the project are its specific target group (SEN - students) and the business segment the student companies aim to operate (STEM). In project partner countries students’ entrepreneurial activity is not as high as it could be expected, bearing in mind the overall pro-entrepreneurial culture in the region. The rate of SEN-students engaged in entrepreneurship and business-creation is specifically lagging behind and needs to be supported.
Making STEM careers (including entrepreneurship) attractive for young people is an ambitious goal, since it also targets to improve science and technology-literacy in our society. It is challenging how to engage SEN-students in STEM activities as other students. It is also important that obtaining STEM skills SEN students provide themselves with vast career opportunities that technology holds. Thus, the proposed project provides them with competitive advantage to be economically successful, being as an entrepreneur or finding a job with great added value in STEM-areas.
The proposed project supports achieving the programme result indicator of established joint student companies (target: 60, proposed project 5+7) and output indicator of participating young people (target: 150, proposed project 80)