Young Entrepreneurs Rejuvenate Rural France

Topics

Entrepreneurship, Enterprise, and SMEs, Entrepreneurial learning - entrepreneurship education

Language learning

Local community

Stop the rural brain drain and Increase business start ups

Reduce unemployment in rural Youth

Reduce early school leaving and drop outs

Entrepreneurship as a tool for refugees and migrants in the planned workshops to help them integrate.

The project “Young Entrepreneurs rejuvenate rural France - (YERRF)”  is looking for five partner countries to form a partnership in order to develop and advance this project. The first stage of the project will take place from 10/06/2017 - 09/11/2017 in the village of Brossac South-west of France. It will require 5 young people between the age 18-30 one from each of the different partner countries. There will be a second stage to this project in 2018 call and information to follow later in 2017.

Principle Objective

The principle objective is to introduce entrepreneurship workshops to youth that are about to be entering the working world following formal education or those who are presently unemployed following their formal education.

Other wider objectives

Other wider objectives of the workshops is, to stop the brain drain from rural villages, reduce early school leaving and dropouts by encouraging young people to continue their formal education with an entrepreneurial vision in sight.

For those who do not take up the entrepreneurial path, the skills learnt from participating in the workshops will provide useful vocational tools for their future career. The workshops created also aim to encourage University students to return to their rural areas with their newly acquired education and skills.

Part of ‘widening objectives of the workshops is, furthermore, the awareness of how important foreign language learning is, which unfortunately in rural areas is often neglected, due to lack of opportunities, limited use, etc

Summary

The volunteers will be involved totally in all aspects of this project and will benefit, not just, from an international cultural-exchange experience in France but, also from informal learning about project management and all the subjects of the proposed workshops.

Whilst the project is based in the rural village of Brossac the need to go and visit schools, universities, government agencies and bodies, dealing with unemployment in the region, will mean, that participants will discover the wider region of south west France.

The volunteers will be working alongside the team at La Giraudiere which includes both local and international LG Volunteers from countries outside of the euro zone.

They will be involved in

• Creating and publishing material about the workshops.

• Marketing the workshops

• Producing and presenting of entrepreneurial workshops held at La Giraudiere,

• On-site at Schools, Universities, unemployment agencies, educational open days, career exhibitions and employment fetes.

• Finding and liaising with universities and other government organisations as partners in the workshops.

• The logistics of Organising on-site visits to present the workshops.

• The day to day running of the La Giraudiere. ( 1 day per week for each volunteer) learning informally how a Non-profit NGO operates.

Learning Outcomes for Volunteers

Via informal learning they will acquire new tools and skills in respect of

• Entrepreneurship - Social and Commercial,

• Marketing New ways + why the old ways still work.

• Web Site creation.

• Blogging.

• Social Media for business

• Let's talk Business - Language Learning workshops, English for French and French for English.

• Bookkeeping and Accounting software - Whether Nonprofit or for profit you need to account for your actions.

Volunteers will,

• Acquire knowledge of Rural France and how it sits within the larger region of south west France.

• Learn how to live and work with an international group.

• Improved their confidence and employability by learning new skills by creating and presentation of the workshops.

• Language skills - the working languages will be English and French

• European and International culture exchange and awareness.

Prospective volunteers/applicants should be 18 years or over, have the following features;

Interested in the topic of Entrepreneurship

Keen to learn about France, its culture, language and in particular rural France.

Motivated to work in teams/groups yet still add their individual input into the project.

Able to accept and live with other cultures other than French or their own.

Willingness to get involved and step out of your comfort zone.

Available for the full duration of the mobility.

Selection Process

Volunteers will be selected immaterial of their race, religion, sexual orientation, political opinion, etc and you will be required to agree to a code of conduct which will be included in your pack.

Volunteers will be selected following the submission of a CV, a motivation letter and completion of a questionnaire. If short listed, you may be asked to be interviewed via telephone or skype.

Certification and recognition

All participants will receive their Youth Pass Certificate and also the LG Volunteers certificate and a foreign language appraisal for French, English or both.

Travel

Each sending partner will deal with the travel arrangements of their participants bearing in mind the established norms of the European Commision.

If costs exceed those covered by the European commision then either the sending organisation or the participant will responsible for those costs.

Accommodation

Accommodation is at La Giraudiere in shared apartments full information will be provided later in the info-pack and orientation guide for the selected participants.

Meals

All meals,including weekends, are provided at La Giraudiere if you have any diet issues you should have noted them upon the questionnaire. All participants together with LG volunteers take turns in preparing evening meals thus encouraging team spirit and cohabitation.

Getting about and Transport

During the mobility all volunteers will have use of a bicycle for getting about.

Every three weeks an excursion to a place of interest or attraction is planned and this is included for volunteers.

For those exploring the region at weekends transfers to and from the station at the market town of Chalais (8 km from La Giraudiere) is included.

Participants Preparation

Participants will be given a info-kit which will include the “What to expect from ” copy of the volunteers agreement, a link to download the orientation guide supplied by La Giraudiere, a copy of the code of conduct required by La Giraudiere and information about the Euro-Pass certification.

Further information relating to the tasks the volunteer will undertake during his/her mobility will be supplied together with general information about the Erasmus+ program its objectives and the project lifecycle.

Post Departure Training

Before the mobility starts the participants will receive pre-departure training from the sending organisation. The training must be of a minimum standard as laid down by the European Commision. The training will evaluate and analyse the volunteers motivation, their fears and their expectations and pinpoint any individual needs. A further session should be had focusing on crisis management, intercultural preparation, language needs and the role of the appointed mentor.

During Mobility - Social Media Group

Social media will be used to promote the socialization of the volunteers and the project. Facebook, twitter, Google + and our blog will also be used and there will be a website subdomain created at La Giraudiere’s website featuring the project.

The project and the workshops together with all documentation in progress or finished will be placed on Google Drive and all participants, organisations, partners and agencies will be allowed access and Input from all involved would be expected.

Videos will be created.

After Mobility

When the volunteers return back the sending organisation should help the volunteer reintegrate into their home life. They should also provide the opportunity to exchange and share the experiences that the participant as encountered during their mobility.

Planning Visibility & Dissemination of Results

Further dissemination of the project will be achieved by asking all the partners of the project to publish information, photos etc on their respective websites, social media and other publicity.

Schools, universities and other organisations that take part in the workshops will also be asked to publicise the project and the mobility.

Press releases will be submitted to Newspapers and TV.

Launch of the call for partners and participants

December 2016

Selection of Partners and participants

January / February 2017

Preparation

March / April 2017

Mobility

June 2017 -October 2017

Launch of a further call for partners and participants for 2018

October 2017

Selection of Partners and participants

January / February 2018

Preparation

February / March 2018

Mobility

April 2018 - October 2018