Making Ideas Happen was a training course with focus on entrepreneurship held in Larnaca, Cyprus, between 1-7 April 2016. The training was organized in cooperation with SEAL CYPRUS, the Cyprus Organisation for Sustainable Education and Active Learning with support of the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

The project brought together 29 youth workers, youth leaders and volunteers from 13 European countries (Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia, Malta, Greece, Belgium). During a week participants were exploring their enterprise skills, learning innovative entrepreneurial methods and developing their own ideas.

Activities of the training were based on the Business Model Canvas, a popular strategic management and entrepreneurship tool. The participants also used online tools to create Landing Pages to showcase their business ideas.

All working activities also aimed at fostering intercultural learning and exchange between participants of diverse backgrounds. Methodology included simulation games, role plays, plenary debates, interactive lectures, audio-visual presentations, small and large group discussions, self-assessment and more. There were field visits to Cypriot NGOs and a meeting with the Cyprus Commissioner for Volunteering and NGOs.

Participants of the training learned to support their organisations to address social problems, to multiply the impact of youth work and to raise the visibility of their work.

Here is a feedback about the project from Ukrainian participant, Taras Rusnak:

“During the project we were in a creative environment and it was easy to share ideas, find support and assistance. The best part for me was working on an idea in an international team. The mix of different experiences, opinions, cultures and good practices from different European countries resulted in creation of initiatives which have potential to be successful. After an exciting week I arrived home with valuable experience and knowledge and new friends from all over Europe.”

During the training our participants from Ukraine together with international team were working on the start -up idea. Check it out here.