PATHS: Youth for Solidarity Economy and Entrepreneurship in Europe (PATHS) is a strategic partnership between European organizations active in the field of education, training and youth designed to promote cooperation and innovation in the field of young social entrepreneurship. This project arises from the analysis of the context in which organizations develop their activities and their previous experience in this field. The outcomes of this analysis are: 1. Given the difficulties that young people find their access to the labour market, youth entrepreneurship is an alternative to unemployment. 2. To become an entrepreneur is not necessary a specific qualification or a particular academic level, but many young companies die in the first two years. That means that could be necessary to improve the qualifications of young entrepreneurs to reduce the high mortality of young companies. 3. Entrepreneurship projects based approaches solidarity economy have a mortality rate significantly lower than the entrepreneurial projects of competitive basis. 4. Organizations in the field of non-formal education and academic institutions (formal education) have interest in promoting entrepreneurship among young people. But there are not enough methodological and training tools. 5. Given the current social context of Europe and the future prospects, young entrepreneurship will not be a fad. Instead could be the only chance for a new generation. The project objectives are: 1. To promote cooperation and networking among participating organizations, developing a line of work maintained over time (integral promotion of youth entrepreneurship) based on the ongoing collaboration between European organizations (strategic alliance). 2. To increase the capacity of organizations working on the promotion of youth entrepreneurship through resources, materials and tools that will improve the quality of its activities and the results thereof. 3. To promote the development of specific skills by workers of the organizations involved (trainers, trainers, youth workers) and to promote their professional training as facilitators of youth entrepreneurship projects in the field of solidarity economy. 4. To contribute to the promotion of entrepreneurship among young people as an alternative to unemployment and, simultaneously, as a way to emancipation and to contribute to society. 5. To contribute to strengthening youth entrepreneurship projects and its transformation into solidarity economy enterprises with consequent multiplier effect in terms of employment and contribution to the common welfare. 6. Contribute to the normalization of entrepreneurship training approaches combining formal and non-formal education to the specific needs of the business world. The Partners that are involved in the project are: Red Internacional B-Live (Spain), Universidad de Coimbra (Portugal), Association des Agences de la Democratie Locale (France). Citizens in Action (Greece) y Youth Discovery Ventures Ltd (UK). The project duration is 14 months (February 2015 - March 2016) and it includes tree intellectual outputs:- Mapping of solidarity entrepreneurship in Europe. Comprehensive overview of existing resources at the European level and in each of the countries of the participating organizations, useful for energizing entrepreneurship solidarity projects.- Curriculum for training facilitators of entrepreneurship solidarity projects. The curriculum will have an European dimension and a clear focus on practical learning through non-formal education.- Collection of non-formal education training resources for facilitators of youth entrepreneurship projects in the field of solidarity economy. 90 training materials divided into 40 activities, 20 dynamics, and 30 additional training resources, all of them based on non-formal education methods.The project also includes five multiplier events and a training course for 15 european workers in the field of youth, for training as facilitators of young entrepreneurship projects in the field of solidarity economy.

"ContextIn the report of 2018 of the Research Institute for Social Development of the United Nations, it is stated that, for a sustainable development, it is important to consider the multidimensional impact of the Social and Solidarity Economy (social, environmental, civic participation and political empowerment), and it is necessary to create instruments to measure it.With the SSEds project we want to make visible the social impact of SSE initiatives, especially the social entrepreneurship initiatives of young people, building together tools for social transformation in local communities and at transnational level.For this, we consider it is necessary:- to reinforce methodologies for accompanying young people in entrepreneurship in SSE, especially those with fewer opportunities;- to strengthen the competences and visions in SSE so that young people can undertake initiatives in their communities;- to elaborate new tools for SSE, fruit of a collective creation;- to create instruments for the evaluation of the social impact of SSE initiatives.ObjectivesGeneral objective: to visualize the social impact of entrepreneurship initiatives in SSE, especially promoted by young people.Specific objectives:- to create 4 training and development itineraries for entrepreneurship initiatives in the ESS, reinforcing the methodologies of accompanying young people in SSE;- to strengthen the competences and glo-cal visions of young people in the SSE so that they can themselves be multipliers;- to produce 4 new tools for SSE (research, toolbox, training module, social impact assessment), integrating the skills, visions and needs of the participants;- to evaluate the social impact of ESS initiatives in local communities and internationally.ParticipantsThe SSEds project is aimed at young people (with priority to young people with fewer opportunities) from 4 countries (Spain, France, Greece and Italy) that start or want to strengthen their path in the SSE by developing their own projects. Beneficiaries will also be the consortium partners and their teams of facilitators, trainers, youth and community workers, project coordinators and / or youth advisors/counsellors; and the network of organizations that collaborate with them.Activities- Realization of 3 transnational meetings of the partners, in Barcelona, Athens and Turin;- Elaboration of 4 intellectual outputs:· a ""Multimedia Research on good practices of ESS initiatives and on their social impact in the local community, especially for young people"" (IO1);· a ""Toolbox on values, sustainability and social impact of the ESS"" (IO2);· a ""Training Module for approaching young people to the ESS"", with focus on the social impact of the ESS (IO3);· a ""Tool for assessing the social impact of ESS initiatives in local communities"" (IO4)- Implementation of 2 learning activities for the participants of the local groups and their mentors:· a training course ""Youth and SSE for social transformation"" (LA1), in Saint Etienne;· a learning seminar ""The Social Value Internacional Lab & Fair"" (LA2), in Barcelona.- Project management: online meetings, reports, evaluations, monitoring, visibility and dissemination;· Creation of a project website.· Implementation of a multiplier event in each country, to present the results and outputs of the project.Methodology- For the accompaniment of young people of local groups in the entrepreneurial training itineraries in the SSE, we will use non-formal education participatory methods combined with other methods from formal education.- To develop the intellectual products, we will promote a collective construction, combining the experience of the consortium partners with the skills of the young people of the local groups.- For the learning activities we will use different formats and we will design the programmes of these activities based on the training needs expressed by participants.Results, impact and potential longer-term benefits - The main results will be:· the 4 intellectual outputs· the training itineraries for accompanying in entrepreneurship in SSE at the local and transnational level· the strengthening of competences, visions and networks of young people who want to undertake initiatives in SSE- Another impact will be the cooperation, the exchange of good practices and the increase of competences of the staff of the partners.- Long-term benefits will be the strengthening of a European consortium that promotes - also thanks to the results and the tools created and available - the recognition of the value of the SSE, the support of young people in the entrepreneurship in SSE and the evaluation of its social impact."

The main aim of the project is to improve the employability and competences of young people in partner organization through youth work and non-formal educational methods. The RAISE (Raising the Advantages of Youth through Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship ) project will involve three activities:- Training of Trainers on Entrepreneurship Education, notably the See a Game Manual and Living Lab methodology, A Youth Exchange for young people to experience entrepreneurship education in an intercultural, Seminar for youth workers and entrepreneurship educators, focusing on exchange of good practice and identifying solutions to common challenges. The proposed detailed objectives, having been drafted jointly by consortium members, correspond fully with the main project aim. Specific objectives of the project are: - Developing youth workers’ social entrepreneurship skills, including exchanging experience of young people’s entrepreneurship initiatives implemented for the benefit of their communities and their peers, using the ‘See a Game’ handbook and the Living Lab methodology – the ToT course will focus on how to use the manual, what competences are used etc. - Developing youth workers’ innovation skills – the project will be based on innovative and creative non-formal activities, including games and social theatre- Fostering a sense of responsibility and initiative in young people through social entrepreneurship and innovation – we will discuss active citizenship principles and practice and how social entrepreneurship can help young people to address local and European problems- Building a network of organisations and projects developing innovation and social entrepreneurship using ‘See a Game’, Living Labs concept and opportunities presented by the Erasmus+ Programme – we will present Erasmus+ Youth, assist participants in developing projects and also help in networkingThe project directly links with a key Erasmus+ objective – youth employability. It also responds to key Erasmus+ youth objectives:

"The project ""KISS: the Key Is Social Sustainability"" aims to contribute in promoting the sustainability of the initiatives of Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) between its current actors and those young people who want to enter the sector. One of the major challenges faced by associations, cooperatives and other initiatives of the SSE, as well as those young social entrepreneurs, is the high dependence of their initiatives from public subsidies. This lack of sustainability (economic, but also social, environmental, of labor and political) conditions and makes them more vulnerable. Responding to the need of strengthening the sustainability of SSE initiatives, and using the potential of the intellectual products developed during the ""ISSE, community Works!"" project, we intend to promote a new European Strategic Partnership project that will benefit from the work of 9 Partner organizations from 4 countries (France, Italy, Greece and Spain) from the educational sector, youth work, the economy and the public sector: universities, non-formal education organizations, training centers, cooperatives and chambers of commerce. Over 2 years, the project aims to achieve the following specific results: - Create a network for the exchange of good sustainability practices in the field of SSE (with a local impact), exploring the different dimensions of sustainability and directly benefiting 44 participants among technicians, professionals and managers of the partner organizations and other organizations involved in the project, with a special attention to young people who want to start as entrepreneurs in SSE; - Develop and implement training modules on sustainable social entrepreneurship, training about 56 participants among technicians, professionals and managers, with special attention to young SSE entrepreneurs; - Create sustainable development plans of the organizations of origin of the young participants; - Collect good practices, training modules on sustainable social entrepreneurship and sustainable development plans already created and make them available to stakeholders and all those who want to promote sustainability within an SSE initiative; - Strengthen the capacities of the consortium organizations to improve the coherence and sustainability of their SSE proposal; - Consolidate a consortium of organizations from different sectors of society and different European countries, interested in promoting sustainability within social entrepreneurship, especially among young people. The project plans to achieve these results through the following activities: - the creation of the project website, showing inspiring good practices in sustainability within the SSE; - 3 transnational meetings of the consortium partners: initial, intermediate and final; - 4 study visits, one in each country, to publicize successful sustainable practices within the SSE. Each visit will address the issue of sustainability by focusing on a specific topic of interest: social inclusion through the participatory approach (in Spain); local social development in response to the crisis (in Greece); cooperation with public policies (in France); social innovation through non-profit cooperation (in Italy); - 2 international training courses focusing on sustainability within social entrepreneurship (social participation and sustainability, and innovation and sustainability policies), using the intellectual results of the ""ISSE, community works!"" project; - the development of sustainable development plans for all the organizations involved (mapping of budget proposals and support services), through the participants of the training; - 1 international learning seminar on governance, teamwork, cooperation and sustainable development plans, aimed at developing cross-cutting skills and improving sustainable development plans; - the compilation in a booklet of the good practices of sustainability within the SSE shared by the partners and of the sustainable development plans elaborated by the entities involved. This is the contribution of the current project for the promotion of a sustainability perspective within a value-based economy and for a participatory society."

"Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) in most European Union countries it is variously seen as an alternative response to the financial crisis, to the increasing unemployment and social inequality or as a claim from citizens and civil society to act and influence on their environment and to promote a social transformation. In some countries it has become a proven economic model and is submitted to political statements.“Community Works! Iniciativas por la Economía Social y Solidaria” – European strategic partnership project - wants to gather different forces of education, economy and public fields - training enterprises, universities, non-formal education organisations, local authorities and social/solidarity economy networks - in order to identify common criteria, strategies and tools to promote Social and Solidarity Economy awareness, recognition, development and advocacy, and specifically to:- create a network and exchange good practices among actors – technicians, professionals and responsible - in the field of Social and Solidarity Economy;- research/analyse in the consortium countries the current situation of Social and Solidarity Economy and the impact of this field upon local development, employment and education;- develop a common framework of specified and recognized competences in Social and Solidarity Economy and build on it specific training modules - based on non-formal learning but connected to formal education - to be used in different sectors, with a special focus on young entrepreneurs in this field;- develop useful tools and events to enable the involved actors to promote awareness on Social and Solidarity Economy with their target groups and to advocate for a European recognition of it;- reinforce the capacity of the consortium organisations to link coherently their activity with Social and Solidarity Economy.An Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership allows bridging educational needs and raise of competences, active citizenship and entrepreneurship (especially of young people, the entrepreneurs of tomorrow) in an economy based on values, innovation and sustainable local development.Nexes has involved other 8 organisations in the creation of the consortium motivated for the development of a Social and Solidarity Economy: Citizens in Action (GR), Kaliedo’Scop (FR), Vedogiovane (IT), Consilium (UK) y Xarxa d’Economia Solidaria (ES), Mirror Development (UK), MIFE Loire Sud (FR) y Université Jean Monnet (FR).Project activities are divided into management activities, transnational meetings (three: initial one, intermediate, final evaluation), intellectual outputs (four: State of the Art, Portfolio of skills, training modules, virtual game), learning activities (training course on entrepreneurship in SSE, to test the training modules created), multiplication event (final Seminar).The activities are designed for the partners consortium and collaborating organizations interested in promoting the SSE. About 300 people will participate at local or international level: youth workers, professionals and experts of non-formal education, trainers, educators, practitioners and decision makers in educational and training institutions (universities, professional institutes, etc.) professionals and experts del promoting the entrepreneurship of youngsters and immigrants, representatives and decision makers of public institutions.The results aimed to be achieved: - The analysis of the state of the art of the SEE sector in some of the European countries;- Creating useful and innovative tools (ie: State of the Art of SSE, Portfolio of SSE skills, training modules - tested at local and international level - on entrepreneurship in SSE, a virtual educational game, a European seminar for discussion and dissemination of products); - Strengthening of the partner organizations of the consortium in their policy to promote the SSE; - The consolidation of a consortium of partners interested in promoting active participation and entrepreneurship, especially of young people, through SSE; - The fact that recognition, networking and tools created have ""contaminated"" more actors to create territorial cooperation links, and to support new initiatives of SSE.All these results will be a concrete, useful and available for the use of a wide range of actors in SSE sector once the project is finished. The dissemination and exploitation strategy will reach a local, regional, national and international level, in order to provide a long lasting impact of the project and its results, thus in that way promoting sustainability of the project.We aim to promote strategic alliances of multisectorial actors to strengthen SSE initiatives, create a manifesto to demand recognition of the sector in different EU countries, encourage exploration of the state of art and promote European status of the SSE, the connection of SSE products with educational and youth policies at European level."