Programme & action: ERASMUS+, Key Action 1: Youth exchange
YE dates and venue: 17-28 January 2017, Ommen, The Netherlands
APV dates and venue: 21-24 October, Ommen, The Netherlands
Participants: Kateřina Ciencilová, Lucie Dudová, Renáte Hrúziková, Michaela Čutková, Natálie Wilková
Group leader: Petra Bilíková
Please read the APV Info Pack & Daily programme and A Hive for Female Entrepreneurs Booklet
Please also visit the website of the entrepreneur venture created by the Czech team: http://fangthewildwolf.wixsite.com/wildwolvesweb
Hosting organisation: Bees Empowered
Participating countries: Bulgaria, The Netherlands, Lithunia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Italy
Project report:
The youth exchange Bees Inspired: A Hive for Female Entrepreneurs was organized by non formal group Bees Empowered based in Netherlands. The project has been inspired by the reality surrounding girls and young women who want to set up their own business. There were 6 female between 16-30 years old and from one of the following countries Bulgaria, The Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Czech Republic, Lithuania or Hungary.
There were many fears in the begining, of course. First of all, we were group of XX females, different age, different backgrounds and experience level. There might be some inconsistencies or whatever. But – truly – nothing like this happened. Second, applicable for every of these kinds of projects, we never really know how the project will be, dependable a lot on skills of organisers (food, timeline, accomodation, level of new knowledge, …). On the following lines, I would like to explain the reality of our YE.
The exchange was held in spectacular small city Ommen, Netherlands. Tiny streets, Dutch architecture, shops, mills, river, lots of bicycles, unforgettable sunsets. We were accomodated in different kinds of rooms in Olde Vechte – training centre for non formal learning.
The program of exchange included 10 days. Ten days full of activities from early morning to late nights (literally, if we count morning yoga sessions and intercultural night). It had very good flow, we worked differently, in small and big groups, individually, outdoors or indoors. The first day, we participated few teambuilding and get-to-know-each-other activities. Also, we have got a chance to get to know ourselves. Second day, we were mainly working on what actually entrepreneurship means, what is the difference between being employed and being entrepreneur (especially female one). Then we participated start-up method session, where every participant explained their own business idea. After that, we formed the teams based on our interests and started to work on developing of specific business idea. This included many various activities, from designing Business Model Canvas, through testing the idea in the real life, meeting real female entrepreneurs and much more, to making own commercial of our product/business idea. Last two days we worked on booklet for females wishing to start their own business.
Considering it all in all, every day was worth it. We came home with mind full of new findings, worthwhile experiences, new friends from around the Europe… Intensive enjoyment, for which we need more than few day to reflect … Thank you EYCB for this possibility!
Petra Bilíková
