«Young Online Entrepreneuers» is a Youth Exchange that took place in Krushevo, North Macedonia, between 8-15 April 2022, organized by CET Platform Skopje, our brother organisation from North Macedonia.
The mobility involved 36 young people and youth leaders from N. Macedonia, Italy, Greece, Poland, Croatia and Bulgaria. The main aim of the project was to bring the young people and youth leaders together in order to introduce them with the philosophy of entrepreneurship and social media platforms as an asset for starting or managing businesses and tools for initiating social changes.
In order to achieve the set objectives were used methods of non formal education and were used energizers, team building activities, intercultural events and were implemented different workshops with the topics of entrepreneurship, digital tools and social media, online identity, interviews with business owners etc. There were also meetings with local youth and local organisations.
Afroditi, Sylvia, Dimitris, Christos, Tilemachos and Panagiotis participated in the youth exchange as Greek delegation, representing our organisation. This is what they reported after their return from the neighbouring country, sharing their experiences and impressions of the project.
«It’s been some weeks since I returned home from Skopje from the Youth Exchange «Young Entrepreneurs», in which I participated with CET Platfrom Hellas. The subject of entrepreneurship is something kind of new to me, but it really interests me and the trainers did such a great job introducing and creating opportunities to practice the subject. The project took place in Krushevo, a beautiful village in the mountains and the facilities, along with the food, were amazing. Everything was well organized and the facilitators really made this experience a really pleasant one. Finally, the people that I met there were wonderful and I believe we all had such a great time! This truly was one of my favorite Erasmus+ experiences that I had and I’m really looking forward for my next one.» – Afroditi
«We decided to have our first Erasmus+ experience in a neighbouring country we didn’t have the chance to visit before. This country was North Macedonia, and the project was specifically held in the mountainous town of Krushevo. Spending one week there, we had the chance to visit the city’s famous landmark, a monument called Makedonium. Also, the program’s thematic being entrepreneurship, we took part in group activities that included interviewing local businessmen, merchandise activities with the very kind assistance of local people, and also designing and organizing a business’s marketing and promotional plan. One of the most important parts of our education during our stay was the visit and lecture of two young entrepreneurs that manage their business in the city of Skopje. The lecture was informative and inspirational.
Additionally, the social spectrum of the project was extremely active and memorable. It was our first opportunity to get to meet people from different countries and diverse cultural backgrounds and the experience couldn’t be further from disappointing. We met interesting, fun people who made each moment there unique, exciting, and the whole experience unforgettable. The only negative thing was that, in the end, the whole week felt like it was only a moment. It also helped us realize that despite being from different countries, living in the same continent and having a European identity surpasses our geographical borders and unifies us all.» – Sylvia and Dimitris
«My experience in Krushevo, North Macedonia was one of a kind. There were all the types of people , and this variety combined with acceptance was what I need to have fun. We learned many things in a field that is more than useful nowadays; entrepreneurship. We learned how we can create a business, expand it, differentiate it from others. All this process will be kept in my mind as very helpful and »European» ( better say Balkan though)
I remember times that we were discussing about our cultures , differences and it came out that it we were more similar than I thought . I suddenly felt like Bulgarian , Macedonian, Italian , Croatian and Polish . This expansion of our identity is what these programmes are what for in my point of view. I also remember the cultural nights as a great experience.
All the people ( »students» and organizers ) were really polite, open and nice. That was Krushevo, this is life.» – Christos
«Taking this leap of faith of going on a 1-week youth exchange in a foreign country was one of the best decisions I made this year. This experience was truly one of a kind and motivated me to join similar ones in the future. Everything was extremely well organized by the people responsible and the activities were well thought out and spread out through the day in a way we were never bored or too tired. It showed us that non-formal learning is a great way to gain knowledge while bonding and having fun. The location where the event took place, Krushevo, was very scenic and picturesque, and the people of the town were really welcoming. The activities nudged us to explore the town and interact with the locals. The multicultural aspect of the event was truly the best part, due to the fact that we became familiar with other cultures, saw the differences and similarities between each participating country’s culture. I’m forever grateful to the people that made this experience possible and those participating for making it so enjoyable.» – Tilemachos
«If I had to sum up the whole experience in one word, it would be perfect. I had the opportunity to learn and meet new people from different countries. It was my first exchange program and I am sure it is not going to be my last.
To be more specific about the program, everyday we had different courses about entrepreneurship and social media. We also had guest speakers that analyzed the ways we can use social media to post ads and the most efficient way to present our product to buyers and investors.
Outside of the learning part of the program, I had the opportunity to meet amazing people and learn about the different cultures which were gathered in Krushevo for the unforgettable 7 days we were there.» – Panagiotis
Civil Education and Training Platform – Hellas 