The SMILE project was initiated to address a skills gap in the Independent (craft, micro) Brewing industry. It is a feature of this industry that many new entrants are not formally qualified in brewing science, or business. The motivation for many is lifestyle choice and passion for the product and the craft beer scene. As enterprise support and community development workers, the partners are keen to increase new entrant’s chances of success by helping them to recognise the skill gaps in their fledgling businesses and to fill them. Local, independent brewing has many benefits to a community in terms of jobs, local resource (materials, labour, services etc) utilisation. On a macro level, the environmental impacts of locally produced and consumed product, using local ingredients is also well established. Finally, it is important to not that many of the less desirable factors associated with alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse, is not as evident within Craft Beer circles. Brewers tend to be more in touch with their consumers. An important USP for craft brewers is the level of interaction and communication with the consumer, something which large industrial producers can never replicate. Through this interaction, brewers educate consumers about beer, ingredients, and consumption levels. It is true to say that typical craft beer consumer is more interested in quality than quantity,.The funded life of this project is successfully complete, with all commitments delivered and with much more. Partners are impressed that the SMILE project is well known throughout Europe by people connected with the brewing industry, and sustainability is achieved through establishment of the SMILE Training Centre in co-operation with Food and Drink Qualifications Limited (www.fdq.org.uk )Objectives; - The ultimate objective of the project was to create an EU wide qualification for the brewing industry, which would be accepted and recognised by the industry. The project has gone a long way to delivering on this objective, with the Course Syllabus and Curriculum being well developed and tested. The materials are available online, and a new entity, SMILE Training Centre has been established to manage the qualification for the next stages of SMILE. The SMILE training centre is fully quality assured and accredited through FDQ. The online examinations, and mechanisms for assessment of competence for offline elements will be in place in Early 2019 for anybody wishing to acheive the SMILE/FDQ Certificate in Brewing Entrepreneurship.The project reach was very wide. For the most part, partners engaged directly with people involved in the brewing industry. This does not only include brewers, beer and homebrew clubs, but also raw material suppliers (malt and hop farmers), publicans, barpersons, waiting staff and others in the hospitality sector, PR and marketing professionals, distributers, retailers and managers of enterprise centres and others who work with start-up enterprises, and providers of VET. Through the EBC the project had access to professionals at the top levels of the drinks industry in Europe and Internationally. The project was featured at the Brewers Forum in Brussels in 2018, and presented at a number of European Brewing Science Group meetings. In parallel to the research, development and testing activities, project administration, widespread dissemination, and a series of Multiplier events were delivered.Results and impact attained; - results include 16 recipients of the SMILE 'Certificate of Merit' (i.e. those who completed pilot testing and attended the LTT in Mullingar. we also have a number of interested parties in becoming part of the SMILE delivery network, including some who could become national contact points for the qualification in various countries, and others, like brewers, who will potentially be passed by the SMILE Training Centre as persons competent to provide witness testimony of competence for learners looking to validate the work placement components of the SMILE/FDQ Certificate in Brewing Entrepreneurship.Longer-term benefits; - The SMILE learning is freely available on the SMILE website in 4 languages. In 2019, the qualification will be available via the SMILE BREWING website, and will be offered to everyone who wants it. There will be no cost to do the course online, but a small cost will be necessary to cover the expense of assessment and certification by FDQ if they desire to do so.

The background of the project was to develop a pedagogy and didactics for technology that is available for every student nowadays, in and outside the classroom. The project researched on the topic to add a high degree of innovative and digital learning/teaching concepts/methods. Objectives:1) Collect national experiences on adult learning, selvdirected learning and cooperative learning strategies from 5 participating countries and share them on three consecutive partnership meetings with the aim of achieving a better understanding of the whole area.2) After 8 months of project work to identify common features and differences to such an extent that the knowledge can be translated into more general concepts, the partners produces and evaluates3) After 12 months of project work to translate the knowledge gained in specific teaching / learning process in the participants 'own classes and within the partners' own field4) To use a common evaluation method to analyze the results of the individual of experiments5) After 17 months of project work to be able to describe and demonstrate applications of the pedagogical main elements through national multiplier events6) During the entire project to establish and maintain communication with partners' professional networks via webblog and a continuous sharing of information via the Internet and social mediaNumber and profile of the participating countries:PIC 919717141 Piareersarfiit (now: Majoriaq) are Job, guidance and qualification centres in Greenland, and there are 17 centres which are placed in the cities. PIC 948307988 The “A Rocca” Associazione Artistica Culturale located in the northern part of Sicily, in the Province of Messina, is a very active non-profit organization. PIC 945173724 Sudurnes Comprehensive College was established in 1976 and has about 1.000 student and a staff of 100. The school is both preparing the students for higher education, as University and for craftsmanship – such as marine engineers, electricians and carpenters. PIC 919704434 Piareersarfik Nuuk is a guidance center where young people can get the grades they need to start an education. They have both counselors and teachers working here. They have around 100 students at all times.PIC 930926364 CEPROF - Centros Escolares de Ensino Profissional Lda. (Vocational Schools Teaching Centres)- is the owner of the VET school Escola Profissional de Espinho (ESPE), close to Porto in Portugal. PIC 949003575 IES “Francisco Ayala” teach compulsory secondary education and upper secondary, with the usual age range from 12 to 18 years old. (Resigned June 2017)Description of undertaken main activities: 1) The partners collected national experiences on adult learning, selfdirected learning and cooperative learning strategies. The material were shared on three consecutive partnership meetings. The first two meetings was also used to visit vocational schools and schools that use IT in teaching/training in various ways. 2) The third meeting was used to collect all the material and knowledge into a pilot test guide and frame and questionnaires that all partners executed after the third meeting. They identified common features and differences and translated them into two ways of pilot testing methods. The spanish partner decided to resign from the project during the third meeting. 3) Four partners described the specific learning / teaching process in their own classes and within their own field and met again at a transnational partnership meeting for the fourth time. The Icelandic partner did not make it to the meeting due to a sudden sickleave just before the meeting. 4) The project did not manage to analyze the results of the individual experiments due to the project managers sudden sick-leave spring/summer 2018 that lead to cancellation of the last transnational partnership meeting. The main findings and the results from the questionnaires were collected in the final report on the project. Objectives 5 and 6 were not achieved.Results and impact attained:The result of the project is a final report on main findings from pilot tests in four partner countries and results from the questionnaires for the involved students, teachers and parents which is uploaded on project results platform. See description of main findings in section 5.3 The impact of the project happened mainly in the local educational institutions where the partners work. It is not clear how much the project's website has been used. Project manager resigned officially in august 2018 due to a sudden sickness in the spring and it is the main reason why the project stopped. The last goals where to describe and demonstrate applications of the pedagogical main elements through national multiplier events and make a dissemination strategy. They were not met.

Increasing Volunteers' Skills across Europe – InVolvEDuring the so-called refugee crisis 2015 and 2016 a large series of impressive voluntary campaigns and gestures has been developed all over Europe. But this amazing work, in many cases, originate also tremendous side effects stress and pressure as well following words from a volunteer who works around the refugee camp near Calais in France might give example: “Working on a camp can be exhausting and upsetting but to see the human spirit continue to shine through adversity puts many of my trivial concerns into perspective.” (Quoted from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/02/meet-the-volunteers-europe-refugee-crisis) Not everyone is in a position to cope with physically and mentally exhausting unpaid work.Volunteers generally bring varying blends of technical expertise and other life skills to their role. They also have personal expectations of what they will achieve through volunteering. Regardless of the particular setting, volunteers often are dealing with singular difficulties and performance-related problems. The following situations can be observed among volunteers:a) A fading motivation throughout the time or in case of changing tasks and responsibilities as well as in circumstances of upcoming troubles,b) A lack of self-awareness and self-regulation regarding psychic risk, over commitment, overload of work, etc. c) An insufficient capacity to face and/or solve conflicts (conflicts with supported persons, with other volunteers or with professionals).These difficulties are probably not a lot different from other businesses, except a much greater ‘voluntary’ element influencing the outcomes. It is much easier for a volunteer to withdraw (or reduce) their service if they are not motivated or able to handle with the above mentioned situations. Correspondingly, a priority relays on delivering specialized training to build up among volunteers the related capacities of self-awareness and self-regulation, to learn and practice skills which enables volunteers to identify and minimise or overcome the above mentioned difficulties in field. The implementing partners from 10 EU member states have asserted that in their own training design the issue of soft skill training in volunteering environments isn’t considered satisfactorily and that tailor-made training programs would overcome this competency gap. The project creates a framework to support and push exchange of best practices of training arrangements that are focus on enhancing soft skills and preventing the above mentioned difficulties, and knowledge sharing in matters of curriculum, standards and tools for volunteer training (include staff training). Besides this overall goal, the project specific objectives are to:1. “browse” national and European best practices and and related experiences, products (curriculums, tool boxes, learning materials, etc.); 2. collect methodological information on how to develop training programs for strengthen soft skills in setting of voluntarism, taking in special account:a. the particular learning resources that volunteers have available; b. the democratic imperative to increase the inclusion of adults with social disadvantages; c. the innovative use of digital media in the training process; 3. identify essential elements for the development an efficient open training program tailored to the specific needs of two target groups: a. the board members and managing staff members in civil society organisations which engage volunteers in their work, to strengthen organizational readiness and volunteer management resources; b. volunteers themselves providing with the resources and information they need to strengthen their soft skills for self management, conflict solving, psychic resilience focused to do their specific volunteer contribution and to ensure their well being; 4. increase the capacities of the participant organisations and their staff members regarding language skills, intercultural competences and networking on international level. Considering the different institutional, academic and even cultural backgrounds as well as variety multi-faceted approaches to training of volunteers, the partner organisations are aware of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach and based on that conviction, they stress on the need to develop a very concise overview of the best practices of learning design. Meeting these differences and dealing with them is not only about demonstrating the competency for transnational cooperation and the organisation's overall capability, but it is also one pathway to achieve the project targets and a solid resource to improve existing efforts. I

Сдружение “Експертен Пул – България“, в партньорство с организация “A Rocca” от Италия, реализира проекта “yCrowd” – платформа за колективно финансиране на млади предприемачи. Колективното финансиране в най-общ смисъл представлява открита покана към обществото за набиране на средства за конкретен проект. През 2012 г. за всички форми на колективното финансиране в Европа са набрани около 735 милиона евро, а прогнозната стойност за 2013 г. е около 1 милиард евро. Тези данни не изглеждат внушителни на фона на размера на отпуснатите банкови заеми на дребно на нефинансови институции (6 трилиона евро през 2011 г.), но са обещаващи в сравнение с финансирането, предоставено от „бизнес ангели“ (според официалните данни пазарът се оценява на 660 милиона евро през 2010 г.), или от инвеститори в рисков капитал за подготовка и стартиране на дейност, както и за разширяване на дейността и растеж (7 милиарда евро през 2012 г.). Колективното финансиране е важен източник на средства за около половин милион европейски проекти годишно (според оценките на сектора през 2012 г. около 470 000 европейски проекта са финансирани успешно чрез колективно финансиране), които в противен случай е възможно да не получат необходимите средства за реализацията си. Колективното финансиране притежава голям потенциал да бъде допълнителен източник на финансиране успоредно с традиционните форми и да допринесе за финансирането на реалната икономика. То предлага многобройни предимства на разнообразни групи потребители и е обещаващ източник на средства за много видове участници, които не намират решения, отговарящи на техните финансови нужди. Основна такава група са младите предприемачи, търсещи бърз и достъпен начин да реализират идеите си.Въз основа на тези характеристики проектът „yCrowd” си постави за цел да създаде транснационален инструмент за насърчаване на предприемаческите нагласи и реализирането на предприемачески проекти от младежи от страните-партньори по проекта.Специфични цели:- Създаване на платформа за колективно финансиране с нефинансова възвръщаемост (колективно спонсориране) на младежки проекти.- Повишаване на осведомеността по отношение на колективното финансиране, насърчаване предоставянето на информация и организирането на обучения и изграждане на доверие.- Изграждане на модули за обучение на младежите-инициатори на проекти, за развитие на предприемаческите им умения и нагласи.Реализираните дейности са изграждане на платформата за колективно финансиране с нефинансова възвръщаемост (колективно спонсориране) на младежки проекти – “yCrowd”; включване на участници от двете партньорски страни – България и Италия, в обучение по предприемачество и иницииране на проекти чрез платформата за колективно финансиране; провеждане на две конференции за разпространение на резилтатите и изготвяне на два интелектуални продукта, свързани с колективното финансиране. Общата продължителност на проекта е 10 месеца.Достъпът до финансиране е един от най-неотложните проблеми на младите предприемачи. Потребностите от финансиране за много проекти не могат да бъдат покрити от наличните източници на средства, т.е. налице е недостиг на финансиране. В някои икономически сектори, например на социалните предприятия или културният и творческият сектор, трудно се откриват подходящи за конкретните им потребности възможности за финансиране поради техните специфични особености, включително целите, които си поставят, или зависимостта от нематериални активи и голямата несигурност на пазарното търсене. Колективното финансиране среща директно малки и дори по-големи предоставящи финансиране участници и инвеститори с проектите на младежите, нуждаещи се от средства, главно в началните етапи от развитието на проектите.

Europe is facing series challenges, as a result of the economic and financial crisis: there are more than 25 million unemployed and according to the European Commission the small and medium enterprises are still recovering with slow rates. One of the possible positive ways to develop economics is the creation of conditions, which purpose is to stimulate the Youth Entrepreneurship. This way there are going to be generated new employers, employees and enterprises, opens new markets, stimulates development of new skills and makes economic more innovative and competitive. The entrepreneurship’s spirit has key importance for starting a small businesses, which are 99% of the enterprises in the EU and provides every 2 of 3 employees in the private sector, creating more than 4 million new places for work every year.This is why the main goal of the project is stimulating the entrepreneurship spirit for a higher employment and initiating of business initiatives. There are three specific goals, which implementation will help its achievement.- Improving of the basic skills abilities in the field of entrepreneurship;- Sharing of experience and good practices, and creating of new business contacts;- Stimulating of the creativity and initiatives of the young people for starting an enterprise.The project is going to ease the starting of a small business of young people from Bulgaria and Italy and will help strengthening new business initiatives from partner organizations in the two countries. The project will enlarge the access to new markets, international cooperation and potential possibilities for cooperation between international business partners; entrepreneurs from Bulgaria and Italy will develop the needed skill to start and successfully manage a small enterprise in Europe. The newborn entrepreneurs will gather together and exchange experience, ideas and knowledge for the development of their businesses on an online environment with already built information and consultancy tool kit, which are needed for successful development of partnership relations.The main activities of the project are:• Making of an analysis of market opportunities, regulatory requirements and procedures for business development in both countries ;• Designing and implementing of 3 partnership meetings for 4 representatives of the participating organizations;• Organizing of a combined short-term physical mobility with virtual mobility for young people (10 days online course in basic skills and competencies in the field of entrepreneurship and 5 days practical training in Bulgaria ) for 15 participants;• Designing of two exhibitions (speed networking events ) for 30 young entrepreneurs in Bulgaria and Italy ;• Compilation and publication of a handbook with practical guidance in entrepreneurship ;• Dissemination of results of two conferences with 50 participants.The implementation of the project will result in improved capacity of the participating organizations; engaged youth and young entrepreneurs on the territory of the two municipalities in which the organizations are based; improved knowledge in the field of the entrepreneurship of the members of the participating organizations; a methodology for an online researches of the markets and business potential; eTwinning entrepreneurship platform. The results of the project and its methodology have the potential to be transferred and multiplied in other countries, and to include young people from different European and partner countries, who will help the recovering of the Unified European Market.