Addressing the Challenges of Rural Youth
Many young people in rural areas face limited job opportunities and a lack of motivation to stay in their hometowns. As a result, they often leave in search of better prospects, leading to a phenomenon known as “brain drain.” The European Committee of the Regions (EU CoR) has emphasized the importance of local policies to address this issue and suggests forming alliances among local stakeholders to create sustainable opportunities.
About the YESpecialists Project
The YESpecialists project was launched to tackle these challenges by fostering youth entrepreneurship in rural regions. Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme with a grant of €170,643.25, the initiative ran from October 2020 to April 2023. It aimed to create strong local ecosystems that encourage young people to take an active role in their communities, develop entrepreneurial skills, and build sustainable businesses.
This project brought together experts from six European regions, including Italy, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, and Norway, along with the European Association of Regional & Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning (EARLALL) in Brussels. Through collaboration between public authorities, businesses, NGOs, and schools, YESpecialists developed innovative approaches to youth entrepreneurship.
Key Objectives and Outcomes
The primary goal of the project was to introduce informal and non-formal learning methods into formal entrepreneurial education, using the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp). The initiative focused on three main outputs:
- A Repository of Best Practices: A collection of successful youth entrepreneurship examples in rural Europe. Explore the repository here.
- A Youth Entrepreneurship Toolkit: Resources designed for teachers and trainers to support young entrepreneurs. Access the toolkit here.
- Guidelines for Regional Ecosystems: A step-by-step guide to establishing local ecosystems that promote youth entrepreneurship. View the guidelines here.
Additionally, the project developed policy recommendations to further support youth entrepreneurship across rural Europe.
Implementation and Activities
YESpecialists successfully carried out several key activities, including:
- YES Festival (March 2, 2023, Brussels): A major event to share project results and inspire youth entrepreneurship.
- YES-YOU! Online Youth Event (March 16, 2023): A virtual platform where young participants showcased their entrepreneurial initiatives.
- Four Transnational Project Meetings (TPMs): Held between 2020 and 2023, with two conducted online due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- Two Learning/Teaching/Training Activities (LLTs): Workshops in Trento and Varaždin during 2022, focusing on entrepreneurial skills development.
Impact and Legacy
The YESpecialists project successfully built six local ecosystems that supported youth entrepreneurship in rural areas, leading to six pilot projects. Moreover, it trained 60 YESpecialists and engaged 120 additional local specialists, ensuring the sustainability of its initiatives. Throughout the project, young people actively participated by co-creating training materials, proposing entrepreneurial projects, and taking leadership roles in community development.
By promoting the EntreComp framework, YESpecialists has contributed to shaping a more entrepreneurial mindset among young people across Europe. The project’s methodology and tools can also be applied to other fields beyond youth entrepreneurship.
Get Involved!
The work of YESpecialists continues to inspire and support young entrepreneurs. If you are interested in learning more or using the project’s resources, visit the official website: YESpecialists.eu.
Together, we can create thriving rural communities driven by youth innovation and entrepreneurship!
