The EU-supported youth social entrepreneurship grant competition
With EU support, World Vision Georgia is thrilled to announce the launch of a competition for youth passionate about social entrepreneurship under the EU-funded SKYENET project. This project is not just about funding; it’s about empowering youth to make a real difference in their communities.
We aim to train selected young individuals in social entrepreneurship and fund the most promising business initiatives that can positively impact the communities.
Young people aged 16-35 from the following municipalities are eligible to participate: Dusheti, Khobi, Chkhorotsku, Zugdidi, Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni, Akhmeta, Telavi, Zestafon, and Baghdati. Interested individuals have to present their business ideas in social entrepreneurship or have already established a running social enterprise within the past year.
Over 80 selected youth will be uniquely qualified to undergo a month-long training program in the SKYE Clubs. This program will cover many areas, from transforming an idea into a social business initiative to designing a business plan. After the training, participants will present their business plans to a jury of experts, who will select the winning social enterprise projects. A total of 10 selected business initiatives will be financed, with grants ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 GEL. The authors of the winning projects will also have the opportunity to further participate in a coaching and mentoring program for 6 months.
The application process for the grant competition is straightforward. The application form, which contains detailed information in the Georgian language, can be accessed by clicking the link provided. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bUEm9ckX7Tr0UbGh0VRcJcTdva5y–REV7xnqWPPNzE/viewform?edit_requested=true
Please complete the form by June 18, 2024, to be considered for the competition.
About the project
The SKYENET project (Skills and Knowledge for Youth Empowerment Network) is funded by the European Union under its EU4Youth Programme and implemented by World Vision Georgia, World Vision Armenia, Millenium Training and Development Institute (Moldova), and IRIS Business Incubator (Armenia). The project aims to empower youth in Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova with a particular emphasis on supporting disadvantaged youth by equipping them with essential knowledge and entrepreneurial and career management skills. Such action fosters active participation of youth in both democratic and economic life, which is fundamental for ensuring the well-being and prosperity of the society. Additionally, it seeks to foster social entrepreneurship, promote active citizenship and support youth-led social enterprises that tackle community-level issues and prioritise digital and green transition.
The project also proposes (i) establishing a ‘SKYE Net’ transnational platform to facilitate experience and knowledge sharing among youth in Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova, focusing on digital and green transformation. The platform will engage relevant private and public actors, educational institutions, and representative youth organisations from these three countries; secondly, (ii) supporting youth social entrepreneur start-ups, focusing on green and digital economies, and promoting information about and access to existing business support schemes. The project is scheduled for implementation from July 1st, 2023, til June 30, 2025.
This article has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of World Vision Georgia and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.