Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

The NGOE project addressed the urgent challenges faced by young people due to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on employment. By August 2021, youth unemployment in the EU rose to 17.1%, with 2.833 million under-25s unemployed (Eurostat, 2021). Globally, the ILO reported an 8.7% employment loss for youth (15–25) compared to 3.7% for adults. This crisis risked creating a "lockdown generation," where secondary school students aged 15–19 faced diminished job opportunities and heightened economic instability. Recognizing these challenges, the NGOE project sought to empower young people to not only find jobs but also create them. Non-formal entrepreneurship education, starting at the secondary school level, was identified as a key solution. Unlike formal curricula, this approach strengthens entrepreneurial skills, boosts motivation, and fosters a positive business environment. It also cultivates intrapreneurial mindsets, enabling young people to innovate within organizations, enhancing their competitiveness in the evolving job market.

The NGOE project aimed to equip youth aged 15–19, enrolled in secondary schools, with the entrepreneurial skills necessary to thrive in an evolving economy.Recognizing the need for innovation in youth education, the project sought to develop an innovative non-formal entrepreneurial pedagogical program leveraging digital tools and methodologies. Key objectives included: •Fostering entrepreneurial initiatives among young people by enhancing their skills through an innovative and practical non-formal pedagogical approach. •Integrating ICT tools to modernize learning methods, combining digital technologies with teaching practices to engage young learners effectively. •Developing human-centered tools tailored to the needs, limitations, and environments of the target groups, ensuring accessibility and usability for diverse learners. NGOE targeted both youth, with the potential to become entrepreneurs, and youth workers, who required new tools and skills to support and guide entrepreneurial education.By introducing entrepreneurship education earlier, before students finished their studies, NGOE aimed to empower youth to make informed decisions about becoming entrepreneurs, ultimately contributing to innovation and and economic growth.

The NGOE project implemented key activities to foster youth entrepreneurship and equip youth workers with practical tools and methodologies. Dissemination activities ensured the project’s visibility through social media, websites, and partner networks. Six transnational meetings were held to evaluate progress and maintain quality across all outputs. The project delivered five key results (PRs): •PR1: Identified entrepreneurial skills and provided recommendations for the pedagogical approach (PR2). •PR2: Developed a tailored curriculum for fostering entrepreneurial skills. •PR3: Created tools to assess entrepreneurial competencies. •PR4: Designed an interactive online toolkit with e-learning units, piloted through a Blended Mobility (C1) in Estonia. •PR5: Developed a guide for youth workers to implement the NGOE program, introduced during a Training Event (C2) in Spain. The project included ten multiplier events across partner countries to showcase results and engage stakeholders. These activities empowered young people and youth workers, creating lasting impact by integrating entrepreneurial education into formal and non-formal settings.

The NGOE project delivered impactful results, fostering entrepreneurial skills and innovation among young people and youth workers. The project’s five concrete outputs (PRs) provided comprehensive tools for entrepreneurial education, including the Entrepreneurial Skills Framework (PR1), the tailored Entrepreneurial Curricula (PR2), the Skills Evaluation Model (PR3), the interactive Online Toolkit for Young People (PR4), and the Youth Worker Implementation Guide (PR5). Impact on Youth Workers •Gained access to a complete set of educational resources, empowering them to teach entrepreneurship using an innovative pedagogical methodology. •Increased motivation and capacity to promote entrepreneurship education, integrating NGOE resources into their professional practice. •Ability to adapt and apply the NGOE program across disciplines, strengthening their organizations' pedagogical strategies. Impact on Young People •Acquired new skills in entrepreneurship and ICT tools, fostering self-confidence and autonomy. •Inspired to consider entrepreneurial ventures, contributing to local community development. •The NGOE methodology engaged youth with fewer opportunities, helping them unlock potential and build resilience. •Accessed PR4, a self-directed, multilingual toolkit, to enhance entrepreneurial skills and readiness for the job market. These results ensure long-term benefits, preparing young people and educators to thrive in an evolving economic landscape.