Promoting youth entrepreneurship skills and dialogue about nature-friendly, sustainable and innovative entrepreneurship development opportunities in rural regions

In year 2013 Vidzeme Planning Region initiated activities within EU Programme for young people „Youth in Action” to promote youth policy in rural areas. Project „Promoting youth entrepreneurship skills and dialogue about nature-friendly, sustainable and innovative entrepreneurship development opportunities in rural regions” was VPR initiative to motivate youth to start their own entrepreneurship and create new jobs for themselves and other inhabitants of the region. The project lasted for 9 months and 30 young people took part being 18-30 years old and having a will to start their own business. During a 7 day training course participants gained knowledge on how to start business, how to realize it and what are the main restrictions. Within the Project document „Policy recommendations for entrepreneurship policy makers” were created to improve entrepreneurship on municipal, regional and national level. Project activities were organized at local level, achieving very good results and further experience in the implementation of youth projects. In the end of Project international discussion with Scandinavian stakeholders were organized representatives of local governments to present project progress and talk about future cooperation at international level.

Mairis Gailums, one of the participants, said: „All we do here is extremely useful and important as nowhere else I can have this knowledge totally free of charge. I find this like a gift from my municipality and I am grateful for that!”