Financed by: European Commission/IPA Instrument for Pre-Accession

Period: 16.05.2014-16.05.2015

Aim:

The project ‘E-Region: Development Opportunity’ aims to enhance social cohesion in the cross border region of Macedonia and Bulgaria, through development of online learning tools and promotion of entrepreneurship. It is implemented by Center for Intercultural Dialogue (Macedonia) and European Institute (Bulgaria), under the IPA Cross Border Programme, CCI Number 2007CB16IPO007.

The project is based on development of social infrastructures, a joint web portal [www.e-region.eu] for sharing and exchange of information, news and various educational and employment opportunities. With it we establish links among unemployed young people, job opportunities, vocational schools, students, electronic media, citizens, business incubators and youth entrepreneurial ideas. The project fosters regional collaboration in order to increase employability and e-participation through utilization of good practices in e-learning and entrepreneurship.

Why this project:
The CB Region has a high rate of unemployment with labor force lacking modern professional competencies. The project offers a comprehensive approach to target the lack of entrepreneurial skills, low level of entrepreneurial initiative and digitalization. It will offer solutions by fostering the adjustment of labor force to the new labor market demands and using the favorable environment for optimizing educational, professional qualification and re-qualification structures.

Key Activities:
The project is based on E-learning, E-participation and development of Entrepreneurial spirit among the citizens, targeting mainly young people. It promotes exchange of information and news by development of joint web portal for sharing and exchange of information, news and various educational and employment opportunities. It encourages usage of IT technologies in education, as essential element for increases the competitiveness of labor force in the current market conditions. It boots development of entrepreneurial spirit by direct training and possibility to interact in the field of development of business ideas with structural and educational support.

The main activities that the project undertakes are:
Project Study and Analysis
The project study mapped the available e-media, CSOs and vocational institutions in the cross border region of Macedonia and Bulgaria and analyzed the offer of these key stakeholders for the project. The analysis can be found here

E-Courses
The project starts online vocational courses. The courses will be on topics such as communication skills, writing CV and motivation letter; working in teams; organizational management; possible to be taken individually and in groups. More about project courses found out here

Training on Entrepreneurship
The project organizes 2 trainings on entrepreneurship, in Macedonia and Bulgaria. The trainings will involve around 80 young people providing them with competences in entrepreneurship, develop their IT skills and foster self-employment possibilities.

Online Entrepreneurial Initiatives
The project will open competition of good business ideas for e-entrepreneurship submitted by the young unemployed citizens living in the cross border area of Macedonia and Bulgaria. The best will -be rewarded.