Entrepreneurship has become an essential part of modern society, with many people starting their businesses. However, youth entrepreneurship in rural areas is an often overlooked aspect of this trend. Rural areas often suffer from a lack of job opportunities and population decline, making it difficult for young people to stay in their hometowns and start their businesses. In this context the YERAME project is aimed at promoting youth entrepreneurship in rural areas in the Mediterranean region. The project focuses on developing the entrepreneurial skills of young people living to create sustainable businesses. By doing so, the project aims to tackle the problem of depopulation in these regions. The project is divided into five different work packages (WPs), that were presented at the 1st online Kick Off Meeting, each aimed at supporting the overall objective of the project in different ways.
More specifically, WP1 is focused on project management and coordination, and it is led by InnoHive and CEPIES. This work package is crucial for the success of the project, as it ensures that all project activities are well-coordinated, and the project is delivered within the specified timeframe and budget. WP2 is led by FHIRD and Innovation Hive and is focused on youth rural entrepreneurship research. This work package is aimed at identifying the current status of youth entrepreneurship in rural areas in the Mediterranean region. The research will also identify the challenges that young people face in starting and growing their businesses and the support needed to overcome these challenges. WP3 is led by DEFOIN and JOVESOLIDES and is focused on providing youth entrepreneurship training in rural areas. This work package is aimed at promoting the implementation of EntreComp framework amongst youth organisations of EU and non-EU countries and by providing specific tools and resources according to the young people’s needs. WP4 is focused on providing mentored youth rural entrepreneurship programs. This work package is led by PCS and DEFOIN and is aimed at providing young people with the necessary guidance and support to implement their Rural Business Plans successfully. Some other aspects of this deliverable will be: 1) Organising a start-up contest at national level in the participant countries 2) Selecting and awarding 3 business initiatives from the start-up contest previously celebrated and 3) Providing mentoring support by the trained youth workers, Finally, WP5 is focused on promoting and exploiting the YERAME project results. This work package is led by CEIPES and JOVESOLIDES and is aimed at disseminating the project results to different stakeholders. This work package will help to raise awareness of the project and its outcomes, thus promoting the creation of sustainable businesses in rural areas.
In conclusion, Youth entrepreneurship in rural areas has the potential to transform and revitalize rural economies. While there are significant challenges associated with youth entrepreneurship in rural areas, there are also many opportunities for innovation, creativity, and collaboration. By supporting and nurturing youth entrepreneurship in these areas, we can help to build a more vibrant, sustainable, and prosperous future for rural communities around the world. The YERAME project aimed at promoting youth entrepreneurship in such regions aims to increase the capacity of organizations working with young people in rural areas to provide learning opportunities for entrepreneurial skills. By doing so, the project hopes to improve the entrepreneurial skills of the rural youth in the region and promote the creation of sustainable businesses that are not fully dependent on tourism.
