What was it?
On that question we could answer that it was fantastic experience with wonderful people in amazing place. Without being emotional it would be a 8 day training course for youth workers and youth leaders where the main aim was to introduce youth entrepreneurship as a tool of fighting youth unemployment and empower youngsters to start their creative entrepreneurial opportunities.
Why did we go there?
Because we want to believe that we are able to change something. Of course it will take time and we will go forward to reach our goal through making small steps. But there is only one thing that is missing – inspiration. This project fully gave us a lot of motivation and a big “kick” to start doing things being back in our countries.
What was happening?
We got to know a lot about entrepreneurial topic by meeting and talking to local entrepreneurs, who have recently started their businesses and doing very successfully. We asked them questions and they told us stories of their lives. On one of those talks we got to know what storytelling is and we could feel how good this method works out by personal experience.
We got to know about another good method which called Coaching. We could try it on each others and see that it actually brings the result. Of course during the week impossible to learn on 100% how to use one or another method, but organizers introduced us a “market” of methods, and with received inspiration we went back to our homes and started working on those, that we liked most.
Topic of the project is very important but there is one more important thing taking place in such activities. I am talking about place itself and people around. All participants were very opened, what made our work much easier that it supposed to be. And of course local guys, who made us feel as a guests in their home. They showed us not only Amsterdam as a capital of Netherland with around 100 different nationalities, but they showed THEIR own Amsterdam, where everybody is able to find something for himself.
As a conclusion, it was a great project, useful knowledge, absolutely wonderful experience and very warm atmosphere with the loveliest people.
Alina
