Upskilling rural youth for competitive growth

<< Background >>We applied for this project because we witnessed first-hand how rural youth often feel stuck between their ideas and the lack of access to tools, guidance, and spaces where they can grow. Many young people we engage with have the motivation to build something meaningful—especially in entrepreneurship—but they’re held back by isolation, limited networks, or simply not knowing where to start. This issue was even more visible after the pandemic and ongoing economic challenges.We also saw youth workers in our communities trying their best, but without enough resources or structured approaches to support these young people in an impactful, future-ready way. That’s why we designed this project—not just to train youth, but to also empower youth workers to become confident mentors and guides.Through activities like Hackathons, staff trainings, and community events, we aimed to tackle the gaps in opportunity, confidence, and support. We wanted to create a supportive ecosystem where young people could experiment, collaborate, and start seeing their business ideas as real possibilities, not just distant dreams.<< Objectives >>Our main goal was to equip rural youth with the skills, mindset, and confidence needed to take meaningful steps in entrepreneurship. We wanted them to not only gain knowledge, but to actively experience the process of creating, testing, and pitching business ideas in a supportive, real-world setting. At the same time, we aimed to strengthen the capacity of youth workers so they could continue this work long after the project ends.We also focused on creating international collaboration—exposing young people to diverse perspectives and practices through cross-border teamwork. This wasn’t just about business skills; it was about building soft skills like communication, critical thinking, and resilience.The project aimed to show rural youth that they are capable of becoming changemakers in their communities. By involving them in hands-on Hackathons, engaging them in discussions with professionals, and creating structured support from trained youth workers, we hoped to spark a shift—from passive interest to active initiative.<< Implementation >>We carried out a range of interconnected activities designed to build both the skills of young people and the capacities of youth workers. The project kicked off with a transnational coordination meeting in Türkiye. This helped set the tone and structure for the entire partnership—roles were clarified, communication channels were set, and the timeline was mapped out.One of our core activities was the staff training in Romania, where youth workers from each partner country took part in an intensive program. This training focused on entrepreneurship education, innovation, and how to guide young people through real-life startup thinking. It served as the foundation for what followed.The biggest engagement came during the local Hackathon events, held simultaneously in Türkiye, Belgium, and Romania. These were spread over several months and gave 90 rural youth the chance to participate in workshops, develop business ideas, work in teams, and pitch their solutions to panels. The process was dynamic, creative, and highly engaging.To wrap up, we organized assessment meetings, panel talks, and local conferences to share outcomes, showcase youth-led ideas, and gather feedback from local communities and stakeholders.<< Results >>The project produced several concrete outputs and meaningful results—both at individual and community levels. First, we successfully organized and completed three local Hackathon programs, each involving at least 30 rural youth. These events resulted in the creation of over 15 solid business ideas, many of which were shaped using tools like Business Model Canvas and SWOT analysis. Each idea was documented and shared as a digital outcome, which can be reused and further developed by participants or local mentors.On the youth worker side, 15 participants took part in our international staff training in Romania. They gained hands-on experience in entrepreneurship education, learned practical tools for guiding youth initiatives, and strengthened their confidence in facilitating similar programs in their local settings.We also developed and shared a range of resources—such as workshop materials, templates, evaluation surveys, and dissemination tools—that can continue to support youth entrepreneurship beyond the project’s lifetime.In addition to the tangible results, we saw increased motivation, improved teamwork skills, and stronger digital and entrepreneurial competences among the youth. We built connections, confidence, and a s