6 days full of activities and teambuilding
Ice-breaking Games and Troll Adventure
The first day began with a short presentation from the organizers and with “Ice Breaking” games to get to know the people. It continued with a presentation of each participant through a group miming act. The task among the groups was to create a miming role play introducing each member’s main interests together with their names.
The day continued with a team-building discovery Game, called “The TROLL Adventure”
For securing the successful outcomes of the TC we all needed to please the local ancient entities “The Trolls”. In order to do so, the 4 smaller group’s that were formed went on a quest to discover the lost elements that were essential to recreate a water Totem. Each group needed to send an observer to the island and see the Holy Stone was the original totem was located and share with his team members all the details about how the original looked like, so they can recreate it.
The evening of the day was focused on sharing information among participants on:
– the level of experience in a)social entrepreneurship, b)youth work and c)international co-operation.
– each participant’s contribution.
– each participant’s personal learning plan.
– expectations and “Red zone’s”.
Discussing Our Own Community Needs and Challenges
The day started with sharing information about the organization’s participating in this TC, following an introduction of the official EU learning model and competences (skill/hand, attitude/heart, knowledge/head) which are part of the LLL (Life Long Learning) process.
Whatever we learn in life can be grouped in 8 categories/key competences, for example sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, learning to learn, etc.
Evening programs task was for each country to describe their community needs and give information on trends, strong points, problems & challenges as well as existing social initiatives. The next step was to form a mixed working group’s and work on the same background trying to identify and record the common elements on trends, strong points, etc.
A pleasant and at the same time an informative film about Social Entrepreneurship and people finished with some theory, e.g. characteristics and definitions of social entrepreneurship, as well as a reflection about the day – what we liked, didn’t like, what we learned and what we wish/expect for the next day.
11 Social Enterprises
Next day started with writing the newly acquired skills and placing them into their specific competence envelope. Afterwards, small groups studied and analyzed a number of 11 case studies of social enterprises. Some of these enterprises raised debates on whether they are just businesses with good PR, or they are genuine, good-hearted enterprises that only want to save the world. Debating various differences between the countries, bank policies, EU standards, etc. The most important lesson is that we must look at the bigger picture, we may be doing or we may want to undertake a positive change but we may be doing more harm than good. We must consider all possible elements.
The 11 social enterprises that were talked about are RecycleBank, Project Repat, Clean Yield, Biolite, X-runner, Good Eggs, Better Shelter, Uncommon Goods, IndieGoGo, Maga’s Hotel, Goldie Blox. All these are trying to work towards the accomplishment of one of the 17 Global Goals of Sustainability, such as “no poverty”, or “zero hunger” by 2030.
After these examples of social enterprises teams of maximum 4 based on interest and on the social change, they wanted to create in their communities. Working with some business tools that were modified to fit social enterprises: the Social Business Canvas (explained with the example of Tom’s Shoes), SWOT analysis, and the cherry on top – THE Business Plan.
Marketing and Finances
On the fourth day, there were two presentations. The first presentation was of a social enterprise based right here, in this very spot, on this very mountain in Hornjow: Norge Gir (Norway Gives). Norge Gir does a very simple, yet very environmentally friendly thing – collects clothes from the Norwegians who are dontating their clothes.
The other enterprise that was presented is the Alm Ostre bio-dynamic farm, based in Norway. It’s a rather small farm which has 150 extremely happy clients. Also, it is run together with young volunteers or people who want to get farming experience.
On the fifth day it was continued with learning about marketing and finances, later getting external feedback on the business plans and improving them.
The Last Day
A circle completed and the time came to draw conclusions and summarise the Teamwork.
Collecting the daily feedback of each participant divided into groups in order to present the building competences of the whole group per category (e.g.: Spence of initiative & entrepreneurship, cultural awareness & expressions, social & civic competence, learning to learn, etc).
The day continued with a presentation on the current EU funding projects and opportunities like: ERASMUS+, EEA & NORWAY GRANTS, EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT FUND PROGRAMME & ERASMUS 4 YOUTH ENTREPRENEURS.
The group leaders were presenting ideas for future projects and cooperations. Another group division for “one on one” constructive feedback. What were the positive characteristics that were seen in one another that fostered the efficient & constructive teamwork.
A letter to ourselves…….A self-evaluation of our personal developed competencies there. Going completely out of the box: the trainers prepared a session of deep meditation in which were reviewed the journey here.
Last but not least, the day closed with group feedback on the entire programme followed by personal messages to keep everybody a company on the way back home.
We will leave this place full of knowledge, emotions, new friends, creative ideas for future projects, a lot of positive energy and hope that this will be the beginning of another chapter in our lives.
