ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL ECONOMY GROUP

Aims EKO is an active member of the European civil society, whose primary mission is to contribute to the creation of an inclusive society, free from prejudice and discrimination, which will be in the position to develop and grow sustainable living environment. To achieve this mission EKO focuses on the following specific objectives: • Empowering youth & vulnerable social groups, promoting their presence in all aspects of civic, social & professional life • Facilitating intercultural and interreligious awareness and solidarity, especially within Greece and Europe, as well as between Europe and MENA • Cultivation of environmental awareness and a strong sense of environmental responsibility to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) • Strengthening cross-border civil society, through knowledge transfer and sharing of good practices, so as to bring civic participation and transnational collaboration to the forefront of social change Target groups EKO’s main domains of focus (and corresponding target groups) have been determined by what we believe are the most important challenges faced in the Greek society. Specifically: • youth unemployment & economic obstacles, as a result of last decade’s economic crisis, alongside the deep-rooted education-to-employment gap (corresponding target group: young people, youth facing financial obstacles) • the xenophobic attitudes, cultural intolerance & exclusion created by the recent migration crisis (target group: ethnic minorities, youth with xenophobic tendencies, youth with different cultural/religious background) • multiple environmental issues, which affect sustainable development at a local, regional, national & international level (target group: young people, as the driving force of lifestyle and mindset change towards sustainability) Regular Activities The main methodologies/approaches EKO utilizes to pursue its mission are a. non-formal education, b. intercultural dialogue and c. the cultivation of an active participation and civic engagement attitude in the young generations. These methodologies imbue all regular activities of EKO, which include: • The development, organization & implementation of Erasmus+ Youth Mobility projects on various fields related to the objectives of EKO’s statutes (e.g. intercultural solidarity, promotion of peace, human rights, inclusion & empowerment of vulnerable groups, sustainable development etc). So far EKO has coordinated 10 Youth Exchange programs, participated in more than 25 KA1 projects as a sending partner, and has offered mentoring in proposal writing and project management in 5 newcoming organizations around Europe • The development, organization & implementation of initiatives & interventions, in the context of Erasmus+ KA2 and KA3 projects aimed at enhancing entrepreneurship, social economy, sustainable development, intercultural solidarity, empowerment of vulnerable groups and civic participation • The mobilization of efforts to support of various UN bodies, by attending and actively contributing to side-events organized in the sidelines of Human Rights Council Sessions of the United Nations in Geneva, and by providing input through research and reports to specialized working groups of OHCHR on children’s, women’s and minorities’ rights • The design and implementation of on-site non-formal education workshops open to local youth and online seminars addressed to European youth on a wide range of subjects of sociocultural interest, aiming to empower youth and enhance participatory approach through civil society actions • The active promotion of mobility and (non-formal) education opportunities offered by the Erasmus+, ESC and other European projects to young people through relevant Info-Days and events organized in the context of EKO’s collaboration with Universities in Athens, as well as in the context of European Youth Week & Erasmus+ Days events • The design and implementation of educational/cultural projects with European Foundat