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Author: Veronica Charalambous

EPIC Project Empowers a New Generation of Social Entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

As the EPIC (Entrepreneurial Citizenship for Social Change) project officially concludes this month, it marks a significant milestone in empowering the next generation of social entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans. Supported by the European Union, the project has successfully transformed the landscape for youth organizations and young changemakers in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.

The EPIC project recognized the potential of young people to drive positive social transformation. By aligning with the EU’s perspective on social enterprises, the project addressed critical issues such as youth unemployment and community development. The core mission was to help youth identify social challenges and provide them with the guidance and technical skills to transform innovative ideas into sustainable businesses.

A cornerstone of the EPIC project was the creation of a robust suite of educational materials designed to bridge the gap between social intent and entrepreneurial action. These resources were methodically developed, piloted, and refined across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo to ensure they met the specific needs of the Western Balkans.

  • The EPIC Training Curriculum on Social Entrepreneurship: This foundational curriculum provides a comprehensive framework for strengthening the entrepreneurial capacities of youth. It covers six core modules—ranging from an introduction to social entrepreneurship to financial sustainability and social value measurement—equipping participants with a complete mindset and skill set for impact-driven action.
  • Toolkit for Youth Workers: Designed for educators, professionals, and youth organization representatives, this resource offers practical guidelines and strategies to effectively mentor and counsel aspiring social entrepreneurs.
  • Toolkit for Youth: This hands-on resource provides young people with step-by-step guidance for designing, developing, and managing their own social ventures, transforming abstract ideas into actionable business models.

In addition, throughout its journey, the EPIC project delivered a series of high-impact activities:

  • In May 2025, a dynamic workshop and study visit were held in Athens, Greece, bringing together 15 youth workers from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Kosovo. This session equipped them with the necessary skills and methodologies to transfer their knowledge back to their local communities.
  • To validate these resources, a series of pilot workshops and local training sessions were conducted, directly engaging 60 youth workers and 60 young people. These sessions translated the EPIC Curriculum and the EPIC Toolkits into practice, ensuring the materials were relevant to the specific social and economic contexts of the Western Balkans.
  • The project culminated in three regional Hackathons held between December 2025 and January 2026, engaging 90 young innovators. These events served as incubators for 24 teams, producing diverse projects ranging from AI-driven e-waste repair to circular economy models for food waste.

The project successfully cultivated a culture of innovation, with many participants reporting increased confidence and technical competence in design thinking, budgeting, and pitching. One of the most significant achievements was shifting the regional perception of social entrepreneurship from simple philanthropy to a viable, sustainable business model.

The EPIC project is committed to ensuring its legacy continues beyond its official end date. All educational materials, including the EPIC Training Curriculum, the Toolkit for Youth Workers, and the Toolkit for Youth, are now available as open-access resources.

Young people, aspiring entrepreneurs, youth workers, trainers and educators, as well as other stakeholders, can freely access these tools to continue driving social change in their communities.

Discover the full suite of resources on the official EPIC website: https://epic-project.eu/

EPIC National Hackathons: Empowering youth through social entrepreneurship

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

Between December 2025 and January 2026, the EPIC project (Entrepreneurial Citizenship for Social Change) successfully concluded a series of three dynamic National Hackathons across Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Kosovo. These intensive two-day events served as incubators for innovative social business ideas designed to tackle local community challenges.

The primary mission of the hackathons was to inspire and empower young people to think and act as social entrepreneurs. Key objectives included:

  • Encouraging youth to identify pressing local social issues.
  • Equipping participants with practical skills in Design Thinking, business modeling, and pitching.
  • Developing innovative, feasible, and sustainable solutions with a measurable social impact.

    The Hackathon events were implemented in:
  • Tirana, Albania: 12-13 December 2025, hosted by People in Focus (PIF) at Europe House.
  • Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina: 20-21 December 2025, hosted by Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures (SMOC).
  • Pristina, Kosovo: 10-11 January 2026, hosted by Peer Educators Network (PEN).

    The initiative successfully engaged over 100 stakeholders across the three countries, including a total of 90 young participants, 9 youth workers/educators and approximately 19 expert mentors and jury members from various sectors like academia, ministries, and private businesses.
    Each hackathon followed a structured, hands-on programme. Day 1 of the Hackathons was for “Ideation & Foundation”. Participants engaged in workshops on social entrepreneurship basics, stakeholder mapping, and problem identification. Day 2 was for “Refinement & Pitching”. Teams worked closely with mentors to develop Business Model Canvases, plan budgets, and refine their “micro-solutions” before pitching to a professional jury.

    A total of 24 teams were formed regionally, resulting in a wide array of social enterprise concepts. Winning teams from each country were selected to receive further mentoring and the opportunity to present at the EPIC Final Conference.
  • Albania: Winner PIKA, an accessibility platform for the visually impaired.
  • Bosnia & Herzegovina: Winner Inner Peace, a holistic mental health support concept.
  • Kosovo: Equal winners RECLAIM (circular food waste model) and RE-TECH (AI-driven e-waste repair).

    Beyond skill-building, the hackathons served as a powerful catalyst for youth empowerment, effectively transforming initial self-doubt into entrepreneurial confidence. Participants achieved significant growth in core competencies, most notably in teamwork, analytical thinking, and creative problem-solving.

    Evaluations of the events reflected exceptionally high satisfaction rates across the region, with the quality of expert mentorship identified by participants as a standout feature in both Bosnia & Herzegovina and in Kosovo.

    The project concluded that while youth are highly motivated to create social change, there is a strong regional demand for ongoing incubation and mentorship beyond the initial events to help turn these prototypes into real-world sustainable businesses.

More information about the project is available at: https://epic-project.eu/

fuTOURiSME: Mapping the Sustainability Landscape for Tourism SMEs Across Europe

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

Under Work Package 5 of the fuTOURiSME project, all partners have completed an extensive research and compilation exercise to identify the sustainability certifications most relevant for tourism SMEs in Europe. This work covers six partner countries: Greece, Spain, Cyprus, France, Germany and Italy, and includes both internationally recognised labels and national or sectoral schemes.

Today, we are pleased to announce that the full set of materials from Task 5.1 – Research and collection of existing certifications and development of guidelines is now publicly available on the fuTOURiSME website.

These resources are designed to support tourism SMEs in understanding the certification landscape and preparing their own sustainability journey.

What has been published?

  1. Consolidated Research Report (European Synthesis)

A cross-country overview presenting:

  • a comprehensive list of 80+ certifications mapped across Europe,
  • the main trends and insights,
  • a comparative analysis of environmental, social, economic and integrated certification schemes,
  • the methodological framework used by partners.

This synthesis brings together the findings from all national research teams and establishes the foundation for the next WP5 activities.

  1. National Reports & Certification Fiches

Each partner country has produced:

  • a national executive summary, and
  • detailed fiches for each certification mapped at national level.

The fiches include information on governance, scope, indicators, audit requirements, technology, usability, sector applicability and alignment with EU or international standards.

All national documents are now accessible online for full transparency and reference.

  1. Guidelines for Tourism SMEs

To support small businesses directly, fuTOURiSME has developed practical, step-by-step guidelines tailored to SMEs that want to:

  • understand what sustainability certifications exist,
  • choose the one most suitable for their activity,
  • prepare for audits and data collection,
  • integrate sustainability practices into daily operations,
  • and communicate their achievements effectively.

These guidelines will be further complemented by the capacity-building activities and coaching sessions planned in upcoming tasks.

Why this work matters

Certification is a powerful tool for tourism SMEs. It helps them:

  • improve environmental and social performance,
  • reduce operational costs,
  • meet emerging EU sustainability requirements (CSRD, ESRS),
  • increase visibility on booking platforms and tourism channels,
  • and build credibility with travellers seeking responsible experiences.

Task 5.1 provides the essential knowledge base that will feed into the development of the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit and the Self-Assessment Tool later in the project.

Next steps in WP5

  • Development of training modules and coaching sessions for SMEs
  • Creation of the fuTOURiSME Self-Assessment Tool (Task 5.3)
  • Publication of the final Sustainable Tourism Toolkit (Month 35)

These activities will build on the research now available online.

Access the Resources

All materials are available on the fuTOURiSME website.

We invite SMEs, destinations, industry stakeholders and the broader tourism community to explore the findings.

Youth Innovators at the upcoming EPIC Final Conferenceand Hackathon

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

A celebration of youth-driven social innovation is set to take place at the upcoming EPIC Final Conference and Hackathon. This landmark event marks the culmination of the Entrepreneurial Citizenship for Social Change project, bringing together young social entrepreneurs, youth workers, and industry experts to showcase sustainable solutions to pressing community challenges across the Western Balkans.

The social innovation Hackathon Final
The highlight of the event will be the highly anticipated Hackathon Final. After months of intensive capacity-building using the newly developed EPIC Curriculum and Toolkits, teams of young innovators will take the stage to pitch their social business models to a panel of experts. These youth-led initiatives, deeply rooted in the European EntreComp framework, aim to tackle local social and environmental issues. The hackathon will demonstrate the participants’ journey from identifying community problems to designing actionable, sustainable ventures using tools like the Social Business Model Canvas.

Reflecting on Impact
In addition to the live pitches, the Final Conference will serve as a platform to reflect on the successful pilot implementations in Kosovo, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Stakeholders will discuss how the initiative successfully bridged the gap between social work and entrepreneurial action, empowering dozens of youth and youth workers, even in regions lacking formal legal frameworks for social enterprises.

Key Event highlights:

  • Live pitching sessions: Young entrepreneurs present their innovative social ventures.
  • Impact panels: Expert discussions on the outcomes and future of social entrepreneurship training in the Western Balkans.
  • Networking opportunities: A collaborative space connecting youth workers, young leaders, policymakers, and potential investors.

    Join the Conference
    Stakeholders, youth workers, youth, and the public are invited to attend this dynamic event to support the next generation of socially responsible leaders and explore opportunities for cross sector collaboration.

    Event details:
  • Date: 17/02/2026
  • Time: 10:00
  • Location: HomeWork Hub, Sarajevo

More information about the project is available at: https://epic-project.eu/

Closing Event of the “Supporting Mental Health Resilience among Youth in Cyprus” Project Highlights Progress in Strengthening Youth Mental Health Resilience

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

The Closing Event of the project “Supporting Mental Health Resilience among Youth in Cyprus” took place on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, at CARDET’s premises in Nicosia, marking the successful completion of a 26-month EU-funded initiative. The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, UNICEF, national and local authorities, youth organisations, professionals, and young people to reflect on the project’s outcomes and future perspectives.

Implemented with the technical support of the European Commission (SG REFORM), UNICEF, and the Ministry of Health in Cyprus, and in close cooperation with national stakeholders such as the Cyprus Youth Council, the Youth Board of Cyprus, CARDET, the Municipality of Lakatamia, and the Municipality of Kourion, the project aimed to strengthen youth mental health promotion and prevention, while enhancing meaningful youth participation in policymaking in Cyprus.

Addressing participants, Mrs Maria Evangelou, Officer of Nursing Services, on behalf of Mr Evagoras Tampouris, Director of Nursing Services at the Ministry of Health, reflected on the project’s long-term relevance, stating: “Although the project is coming to an end, its impact remains alive, offering practical tools and approaches that will continue to strengthen the mental resilience of young people in Cyprus”.

In a video-recorded message, Mrs Judith Rozsa, Director at SG REFORM of the European Commission, highlighted the project’s European significance: “This project is a prime example of how EU funding can support Member States in building capacity across sectors to address healthy lifestyles and prevent mental health problems among youth and children”.

From UNICEF’s perspective, Mrs Aida Ailarova, Adolescent Development Specialist, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia, representing Mr Octavian Bivol, Deputy Director of UNICEF Europe and Central Asia, emphasised the importance of sustainability and cross-sectoral collaboration, noting: “Youth mental health is fundamental for resilient and sustainable societies. This project has highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration and meaningful youth participation, laying strong foundations for long-term, sustainable interventions in Cyprus”.

Representing the Youth Board of Cyprus (ONEK), Mrs Glykeria Kalamata, on behalf of Mrs Maria Miltiadou, Deputy Executive Director, underscored the central role of young people throughout the project’s implementation, stating: “Through this project, young people were given a voice to shape mental health services and contribute meaningfully to the National Youth Strategy”.

Project Achievements and Youth Engagement

During the session “Project Achievements and Journey – Key Outcomes, Milestones, and Impact Highlights”, Dr Charalambos Vrasidas, Executive Director of CARDET, presented the project’s main achievements, including participatory research processes, youth-informed policy tools, and strengthened multi-stakeholder cooperation.

“CARDET, working closely with all partners, actively supported the design and implementation of participatory processes that placed young people at the center. This project demonstrates that research, innovation, and community engagement can lead to tangible and actionable policy changes”.

This was followed by a panel discussion titled “Youth Voices: Experiences and Perspectives”, featuring contributions from Maria Diplarou, President of the Cyprus Youth Council; Maria Peyioti, Psychiatry Resident and Chair of the Health Committee of the 6th Youth Parliament (2023–2024) and Andreas Panayiotou, Podcaster and project workshop participant. Moderated by Nikolas Athinis, Youth, Rights, and Inclusion Team Leader at CARDET, the discussion highlighted lived experiences, stigma reduction, and the need for accessible, youth-friendly mental health services.

A Firechat session titled “Youth & Municipalities: Young People Ask, Municipalities Reply!” followed, with the participation of Michalis Xypsitis, Deputy Mayor of Tseri (representing the Municipality of Lakatamia), and Valentina Michael, Chief Executive Secretary of the Municipality of Kourion. Moderated by Andreas Panayiotou, the session facilitated direct dialogue between young people and local authorities.

Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

Mrs Anahit Minassian, Youth Mental Health Technical Support Coordinator at UNICEF Europe and Central Asia, outlined key outcomes achieved in Cyprus, including the adoption of a National Mental Health Strategy developed in close cooperation with young people, the prioritisation of mental health within the National Youth Strategy 2030, the introduction of a dedicated budget line for youth engagement, and the launch of the first National Campaign on Youth Mental Health. As she noted, “This initiative demonstrates how meaningful youth participation can translate into lasting policy and systemic change”.

Mr Alexandros Tifas, Mental Health Nursing Officer at the Ministry of Health, highlighted the human-centred nature of the initiative, stating: “This was not just a project of deliverables, but a shared journey that brought us closer to the real needs of young people”.

On behalf of the European Commission, Ms Hana Lucić, Policy Officer at SG REFORM, expressed her warm regards to all partners and remarked: “The commitment and collaboration demonstrated serve as an excellent example of how reform initiatives can achieve real social impact”.

The Closing Event of the “Supporting Mental Health Resilience among Youth in Cyprus” project reaffirmed the shared commitment of all stakeholders to ensure that youth mental health remains a policy priority, embedded sustainably across health, social, educational, and community systems in Cyprus.

Learn more about the project and find available the report: https://cardet.org/projects/supporting-mental-health-resilience-among-youth-in-cyprus/

INFINITE Project Launches First Classroom Implementations in Cyprus

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

The INFINITE project successfully launched its first classroom implementations in Cyprus in December 2025, marking a significant milestone in the project’s rollout and impact. The implementations were delivered through close collaboration between UNIC and CARDET, the partners responsible for the national rollout, with Global College piloting the student-focused blended course.

The pilot engaged a cohort of 52 participants, including 50 higher education students and two higher education teachers, Giorgos and Leonidas. Through a series of hands-on activities, participants explored key topics such as AI literacy, ethical use of artificial intelligence, and its practical applications in learning. The implementations aimed to strengthen students’ digital readiness and build their confidence to navigate an increasingly AI-driven academic and professional landscape.

Beyond classroom delivery, the pilots generated valuable insights that will support the continuous improvement and sustainability of the INFINITE project. To ensure alignment with project objectives and ongoing development, the course was evaluated through verbal feedback and an online survey. The evaluation contributed robust qualitative and quantitative data, informing the refinement of the training materials and guiding future implementations.

These first classroom pilots represent an important step in advancing the INFINITE project’s mission to equip higher education learners with the skills and awareness needed to engage critically and responsibly with artificial intelligence.

The INFINITE – artificial intelligence For professional and pedagogical practices in Higher Education aims to make the best use of AI for teaching, learning and assessment in Higher Education (HE).

Learn more about the project here: https://infinite-erasmus.eu/ 

Turning MILES Learning into Classroom Action

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

As we have already stepped into 2026, one thing has become clear: the challenges young people face online aren’t slowing down. Over the past months, the MILES partnership has focused on teacher trainings and webinars to strengthen skills around disinformation, fake news, prebunking and AI-driven manipulation. January was about the next leap forward. Putting learning into practice, and making it easy for educators to do so.

From “knowing” to “doing” in the classroom

Many teachers tell the same thing, students encounter misinformation every day, but classroom time is limited. Educators want practical ways to address disinformation that are realistic, adaptable, and engaging, without needing an extra subject or an entirely new curriculum. That is why MILES is currently focusing on a crucial bridge phase: co-design workshops with teachers.

Co-design workshops: building materials with teachers

Rather than developing resources in isolation, MILES partners are working directly with educators to shape what the student phase will look like. In these co-design sessions, teachers and partners collaborate to develop and refine student-facing learning activities that can be implemented across different school subjects and age groups. The workshops help partners and teachers, identify what students struggle with most (and what they overestimate) translate media literacy concepts into concrete classroom activities adapt exercises to local realities, languages, and teaching formats shape materials so they are easy to use, repeat, and scale

This is where MILES becomes truly classroom-ready, not only offering knowledge about disinformation, but creating tools that help students practise critical thinking as a habit.

Preparing the student toolbox

The outcome of this co-design phase is the preparation of the MILES Student Toolbox: a growing collection of structured activities and resources that will support upcoming student workshops in schools across the partner countries. These materials are designed to help students actively practise skills such as 1. Questioning Sources, 2. Intent Recognising manipulation tactics and emotional triggers reflecting on how AI-generated content can blur trust discussing information respectfully without falling into cynicism

Teachers’ feedback at this stage is essential. It ensures the toolbox will be practical, engaging, and aligned with how learning actually happens in real classrooms.

What’s next In the coming months, the co-designed materials will be implemented and tested through student workshops. These classroom experiences will also feed back into the toolbox, helping MILES project refines what works best and share approaches that can be adopted more widely.

👉 Follow the project and explore MILES platform here: https://platform-miles.erasmusplus.website/ 

EPIC Curriculum Implemented Through Youth and Youth Worker Trainings in the Western Balkans

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

Following the development of the EPIC Training Curriculum on Social Entrepreneurship and the completion of the Train-the-Trainer Workshop and Study Visit in Athens, Greece, the EPIC project advanced to its next crucial phase: the implementation of training activities at local level. These trainings translated the project’s educational resources and methodologies into practice, directly engaging youth workers and young people across the Western Balkans.

Project partners in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo organised and delivered a series of training workshops tailored to two key target groups: youth workers, including professionals and representatives of youth organisations, and young people aged 15–30. The workshops were designed to apply a cascading training model, enabling participants who had graduated from the Training of Trainers (ToT) in Greece to transfer their knowledge, skills, and experience to their local communities.

The primary objectives of the training implementations were to enhance participants’ competencies in social enterprise management, effectively communicate the tools and methodologies developed during the earlier phases of the project, and adapt the EPIC Curriculum to local social and economic realities. Additionally, the workshops aimed to foster sustainable learning communities and strengthen connections among participants, encouraging long-term collaboration and peer learning.

Overall, the training activities reached 60 youth workers and 60 young people, generating high levels of engagement and enthusiasm across all target groups. While initial assessments revealed that many participants had a limited understanding of social entrepreneurship, often associating it primarily with philanthropy, the training sessions successfully shifted perspectives and built a solid foundational understanding of social enterprise principles. Participants also provided valuable feedback and constructive suggestions that will contribute to the further refinement of the EPIC Curriculum.

The training implementations marked a significant milestone for the project, successfully cultivating a culture of social entrepreneurship and inspiring a new generation of young people and youth workers to develop innovative, community-driven solutions for social change.

The EPIC Training Curriculum on Social Entrepreneurship aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial capacities of young people in the Western Balkans by equipping them with practical tools, knowledge, and resources to develop a social entrepreneurship mindset and skill set.

The EPIC project recognises the power of young people as drivers of positive social transformation. It seeks to empower youth workers and young people in the Western Balkans to become active citizens and social entrepreneurs by supporting them in identifying social challenges, developing innovative ideas, and transforming those ideas into sustainable social enterprises.

Aligned with the EU’s EaSI (2020) perspective, EPIC highlights the role of social enterprises in addressing social issues through civic engagement, particularly among disadvantaged groups. By promoting social entrepreneurship, the project contributes to reducing youth unemployment, fostering community development, and creating meaningful job opportunities in underserved social and environmental sectors.

The EPIC project specifically aims to:

  • Foster cooperation across regions through joint initiatives
  • Strengthen the capacity of organisations working with young people outside formal education
  • Support the development of quality youth work
  • Promote non-formal learning and active youth participation in society

More information about the project is available at: https://epic-project.eu/

INNOVATE Project Successfully Concludes

Written by Veronica Charalambous on . Posted in Project News.

The Erasmus+ funded INNOVATE project has officially come to an end, marking an important milestone in strengthening how innovation is planned and managed within adult education, vocational education and training (VET), and European Vocational Enterprises (EVEs). Throughout its implementation, the project has supported educators and organisations in embedding innovation as a structured and practical element of everyday work.

INNOVATE has delivered a comprehensive set of results tailored to organisations at different stages of their innovation journey. Key outputs include a White Paper outlining major challenges and future directions for innovation management in education and training, as well as a Self-Assessment Tool enabling organisations to reflect on current practices and identify areas for improvement. In addition, the Manual on Innovation Management provides step-by-step guidance for planning and managing innovation processes, complemented by a dedicated Training on Innovation Management to support skills development. A Trainers’ Guide has also been developed to assist educators and trainers in delivering high-quality innovation-related learning activities.

These results have contributed to strengthening planning, coordination, and decision-making around innovation among educators and VET professionals. By promoting a more structured and reflective approach to change, the project has supported quality enhancement and long-term organisational development. Collaboration between partners from several European countries further enabled the exchange of experiences and good practices, reinforcing shared learning at European level.

Although the project has formally concluded, its impact will continue. All INNOVATE results remain freely available online and can be used beyond the project lifetime to support training activities, organisational development, and professional learning in adult education and VET.

All project resources can be accessed at https://innovate-project.eu/. Stakeholders are encouraged to explore, download, and share the materials with colleagues and professional networks.

The partnership would like to thank all partners, educators, and stakeholders who contributed to the success of the INNOVATE project. The project leaves a lasting legacy of practical tools and knowledge to support innovation in adult learning and VET across Europe.