WHAT IS IN SITU?

The EU project IN SITU (Intergenerational Social Innovation Support Scheme) focuses on socio-economic and demographic challenges. The project is jointly implemented by six European partner regions - Stuttgart/Germany, Veneto/Italy, Rijeka/Croatia, Dąbrowa Górnicza/Poland, Maribor/Slovenia and the project management in Vienna/Austria.

The aim is to give people with lack of resources and knowledge access to founding a business in the field of social innovation. At the same time young and older people are brought together so that both generations can exchange experiences and learn different competences from each other. The main components are a training programs and strategies to involve stakeholders from each respective partner region.

In order to meet the special needs in the partner regions, the project consortium will formulate a strategy for the development and promotion of intergenerational social innovations. The project duration is three years, the funding amount is 2,418,720 euros.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES IN SITU DO IN STUTTGART?

The Stuttgart team is developing a training program that is aimed at people with a refugee or migration background, the long-term unemployed and people in phases of professional change. It is important for us to enable people to start a business as well as to (re)integrate into the job market.

Our six-month training program "Empowered by Entrepreneurship" is designed to help them do this. Here, participants not only receive free workshops and seminars on the topic of founding a business, but also workshops that are specifically designed to develop and improve the so-called "soft skills". In addition, the "Deutschlern-Donnerstag" (German Learning Thursday) is a joint event in which everyone who is currently learning German can expand his/her language skills and practice with others. Another important component is the "Networking”. By networking with other start-ups and companies, our participants can build their own network and establish useful contacts. All participants also receive support from personal mentors, who assist them in all organizational matters.

With "Empowered by Entrepreneurship", we want to whet your appetite to gain a foothold here in Germany, to advance your own career and to be courageous enough to make a change in your own personal life and in the world.

WHEN DOES IT START?

The training program will start in the autumn of 2020. Workshops will take place once a week, in addition there will be a German Learning Thursday and alternately the Think Tank Thursday. Application will be possible starting from July 2020.

Currently we are still in the development phase. All exact dates and updates can be found here on our website.

HOW CAN I APPLY AND WHO WILL BE SELECTED?

Applications are open to everyone in a state of professional change, new citizens, people with a migration background and refugees. The only requirement is a German level of at least B1, as all our workshops will be held in German.

A business idea is not absolutely necessary, as it is either developed during the project’s kick-off event or an existing idea is further developed.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE TOPIC?

All information about the current state of the training program, relevant events in the region and about social innovation in general can be found in our Facebook group Facebook Gruppe „Empowered by Entrepreneurship“. We are happy about every new member that joins our group!