Application Deadline: 22nd July 2015, 11:59 PM, New York time.
When: 18th to 25th October 2015 in Torino, Italy
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a social entrepreneur?
Do you want to create social and economic opportunities for you and for others around you?
Do you want to improve intercultural relations in your community and across the Mediterranean?
Do you have the courage to challenge yourself?
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and Fondazione CRT are organizing an 8-day training which will bring together 20 young people from the Euro-Mediterranean region to enhance the skills needed to boost a business idea with a social mission, and be a powerful motor of economic development and social inclusion.
In addition to this training, the selected 20 young adults will receive feedback from peers,
mentoring from experienced social entrepreneurs and will be matched with potential investors. The event will be organized at Fondazione CRT premises in Torino (Italy) from 18 to 25 October 2015.
Entrepreneurs for Social Change is a one-year programme of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and Fondazione CRT, which aims to support young social entrepreneurs in the Euro-Med region.
The programme offers a one-week intensive training for 20 social entrepreneurs who are selected through a competitive call for applications from the 26 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. Ten experts from the roster of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations provide training sessions on building business models, fundraising, generating employment, facilitating intercultural understanding, engaging local communities, and addressing marginalization.
After the training, the social entrepreneurs have the opportunity to benefit from both one-on-one and group mentoring sessions. Through these, participants practically apply lessons they learn during the training, approach potential investors, strengthen their business plans, and test their social impact. One mentor works with each trainee for a period of 9 months to incubate his/her entrepreneurial idea and help move it forward.
The applicant:
• Has a social enterprise (or be in the process of establishing a social enterprise) which is either leveraging cultural and religious diversity or promoting broader social change and can potentially create economic opportunities and social inclusion for a specific community or across communities.
The social enterprise can already be established or be in itsinitial stages, the applicant must demonstrate how its idea is grounded and sustainable.
• Has a date of birth between 15th October 1979 and 15th October 1997.
• Holds a passport valid until at least 30th April 2016 (for a visa to be issued, a passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after the expected date of entry into the country issuing the visa).
• Lives in and be of nationality from a Euro-Med country.
• Is fluent in spoken English
Eligible Countries
Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestinian territories, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey
Application Process:
You need to submit an application package which must include the following documents:
• The application form (see separate document);
• A scan of the identification page of your current valid international passport
• Your resume/curriculum vitae, in English, with a maximum of 3
Selection criteria
Organizers of the training will adopt the following selection criteria to shortlist the
best 40 candidates:
• Applicant’s background;
• Objectives of the social enterprise;
• Capacity to frame social context and diversity issues;
• Capacity to address cultural/religious challenges;
• Capacity of the social enterprise to generate employment;
• Financial sustainability of the social enterprise.
The shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by a selection panel between 25th July
and 15th August 2015.
The shortlisted candidates will be required to send additional documents at the request of the organizers. The 20 successful candidates will be selected by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
Benefits:
There is no participation fee,
All selected participants will be provided with round0trip international tickets to Torino
(most direct route, economy class) and accommodation once in Torino. Meals and
coffee breaks will be provided during the training.
