SAY SE

The EVS project "SAY SE" is going to concentrate on the themes of entrepreneurship learning, active citizenship, and democratic values. It envisages exchange of experience between a Macedonian as a hosting organization and a Ukrainian as sending organization one volunteer to Macedonia as a hosting organization

SAY SE" seeking to tackle some of the important problems which exist in the two countries.
For Macedonia it's quite high unemployment among youngsters; uncertainty towards future and general disbelief in positive development; exclusion; lack of initiative; skepticism as for some of the issues connected with the European Union.

In its turn, Ukraine is striving for the European Union and its democratic values, and right now is experiencing the process of deep transformation and all the hardships connected with it.

What is important, one of the main drivers of positive social changes in the country is non-profitable organizations. But unfortunately, now they are having one of the most difficult epochs in their history - due to the economic crisis and general instability in the country. One of the biggest problems for NGOs is the lack is the institutional sustainability: with shortage of the governmental support - and consequently - opportunity for local initiatives, and depending on unstable favour from international institutions it's very hard for NGOs to plan long-run projects and strategic development - and thus have any systematic positive effect on the reformation of the society.

Secondly, a single desire to move toward European system of coordinates and values by itself is not enough. Even the organizations and communities which are favorable towards the EU, democratic values, human rights, tolerance, inclusion etc. need practical everyday support from the European countries and their representatives - especially from the country where these changes are very fresh in the memory and are experienced by youth on their own example.

After a considerable research and attempts to learn from the experience of various countries and organizations we came up with the understanding that these issues can be solved with the help of starting social entrepreneurship initiatives combined with the activities directed on active European citizenship. And our EVS project is about it.

The project "From Ideas to Projec" envisages a cooperation between ERC SORABOTKA and Center for European Initiatives for hosting 1 volunteer in Macedonia who will work on social entrepreneurship initiatives for the organizations and the local community, thus both helping the organizations to develop and learning entrepreneurship and active European citizenship on the way. We expect him to achieve large scale, systemic and sustainable social change through a new invention, a different approach, a more rigorous application of known technologies or strategies, or a combination of these. Moreover, we believe that helping the country which is actively working on becoming more European will help the Macedonian youth rediscover the essence and values of Europe and become its informal ambassadors.

For Macedonia, the main role in the project will be volunteering in sectors as varied and diverse as education, youth, culture, sport, environment, health, social care, consumer protection, development policy, equal opportunities and external relations. Volunteering is going to be an active expression of civic participation which strengthens European values such as solidarity and social cohesion.

OUR OBJECTIVES
1. Provide Macedonian youth with opportunities to try themselves as entrepreneurs, develop the sense of initiative, confidence in their powers; provide learning space for new knowledge and skills which will help them with future business initiatives back home;
2. Develop inclination toward active citizenship; increase youth participation in community and civic life;
3. Promote social support and inclusion among young people
4. Promote Erasmus Plus Programme as an opportunity for integration of youth in the local community and in an international context;
5. Assist Macedonian organization in becoming more independent and sustainable;
6. Provide Macedonian youth with information on EU policy and the EU integration process; encourage intercultural learning from both sides.