Social entrepreneurship, a key for cooperation and exchange among Balkan youth
Led by a consortium gathering the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), GROUPE SOS Pulse, the South East European Youth Network (SEEYN), the Institut Francais, and the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ), the RISE project (Regional Incubator for Social Entrepreneurs) aims to enrich the Western Balkans social entrepreneurship ecosystem and enable young people to develop innovative societal solutions thus contributing to reconciliation and cooperation in the region.
Promoting Balkan youth reconciliation
A positive change in the Western Balkans is possible. Stability and prosperity will be achieved only by fostering reconciliation and cooperation in the region.
RISE will assist over 200 young entrepreneurs from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia in developing their social business ideas. Through a series of workshops, mobility programs and financial support, young people will have a chance to learn, grow, develop their businesses while helping solve issues affecting their local communities.
Six local incubators will implement this regional assistance program designed by GROUPE SOS Pulse in partnership with the consortium.
Backing up regional mobility
The RISE project promotes dialogue and cooperation between actors and between territories through the mobility of its participants, the organization of regional trainings, exchange workshops and events as well as through the creation of a network of young entrepreneurs.
This three-year-long project started on October 1, 2019. It is co-funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).
[*]This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence