TEP’ ‘’Triple E Project’’ training is specifically tailored to address youth unemployment problem by equipping them with real life work skills as well as empowering them to be entrepreneurs. The training was held in Manchester for 6 days with 30 participants coming from the following 6 NGO’s (5 each) from UK, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Moldova and Slovakia. The training focused on developing many professional skills such as Project Management, Problem solving, team work, creative thinking, and leadership. Also, it promoted the entrepreneurship, by tackling how to be an entrepreneur and initiate our own business in the light of limited resources and growing competition. Ramzi Al- Mashni – from the Jordan team described his experience indicating that the program was a mixture between serious activities, peer learning, public interaction and fun. We benefited a lot from the Business Island Game where we were divided into teams and initiate our own business. The game enhanced our team building and team management skills, our understanding of business environment and how to analyze business opportunities and challenges. Each team competed with the other teams simulating the real world competition. Most of the sessions were made in groups to make us mingle and know more about each other, so we heard each other’s story and learn about our commonalities. This helped us understand and appreciate each other. We had sessions related to wealth creation and how to have grants to support your start-up business. On Wednesday the 7th of October we had a free day in Manchester and we were asked to do some interviews with business holders around the city; to learn from their experiences and their challenges. It was not an easy thing to do, but some teams made it happen and they were able to get more than 5 interviews. This life changing experience made us think again of how to start a business and that we need to learn from others mistakes. It taught us how to take the first step and that no one should give up for his/ her own dream. The training encouraged creative mind juggling, self-confidence, strategic thinking and business conception “ab initio” (from first principles). Participants were challenged by asking them to conduct ”Business Interviews” with entrepreneurs and small scale business owners in Manchester and environs. See some interviews here.
