13 young people from Pernik District took part in a one-day training on the topic: "Agricultural cooperatives, how and why to establish?"
The event was held at the Regional Youth Center - Breznik as part of the RAISE Youth project program. It was led by experts Bozhura Fidanska and Milena Murdzheva from the National Association of Small Family Farmers and Processors under the project "Youth Cooperation for Renewal of Agriculture through Education" - YOUCooperATE, which partners organizations from five countries - Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Hungary and Italy.
The course was the first phase of modular training in three stages, related to starting your own business in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry.
During the training, topics related to the creation and development of the cooperative movement in Europe and Bulgaria were presented; principles and values of cooperatives; the benefits of association and participation in agricultural cooperatives; types of agricultural cooperatives; SWOT-analysis of cooperatives; preparation of a business plan and future of agricultural cooperatives.
In the coming months participants will be able to join the following training modules:
- - online trainings on "Preparation of a business plan and implementation of an agricultural cooperative";
- on-site visit to an agricultural cooperative to get acquainted with the activities, the way of work and the good practices in the management;
The RAISE Youth project, implemented by the Center for Sustainable Communities Development, covers over 500 young people aged between 18 and 29, living in the municipalities of Pernik, Breznik, Trun, Radomir, Zemen and Kovachevtsi, who neither work nor study at the moment. Within its framework, they undergo various trainings in career and personal development, and the most active 20 participants will be provided with additional training and mentoring assistance to start their own business.
The RAISE Youth project is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment.