With educational workshops, we support innovation and entrepreneurship of marginalized people

We are creating a mentoring system in Croatia with the aim of quality transfer of knowledge in the field of preparation and implementation of EU projects

PROJECT "Now I KNOW! for the EU experience" envisages innovative educational workshops that combine the application of theory to concrete case studies and educational expert mentoring in the process of preparing and implementing projects, which will be provided to users by experts from various fields from the ZNAM cluster! in cooperation with experts from the Adult Education Institution - CALLIDUS from Zagreb, all with the aim of adequate absorption of EU funds.

Cluster I KNOW! signed on September 15, 2017 with the City of Zagreb the Agreement on financing the project "SvEU ZNAM!" In 2017", in the amount of HRK 30,000.00, based on the application of the cluster to the "Public tender for financing programs and projects of associations in the field of European integration and EU funds from the City of Zagreb Budget for 2017".

The project "I KNOW EVERYTHING! In 2017", thanks to financial resources for programs and projects of associations in the field of European integration and European Union funds from the Budget of the City of Zagreb for 2017, will enable Cluster ZNAM! continuation of the creation of a mentoring system in Croatia, and it will enable end users to transfer quality knowledge from the field of preparation and implementation of projects co-financed from EU sources. 

The project "I KNOW EVERYTHING! In 2017", is part of a wider project flywheel called "NOW I KNOW!" which is based on the phased construction of a mentoring system for representatives of marginalized groups (young unemployed people, women aged 50+ registered at the Employment Agency, younger retirees, veterans and other groups in a disadvantageous position on the labor market) who want to realize their potential business idea into a successful entrepreneurial venture. The implementation of the wider project is planned in three phases:

• First phase: DEVELOPMENT OF THE MENTORING PROGRAM, that is, the methodology of the work of mentors with representatives of marginalized groups who want to start realizing their business idea;
• Second phase: BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF THE MENTORS of the ZNAM! Cluster members, regarding the transfer of knowledge about the specific methodology of mentors' work with users, which will bring them to the level of readiness to provide mentoring support;
• Third phase: WORK OF MENTORS WITH INDIVIDUALS - end users.

The first and second phases of the wider project were financed in 2015, and with the signing of the contract on the financing of the project "SvEU I KNOW! In 2017, the implementation of the third phase started in 2016, that is, the work of mentors with individuals, continued.

GENERAL GOAL OF THE PROJECT:

• Transfer the professional knowledge of the mentor Fr preparation and implementation of projects financed by EU fundsthrough the mentoring process into relevant experience for newly founded entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs in the process of founding and entrepreneurs without similar experience.

ACTIVITIES:

• Implementation of the mentoring process       
• Information activity    
• Activity Visibility.            

PROJECT "Now I KNOW! for EU experience" envisages innovative educational workshops that combine the application of theory to concrete case studies and teaching professional mentoring in the process preparation and implementation of projects which will be provided to users by experts from different fields from the cluster I KNOW! in cooperation with experts from the Institution for Adult Education - CALLIDUS from Zagreb, and all with the aim of adequate absorption of EU funds. Equally, by pointing out the most common mistakes in the later implementation of projects, users are instructed to avoid the occurrence of unacceptable costs and/or irregularities in the implementation of projects through proper planning.

Education and mentoring are aimed at preparing participants for project applications for calls for proposals until the end of 2017, that is, for the implementation of projects for those participants of education and mentoring. which have signed contracts on the allocation of grants based on applications to the public call "Innovations of newly established SMEs" and "E-impuls".

Basically, the project represents the merging of the participants' previously acquired knowledge of the basics of entrepreneurship and the opportunities provided by various forms of available EU funding into a much-needed experience, i.e. the transition from the theory of EU funding to practice through individual 1-on-1 mentoring.

As part of mentoring, expert mentors will guide users through the process of developing a project idea, reading and understanding the call documentation (Instructions for applicants, General and special conditions of the Financing Agreement, de minimis support rules, rules for determining the size of the company and filling out the collective statement, etc.) , methodology of preparation of financial projections required for project application, etc., and preparation of project application according to the call rules. Also, the mentors will review the documentation that will be prepared independently by the selected users, offer specific advice and instructions for improving the project idea and related application documentation. The output of the mentoring is not a fully developed project application of the selected project ideas due to the fact that this type of support could represent a transfer of state support for the selected users of the education and mentoring program, i.e. for the holders of the selected project ideas. In addition to the above, the mentoring program aims to transfer knowledge, which should result in the individual user of the program (participant of the program) independently, after successful completion of education and mentoring, being able to independently prepare high-quality documentation for submitting a project idea for national and/or EU co-financing funds, that is, independently implement a project for which EU co-financing was obtained.

Beneficiaries of the project, i.e. the educational and mentoring program, will be identified through the ZNAM! Cluster member base. and with the help of the Development Agency of the City of Zagreb.

Education, information and mentoring services for end users are free.

For more information about the project, contact us at info@ustanovacallidus or znam@znam.hr 

Emphasis on responsibility:

This document was created with the financial support of the City of Zagreb. The content of this document is the sole responsibility of Cluster ZNAM! and under no circumstances can it be considered as a reflection of the position of the City of Zagreb.