Entrepreneurs for Social Change, a program of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and Fondazione CRT, will kick off on Sunday 18 October 2015, in Torino, Italy.
Supporting young entrepreneurs, who, through their business activities, are committed to creating employment opportunities while promoting nonviolent social change is the core of the program.
Training, mentoring, and investors/entrepreneurs matching are the tools used throughout the program. Human centered approach, emotional intelligence sharing, community building and design thinking are both values and methods available during the training.
The training of Entrepreneurs for Social Change will last until Sunday 25 October 2015 and will feature 20 participants from 14 different countries in the Euro-Mediterranean.
Ten experts from the roster of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations provide training sessions on building business models, fundraising, generating employment, facilitating intercultural understanding, engaging local communities, and addressing marginalization.
The previous two editions of the program show the success rate of the social enterprises participating in the program is much higher than the average in the region, with some social entrepreneurs having been able to increase investments in their social enterprise at the end of the program, up to 10 times compared to the beginning of the program.
Giacomo Crescenzi, one of the alumni of the previous edition and today a co-trainer, summarized hopes and prospects: “This program changed my life and perspectives last year. I am glad I will contribute to share the same flavour that sparked my enteprise with the new batch of entrepreneurs.”
Shorouk Hammoud, who had to travel several hours throughout all the checkpoints dividing Damascus, Syria from Beirut, Lebanon in order to start her journey to Torino has pointed out to her expectations: “My dreams to widening my project will come true now: I will learn from international experts, speak loudly about my expertise, make all its plans done. I can be part of an international entrepreneurs network: this program is the best way to inspire me and make my country a better place to live in. I already have to say thanks UNAOC, thanks Fondazione CRT.”