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Description
The aim is to integrate refugees, immigrants and similar disadvantaged groups into the labour market through training on how to start entrepreneurial activities and become self-employed
The overall objective of the project is to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian refugees and other marginalised groups into the Czech labour market, where a majority of the refugees are women. The project focuses on training of refugees to become entrepreneurs and self-employed, which will be organised in five Czech cities, with both physical trainings attracting Ukrainian refugees, but also online in order to reach more people.
Activities are as follows:
1. Five days study trip of three representatives of AMSP CR to Norway, including visits to at least 5 organisations relevant with starting SMEs, self-entrepreneurs and immigrants: Brønnøysundregisteret, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Startup Migrants, Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Norges Gründerforening.
2. Educational ''roadshow'' of a five-day-long training in five Czech cities, including physical training of 15 participants per training, and online broadcasting to broader audience, focusing on how to become a self-entrepreneur in the Czech Republic based on the experience and knowledge provided by experts from the two project organisers.
3. Two educational and raising awareness materials in Ukrainian language, including an educational leaflet that will include all information on how to set up your own entrepreneurial activity in the Czech Republic and an awareness-raising flyer with information on where to receive help and which organisations to contact when starting a new business in the Czech Republic.
Summary of project results
The main objective of the ROSE project was to provide knowledge in the area of obtaining a trade license and starting own business activities for Ukrainian war refugees, immigrants and other disadvantaged groups of foreigners as an alternative to entering the Czech labour market. The expected outcome of the project was primarily focused on facilitating access to self-employment as an alternative path for self-independence, financial stability and integration to the host society, specifically targeting Ukrainian refugees, immigrants, and other disadvantaged groups in the Czech Republic. The project aimed to support these individuals in accessing the Czech labour market through starting own entrepreneurial activities, either as a self-employed person or by establishing a business entity.
The main aim of the project was to transfer knowledge and raise awareness about possibilities of starting a business in the Czech Republic through capacity building and training of the target groups. Thus, the project delivered on the outcome 3 of the SDDW programme: "Facilitated access to employment".
The outputs of the project were finally higher than expected: (a) A study visit to Norway for five days including meetings with seven Norwegian institutions; (b) An awareness-raising roadshow split in two rounds consisting of training in six Czech cities with min. 15 participants per event. And for (c) Three types of educational and awareness-raising materials consisting of a brochure, a flyer and a leaflet.
In the first part of the project, the partners organized a 5-day-long study mission to Oslo on 20-24.2.2023, developed the educational brochure ‘How to start a business in Czechia’ and promotional materials, developed project websites and organized the first round of the project awareness-raising roadshow on 31. 5. – 2. 6. 2023.
During the second part of the implementation period, an analysis of the questionnaire responses from the initial round was undertaken before implementing the second round of the roadshow. Based on the participants'' feedback marking interest in the Czech tax system and financial advisory services, a financial advisor was invited to participate in the following roadshow.
The second roadshow was organized on 23.- 25.10.2023 in three municipalities, Plzeň, České Budějovice and Praha. The project team created the programme so that the participants could learn what forms of entrepreneurship exist in the Czech Republic, what business support organisations operate in each region and what to look out for when starting a business. Apart from speakers of AMSP CR and SMB Norge, a special guest was also invited from the Handicraft Chamber of Ukraine, Ms Elizabeth Miroshnichenko. Furthermore, the programmes included speakers from local professional entrepreneurial organizations and NGOs, and three selected examples were presented by Ukrainians who already started their business in Czechia. The programme also included individual expert consultations where participants had the opportunity to discuss their ideas and plans with the expert speakers and clarify the business path to take in the Czech Republic. The whole programme was translated into Ukrainian by two attending translators and participants had the opportunity to use their help for the consultations as well. The events ended with informal networking.
All three events were video-recorded and uploaded on the YouTube channel of AMSP CR.
In total, 151 people registered online for all 3 events from which 115 eligible participants attended the events in total, exceeding the minimum number of participants significantly.
The participants exhibited substantial interest in exploring avenues for initiating their own business ventures, actively posed questions to the speakers, and were enthusiastically involved in discussions, individual consultations, and the informal networking segment, aimed at connecting with fellow Ukrainians sharing similar aspirations. Additionally, several participants expressed interest in entrepreneurial opportunities in Norway and actively engaged in dialogues with the SMB Norge representative.