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Description
This project aims to enhance self-employment opportunities for refugees and marginalized groups in the Czech Republic, closely aligning with the objectives of the Social Dialogue and Decent Work Programme. Through tailored training and capacity building programs, it addresses specific labour market needs and supports marginalized groups.
The project aims to share knowledge of business opportunities in the Czech Republic for Ukrainian refugees, migrants, and other disadvantaged groups, making it easier for them to enter the Czech labour market and become self-employed. The project consists of three main parts: an internal training trip to Norway, a roadshow in five selected Czech cities featuring educational and consulting seminars for Ukrainian refugees, and the creation of informational materials on business opportunities in the Czech Republic.
Given the significant refugee population in the Czech Republic, facilitating their access to decent work is crucial for successful integration. Refugees and marginalized groups often face challenges when starting businesses in a new country, such as language and legal barriers. Project ROSE proposes a specific solution to one of the legal barriers, by assisting individuals in obtaining the necessary Czech legal trade license.
Additionally, the project recognizes the potential for entrepreneurial activities to extend beyond the Czech Republic, particularly with the eventual transfer of businesses back to Ukraine. This approach not only fosters entrepreneurship but also contributes to the long-term economic development of both countries while facilitating refugees'' integration into the European market.
Summary of project results
The ROSE II project is the continuation of the ROSE I project, which aimed to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian war refugees and other marginalized groups into the Czech labour market through self-employment and entrepreneurship.
The main objective of the ROSE II 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. Following the previous project, the expected outcome was again 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 supported 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 implementation of the ROSE II project included the organization of an educational and awareness-raising roadshow for Ukrainian refugees and a complete translation of all developed project materials and website into English in order to broaden the potential for inclusion also to other marginalized groups of migrants living in the Czech Republic.
The roadshow was conducted in three cities: Olomouc, Hradec Králové, and Pilsen, covering Olomoucký, Královehradecký, and Plzeňský regions. The roadshow was 3 days long and took place on 22.-24.4.2024.
The project team continued with the established structure of the programme from the ROSE I project 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. To the programme, AMSP CR included also the received feedback from evaluation questionnaires form the previous roadshows where participants asked for possibilities of financing their starting business. Therefore, AMSP CR invited to all three evente a representative from the Labour Office which offers financial support for entrepreneurs.
For the communication, AMSP CR used primarily its channels with reach of 369 followers on YouTube, 1371 on LinkedIn, 2200 on Facebook, and 1223 on Twitter (to the date 30.1.2024). In total, 19 posts and articles about ROSE II activities were created. Furthermore, channels of other stakeholders and relevant NGOs reached during the project lifetime were used for disseminating the invitations for the Roadshow as well as the developed materials and step-by-step brochure for Ukrainians and other foreigners.
The main outcome 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 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 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 and engaged in dialogues with the SMB Norge representative.
The roadshow saw high participation, with 124 attendees across the three cities, exceeding the initial target of 60 participants. Additionally, the sessions were recorded and uploaded online on the YouTube channel of AMSP CR, and thereby extending the reach and impact of the training.
Summary of bilateral results
The project was implemented by the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Crafts of the Czech Republic (AMSP ČR) in collaboration with SME Norway. Both project promoter and the Norwegian partner were involved in the planning and implementation of activities.