CAPSULE / CArreer Path Support for young women UnLocking Entrepreneurial spirit

<< Background >>The idea of this project started from the systemic barriers that young women (YW) face when it comes to entrepreneurship, career development, and professional growth. A consistent part of the partners’ team is composed of women, who have experienced, in one way or another, these kinds of constraints over time, namely limited access to resources, mentorship, or a supportive ecosystem. Furthermore, our previous experience in working with YW showed us that they are facing challenges like mental barriers, lack of role models, or cultural expectations that discourage alternative career paths outside of traditional employment.This project was designed to bring awareness to entrepreneurship as a viable career choice, provide a structured system, and empower YW to take control of their professional journey. It aimed to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship, by fostering an inclusive and digitally transformative approach, in alignment with EU priorities. The project directly addressed the underrepresentation of women in business, as reflected in EU reports, and supported YW in overcoming self-doubt, fear of failure, and low-risk tolerance.<< Objectives >>The main objective of this project was to empower YW in entrepreneurship, equipping them with the necessary skills, confidence, and network to become active change agents in their communities. The project’s activities were designed to address the key barriers that are limiting YWs’ participation in entrepreneurship such as fear of failure, lack of role models, and restricted access to tailored support. Through the current project, we wanted to provide training, coaching, mentoring, and consultancy in order to help YW to develop and implement their entrepreneurial or community projects. Also, we aimed to create a strong and supportive network of YW entrepreneurs in order to enhance collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and peer support.Another key objective of the project was to raise awareness about YW entrepreneurship as a viable career path and a driver for social change, achieved through a large-scale communication campaign meant to inspire and inform YW about the available opportunities, and advocating for inclusivity and gender equality in entrepreneurship. By implementing the project, we contributed to the EU priorities on youth and women’s entrepreneurship, self-employment, and active citizenship.<< Implementation >>The project consisted in providing a space for continuous learning & engagement among YW by establishing communities of practice, mastermind sessions, and an international bootcamp. These 3 key components were designed to empower 105 YW entrepreneurs:-capacity building: developing a self-leadership e-course & handbooks, translating them into multiple languages, alongside with 4 e-courses already available before the project’s start, running a hybrid learning program with 6 in-person & online cohorts, covering entrepreneurial mindset, business model canvas, financing, pitching, storytelling etc.-community support: creating 3 communities of practice for YW, thus ensuring long-term peer support; organizing an international bootcamp on business expansion; hosting 5 mastermind sessions for international community; engaging 14 influencer ambassadors to amplify project visibility.-tailored support & impact measurement: offering mentorship, coaching & consultancy for YW in order to start/grow their business, producing 6 impact stories showcasing YW entrepreneurs, implementing impact tracking via surveys, interviews & personal tracking diaries; and publishing an insight paper with recommendations for fostering YW entrepreneurship.<< Results >>As part of the capacity-building efforts, the project created a self-leadership e-course and provided a total of 5 guided e-courses available in 4 languages. YW benefited from 6 structured training programs, combining online and in-person experiences, consisting also of 18 residential weekends. 85 Youthpass certificates were awarded, recognizing the skills acquired. 71,8% of YW were reporting improved entrepreneurial knowledge and 86,11% recommended the program to their peers.In order to foster an international community, 3 CoPs were established across 3 countries, with 22 meetings & 5 international mastermind sessions. The project engaged 14 influencer ambassadors who actively promoted its activities through 34 articles & posts. Additionally, an international bootcamp for 10 YW was organized, providing the chance to explore new business opportunities, and a network of coaches & mentors was helping participants to overcome mental barriers and refine their business ideas. 6 inspiring success stories were documented, highlighting the impact of entrepreneurship on YW, and an insight paper summarizing key learnings. 72,95% of participants reported overcoming mental barriers and felt more prepared to launch their business.