youngbusiness.net 3

Regional Development Agency, Moldava nad Bodvou, Slovakia
Developing youth enterprise services and incubation through skills transfer

Background

The Regional Development Agency (RDA) in Moldava nad Bodvou is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2002. Its mission is to coordinate the process of local regional development to maximise the effectiveness of the European Union’s structural funds in the Košice region of Slovakia.

Aiming to develop its youth enterprise services and incubator facilities, the RDA joined EDW’s YBN.3 programme in 2007. Through its links with another YBN.3 partner, the neighbouring RDA in Rimavska Sobota, the agency tapped into the knowledge and expertise they gained through participation in the YBN.2 programme.

YBN.3

With support from EDW and our partners in Rimavska Sobota, nine trainers in Moldava nad Bodvou have now been trained and achieved national accreditation to raise awareness of enterprise and offer enterprise training to young people in the region. Those trained are from a wide range of organisations, including the RDA, the municipal government of Paňovce, civil associations for the benefit of the Roma, Krasturist and Jablonka communities, and the business college in Košice.

The RDA trained two representatives of Roma associations as trainers. These individuals have a deep understanding of the issues affecting the Roma community and have crossed the language barrier that had previously been encountered in working with the Roma minority.

Enterprise awareness raising meetings have also been held with staff from the Vocational Agricultural and Industrial School in Moldava nad Bodvou, with a view to engaging their students in the career option of running their own businesses. YBN.3 project leaflets have also been widely distributed through Moldava’s two vocational schools, Roma associations, villages and visitors to the RDA.

The RDA’s Director, Petrik Ervin, and some of his colleagues, have attended many international meetings and regional conferences to facilitate the transfer of innovation and dissemination of the YBN.3 project, including meetings in London, Budapest and Rimavska Sobota. Key individuals from EDW and BYEC in Hungary also undertook a strategic visit to Moldava nad Bodvou’s Incubator Facility to discuss and review the progress of the YBN.3 programme in the region. Very positive discussions took place with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Moldava nad Bodvou.

The involvement of Moldava nad Bodvou’s RDA in the YBN.3 programme represents a genuine transfer of the results of the YBN.2 programme to another agency in Slovakia, and a valuable enhancement of the dissemination already undertaken in the earlier YBN programmes.

The goals of YBN.3 met those of the RDA and, during the project, the RDA focused on working with the Roma minority and unemployed young people, developing stronger links with vocational schools and high schools, and training students in their final year of study.

• 

• 

  YBN.3
  Central
  European
  Project

  More info >

  Download report >

• FREE Online Resources

  Useful help and information for young people and those organisations supporting them.

  For Young Entrepreneurs >

  For Support Organisations >

• "We believe that promoting youth enterprise has been an important and timely response to a decrease in economic activity and an increase in unemployment."

  YBN Partner – RDA Moldava and Bodvou