22 September, 2014

CIT has begun a partnership with a number of european partners to assess the context and needs surrounding older unemployed across Europe.
The project “Empowering entrepreneurial skills and unleashing potential of older unemployed - MYBUSINESS” is financed by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Programme and its main objective is to increase the managerial and entrepreneurial skills of senior unemployed, giving them confidence and providing them with the tools to create their own business and  to promote  lifelong learning and employability. The target group for this project is older unemployed, over 50 years old, who are not currently integrated into the labour market.  MYBUSINESS aims to create and test a customised training programme tailored to unemployed seniors interested in becoming self-employed or entrepreneurs, on the basis on their own identified needs, strengthening their entrepreneurial skills and competences while taking advantage of their experience and promoting self-confidence, contributing not only to the creation of new jobs, but also addressing wider social and economic challenges related to aging population. This project is implemented by a consortium of six partners from six European countries (Romania, Ireland, Belgium, Greece, Spain, and Austria).  The project began on September 1st, 2014 and will run for 24 months until August 30th, 2016.
 
As part of the programme, we are required to establish a regional assessment team with key stakeholders.  The team is required to meet 3 times over the lifetime of the project and will act as an advisory group for the project in Ireland. Specifically, the team will provide guidance in terms of the gathering and analysis of the information obtained from the target groups. The team will also provide guidance on other stages and activities of the project, such us design, delivery and implementation of the training, communication and networking activities. The regional assessment team will also have a key role to play in exploiting project outcomes beyond the project lifetime where relevant.