SOUP
European project supporting young entrepreneurs and project creators in turning their ideas into reality by promoting community dialogue, crowdfunding and the creation of local support networks.
Period
March 2022 – February 2024
Area
Youth Entrepreneurship, Community Participation, Crowdfunding
Status
Completed
About the project
SOUP is a project dedicated to supporting young entrepreneurs and project creators, helping them turn their ideas and visions into concrete initiatives within their communities. Through the SOUP concept, a crowdfunding initiative organised in an informal and community-based setting, participants have the opportunity to present their ideas, promote dialogue and gain support to develop their projects.
The project aims to respond to community needs by creating spaces for participation, discussion and support for locally based initiatives. The involvement of young people enables them to present their ideas to the community, develop communication and public presentation skills, receive feedback and connect with people interested in supporting new initiatives.
A central component of SOUP is the development of local communities capable of supporting young entrepreneurs and emerging projects. Through participatory and crowdfunding processes, young people can test their ideas, present their proposals and explore ways of obtaining support to turn their visions into reality.
The project also aims to promote the SOUP Network as an international network supporting community-based projects. Connecting local initiatives with an international network enables the sharing of experiences, knowledge and good practices, strengthening opportunities for collaboration among young people, organisations and communities across different European countries.
In this way, SOUP combines youth entrepreneurship, community participation, crowdfunding and peer learning, creating opportunities for new ideas to be presented, supported and developed.
Consortium
Coordinator
Passion Udflugt
DENMARK
International partners
Associação Check-IN
Portugal
ALLIANSSIN KEHITTAMISPALVELUT OY
FINLAND
Koprades māja Skola6
LATVIA
Social Innovation Centre
LITHUANIA
ASSOCIATION FOR VOLUNTEERISM VOLONTERSKI CENTAR SKOPJE
NORTH MACEDONIA
AC Amics de la Biblioteca de la Fonteta
SPAIN
Objectives
- 1Promote public dialogue on community needs and encourage young people’s participation in local decision-making
- 2Support young entrepreneurs in developing their ideas, visions and community-based projects
- 3Develop communication, public presentation and critical dialogue skills through face-to-face experiences
- 4Create local support communities capable of accompanying young entrepreneurs and new initiatives
- 5Promote the SOUP Network as an international network supporting community-based projects and local initiatives
Activities
Project Management
March 2022 – February 2024 – Spain, Latvia, North Macedonia, Finland, Denmark and Portugal – Four transnational partner meetings were held to coordinate, monitor and follow up on the implementation of the project activities and results. The meetings enabled the partners to assess progress across the different project phases, define next steps and ensure effective cooperation among the partner organisations.
Local Workshops (SOUP Events)
June 2022 – December 2023 – Events – Local SOUP-style workshops were organised to promote community participation, the presentation of ideas and projects, and the exchange of experiences. The activities enabled young people to present their proposals, receive feedback from the community and explore ways of obtaining support and funding for the development of their initiatives.
Handbook
March – December 2023 – Handbook – Development of a handbook providing guidance, methodologies and resources to support the organisation of SOUP events and promote youth entrepreneurship, community participation and crowdfunding. The resource brings together good practices and tools that can be adapted to different local contexts.
Multiplier Events
December 2023 – January 2024 – Spain, Latvia, North Macedonia, Finland, Denmark and Portugal – Sessions were held with 20 participants in each country to present the main resources and methodologies developed through the project. The sessions enabled participants to share the project results, promote the SOUP approach and encourage the transfer of its practices to different educational and youth work contexts.
Dissemination
March 2022 – February 2024 – Dissemination of the activities, results and resources developed through the project among target groups and stakeholders, contributing to increasing the visibility of SOUP and promoting the use of its methodologies and resources.
Materials
Handbook
Handbook providing guidance, methodologies and resources for organising SOUP events and supporting youth entrepreneurship, community participation and crowdfunding.
Check material