LEADER project "Entrepreneurship for the future!"

The LEADER project "Zukunft unternehmen!" (Entrepreneurship for the Future) aims to raise awareness of social entrepreneurship among students in the Steinfurt district from grade 9 onwards. Through workshops at schools, young people learn how economic activity and social engagement can work together. They acquire practical entrepreneurial skills by developing their own sustainable and social business ideas.

The project is being implemented by the Steinfurt Economic Development Agency (WESt) in cooperation with Lernen fördern e.V. and Kreissparkasse Steinfurt, which also provide financial support. Most of the funding comes from the EU's LEADER program.

Logoleiste von dem Ministerium für Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, Kofinanzierung durch die Europäische Union, Lernen fördern e.V., Kreissparkasse Steinfurt

Project objectives

Social entrepreneurship is an important pillar for the region's future viability.

Teaching schoolchildren at an early age that they can tackle and solve social challenges through entrepreneurial action is an important investment in the future. This should motivate them to take action themselves and bring about positive change in their environment.

We want to raise awareness of social entrepreneurship among schoolchildren in the Steinfurt district, get them excited about innovative, sustainable, and social business models at an early age, and teach them the skills and knowledge they need to implement their own ideas and projects. The project is thus intended to fill an important gap in the curriculum.

In the long term, "Zukunft unternehmen!" also contributes to the recruitment of skilled workers and the further development of the local start-up ecosystem. Cooperation with regional companies, start-ups, and initiatives is intended to promote practical application and exchange with the business community.

Project progress

Training of coaches
Workshops in schools
joint closing event
stabilization

Students gain insight into various topics and career paths through direct exchange with startups, associations, and projects.

 

 

What is social entrepreneurship?

Social entrepreneurship is a special form of business start-up that focuses on finding solutions to social and environmental challenges. Social entrepreneurs combine economic thinking with social responsibility and use economic methods to solve problems.

For schools

The program is designed for students in grade 9 and above and is aimed at secondary schools in the Steinfurt district, regardless of the type of school. Participation is free of charge for schools.

Guided by trainers, the young people go through the following phases in the workshops:

  • Identifying challenges: Students identify current social problems that move them personally and for which they would like to develop solutions.
  • Developing and testing solutions: They then develop and test innovative entrepreneurial ideas to overcome these challenges.
  • Developing a business model: Finally, they design a viable and sustainable business model that makes their solutions feasible.

Why participate?

  • Promote important skills such as problem-solving and initiative
  • Opportunity to develop business ideas and get creative in a team
  • Discover entrepreneurship as a possible career path

Would you like to participate with your school? Then simply fill out the form below!

To the form

Coaches

The workshops are led by selected and specially trained trainers who are passionate about social entrepreneurship and enjoy teaching the next generation the skills and knowledge they need for tomorrow's innovations. In collaboration with SEEd (Social Entrepreneurship Education), they took part in a two-day training course where they learned methods and tools such as business model canvas, agile creativity techniques, and pitch training.

Logo SEED Social Entrepreneurship Education

Project participants

"As a student, I would have loved to have had a project like this. Back then, I had no idea that I could become a founder myself," says project coordinator Carolin Möllenbeck (left), who founded a start-up with a sustainable business model five years ago.

"Social entrepreneurship is an important pillar for the future viability of our region," explains Christian Holterhues (2nd from left), managing director of WESt, and District Administrator Dr. Martin Sommer (2nd from right) is also convinced: "With this project, we are not only strengthening the innovative power of our region, but also the sense of responsibility among young people." "An important investment in the future," adds Horst Schöpper (third from left) from the Local Action Group (LAG) Steinfurter Land e.V.

Andrea Rüter (third from right), spokesperson for the board of the Lernen fördern Unternehmensverbund (Learning Promotion Business Association), is enthusiastic: "This project offers a valuable opportunity to show schoolchildren at an early age how they can contribute to the common good with their own ideas." Carl-Christian Kamp (right), member of the board of Kreissparkasse Steinfurt, also sees great potential: "As a regionally based credit institution, the promotion of education and entrepreneurship is particularly close to our hearts. "Zukunft unternehmen!" combines both in an ideal way."

Sechs Personen sitzen um einen Besprechungstisch und schauen für das Foto in die Kamera. Im Hintergrund steht ein Monitor auf dem der Text "Zukunft unternehmen!" steht.

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Contact person

Carolin Möllenbeck
Projekt „Zukunft unternehmen!“