Exchanges between these young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia about their ecological and social business models should not only open up future prospects through economic security, overcoming ecological or social challenges and strengthening regional cooperation, but also contribute to the stabilisation of peaceful relations and mutual understanding in the long run.

For this reason, the FGYO initially funded seminars to pass intercultural skills. At the incubators' request, the information gathered on intercultural learning is now to be recorded in a methods manual containing worksheets with intercultural learning activities that the incubators can carry out with young entrepreneurs. Besides theoretical chapters on intercultural learning and the worksheets, a chapter on history and memory work seems to be useful in order to understand the influence of one's own identity and history on our living together and thus to be able to react with more tolerance to a possibly different perception of the past.

The FGYO, with its partners, is looking for an expert to support the consortium in the preparation of this publication in English.

Tasks

  • Completion of an intercultural learning toolkit for the incubators of the RISE project to raise awareness among young entrepreneurs from the Western Balkans. This includes:
    • Counter-reading and revising the already existing theory part,
    • Creating worksheets for direct use by the incubators in their meetings with young entrepreneurs,
    • Adding a chapter on history and memory work to show how everyone’s individual and personal history  
    • influences further interaction with others.
  • Set up online training courses and develop with incubators activities to raise awareness of intercultural issues among young entrepreneurs,
  • Prepare and support a 4-5 day meeting between former participants in the RISE programme and young entrepreneurs from France and Germany, which will take place at the end of November/beginning of December 2024,
  • Participate in coordination meetings to finalise the publication, prepare and organise the training course and the alumni meeting.

Profil requirements

  • Expertise in intercultural learning in general and in teaching essential intercultural skills in the Western Balkans,
  • Knowledge of intercultural learning at the professional, civil society and interpersonal levels,
  • Experience in developing teaching materials and specific activities for encounter work on the following topics:
    • intercultural learning,
    • history and memory work and
    • peace education.
  • Availability for the period mentioned to work on texts and training courses,
  • Very good knowledge of English, French and German,
  • Knowledge of another language of the region is an asset.

Timeframe

2024

  • Online coordination and working meeting with PULSE and the FGYO (2 hours in  (2x February, 2x March): 4 days
  • Work on worksheets from January - May 2024: 5 days
  • Online training 5 days or 15 evenings March - May 2024: 5 days
  • Training incubators during boot camp, 1 day during the 4th and 7th of March 2024: 1 day
  • Advice on history and memory work: 1 day
  • Travel costs (training incubators alumni meeting, 2x there, 2x back, night train): 5 days
  • Alumni meeting end of November/beginning of December (2 days Berlin, 2 days Paris, 1 night train, 3 days preparation): 8 days

Total for 2024: 6,040 €

2025

  • Online coordination and working meeting with PULSE and the FGYO (2 hours): 1 day
  • Training and evaluation with incubators January 2025: 3 days

Total for 2025: 830 €

The exact distribution of working days can be adjusted as part of the selection interviews and according to the fixed schedule, whereby the budget is unchangeable.

What the FGYO offers

  • New experiences in a multilateral field of work and experimentation with new methods in an interdisciplinary context,
  • Contacts with new associations and actors,
  • Remuneration on a honorarium basis for participation in working groups to develop the toolbox, writing activities, preparing and running training courses for incubators and meeting alumni (see table).

How to apply

  • A relevant curriculum vitae,
  • a letter of motivation outlining your competences in relation to the above-mentioned topics (intercultural  learning in general, intercultural competence in entrepreneurship, history and memory work, peace education) and presenting a few ideas regarding possible work sheets and training units for incubators.

Applications are open until January 31st 2024 and should be sent in English to trinational@ofaj.org with the subject “Application expert for intercultural training”

If you have any questions about the RISE project, please contact sasa.ciric@pulse-group.org in English. For questions about the role as an intercultural expert, please contact gabbe@ofaj.org.