“Your Idea, Our Support“- European PROGRES grants for Supporting Youth Self-Employment

European PROGRES info days on the process of allocating grants for youth business start-ups entitled “Your Idea, Our Support” will be held in Bujanovac, Vranje, Leskovac, Niš, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje and Ivanjica in  the period from 8 to 25 April 2016. The info sessions are organised to familiarise future young entrepreneurs with all the grant application stages and steps they need to take – from applying and participating in the public call for proposals and the criteria for project selection to the award of grants for business start-ups.

Unemployed young people between 18 and 30 years of age, registered with the National Employment Service at the time of submitting project concept note, who are permanent residents of one of the local self-governments in European PROGRES' Area of Responsibility and plan on starting their own businesses in one of them, are eligible to apply. The European Union and the Swiss Government have earmarked 180,000 Euros to support up to 20 business start-ups in the fields of manufacturing, IT and the food processing industries with maximum 10,000 Euros per project. The minimum amount of money to be allocated to a project is 2,500 Euros.

The projects will be evaluated within two-stage competitive process. During the first stage, the applicants are to submit project concept notes, while the shortlisted applicants will have to undertake training in entrepreneurship. Only those, who successfully complete the training programme will be eligible to submit their full project proposals.

The European Union and the Swiss Government have earmarked a total of 24.46 million Euros in support of European PROGRES’ activities contributing to the sustainable development of South East and South West Serbia. The Programme aims at strengthening local governance, creating a more enabling environment for economic and infrastructural development and at improving the enforcement of social inclusion policies. The activities in the field are implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The following 34 local self-governments are covered by the Programme - Novi Pazar, Ivanjica, Nova Varoš, Priboj, Prijepolje, Raška, Sjenica and Tutin in South West Serbia, and Prokuplje, Blace, Žitorađa, Kuršumlija, Leskovac, Bojnik, Vlasotince, Lebane, Medveđa, Crna Trava, Vranje, Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Vladičin Han, Preševo, Surdulica, Trgovište, Brus, Aleksinac, Gadžin Han, Doljevac, Merošina, Svrljig, Babušnica, Bela Palanka and Knjaževac in South East Serbia.

AGENDA OF THE INFO SESSIONS ON THE PROCESS OF ALLOCATING GRANTS FOR YOUTH BUSINESS START-UPS “YOUR IDEA, OUR SUPPORT”

BUJANOVAC
Friday, 8 April 2016, 12 a.m.
The Auditorium of Bujanovac Department of the Subotica Faculty of Economy Amfiteatar (bb Karađorđa Petrovića St)
* The session is held for participants from the following local self-governments: Bujanovac and Preševo 

VRANJE
Monday, 11 April 2016, 12 a.m.
City Assembly Building Hall (1 Kralja Milana St)
* The session is held for participants from the following local self-governments: Bosilegrad, Surdulica, Trgovište, Vladičin Han and Vranje  

LESKOVAC
Tuesday, 12 April 2016, 12 am
Advanced Professional Training Centre (6 Leskovačkog odreda St)
* The session is held for participants from the following local self-governments: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Leskovac, Lebane, Medveđa and Vlasotince

NIŠ
Friday, 15 April 2016, 12 a.m.
Deli Centre (2 Davidova St)
* The session is held for participants from the following local self-governments: Aleksinac, Bela Palanka, Babušnica, Blace, Doljevac, Gadžin Han, Knjaževac, Kuršumlija, Merošina, Prokuplje, Svrljig and Žitorađa

NOVI PAZAR
Monday, 18 April, 2016, 12 a.m.
Cultural Centre (2 Stevana Nemanje St)
* The session is held for participants from the following local self-governments: Brus, Novi Pazar, Raška, Sjenica and Tutin

PRIJEPOLJE
Wednesday, 20 April 2016, at 12 a.m.
Cultural Centre (2 Sandžačkih brigada St)
* The session is held for participants from the following local self-governments: Prijepolje, Nova Varoš and Priboj

IVANJICA
Monday, 25 April, 2016, at 12 a.m.
Culture Centre, (bb Perse Rajević St)
* The session is held for participants from the municipality of Ivanjica

SCHEDULE OF THE INFO SESSIONS ON THE PROCESS OF ALLOCATING GRANTS FOR YOUTH BUSINESS START-UPS “YOUR IDEA, OUR SUPPORT”