27. 2. 2019 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, WB6 Startup academy
SUPPORTING STARTUPS AND YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS THIS YEAR CONTINUES – WB6 STARTUP ACADEMY
Youth and especially young entrepreneurs are a part of society that is usually bursting with energy, good ideas and positive attitude. We are missing more of such an approach in the Western Balkan countries that is why we have once more joined forces with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the German development agency GIZ. After four years of a bilateral cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina and a three-year cooperation with Kosovo, last year’s program was for the very first time organized regionally, and included all six countries namely: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Due to excellent feedback and a rich exchange of experience among countries, we have contacted the regional office of GIZ based in Sarajevo that already has experience with regional startup workshops and joined forces in a rich program that will be organized in English. Four workshops will unfold in different cities and countries: Tirana (Albania), Nikšić (Montenegro), Pristina (Kosovo) and Ljubljana – Maribor (Slovenia), with an intensive mentoring program occurring between the activities. We named the overall program ‘Building the WB6 Unicorn’, and by doing so clearly indicated, that we firmly believe in excellent ideas in the region. We want to empower them and make sure, that they will take the lead globally.
Workshops were developed by experts with vast experiences and are therefore pretty intensive and very practically orientated. The size of the group is also suited to this type of work, as we have selected 2 best startups from each country that will cooperate in all of the planned activities. In addition, the focus point of the program is based on two dimensions – peer to peer learning and regional networking, as international cooperation is a skill that is essential for a global breakthrough of startups and their positioning on the international market.
The first workshop is intended for actors of the startup support environment (leaders of HUBs, accelerators, incubators), while the other three are intended for startups.
Project is part of the activities that are through the Slovenia’s Development Cooperation financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language. 
3. 2. 2019 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Waste management
U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme continues with Slovenia is hosting the third international study visit on the topic of waste management.
The visit will take place between 3rd and 8th February 2019 with 18 public officials from Ukraine visiting Ljubljana, Vrhnika, Celje and Ptuj, under the patronage of U-LEAD with Europe Programme. The project on the topic of waste management – “Upgrading Municipal Waste Management Services” – helps key actors of 36 selected amalgamated hromadas in three Ukrainian regions (Dnipropetrovsk, Volyn and Zhytomyr) to implement green approaches in the waste management sector.
Participants will begin their visit with an introduction day at Jable Castle, meeting a number of representatives of Slovenian administrative and governing bodies and NGOs. In the following days, the workshops will take the participants to the field, visiting Vrhnika, Celje and Ptuj.
The visit is taking place in the framework of the multi-donor action U-LEAD established by the European Union and its Member States Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden. It is aimed to contribute to the establishment of multilevel governance that is transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of the population of Ukraine. U-LEAD with Europe is supporting the Ukrainian Government, represented by the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine (MinRegion) as a key political partner, in the coordination and implementation of the decentralisation and regional policy reforms. The Programme carries out demand-driven and targeted trainings for officials at the national, regional and local level.
9. 12. 2018 | Albania - Local Governments, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
A training course “Training of the Trainers – From Listener to Successful Trainer” took place in Durres, Albania from 3 to 6 December 2018 as part of the CEP development project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects”. Following a series of trainings, it served to transfer the skills and knowledge, gained from the trainings conducted in the previous years.
At the Training Opening, CEP Secretary General Mr Andrej Vrčon, BCCD Executive Director Ms Elvana Zhezha and Deputy Head of Mission at the Slovenian Embassy in Albania Ms Milena Radenković greeted the participants. Over 20 participants got acquainted with the AT-AP technique, characteristics of successful training, needs-based trainings, Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning and tell-tell-tell method on the first day of the training. They also looked into effective communication and skills of a good public speaker.
Second day was oriented to practice the skills acquired and allowed the participants to draft, create and propose their own project ideas that would be eligible for EU or other international funding and train their skills of presenting such projects in an effective way, while also learning how to train their colleagues and co-workers to do the same. On the third day trainers also involved participants into a session where they recorded their performances on a camera in order to learn how to deliver effective feedback to the videos. The fourth day of the training concluded with evaluation, future planning session and an address and concluding ceremony with Ambassador Stančič, Slovenian Ambassador to Albania.
The project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects” focuses on the transfer of good practices from Slovenia in the field of strategic programming on the national level and implementation of the projects on the local level. It is based on a number of workshops, through which Slovenian experts offer training in project management to the representatives of Albanian municipalities, regional development agencies and representatives of various non-governmental organizations.
The execution of the project is done in cooperation with the BCCD – Balkan Center for Cooperation and Development.
The training is organised within the framework of the Centre for European Perspective project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects” supported by the Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language.
Photo Gallery:
5. 12. 2018 | Helicopter, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
Imediately after the signature, the Programme for International Development Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of Montenegro for the period 2018-2019 is already implemented in the area that is of vital importance for Montenegro.
From 27 to 29 November 2018, training of members of the Aircraft-Helicopter Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro took place in Montenegro, where we exchanged the Montenegrin and Slovenian experiences on the most important aspects of safe helicopter flying in the highlands. In parallel with the training, activities related to the preparation of the proposal for the development of the Avio-Helicopter Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro were also acquired.
In order to ensure direct applicability, the workshops were very practical and included tactical exercises in the air with AB412 helicopter. Before each exercise in the air, an interactive briefing was carried out on the ground, and after an exercise in the air, an analysis was carried out, within which the participants received feedback on the exercise carried out and on potential improvements of flying in high mountains. We also discussed horizontal issues such as sensitivity to gender dimension and vulnerable groups.
The set of public services of the helicopter units of the Ministry of the Interior is diverse and important for ensuring the safety and protection of human security in the country. In order to carry out monitoring, search and rescue as well as helicopter emergency medical operations and other operations in the public interest, in accordance with EU standards, the current capacity of the unit needs to be further developed. The activities carried out in 2018 present a beginning of a long-term development cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and Montenegro, aimed at developing the capacity of the Aviation Helicopter Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro.
The project is part of the program activities carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia / Police of the Republic of Slovenia and is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia from the funds for international development cooperation.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language.
4. 12. 2018 | Albania - Local Governments, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
A training course “Training of the Trainers – From Listener to Successful Trainer” is taking place in Durres, Albania this week as part of the CEP development project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects”. Following a series of trainings, it will ensure transfer of skills and knowledge, gained from the trainings conducted in the previous years.
At the Training Opening, CEP Secretary General Mr Andrej Vrčon, BCCD Executive Director Ms Elvana Zhezha and Deputy Head of Mission at the Slovenian Embassy in Albania Ms Milena Radenković greeted the participants.
Over 20 participants got acquainted with the AT-AP technique, characteristics of successful training, needs-based trainings, Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning and tell-tell-tell method on the first day of the training. They also looked into effective communication and skills of a good public speaker.
Second day is practice-oriented and allows the participants to draft, create and propose their own project ideas that would be eligible for EU or other international funding and train their skills of presenting such projects in an effective way, while also learning how to train their colleagues and co-workers to do the same.
The execution of the project is done in cooperation with the BCCD.
See the photos from the training in the gallery below:
The training is organised within the framework of the Centre for European Perspective project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects” supported by the Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.
29. 11. 2018 | Albania - Local Governments, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the first week of December, Centre for European Perspective is organizing a training course “Training of the Trainers – From Listeners to Successful Trainer” as part of the CEP development project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects”.
The project is focused on the transfer of good practices from Slovenia in the field of strategic programming on the national level and implementation of the projects on the local level. It is based on a number of workshops, through which Slovenian experts offer training in project management to the representatives of Albanian municipalities, regional development agencies and representatives of various non-governmental organizations.
The training will be taking place in Durres between 3 and 6 December 2018. The main goal of this project is to assist selected staff from Albanian municipalities and other regional, local and national stakeholders to increase their knowledges, capacities and skills in writing and preparing EU and other donor-funded projects.
The particular aim of this training is to ensure the transfer of obtained skills from previous trainings to other public officials at the national or local level.
The training is organised within the framework of the Centre for European Perspective project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects” supported by the Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language.
