The INNO4CHANGE project was conceived in response to the growing need for innovation-driven social entrepreneurship in Europe. While social enterprises have emerged as crucial actors in addressing unmet societal needs, they often face gaps in entrepreneurial and innovation skills, limiting their growth and impact. The European Commission’s Social Business Initiative has highlighted the importance of enhancing education and training opportunities for social entrepreneurs. INNO4CHANGE seeks to empower future social entrepreneurs and strengthen VET providers’ capacity to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and business acumen, ultimately contributing to a more dynamic and sustainable social economy.

PROJECT PROGRAMME
The project is funded under the Erasmus+ Programme, Action Type KA220-VET - Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training. It runs for 24 months, from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2024, with a total grant amount of €250,000. The applicant organisation is INICIATIVAS DE FUTURO PARA UNA EUROPA SOCIAL COOP V (Spain), in partnership with organisations from Portugal, Poland, Austria, Türkiye, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus.

PROJECT AIM
The main aim of INNO4CHANGE is to harness the potential of future social entrepreneurs by enhancing their innovation, entrepreneurship, and business skills. Simultaneously, the project seeks to build the capacities of VET providers and professionals, enabling them to integrate these competencies into their training programmes and curricula, thus better aligning VET education with the evolving needs of the labour market and society.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The project pursues several key objectives: to develop a balanced mix of innovation, entrepreneurship, and business skills among future social entrepreneurs; to enable VET providers to adapt their training to meet the changing demands of the social economy sector; to promote digital readiness and resilience through innovative ICT-based teaching and learning methods; and to contribute to the broader goals of fostering social innovation, entrepreneurship education, and digital transformation in VET.

PROJECT TARGET GROUP
INNO4CHANGE targets two main groups: future social entrepreneurs, particularly those seeking to develop innovative social enterprises with strong market orientation and social impact; and VET providers and professionals, equipping them with tools and knowledge to deliver high-quality, future-proof training aligned with the demands of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES
To achieve its objectives, INNO4CHANGE implements a series of integrated activities, including the production of inspirational video stories showcasing innovative social entrepreneurs, the development of comprehensive training curricula and didactic resources, the creation of an interactive digital learning portal to facilitate widespread access to educational content, and extensive dissemination and capacity-building actions across partner countries. The project also promotes knowledge exchange, peer learning, and cross-sector collaboration among VET professionals and stakeholders in the social entrepreneurship ecosystem.

For more information about the project and its results, please visit our website: https://www.inno4change.erasmus.site