EMC - Entrepreneurship Movement Club, Ptuj (2026)

24/07/2026

Eighteen youth workers and teachers from Slovenia, Türkiye, Serbia, Lithuania and North Macedonia spent the first week of July at Hostel Pekarna in Maribor. The training was called EntreAct, coordinated by Klub podjetniškega gibanja EMC from Ptuj. The aim of the project is to equip youth workers with practical methods for supporting young people through difficult transitions, whether that means leaving school, losing work, changing direction, or starting something of their own, so that entrepreneurship and employability stop being abstract goals and become something a young person can actually be walked towards. To do that, the week put together two sets of tools that work well together but are rarely taught side by side.
-
The first is solution-focused coaching. It is a way of asking questions that keeps the conversation pointed forward instead of circling the problem. The second is improvisation, not performance, but the underlying habits of it. Accepting what you are given. Noticing status and posture. Trying something before you have decided whether it will work.

The project runs until the end of September 2026. Between now and then, each partner organisation is running workshops at home, taking the exercises to the young people they already work with, and reporting back on what held up in practice and what needed adjusting. That feedback goes into the final version of the Resilient Transitions Toolkit, which will be published openly so that other organisations can use it without having been in the room.

The project is financed by Erasmus+ by the Slovenian National Agency MOVIT.

10/07/2026

🎓 A Successful Conclusion to

Our Erasmus+ training course officially came to an end with the awarding of Youthpass certificates, recognising the learning journey and active participation of all participants throughout the project.

During the training, youth workers and teachers from our partner countries developed practical competences in solution-focused coaching and improvisation, exploring how these methods can support young people facing uncertainty, career transitions, and the risk of becoming NEETs. Participants also learned how to design and facilitate resilience-based workshops, encourage entrepreneurial thinking, and help young people build confidence, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.

The end of the project is also the beginning of the next step. Participants will now transfer the knowledge and methods gained during the training into their own organisations and local communities, contributing to the development of more resilient and empowered young people across Europe.

Thank you to everyone who took part in EntreAct and helped make this training course a valuable learning experience.

10/07/2026

🎓 Learning Goes Both Ways

Using the Open Space method, we gave our participants the opportunity to take the stage and share their own knowledge, experience, and ideas.

We believe that every participant has something valuable to contribute. Throughout the day, participants designed and facilitated their own workshops, presenting methods they use in their everyday work and showing how these can help young people find their path, build confidence, and discover new opportunities.

From creative activities to practical tools, every session brought a different perspective and encouraged active participation from the group.

It was a fun, interactive, and inspiring way to conclude the training course. The Open Space sessions gave everyone the opportunity to contribute, exchange ideas, and learn from each other's experiences.

Thank you to all the participants for their energy, creativity, and willingness to share. 🌍

09/07/2026

💡 From Learning to Local Action

After exploring coaching and improvisation throughout the training, participants worked on developing concrete implementation plans for their own organisations and local communities. The aim was to identify how these methods can best respond to the needs of young people with fewer opportunities.

Many participants working as teachers in schools presented ideas on how they will use coaching to support students in making educational and career decisions, increasing their self-confidence, and encouraging them to explore different opportunities. Several teachers also expressed their intention to introduce coaching and improvisation methods to their colleagues, extending the impact of the project beyond their own classrooms.

Other participants developed plans for workshops with NEET youngsters and young people from marginalized groups, using solution-focused coaching and improvisation to strengthen resilience, encourage initiative, and support personal and professional development.

This session demonstrated that the methods developed during the training are highly adaptable and can be applied in different educational and youth work settings. We look forward to seeing these ideas implemented across our partner countries and the positive impact they will have on local communities.

07/07/2026

🗣️ Can You Coach Someone Without Understanding Their Language?

Today, during our EntreAct training course, we challenged one of the biggest misconceptions about coaching: a coach doesn't need to be an expert on the challenge—or even understand the language of the person they're coaching—to make a meaningful impact.

After spending the past few days developing our coaching and improvisation skills, it was time to put this idea to the test through a workshop called Language Coaching.

The concept was simple but powerful. The coach asked questions in English, while the coachee answered entirely in their mother tongue—a language the coach couldn't understand. The only thing connecting them was the coaching process itself.

At first, it seemed almost impossible. But as the conversations unfolded, something remarkable happened. By focusing on active listening, observation, and asking the right questions, participants discovered that understanding every single word isn't what makes coaching effective. Creating a space for reflection and guiding someone to find their own answers is what truly matters.

For many participants, the experience was even more impactful than expected. Some shared that speaking in their native language allowed them to express their thoughts and emotions more naturally, making the coaching conversation feel deeper and more authentic.

One participant reflected:

"I thought the language barrier would make coaching impossible. Instead, it helped me focus on myself even more, and I was able to express everything I wanted in my own language." 🌱

Today's workshop reminded us that great coaching isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking the questions that help others discover their own.

05/07/2026

🚶‍♀️ Turning Goals into Action

Today, our journey took us deeper into the world of solution-focused coaching as we explored the Solution Walk method—with a creative twist by combining it with improvisation.

We spent the first part of the day learning the principles behind the method and understanding how it can guide young people from uncertainty to action. Later, taking advantage of the beautiful weather in Maribor, we stepped outside to experience it ourselves, bringing coaching and improvisation together in a practical and engaging way.

The combination proved to be incredibly powerful. Through the Solution Walk, young people at risk of becoming NEETs can visualize the journey towards their goals, physically experience each step along the way, and realize that progress is made one action at a time. Adding improvisation encourages them to embrace uncertainty, think creatively, and take initiative instead of waiting for the "perfect" moment. Together, these methods help transform an abstract goal into something that feels real, achievable, and within reach.

One reflection kept coming up throughout the day:

"Walking through the coaching process makes me feel like I'm already taking the steps in real life. Every step gives me a sense of progress and achievement." 🌱

Experiencing this firsthand reminded us that sometimes the most meaningful breakthroughs don't happen while sitting and talking—they happen when we start moving, both physically and mentally.

We're excited to keep discovering new ways to empower young people through coaching and improvisation!

04/07/2026

💬 From Improvisation to Coaching

In the second part of our day, we shifted our focus from improvisation to another key pillar of the project: solution-focused coaching.

We began by exploring what coaching really is and how, rather than giving advice, it empowers young people through active listening and powerful questions. Sometimes, the right question is all it takes to help someone gain clarity, recognize their own strengths, and identify the next step forward.

After a short introduction, it was time to put theory into practice. Working in small groups, we experienced the first layer of the solution-focused coaching approach, taking turns as coaches and coachees. Through guided conversations, we discovered how focusing on solutions instead of problems can unlock new perspectives and build confidence.

The results were remarkable. Many participants were surprised by how quickly a coaching conversation could help someone move from uncertainty to action. It was a powerful reminder that young people don't always need someone to solve their problems—they often just need someone who knows how to listen, ask the right questions, and help them uncover the answers they already have within themselves.

As we continue this journey, we're excited to deepen our coaching skills and discover even more ways to support young people in building resilience and shaping their own futures.

04/07/2026

🎭 Stepping Into the World of Improvisation

After spending our first day getting to know one another and building a strong group connection, we kicked off the second day of by diving into the first core topic of our training course: improvisation.

Our morning was dedicated to discovering the power of improvisation and how it can become a valuable tool when working with young people at risk of becoming NEETs.

We started with simple, engaging improvisation games that encouraged us to step outside our comfort zones, trust one another, and embrace spontaneity. As the day progressed, these activities evolved into more structured exercises, showing us how improvisation can be transformed into practical workshops for youth work.

One of the key takeaways was understanding why improvisation matters. For young people facing uncertainty, it creates a safe space to experiment, make mistakes without fear, and discover that there is rarely just one "right" answer. It encourages them to think more openly, look at situations from different perspectives, and develop the confidence to take initiative—even when the path ahead is unknown.

It was inspiring to experience firsthand how a simple activity can spark creativity, build resilience, and remind us that growth often begins the moment we're willing to say "Yes, and..." instead of "What if I fail?"

We're looking forward to putting these methods into practice throughout the rest of the week!

03/07/2026

🌍 A New Chapter Begins!

Today marked the beginning of , our new training course organized by the EMC - Entrepreneurship Movement Club (EMC) in Maribor, Slovenia.

This week brings together youth workers and educators from Slovenia, Türkiye, Serbia, Lithuania, and North Macedonia, united by a common mission: discovering how coaching combined with improvisation can help build resilience, creativity, and adaptability in young people facing uncertainty. By combining these two powerful approaches, we'll explore practical methods that empower youth to navigate career challenges, embrace change, and unlock their entrepreneurial potential.

Before diving into workshops and learning sessions, we dedicated our first day to what makes every international project special—the people. Through interactive games, conversations, and team-building activities, we started creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome, heard, and ready to learn from one another.

It's always inspiring to see how quickly connections can grow. In just a few hours, different languages, cultures, and experiences turned into shared laughter, genuine curiosity, and the beginning of new friendships.

As one participant put it:
"It's amazing how a few simple activities can make you feel like you've known everyone for much longer than just one day." 🌱

We're excited for everything that lies ahead and can't wait to share this journey with you!

03/06/2026

💡 What motivates and helps freelancers and young people take the leap towards entrepreneurship?

According to the startup mentors, entrepreneurship coaches and support organisations we interviewed in Slovenia, it's not another guide, webinar or presentation.

It's meeting someone who has already done it.

One thing we heard repeatedly during our focus groups was that young people connect with real experiences far more than theory. When someone openly shares how they got their first client, what mistakes they made, what nearly made them quit, and how they kept going, entrepreneurship suddenly feels much more realistic.

Several mentors told us that seeing someone from a similar background succeed can have a bigger impact than hours of training.

It makes people think:

"If they managed to do it, maybe I can too."

That's exactly why practical experiences, peer learning and real entrepreneurial stories will be included in the Freelancer-to-Startup Toolkit we are currently developing through the SHIFT project.

EMC - Entrepreneurship Movement Club

24/07/2026

10/07/2026

10/07/2026

09/07/2026

07/07/2026

05/07/2026

04/07/2026

04/07/2026

03/07/2026

03/06/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request