Pal-Think Launches the project entitled ‘Youth Empowerment through Education and Research’
Pal-Think for Strategic Studies launches the second-of-its-series project entitled ‘Youth Empowerment through Education and Research’ funded by the Atlas Network. The project includes a 10-day entrepreneurship skills training course, implementation of 15 youth-led community initiatives, production of three policy papers, and radio episodes to disseminate and recognize the effort youth has been leading towards their local communities.
At this stage, Pal-Think commenced the 10-day intensive training course that targets 25 university students and graduates passionate about entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, business skills, project financial management, and other relevant topics. The training aims to equip the participants with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to make their small ideas big.
Mr. Omar Shaban, Pal-Think’s Founder and Director, opened the training by expressing a warm welcome to the trainees. Moving forward, he accentuated the significance of entrepreneurship and civic engagement which both lead to job creation, reduction of unemployment rates, spread of individual liberty concepts, and building a young Palestinian cadre capable of designing and planning innovative ideas.
He said: “This training is focused on enabling you to develop your own business plan through which you can create job opportunities for yourselves and engage with your community. Young civic leaders can make a big difference on the ground”.
The trainer Mr. Saied Al-Agha and Ms. Samah Al-Safadi who are also business consultants confirmed that this training is a space for the participants to elevate their entrepreneurial, critical, and analytical thinking skills. Moreover, “the participants will have acquired the necessary skills to creatively design their business model and more civic leadership skills upon the completion of the training” the trainers added.
The first day of training included an assessment of participants, characteristics of the successful entrepreneur, the concept of entrepreneurship, its stages of development, and how to seize an opportunity. The trainees were divided into several groups and liaised in teams to develop and discuss their initial business ideas.
Overall, the participants will have a chance to design and carry out 15 community initiatives when they complete the training course. Some of them will also engage in the process of producing three policy papers showcasing the reality of entrepreneurship and youth in Gaza. Research and training experts at Palthink will continue to follow up with the participants to offer support in their community work and research.
