Erasmus + training course. “EntrepreRurial Leaders in Action” has been an Erasmus + training course with the main objective of training young workers and youth leaders with a broad spectrum of business skills adapted to the rural environment that they will transfer and implement towards the main target group: young people with whom they work in rural areas. During the course, participants acquired knowledge about the basic aspects of entrepreneurship and practical skills to establish, implement and organize their own business adapted to the realities of the rural environment.

The course lasted 7 days and was held in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, from June 17 to 24, 2019. Asociación Mundus sent to Juan Antonio, María and Daniel, three Spanish participants eager to soak up knowledge and ideas. Read his testimony.

Training Course Experience in Stara Zagora

To start the summer with an unforgettable experience, Juanan, Maria and Daniel, three young people from different parts of Spain, decided to participate in the training course "Entreprerurial leaders in action" and make what would be our first trip to Bulgaria. Not only was it our first time in Bulgaria, but it was also the first time we met, however, we soon made very good crumbs among the members of the "Spanish team".

None of the three of us had a clear idea of ​​what we were going to do or learn in that week but the expectations were high, 33 participants from 10 different countries, each with interesting experiences and stories regarding rural entrepreneurship, an issue that also The three of us were seduced from the beginning, due to their relationship with our university studies and our rural origins. Thus, after a series of preparations: the presentation of our country or the sausage to take to impress everyone on the cultural night, we embark on this wonderful adventure. It is true that before leaving you always have a series of fears that when you share them with your classmates they are the same: will I meet people? Will the course be very hard? However, while it develops, these fears disappear because you realize that in the end we all want to contribute our small grain of sand to try to improve the environment in which we live and the same desire to make the most of these opportunities.

One of the best features of this type of course is that non-formal education techniques are used with what you learn by doing, instead of the typical system of listening and not contributing. As if that were not enough, we were also fortunate to visit Veliko Tarnovo, the old capital of Bulgaria, and a town of thirty inhabitants where we met the rural enterprise first hand visiting a local farm. The same day, as a surprise, they also took us to the incredible Buzludzha Monument.

After performing the TC we verified that the expectations had been exceeded, we returned from Bulgaria with an enrichment both professionally and personally. We learned the basic notions of entrepreneurship, we learned success stories of rural entrepreneurship and created a network of European "friends" with which to collaborate on future projects.

The success of this TC falls firstly to the organizers, very professional and competent, who treated us like their family from the beginning and showed us in just one week, keys, successful experiences and methods to undertake in the rural world . Second, the participants play a very important role in the success of this TC. Most of us were very active, not only participating in all the dynamics and activities, but sometimes we suggested complementary activities or had entrepreneurial experiences. In short, each of the participants of the TC, whatever their role, added their grain of sand in this project.

Talking to the rest of the participants while having a few beers, we realized that these projects are like an iota of hope in a world in which we believe that each one goes to his own and does not care about the others since in the end each One of the participants had ideas to make their place of origin a better place. Thus, we believe that these courses are the best way to not only meet very different people but to soak up and learn from the different experiences that other people have had throughout their lives.

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.