News

YOUNGPRENEURS Final Event Celebrate youth innovation & entrepreneurship across Europe, organised by Connectus! 📅 July 1 | 🕤 9:30–13:30📍 New York College, Athens Join us to see: Results of the YoungPreneurs project Inspiring talks Q&A panel Networking with partners from Impact Hub Stockholm, Exeo Lab SRL, Future in Perspective The speakers will be announced soon, so stay tuned! 

HikeWise – First TPM in Athens! Our first Transnational Project Meeting for the HikeWise project, hosted by Connectus!   We are excited to share the successful completion of the first Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) of the HIKE WISE project! Partners from across Europe came together in beautiful Athens to review our project’s progress, align on upcoming milestones, and strengthen our collaboration. Agenda Highlights:Review of impact indicators & project timeline (UFV – Coordinator)WP2 & WP3 updates, including needs analysis conclusions and handbook planning (RHIZO, UFV) Dissemination & exploitation strategy review (CONNECTUS, MUGLA – Lead) Financial planning, quality assurance & risk evaluation (CONNECTUS – Lead) Final wrap-up with next steps, impact discussion, and meeting evaluation (UFV) Lively discussions, strong teamwork, and a shared commitment to our goals made this TPM a true success. We’re now better equipped to move forward with delivering meaningful results for HIKE WISE! The day concluded with a group photo and the distribution of participation certificates. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to hike toward innovation and impact in education!

Youngpreneurs – Website Empowering young women by boosting their skills, knowledge, and abilities. 🚀 Want to find out more about this project? Click here to visit our website! A collaboration by Future In Perspective, Impact Hub Stockholm, Exeo Lab Srl and Connectus M.IKE.

MOLA – Real Stories Today MOLA brings you the real stories of two women who combine motherhood and a successful professional life, becoming an inspiration to all working mothers of the world! Ayo Davis Leading with Heart at Disney Meet Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television and a proud mother. Ayo’s journey exemplifies how motherhood can profoundly influence leadership and creativity in the entertainment industry. Motherhood as Inspiration: Ayo shares that being a mother has deepened her empathy and fueled her purpose-driven work. It inspires her to create inclusive, joyful stories for children, reflecting diverse childhood experiences. Professional Achievements: Under her leadership, Disney has produced acclaimed titles like Bluey, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and Descendants: The Rise of Red. Ayo brings maternal values into the workplace, believing that authenticity and purpose are key to success. Words of Wisdom: Ayo emphasizes the importance of presence over perfection in parenting. She encourages moms to give themselves grace, trust their instincts, and value everyday moments.Her story is a testament to how embracing motherhood can enhance professional life, leading to impactful and meaningful work.   Sara Reyes From Redundancy to Entrepreneurial Triumph Meet Sara Reyes, a resilient mother from the Sunshine Coast, Australia. At 28 weeks pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sara faced an unexpected redundancy. Instead of letting this setback define her, she transformed it into an opportunity. Drawing on her 14 years of corporate experience, Sara launched Assist by Sara, a virtual personal assistant business. By reaching out to former contacts and leveraging her skills, she quickly built a client base that includes multimillion-dollar companies. Sara’s venture not only provided her with financial stability but also the flexibility to balance her professional and personal life. Her success was recognized when she became a finalist in the 2024 AusMumpreneur Awards. Now, she empowers other women, especially mothers, by coaching them to become successful virtual assistants. “I wanted to create a life where I could be present for my family and still pursue my career ambitions. Assist by Sara made that possible.” Sara’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the entrepreneurial spirit. #CareerDevelopment #WomenInBusiness #SupportMothers #Community #MOLAProject #MothersLookingAhead #Empowerment

YouthVoices – Activity 1 We’re digging into the real stuff. Right now, the YouthVoices team is working on the research methodology that will kick off Activity 1 of the project. What are we trying to find out? What young people really think about politics Why so many feel disconnected And what emotions politics triggers — using… emojis 👀 This is where it all begins — with your thoughts, your feelings, your voice. Let’s build a project that reflects what’s really going on. Click here to follow us on Instagram ad stay tuned to know more about our next steps! #YouthVoicesEU #ResearchInProgress #Activity1 #PoliticalDisaffection #YouthParticipation

Youngpreneurs – 3rd Newsletter Check out the third newsletter for the Youngpreneurs Project! This newsletter showcases the project MOOC, covers our progress so far and our exciting next steps. Now available here and down below!      

MOLA – Pilot Testing Success!   We’re thrilled to share the results of the Mothers Looking Ahead (MOLA) Curriculum and MOOC Platform pilot testing conducted across Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Slovakia! Over 60 mothers and staff participated in evaluating modules on career skills, soft skills, motivation, digital literacy, and more.Key Highlights: High engagement & relevance to mothers’ real-life challenges Practical tools like SMART goals, CV writing & scenario-based learning Clear, accessible content & user-friendly platform design What we learned: Participants loved the hands-on approach but suggested more time estimates and interactive features Minor improvements like better visual contrast and localized examples will boost impact even further As one participant put it: “I feel more confident about going back to work and have a real plan now.” This pilot confirmed that the MOLA curriculum is a powerful tool for empowering mothers returning to education and work.Read the full summary to see how the MOLA project is making a difference across Europe. Click here to visit our website! #MOLAProject #MothersLookingAhead #Empowerment #CareerDevelopment #WomenInBusiness

YouthVoices – Political engagement for young people   What’s the point of YouthVoices? We’re not here to lecture you about politics. We’re here to give YOU the tools to shape it. Here’s what we’re aiming for: • Understand why young people feel disconnected from politics (and what to do about it). • Teach the basics of how democracy, the EU, and your rights actually work. • Help you speak up and take action on the things you care about. • Bring youth voices to the table — local, national, European. Because real change starts when we stop saying “someone should do something” and start saying“let’s do it together.” #WeAreYouthVoices #GoalsWithSoul #YouthParticipation #CivicPower #LetsDoThis #CONNECTUS

In the final day of our enriching program, students dove into the green jobs of the future, exploring:– The emerging roles in environmental sustainability– The profile of tomorrow’s environmental manager– A hands-on student workshop where participants created detailed identikits of future green professionals – using materials from their own schools!– In the afternoon, CONNECTUS guided us through a green journey across Athens:– Field study on sustainable urban development– Visit to the National Garden and Zappeion Hall – exploring biodiversity, green urban planning, and how these spaces help fight urban heat– The day concluded with the final training session, reflective feedback, and the presentation of certificates. Students worked in teams to create their own social media posts on green careers, showing creativity and insight.– A warm farewell dinner wrapped up this unforgettable experience of learning, connection, and green inspiration.#GreenSkills #SustainableCareers #UrbanGreenSpaces #ClimateAction #AthensGreen #YouthForThePlanet #CONNECTUS

We’re proud to introduce the MOLA Mentor’s Handbook – a dynamic, practical toolkit designed to guide mentors as they support mothers on their journey to personal and professional growth. From goal setting and overcoming barriers, to boosting digital and soft skills, the MOLA project provides tailored resources that help mothers take confident steps forward in their careers and lives. 👩‍👧‍👦 Because every mother deserves the opportunity to thrive – and a mentor who believes in her.🔗 Learn more about the modules, activities, and resources in the handbook and be part of a movement that uplifts and empowers. #MOLAproject #MentoringMothers #CareerGrowth #WomenEmpowerment #EUfunded #MentorToolkit