Launching an Interregional Learning Program for Young Social Entrepreneurs

We are proud to launch an interregional non-formal education program for young people passionate about social entrepreneurship, designed to foster knowledge exchange, collaborative learning, and cross-border cooperation between the Visegrad countries and the Western Balkans.

This program, implemented by Razlivalište (Serbia), Center for Youth Education (Montenegro), KOLABO Civic Association (Slovakia), and Hub for Change (Czechia), aims to build a regional community of young changemakers.

From June to December 2025, through four program phases, young people and youth workers will develop skills, test ideas, and co-create solutions for the future of social entrepreneurship in Europe. The program combines practical experience with a strong emphasis on community-building, empowering participants to become drivers of positive change in their local and regional contexts.

The project is financed by the Government of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.

A few of the interventions organized as part of the program can be found below.

Online workshop: Art of Cross-Border Bootcamp Hosting

As part of the Interregional non-formal learning program for young social entrepreneurs, an online workshop titled Art of Cross-Border Bootcamp Hosting was held on June 13, 2025.

The session was facilitated by Stefanie Bessler, Innovation & Community Lead at Social Impact Award, and was specifically designed for youth workers. This engaging workshop explored creative methods and practical tools for designing bootcamps that foster collaboration, empower youth, and support the development of impactful social entrepreneurial projects.

Through this learning activity, participants gained insights into facilitation practices that contribute to building a connected, innovative, and resilient ecosystem for young changemakers across the Visegrad region and the Western Balkans.

Online workshop: (Flourishing) Lean Canvas as a Tool on the Way to MVP

As part of the Interregional non-formal learning program for young social entrepreneurs, an online workshop titled (Flourishing) Lean Canvas as a Tool on the Way to MVP was held on June 23, 2025.

The session was facilitated by Alvin Korčák, Impact & Programs Lead at Impact Hub Czechia, and was specifically designed for young changemakers and aspiring social entrepreneurs. This practical and interactive workshop introduced participants to the Lean Canvas method and its use in developing early-stage social ventures with real impact.

Through this learning activity, participants will explore how to refine their ideas, identify key assumptions, and design solutions that align with social and environmental values – all within a structured and agile framework for prototyping Minimum Viable Products (MVPs).

This workshop contributed to strengthening the regional ecosystem for youth-driven innovation and promoted sustainable social entrepreneurship across the Visegrad region and the Western Balkans.

Interregional Bootcamp: Regional Collaboration for Social Change

From July 3 to 6, 2025, Social Impact Award hosted the Interregional Bootcamp, bringing together 80 young innovators from Serbia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Montenegro. This four-day program was designed to support the development of early-stage social enterprises through intensive learning, mentorship, and cross-border collaboration.

The Bootcamp agenda included workshops on Lean Startup methodology, pitching techniques, the use of artificial intelligence in social innovation, and hands-on teamwork. Participants engaged with experienced mentors and regional experts in both group and one-on-one sessions, focusing on practical tools for building sustainable and impactful ventures.

The Interregional Bootcamp is a key component of the international SIA program. It fosters knowledge exchange, strengthens entrepreneurial skills, and builds lasting connections among young changemakers. By working in a collaborative and supportive environment, participants refine their solutions while contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable future across borders.

Interregional Boot Camp: Regional Cooperation for the Development of Social Innovation

The Interregional Boot Camp, jointly organized by teams from Serbia, Montenegro, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, brought together 65 young people from the region and beyond, with the goal of developing entrepreneurial ideas that address concrete social and environmental challenges. This two-day educational program was designed for participants of the Social Impact Award incubation in these four countries and represented a key moment of regional collaboration within this international program.

The Boot Camp program was designed as a dynamic combination of theory and practice, with a strong focus on peer learning and hands-on experience. Through structured workshops, participants worked on developing their business models, improving communication and financial strategies, and planning the implementation of their projects. Standout formats included presentations of successful SIA alumni stories, thematic roundtable discussions, and the evening program “SIA’s Got Talent,” which further encouraged team bonding and creativity. The sessions were led by experienced facilitators from the SIA community, including Veronika Filípek, Richard Fekete, Tomas Kovar, Predrag Topić, and other team members from the partner countries.

This Boot Camp represents a vital component of the SIA incubation program as it fosters regional connectivity among young social entrepreneurs, strengthens their entrepreneurial capacities, and builds a shared identity rooted in values of social justice, sustainability, and mutual solidarity. In the face of challenges affecting local communities across all four countries, the interregional approach adds unique value by enabling learning from diverse contexts and developing innovative solutions through joint efforts. The Boot Camp once again affirmed the importance of regional cooperation and the potential of youth to drive positive societal change when provided with the space for learning, support, and mutual empowerment.