Call for participation in the free Design Thinking workshop to be held on July 10-11 in Belgrade. Applications are open until Friday, July 5, for individuals, students, and groups of young people aged 18-30. 

If you are between 18 and 30 years old, want to learn more about entrepreneurship, and make a positive impact on your community, apply for our interactive Design Thinking workshop! 

When and Where? 

Date: July 10-11, 2024
Location: Belgrade 

What will you learn at the DT workshop? 

  • How can you address social and environmental issues in your community through entrepreneurship and contribute to positive social change? 
  • Which tools can help you better understand the problem you want to solve? 
  • With which tools can you successfully develop and prototype innovative solutions with your team? 
  • What are the first steps in developing an entrepreneurial idea? 
  • Who can assist you on your entrepreneurial journey? 

About the DT Workshop: 

Design Thinking is a creative process for developing innovative ideas and solutions that focuses on people and their needs, encouraging skills such as problem-solving, connecting with people, and entrepreneurial thinking. Some of the most famous companies, such as Nike, Google, and IKEA, use DT in their work, as do many organizations and startups developing innovative ideas and solutions. Using the same method, we aim to empower and equip you with the tools needed to initiate positive social changes and develop innovative entrepreneurial ideas. 

APPLICATION 

If you want to get acquainted with the DT creative problem-solving method and are inspired to direct your talents and resources towards solving social issues and improving the quality of life in the local community, apply now! 

Who can apply? 

Applications are open to all individuals, students, and groups of young people aged 18 to 30. 

How to apply? 

Applying is simple. All you need to do is fill out a short form at this link. 

When is the application deadline? 

The application deadline is Friday, July 5, 2024. 

Costs: 

Participation in the workshop is completely free, as is the application process. Travel expenses will be reimbursed for participants traveling, and accommodation in Belgrade will be provided. 

Selection Criteria for Workshop Participants: 

Participants will be selected based on their motivation to attend the workshop. 

The call is open to young people from all over Serbia, with preference given to those residing in the following districts: West Bačka, Kolubara, Danube, Braničevo, Zlatibor, Bor, Zaječar, Toplica, Jablanica, Pčinja, Nišava, Rasina, and two Belgrade municipalities – Obrenovac and Lazarevac. 

Opportunity for DT Workshop Participants: 

Workshop participants who develop initial ideas and solutions will have the opportunity to apply for the Regional Incubator for Social Entrepreneurs – RISE. RISE is a free support program for developing ideas and innovative solutions for positive changes in the community, implemented by Smart Kolektiv in Serbia, and simultaneously taking place in five other Western Balkan countries. From October this year to February 2025, RISE program participants will develop their ideas from scratch to business models with the support of experts and mentors, while the best teams will gain additional financial support to start their ventures. 

About the Organizer and Partners: 

The DT workshop is organized by Smart Kolektiv, an independent, non-profit organization founded in 2003 in Belgrade. It is a pioneer in the development of social entrepreneurship and CSR in Serbia. Starting from the idea of connecting business and society, Smart Kolektiv finds ways to apply business experiences and logic to solving social problems, helps companies articulate and strategically cooperate with the community, and enables various social groups to engage the business world in their needs and initiatives, becoming more innovative, efficient, and sustainable. 

The RISE project is supported by the Agence Française de Développement, the European Union (EU), Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ), and PULSE (Groupe SOS). The RISE ideation program in Serbia is implemented with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade. 

The workshop is also one of the activities of the project “Perspectives for Youth in Rural Areas” within the German Development Cooperation in Serbia, implemented by the German Organization for International Cooperation GIZ in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Youth as the leading partner.