BIG BLUE ACCELERATOR

Location of Project’s Operation
Regions: Europe
Countries: Greece
Other:

Lead Entities: Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA)
Organizational Type: Non-governmental organization (NGO)
Partners: Knowl Social Enterprise for Education and Lifelong Learning (Partner), The Hellenic Initiative (Sponsor)

Status of Initiative

Start Date: 15/03/2024
Status: Completed
End Date: 07/10/2024

Description of Objective

Objectives: The “Big Blue Accelerator” project addresses critical issues in Greece and creates significant positive impact on multiple levels. It provides a comprehensive and structured approach to empower youth employability and support economic development, with a particular focus on young individuals residing in remote Greek islands. The objective is to equip these young people with the skills, networks, and opportunities necessary for employment and training in various sectors of the Blue Economy, emphasizing technical, soft, and digital skills, and ensuring participants are prepared for the demands of a modern, sustainable economy.

Outputs:

23 participants from the Dodecanese islands and other remote islands.
700 hours of training and mentoring completed.
Comprehensive mapping of participants’ Growth Maps, development of personalized tools, and implementation of tailored questionnaires to understand individual needs and aspirations.

18 high-quality group training sessions delivered by expert trainers across various topics, incorporating benchmarking elements, trends, and competencies critical to success in the evolving job market.

20 mentoring sessions by leading professionals in the Blue Economy and Mock interviews by distinguished HR professionals, provided beneficiaries with valuable industry insights and helped them refine their CVs and enhance their employability skills.

1 graduation ceremony linking youth with experts from the maritime industry.

Outcomes: Participants gained confidence, essential skills, and connections in Blue Careers. Direct market engagement with professionals in the Blue Economy, offering real-world insights and connections to potential career pathways.
Capacity building through exposure to innovative methodologies and resources that enable long-term growth for individuals and communities.
The groundwork has been laid for economic growth, by equipping youth with enhanced skills and entrepreneurial potential to strengthen local economies.
The program exemplified the power of synergy among HELMEPA, Knowl, and professionals from the Blue Economy, creating a sustainable model for impactful training and mentorship initiatives.

Activities: Training sessions, personalised growth-map sessions, personalised mentoring sessions, mock interviews, graduation ceremony.

Resources: Financial resources: The program was funded by The Hellenic Initiative (THI).
Human resources: HELMEPA and Knowl staff members, Volunteers Blue Economy experts from HELMEPA network, Experts from Knowl network.

Nature-based solution?: None of the above

Just Transition?:

Interlinkages?: Target 4.4: Through the Big Blue Accelerator, 23 youth participants received high-quality vocational training over 5 months. Delivered by distinguished professionals in the Blue Economy, the training included expert-led sessions on soft and digital skills, as well as personalized development of Growth Maps that outlined individual strengths and career pathways. This approach equipped participants with technical and employability skills essential for achieving decent jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Target 4.7: Participants were trained on topics including Coastal Sustainable Tourism, Sustainable Fisheries, and attended a specialized workshop, “ABC to SDGs.” These sessions helped them understand sustainable development, interconnected environmental, social, and economic challenges, and the broader role of sustainability in creating resilient societies.
Target 8.6: Participants underwent a comprehensive program including group training on soft and digital skills, sessions on the Blue Economy, and personalized mentorships to create Growth Maps, tailored CVs, and prepare for mock interviews. These activities unlocked their employability potential, paving the way for full and productive employment while addressing the challenge of youth unemployment.
Target 17.17: The program fosters partnerships across private and civil society sectors. Collaborations with Knowl, private-sector experts, and civil society organizations combined diverse expertise and resources, enhancing the program’s impact and capacity. Synergies arose from integrating practical skills, sustainability principles, and sector-specific knowledge, while trade-offs were managed through clear communication and aligned priorities.

Which SDG?: SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Successes: Successes:
The Big Blue Accelerator Program provided high-quality training to 23 youth participants, equipping them with vocational, soft, and digital skills tailored to the Blue Economy sectors.
Personalized mentorship, including Growth Maps and mock interviews, boosted employability potential, with participants gaining confidence and actionable career plans.
Strong partnerships with Knowl, private-sector experts, and civil society organizations enhanced the program’s resources and relevance, ensuring alignment with market needs.

Challenges:
The entirely online nature of the program posed some challenges due to the diverse backgrounds of participants from various islands, requiring significant logistical effort, including multiple phone calls and follow-ups to ensure engagement and accessibility.
Additionally, the tourism season starting in April-May impacted participant availability, necessitating rescheduling of the final stages. Despite these hurdles, the program adapted effectively, achieving its goals without compromising impact.

Related Targets: SDG 4: Target 4.4 – By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship, Target 4.7 – By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
SDG 8: Target 8.6 – By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training.
SDG 17: Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships.

Synergies and Trade-offs: Target 4.4: Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborations with Knowl and private-sector professionals aligned training activities with market demands, ensuring participants gained practical, job-ready skills while fostering strong ties between education and employability.
Target 4.7: Collaborations with Knowl, other organizations, and private-sector partners enriched the curriculum by integrating diverse perspectives and practical applications of sustainability into the learning journey.
To manage trade-offs, we balanced deep dives into specific sectors (like Blue Economy) with broad, foundational training in sustainability and global citizenship. This approach ensured that participants gained a well-rounded understanding of sustainable development while aligning with their areas of interest and expertise. By incorporating these elements, the program worked to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to promote sustainable lifestyles and contribute to sustainable development on a personal and professional level.
Target 8.6: The program combined group training sessions on soft and digital skills with personalized mentorship, including Growth Maps, tailored CVs, and mock interviews, to address multiple dimensions of employability. Collaborations with Knowl, Blue Economy experts, and employability professionals ensured training aligned with market needs and provided participants access to valuable networks.
To manage trade-offs, such as balancing diverse career aspirations with standardized training, the program incorporated feedback mechanisms and maintained small mentor-to-participant ratios, ensuring both relevance and quality. This holistic approach equipped participants with skills, confidence, and opportunities to reduce youth unemployment effectively.
Target 17.17: The program engaged diverse partners to deliver a well-rounded learning experience. Private, and civil society stakeholders contributed expertise in personal development, industry knowledge, and sustainability. Trade-offs, such as balancing diverse objectives, were addressed through a flexible framework and regular coordination, showcasing how effective partnerships can strengthen implementation and achieve shared goals.

Learning/Recommendations: One possibility is to replicate the Accelerator on a national scale, ensuring broader outreach and inclusion. Additionally, we see potential in transferring the program to sister partners in other countries, e.g. Cyprus, creating a wider network of empowered youth contributing to the Blue Economy.
If rerunning the Big Blue Accelerator Program, we would consider engagement with employers to ensure a seamless transition from training to job placement. Expanding the program to include more participants and additional hands-on opportunities, such as internships in Blue Economy sectors, would also be valuable. Simplifying coordination between diverse stakeholders and incorporating more tailored support for participants with varying backgrounds would further enhance the program’s effectiveness.

Information about the program is available on the HELMEPA website at https://helmepa.gr/bigblueaccelerator

Contact

Name: Eleni Tsolka
Role: Head of Environmental Department
Organization: HELMEPA
Email: [email protected]