Oct. 14 – Tuscan projects roam across Europe, with two experiences from Livorno and Grosseto presented in Brussels during a recent seminar by the Association of European Regions Earlall (European Association for Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning). The seminar was chaired by the Councilor of the Tuscany Region’s productive activities, employment and training, Gianfranco Simoncini. The Province of Grosseto presented the process that led to the creation of a company made up of young mothers, who opened a kindergarten, offering employment and a quality service to the City. The other initiative concerns the Vespucci Institute of Livorno, where some students carried out an alternative form of school-work, opening several business ventures: from the idea to the search for capital and the establishment of the corporation. The projects concerned the production of helmet backpacks, waterproof covers for bags and backpacks, a brochure and a tourist service. “These are good examples – said Simoncini – that must be acknowledged. Yet, we should not forget that we still have a long way to go, particularly with regard to entrepreneurship education. That is why meetings like this are valuable: they allow us to learn a lot from the experiences of other European regions.” The Councilor also said that Tuscany, for the past two years, has embarked in an innovative path concerning internships, which resulted in the first regional law requiring a monthly expenses reimbursement for trainees and interns under 30 and incentives for hiring. There are about 7,000 internships eligible for reimbursement, of which over 5,000 came into act with the entry into force of the law in April 2012, for an average of about 500 activated internships per month. Tuscany has also promoted a law to support youth and female entrepreneurship, which has already yielded good results, with about 2,000 applications.
