Implementation

From 17 to 25 May 2025, in the picturesque village of Pissouri, Cyprus, 36 youth workers from 9 different countries gathered for the Practical Development Activity (PDA) of the Erasmus+ project SCRATCH-PRO – Sustainable Business Matters: From Scratch to Pitch. Hosted by ACPELIA and designed as a dynamic training course, this PDA focused on empowering young people and youth workers with the skills, mindset, and tools needed to build sustainable businesses from the ground up.

SCRATCH-PRO merged entrepreneurial education with the values of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), guiding participants through an engaging, non-formal learning journey structured like a business incubator. Each day included interactive workshops, simulations, collaborative challenges, and intercultural evenings—all aimed at transforming abstract sustainability concepts into practical entrepreneurial actions.

The training promoted personal growth and skill-building in areas such as:

Sustainable entrepreneurship
Business modeling and strategic planning
Leadership and teamwork
Social impact and innovation
MVP development and pitch delivery
Funding opportunities within the EU

Participants worked in international teams, building their own business concepts step by step, culminating in a final pitch presentation evaluated in a peer-to-peer simulation of an investment panel. The week also included insightful meetings with local entrepreneurs and immersive cultural activities, making the learning experience both educational and transformative.

What follows is a day-by-day documentation of this unique journey, as written by the national teams themselves. It captures the energy, creativity, challenges, and growth that defined this empowering and inspiring week in Cyprus.

Day 1 - 18 May Co-written by the Cypriot team

The first day of the project! After introductions by trainers Bobbie, Erma, Kateryna and Nikolas, participants quickly went into getting to know each other. For this we had a portrait drawing game, where we passed around a paper with the shape of our face, and every time the music stopped, we filled in a different part of the body, such as one eye, an ear or the mouth. A lot of humorous portraits came out from this activity.

To get our voices going, Kateryna, who happens to be a singer herself, split the groups into 3, the kiwis, mangos and bananas. Each having a different melody, we used singing in order to break the ice. A humorous yet engaging activity.

The activity right before coffee break was one called "the sun shines on". For this, a statement is given, along with your name. For example "The sun shines on, those who love sports!" Participants quickly come to the middle of the circle, if they agree with the statement. Whoever leaves the circle last, got to give the next statement.

After coffee break we focused on 3 distinct aspects of the projects. These were:

Rules and Responsibilities - rules of the program that will remain until the end of the project, as well as responsibilities for each national team, including reel making or writing this very implementation.
Expectations, Fears, Contributions backpack - where we focused on what we brought with us, and how we can contribute directly to the project with our own knowledge
Youthpass competencies - learning about all 8 key competencies of PDAs or YEs, so we can track our learning progress through the next days based on the workshops we do.

Armed with all the necessities, participants are now ready to dive deeply in their topic. The afternoon was spent in Pissouri, where we had a treasure hunt game, focused both on learning about the area that is hosting us, as well as the sustainable practices that the village may have. You can see this activity in the following link: https://scratch-pro.webnode.page/tasks-in-pissouri/

The night ended with a Cypriot traditional dinner at Symposio.

Day 2 - 18 May: Co-written by the Ukranian team

The morning started with an energizer from the Spanish team — the ever-popular "2 Truths, 1 Lie". Participants took turns sharing three facts about themselves — two true and one false — while the rest of the group tried to guess the lie. A great way to build connections and start the day with energy!

Right after that, Kateryna, one of the trainers of the project, presented an introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With visuals and real-world examples, she explained the purpose behind the 17 goals and how they interconnect to shape a better future. It set the tone for a day full of reflection on global issues and corporate responsibility.

Then came the first major group activity: participants were divided into five teams, each assigned to a different international company — Airbnb, Netflix, H&M, IKEA, and Nestlé. Task was to investigate how each company currently contributes to the SDGs and come up with ideas on how they can improve their efforts. Each team presented their findings and shared creative, realistic suggestions for making business more sustainable. The activity encouraged collaboration, critical thinking, and practical application of knowledge.

After lunch, the groups take part in debates, split into four teams. The first topic was:
"SDGs are an obstacle to real business and lead to the waste of money". The second:
"Peace and justice are the foundation of all other SDGs". Teams presented arguments for and against, followed by a dynamic round of cross-questions and rebuttals. The participants showed great skill in argumentation, balancing empathy with strong analytical points.

After lunch, it was time for another energizer: "Chicken Dance" organized by Spanish team! It was a perfect way to refresh tired minds and reset the mood.

Later, national teams took the stage to present the current state of SDG achievement in their respective countries. Using statistics, visuals, and examples, each team showed how far their country has come — and how far there is still to go.

We ended the day with a warm and honest reflection circle, where everyone shared what they learned, how they felt about the activities, and which moments stood out the most. The room was full of smiles and thoughtful nods — a clear sign of a day well spent.

Day 3 - 20 May: Co-written by the Armenian team

The day began with an energizer hosted by the Moldovan team — a lighthearted movement game that quickly filled the room with laughter and connection. It set a perfect tone for the thoughtful sessions that followed.

Heading right after into the workshops, the first one was called "Elements of Value" model and its connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this, each participant drew a card. There were equal number of issues and equal number of elements of value. Examples include

1. Youth Unemployment and Underemployment

(SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth)

— Many young people struggle to find meaningful and stable jobs after education.

And an example of element of value

Connects People: Facilitates meaningful relationships or builds networks.

Participants were tasked to find other participants who matched the two, in order to find a business idea that combines both of them.

The second part of this activity focused on convincing others to join business ideas (such as mergers and acquisitions!) in order to end up with 6 teams. These 6 teams, from this day on remain the same up until the last day for pitching the entire sustainable business idea.

After the coffee break, the focus shifted to the Business Model Canvas. Participants learned how to structure business ideas using this powerful framework and examined how each component — from key partners to revenue streams — ties back to sustainability. Teams used this to bring theory into practice and laying a foundation for the pitches coming later in the week. Below you can find examples of some of the filled in business model canvases that the groups filled in.

In the afternoon, the program shifted to a more introspective format with the "Inside Out" activity. Participants were encouraged to reflect on their values and how they align with the SDGs. The session emphasized the importance of self-awareness and empathy in designing meaningful projects, leading to emotional and personal exchanges across the group. This was done by Erma, by the use of SMART goals, which stands for SPECIFIC (to be precise), MEASURABLE (how to know when a goal was reached?), ACHIEVABLE (realistic given time and resources), RELEVANT (aligns with your core values), TIME (time bound with a clear deadline)

With this new tools in play, work began working on a branding. Kateryna showed the use of clever colors and archetypes, such as red (netflix/coca cola) which are used to showcase excitement, while the color gray often represents balance (Mercedes, apple, Wikipedia) and thus, the teams went on to implement this into the branding of their own enterprises.

The workshops ended with a creative reflection, using cards to indicate the feelings of the day.

As for the evening we had our first intercultural, where five countries — Armenia, Cyprus, Spain, Ukraine, and Lithuania — shared their traditions, dances, music, and flavors. From Armenian sweets and energetic dancing to Ukrainian crafts and Spanish fiesta rhythm, the evening was a true celebration of diversity and unity. Participants got a taste (quite literally) of different cultures, creating bonds that reached far beyond borders.

Day 4 - 21 May: Co-written by both Romanian and Georgian teams

The 4th day began by getting energized, dancing and "stealing" dance partners on Ukrainian music. This is a traditional dance in Ukraine, full of excitement, serving as the perfect energizer especially a day after the cultural night.

Our first activity of the day made us get our feet on the ground about our ideas: after clarifying the notions of one-time and operational costs, we had the chance to envision our businesses' future. Each team did the math, estimated their expenses and presented their idea 5 years plan.

When comparing our results, we emphasized the highest and lowest expenses.

Our numbers were either out of reach or too optimistic, which was expected from some beginners in the business world, such as ourselves.

This business plan document (which was previously used in ACPELIA's projects, such as SUCCOMINO), denoted 5 key factors to look out for yearly, which you can see below.

After a refreshing coffee break, our next activity got us into the shoes of CEOs, marketers, financial and HR directors. We were divided into teams and had to solve several business crisis: from an internal issue, to image harming situations and clients withdrawing from a partnership, there was no corner of these commercial dilemmas that we didn't explore.

The best part? Having to present it all as a sketch in front of everybody in 3 minutes. Theatrical and entrepreneurial skills all covered. What's more to ask? and clients withdrawing from a partnership, there was no corner of these commercial dilemmas that we didn't explore.

As for the afternoon we boarded the bus and headed off on a group tour to Paphos, all buzzing with excitement (and maybe a little too much coffee). The road took us along the coastline, where the sea shimmered under the afternoon sun, and every bend gave us a postcard-worthy view.

Our first stop? The legendary Aphrodite's Rock. According to myth, it's where the goddess of love herself emerged from the sea. Naturally, we took this as an opportunity for a full-on photo shoot—wind in our hair, dramatic poses, and all. (Some say we summoned Aphrodite back with our fierce selfie game.)

We then made our way to the heart of Paphos, Next up was a quick stop at a local museum, where we viewed a collection of ancient mosaics featuring scenes from Greek mythology. Though the display was small, the intricate details and the stories they told gave us a peek into the art and beliefs of the ancient world.

After that, we headed to the charming Paphos port. With the sun slowly dipping toward the horizon, we strolled along the promenade, sea breeze in our faces, gelato in hand. Some of us treated ourselves to an ice-cold frappe at a seaside café, where the view alone felt like a reward for a day well spent.

As we made our way back home, tired but glowing, our minds were full of new knowledge, fresh ideas, and hilarious moments we'll be quoting for months. It was a day that reminded us that building a business is a journey—but so is exploring the world, one myth, dance move, and coffee at a time.

Day 5 –22 May: Co-written by the Lithuanian team

This day started with a morning hike in the mountains. When we met our hike leaders, we found out that we absolutely needed a flag for the hike. So our sporty Marina sprinted back in the intense heat to get it (whoops!) Then, accompanied by music we made our way up the hills, surrounded by stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea, rocky cliffs, and local plants. The hike turned out to be a great opportunity to "test our abilities" in this field — for some participants it felt too short, for others it was "just right," and for a few it was too long. But most importantly, we all managed to complete the planned route, talk more with each other, and get to know one another better.

Today's energizer game "Tingo-Tango" was led by the Armenian team. We were split into two groups, each forming a circle by linking arms. As the leaders chanted "tingo, tingo, tingo" at various speeds, participants had to move accordingly around their circle. When "tango" was called, people had to quickly find a partner from the opposite group and dance the tango. Those who didn't find a partner were out. The game was fun, energetic, and a great way to wake up our bodies and minds.

For the first main task, we were divided into six groups, each tasked with creating a "bad product." Some of the inventions included: wooden pillows, stinky after-sun cream, sweet liquid, and premium air. This activity was fun, full of laughter, and sparked lots of creativity and conversation.

The second task kept us in the same groups. This time, we had to create advertisements for the "bad products" made by the other teams — keeping the function the same, but using roleplay to change (or not) how the product was presented. Participants were highly engaged, with creative and emotional performances, and the audience watched with curiosity, surprise, and joy.

In the third task, we had to imagine ourselves five years into the future and reflect silently on questions like: What have I achieved? How do others see me? What am I proud of? Then, we changed into character and went to a "party" where we met others and introduced ourselves in the present tense as our future selves. At the end of the activity, each participant was invited to speak to the group in the present tense, sharing their vision of themselves five years from now.

We ended the day with an intercultural evening. Moldova, Georgia, Romania, and Bulgaria presented their countries. Each group showed a video about their country. Moldova included a quiz asking us to guess true or false facts about them. Georgia challenged us to recall and say some Georgian words, rewarding correct answers. Romania presented a visual puzzle where we had to guess colorful local expressions. Their presentation continued with a group of children also participating in the Erasmus project — they sang the Romanian anthem and showed a video introducing their school. Bulgaria's presentation was shared through a video. The evening concluded with intercultural dances and celebration.

Day 6 – 23 May: Co-written by the Bulgarian team

Sixth day, and after everything we have been learning so far, we were visited by three entrepreneurs who reside in Pissouri

Haris Stylianides – owner of the restaurant Vrakas in Pissouri Square.

Haris gave a presentation and spoke about his experience running a restaurant. He broke down running a business into 6 distinct parts

1 – Love and Passion – never work in a place you don't love!
2 – Knowledge of the product – you gotta know what you are selling, and more importantly, the why? Why should this product be sold here?
3 – The Yes attitude – fake it till you make it, if you believe you can do it, well, most of the time, you really can!
4 – Adaptability + Decisiveness – the market is constantly changing, and you should along with it
5 – Comfort on Failure – You will fail, and that's okay!
6 – Risk tolerance + persistence – you have to mitigate the risk, by ensuring that you are capable of running a business even if circumstances are chaning.

Andreas Demetriou - Farm Owner

The second speaker was Andreas Demetriou Who was born into the farm he works at. Andreas spoke all about the fact that he is running a primary business, which makes businesses like Haris' one possible. Andreas spoke of the support that governments give to farms like his, and what's it like running after animals.

Panagiotis Mavroudis, Chairman of Board of Pissouri Council, Owner of a Big Company in Shipping

The final speaker was Panagiotis Mavroullis, the major of Pissouri. Mavroullis talked about his experience in freelance teaching to Lebanese audiences (who came to Cyprus after conflicts in Lebanon during the 80s) as well as running TMS Group, a shipping company with branches in Greece as well as Egypt. Participants had the opportunity to ask a lot of questions to the entrepreneurs about the ins and outs of business.

After this, participants worked on MVPs, meaning presenting minimum viable products. This allows participants to present a working enough pitch, that will be expanded expanantionaly during the real pitch the day after.

In the afternoon, Bobbie presented Erasmus+ Opportunities, where participants went through all other opportunities that the European Commission offers, as well as funding opportunities for the business ideas, like Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs.

After Nikolas presented follow up activities, meaning what participants have to do AFTER returning back home, it was time for the ultimate prep. Until next morning, Participants are given the time to prepare their ultimate final pitches.

At night, the accommodation hosted traditional Cypriot dances that we all enjoyed

Day 7 – May 24: Co-written by the Spanish team

The final day!

Today was a really special and emotional day. We started with a pretty intense but exciting activity: presenting our final pitches. Each group had 5 minutes to explain the business idea we had been working on throughout the project. These were

Connecta - a platform that connects immigrants with locals and business owners for their mutual benefit

Opportunity Bridge - a platform that connects people having non-formal experience and business owners
Nari - an upcycling fashion brand
Mentara - platform and physical spaces for mental health education and yoga
RePlay S-Cool - a platform that connects schools to exchange or give used furniture for free
WasteNot – AI based food event planning. Ensures that no extra food is cooked, therefore wasted!

To the participants surprise, they were actually the ones voting to "fund" these ideas. Each participant was given 500 units of currency, and were of course, not allowed to fund themselves.

Voted anonymously, the company that won was Nari! Congrats!

Below you can find the presentation documents that were used by each team to present

DOWNLOAD Conec...ssed.pdf

DOWNLOAD Menta...ssed.pdf

DOWNLOAD Nari_...ssed.pdf

DOWNLOAD Oppor...ssed.pdf

DOWNLOAD REPLA...ssed.pdf

DOWNLOAD Waste...ssed.pdf

Later, we had one of the most emotional activities of the day. Everyone had a piece of paper taped to their back, and we walked around writing nice messages, memories, or kind words to each other. We couldn't see what was being written, but we knew it came from the heart. Reading them all at the end was honestly such a beautiful moment.

After that, we had an evaluation session—not just of the day, but of the entire project. We reflected on what we learned, how we've grown, and what we'll take with us from this experience. We also shared our thoughts and feelings about the different moments we lived together.

The afternoon was dedicated to evaluations, as well as the ever-popular Youthpass ceremony!

It was a day full of beautiful moments that I'll always remember with a smile.