Soft skills are defined as the interpersonal qualities that do not depend on acquired knowledge – hard skills – and combine different interpersonal abilities, character traits and career attributes, as well as social and emotional intelligence among many others. These capacities are becoming extremely relevant because in the very competitive world we live, such capacities might help you to become a successful candidate from other job seekers. It is about “something” that distinguish you when everyone possesses the same level of knowledge, training, and technical abilities. Some examples of soft skills are: communication skills, leadership, work ethic, creative problem solving, design thinking, time management, conflicts resolution, integrity, flexibility, teamwork, and socioemotional intelligence.
Soft skills are extremely relevant in the field of entrepreneurship because they allow you to connect with costumers, clients, partners and other stakeholders as well as share your ideas and knowledge. Indeed, soft skills might be the key to make your entrepreneurship project successful.
Entrepreneurship is at the heart of Dialogue Café action and many sessions have been organised with the aim of supporting entrepreneurs and sharing knowledge in this field. With this purpose, the Eugenio de Almeida Foundation, one of Dialogue Café Évora hosts, and Dialogue Café Association organise a session aimed at analysing the role of entrepreneurship in promoting soft skills and giving a space to young entrepreneurs to share their testimonials and knowledge.
The session is celebrated in the framework of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, celebrated annually during a week in November “to engage in connecting entrepreneurs with collaborators, mentors and stakeholder groups in order to develop a network of synergistic partners and new opportunities”[1].
For this session, young entrepreneurs and organisations supporting entrepreneurs will be invited to reflect about key soft skills for entrepreneurship and to discuss the following questions, but not limited to:
- What are the soft skills that new young leaders value?
- Why are soft skills so valued?
- Soft skills are as important to the success of our youth as indicators more traditional academics?
- Soft skills play a key role in the emergence of a business idea and growing a new company?
Participation is free and open. Keep posted to know more about the programme!
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Contacts for detailed information
[1] https://www.genglobal.org/
On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Over the next fifteen years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind. While the SDGs are not legally binding, governments are expected to take ownership and establish national frameworks for the achievement of the 17 Goals. Countries have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review of the progress made in implementing the Goals, which will require quality, accessible and timely data collection. Regional follow-up and review will be based on national-level analyses and contribute to follow-up and review at the global level.
In this framework, water as essential element for life plays a key role in the achievements of the 2030 Agenda. SDG 6 on Clean water and sanitation and SDG 14 on Life below water are fully dedicated to water, but it´s also directly related to all of them, to hunger, to health, climate action, sustainable cities and desertification for example.
Through this session, Dialogue Café members aim to address the challenges of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with regards to water in a global perspective and by sharing concrete examples of good practices being implemented everywhere. Through this session will also aim at boosting youth participation in the 2030 Agenda and promote their role in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Young activists, good practices, civil society organisations, researchers and people in general will debate about the relevance of water in the 2030 Agenda and share their experiences, ideas and good practices to confront the critical challenge of access to water resources.
Some questions to be raised are:
- What are some issues facing water resources?
- What are some challenges to providing clean water?
- What is sustainable water use?
- How can we increase understanding of the many ways water matters?
- How can we minimise the presence of micropollutants in the environment, especially in the water?
Dialogue Café members joining this session are Belgrade, Evora, Lisbon and Novi Pazar.
Programme
Dialogue Café Belgrade
- Uroš Anđelković, UNA-Serbia Dialogue Cafe Team
- Ana Milojević, UNA-Serbia BIMUN Team
- Tijana Djurovic, Belgrade Secretariat for the Protection of the Environment
Dialogue Café Evora (ADRAL| Evora Tech & Social Innovation Centre of the Eugénio de Almeida Foundation)
- Alexandra Correia, Project “Alentejo Azul”, which aims to stimulate action on the theme of the sea and water resources, materializing in a program to create new companies and support business innovation in the sector, with integrated actions and promoted by a strong partnership. , claiming to be an unavoidable national reference, with international visibility, of the blue economy.
- Ana Rita Valido, TWIST – Estratégia Transnacional para a Inovação no domínio da Água, Evora – ADRAL
- Barbara Tita, Expert | Environment and Spatial Planning Department EDIA (EDIA – Alqueva Sa Development and Infrastructure Company)
- Ana Ana Ilhéu, Director of the Department of Environment and Spatial Planning (EDIA – Alqueva Sa Development and Infrastructure Company)
With the participation of other guests in Lisbon (Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation) and Dialogue Cafe Novi Pazar (Centar Duga).
Participation is free and open.
For further information contact us at info(@)dialoguecafe.org
Background
Social impact might be defined as the positive change addressing a social challenge created as result of a thoughtful set of actions implemented with this purpose. Sometimes social impact is identified also with social change, social innovation, social entrepreneurship or social entrepreneur because all of these concepts are identified as multiples paths towards a desired outcome. Their interpretation depends indeed on the context. Evidencing social impact and how to measure it might be one of the major challenges related to this field of intervention. Identifying methods, strategies and methodologies to impact actions, projects or programmes aimed at boosting social impact, has been a clear priority in the latest years. Doing well, might help charities, social organisations, entrepreneurs, and any other agent motivated by social change to improve his/her action, compare its achievements with other organisations and communicate evidence to attract further investment. Some reflections to take into consideration about social impact evidence might be sustainability, who benefits?, how many people benefit? and how do they benefit?
Social innovation is at the heart of Dialogue Café and many sessions have been focused on social impact. Given its relevance, Dialogue Café Evora proposes to organise a debate on social impact methodologies to deeply analyse how best we can improve and measure social impact action. With this purpose, Dialogue Café Association and its members are organising a session untitled “Social Impact, more effective and user friendly methodologies”.
Social entrepreneurs and organisations promoting social impact will be invited to discuss the following questions, but not limited to:
What is social impact?
- What are the most effective and user-friendly methodologies?
- How can you evaluate the social impact of projects?
- Organizations recognize the realities in which act?
- Can organizations always pull impact results on their projects?
The session will take place on 24 October 2019 from 15h to 17h London time.
Provisional Programme
Dialogue Café Belgrade
- Tijana Čupić, Serbian UN Youth Delegate
- Lenka Tanaskovic, Faculty of Political Science of Belgrade
Dialogue Café Évora
– Henrique Sim Sim, Social Innovation Centre, Eugénio de Almeida Foundation
- David Prazeres, President, League of Friends of the Hospital of Evora
Dialogue Café Lisbon
– Ana Margarida Ferreira, UNIDCOM/IADE – Research Unit in Design and Communication, IADE-U University Institut of Art, Design and Entreprise
– Vítor Simões, 4Change
– João Machado, Manager of the Social Innovation Fund, Portugal Social Innovation
Dialogue Café Novi Pazar
– Martina Ilic, Founder, Liliputanke blog
– Aida Camovic, Founder, Liliputanke blog
With the participation of other experts in Dialogue Café Cidade de Praia!
Participation is free and open!
Join us and share your knowledge!
Contacts for detailed information
Dialogue Café Association and Dialogue Café Lisbon - Dalia Sendra (daliasendra@casadoregalo.pt)
Dialogue Café Évora – Margarida Oliveira / Eugénio de Almeida Foundation (margarida.oliveira@fea.pt) & Ana Rita Valido / ADRAL Agency (ana.valido@adral.pt)
Dialogue Café Novi Pazar – Fatima Durovic (fatimadurovic@gmail.com)
Dialogue Café Cidade de Praia – Indira Pires (ipires@institutopedropires.org.cv)
According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 17 million of volunteers work each year across 189 countries tirelessly to ensure that the most vulnerable people in communities have access to services and support. Volunteering offers vital support to people in need and the community, but benefits can be also greater for the volunteer. There are many types of volunteering: skills-based, in developing countries, virtual, on learning programmes and schools, on environment, in an emergency, corporate and community based. Volunteers also play a key role in the implementation of social and third sectors organisations by implementing projects, involving communities, and supporting dissemination among many other tasks. Volunteers might work at the local as the international areas.
It happens that in some cases, a volunteer action might create or open the door to a job opportunity. In other occasions, volunteering might a strategy for young people to strengthen their capacities and their skills. Becoming volunteer can be a way to increase your professional and personal experience by doing the good.
Given the important role volunteers play in some of Dialogue Café Network members, we wish to analyse and raise how volunteering might promote the integration into new job markets.
With this purpose, Dialogue Café Association and its members organise a session focused on volunteering contribution to integration in the job market.
Representatives of organisations promoting volunteering and volunteers will be invited to discuss the following questions, but not limited to:
- How do leaders handle a volunteer’s role in an organization / institution?
- What mechanisms and instruments support volunteers?
- Does volunteering complement a young person’s curriculum?
- Might volunteering opening access to different fields of work?
- Which are the main competences and skills someone can get from a volunteering experience?
Programme
Dialogue Café Évora
– Inês Gonçalves, Project Manager, Volunteering Programme, Eugenio de Almeida Foundation
– Joana da Silva, Volunteer at Eugenio de Almeida Foundation
– Hamilton Cruz, Volunteer at Eugenio de Almeida Foundation
Dialogue Café Novi Pazar
– Amila Sarenkapic, Volunteer at Centar Duga
– Ela Curic, Volunteer at Centar Duga
– Medina Hocanin, Volunteer at Centar Duga
With the participation of Dialogue Café Lisbon!
Entrance is free and open to general public. Volunteers, representatives of civil society and volunteering organisations are most welcome.
For further information, contact us at info(at)dialoguecafe.org
The United Nations Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security[1], adopted by the Security Council on 9 December 2015, recognizes the role young people play in the keeping and promoting international peace and security, key to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals. In this framework, dialogue and exchange are key vehicles for the success of peace.
The engagement of youth in intercultural dialogue and practices of exchange, networking, and active participation is crucial for the prevention and resolution of conflict. Young people have wonderful creative skills and capacities to develop bridges based on the commons, use tools to promote dialogue and to engage in social.
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Third sector is composed by organisations that are neither public sector nor private sector, and includes voluntary and community organisations registered such as charities, associations, community groups, social enterprises, or even co-operatives. They are connected to people and their needs but can act at the local or international level.
Their main mission is to bring social change and achieve social goals, hence they are called as non-profit organisations. However, financial sustainability is one of the main challenges they have been traditionally confronting.
Dialogue Café Association and its members accord a relevant importance to the third sector as its main purpose is to serve to non-profit and civil society organisations, connect them and create bridges in order to promote intercultural dialogue and social innovation.
With this purpose, we are organising a session focused on the 3rd sector and its challenges in terms of financial sustainability and invite third sector leaders to share their thoughts and also good practices with this regard. Some of the questions to be shared and reflected are:
- How leaders deal with financial challenges to sustain third sector organisations.
- What mechanisms and instruments should exist to support their action and sustain de organisation life?
Participation is free and open.
Provisional programme
- Marta Alter, Diretora Técnica do Agrupamento Monte – DC Evora
- Paulo Resende da Silva, Diretor do Departamento de Gestão da Universidade de Évora + 6 a 8 alunos de mestrado – DC Evora
- Tiago Albaroado, Presidente da UDIPSS Évora – DC Evora
Contacts for registration and detailed information
Dialogue Café Association - Dalia Sendra (daliasendra@casadoregalo.pt)
Dialogue Café Évora – Margarida Oliveira / Eugénio de Almeida Foundation (margarida.oliveira@fea.pt) & Ana Rita Valido / ADRAL Agency (ana.valido@adral.pt)
Dialogue Café Cidade de Praia – Indira Pires (ipires@institutopedropires.org.cv)
