EU4Youth launches its training centre in Georgia

On 24 January 2022, the ‘Gariseli’ training centre officially opened its doors. The social enterprise was one of the winners of the EU4Youth Social Entrepreneurship in Armenia and Georgia (SEAG) project, and the opening ceremony was very well attended (all COVID-19 state regulations have been followed). Among other guests were the current and former Mayors of Tetritskaro, the Chairman of Tetritskaro Council, and representatives from the EU Delegation to Georgia, the Association of Business Consulting Organizations of Georgia (ABCO), and Tetritskaro Resource Centre.

Nino Samvelidze from the EU Delegation said that she was happy to support the enterprise, as it “should allow young people and the general population around Tetriskaro to use their potential and realize their ideas.” She hoped that it would have a “multiplying effect” across the region.

Director of the SEAG project, Giga Sarukhanishvili, noted how important Gariseli was for the municipality, as it would allow “young people, especially ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups, to receive non-formal education and to establish themselves with dignity in society.” He was keen to point out that the “project was made possible with the financial support of the European Union, which once again emphasizes the importance of EU assistance to our country.”

The training centre is open to all young people. There’s no need to fill out application form in advance; to begin, all you need to do it walk in. The focus is on developing the skills of Tetritskaro’s youth by offering trainings and educational courses. This will improve their non-formal educational background, especially for people from ethnic minorities, and prepare them for employment or for third-level education. University matriculation in Georgia requires students to pass exams that are very different from school, so the centre runs a dedicated course for entrants. Foreign language groups, led by fully qualified teachers, have also been set up.

Tetritskaro Municipality is taking its first steps in the tourism industry, and it’s a sector that could make a big difference. Gariseli is there to help with that too. There’s a tourist information corner, with lots of material on the town, its surrounds and the region’s cultural heritage. Guide services are also available, as well as advice (both online and in person at the centre) on tour planning and tourist itineraries.

But perhaps the last word should go to the founder of Gariseli, Nino Tikurishvili, whose passion for her community – and her drive to strengthen and develop it – is at the heart of this education centre. “Access to non-formal education is especially important for an ethnically diverse community,” she says, “as everyone has the opportunity to develop and realise their potential, regardless of their origin or religion.”

The social enterprise was established in the framework of the EU4Youth SEAG project, which fosters youth employment and societal change through Social Entrepreneurship in the border regions of Armenia and Georgia. The project supports the development of the entrepreneurial potential of young people from Armenia and Georgia in the field of social entrepreneurship, notably with a view to contributing to social cohesion, employment, inclusion, and the reduction of inequalities.