Scouting is among the few opportunities for young people to acquire positive values, to learn the skills that would make them happy and fulfilled people and to offer them a chance in life, in their own hometowns. The Local Scout Group of Hunedoara is one of the oldest and most active in Romania. Lots of activities were organised over the years and many generations of young citizens were formed through the efforts of its dedicated leaders. In order to become relevant for the young people today, the Scout Group started to identify and act upon the real needs of Hunedeoara’s young people, chiefly among them being acquiring entrepreneurship skills, gaining leadership experience and being able to forge a happy and fulfilled life without having to leave their families and homes. Despite the fall of the Communist industry, the county of Hunedoara has a huge potential in developing local economic activities, mainly linked to its areas unique natural and cultural heritage. Combined with the innate creativity of young Romanians, this can represent a solution to some of the problems the local communities are facing. This project aims to support young people, many of them living in difficult circumstances, to explore the potential of their area, interact with local communities, identify the possibilities and prepare business plans, in cooperation with relevant partners.
From recording the endangered indigenous knowledge to the potential of developing adventure tourism, from beekeeping to valorising the most ancient vestiges of civilisation on Romanian territory and from developing Scouting's role in isolated communities to promoting the unique ecosystem of the Natural Park Gradistea Muncelului- Cioclovina, the project offers a chance to young people to develop entrepreneurship skills and to propose real projects to be developed in partnership, thus offering themselves and their communities an opportunity for a better life. The project is developed and supported by all the main actors that would have a role to play in any potential follow-up actions and initiatives: the local administrations of Hunedoara, Bosorod and Cioclovina, the Administration of the Natural Park Gradistea Muncelului-Cioclovina, the National Forestry Administration, the Rescue Teams and caving Society of county Hunedoara and the Romanian National Scout Association. The results of the project would be promoted to other areas, so that this pilot is used as a model for similar initiatives in other parts of Romania.