Vlajo - JA-YE Belgium Dutchspeaking Investing in young enterpreneurial talents

Vlajo (Flemish Young Enterprises – JA-YE Belgium Dutchspeaking) is a NGO working within schools and local business to bridge the gap between the outside world and the classroom, particularly with regard to learning and understanding economics, commerce, trade and entrepreneurship. The mission of Vlajo is to use hands-on experiences to help young people understand how companies are run, and how to establish a new company. In partnership with business and educators, the aim of Vlajo is to bring the real world to students, and in the process opening their minds to their own entrepreneurial potential.

Vlajo has the purpose of enabling young people to learn about the world of work and to develop attitudes and skills for personal success, lifelong learning and employability through the real experience of running their own company over one academic year. These are the business leaders of tomorrow.

Vlajo is well respected among NGOs and educators for the calibre and scaleability of its programmes. Its events for students (i.e. trainings, national market days and competitions) and various publications and research projects (in cooperation with Vlerick Management School and University of Ghent) are a testament to the impact these programmes have on young people. Vlajo strives to involve business people directly in the teaching process as volunteers. This is one of our key measures of programme quality. At the same time, we train teachers to take advantage of this outside expertise and to use “learning-by-doing” methods in their classrooms.

Vlajo is supported by multiple founders from both private and public sectors and the Flemish Government. Vlajo has a structural partnership with school associations and the Voka – Chamber of commerce and Industry, VKW and Syntra and media partners (media coverage). This assures long-term sustainability as well as a dynamic and innovative approach to the programmes.

Vlajo earned the JA-YE Europe Model Organisation Award yearly since 2008. The Company Programme is recognised by the European Commission Enterprise Directorate General as a ‘Best Practice in Entrepreneurship Education’. In addition, Vlajo earned the JA-YE Thomas J Bata Quality Award in 2013.

Contact person

Siene van Hoorick
[email protected]
+32492730560
Kapeldreef 60
3001 Heverlee
Belgium