"The project ""My language - your language"" deals with success factors for good citizen participation. The operational objective is to look at best methods and practices in the context of (civic) participation at the international level, to receive further training and to learn skills on how to achieve target group-oriented participation on the ground. The overall objective is social inclusion and the strengthening of civil society involvement and participation of previously uninvolved citizens.The scientific discourse on citizen participation and its methods is extensive and controversial. Both science and practice state that people with an educational background participate and disadvantaged groups are excluded. In addition, practical experience shows that municipal calls for participation are generic and not adapted to the target groups to be reached, and that existing networking structures are not taken into account.With the project ""My language - your language - success factors for good civic participation"" the four European partner organisations from Germany, Austria, Italy (with headquarters in France) and Spain would like to analyse the described gap of the lack of target group oriented access in accordance with the priorities ""social inclusion"" and ""common values, civil society commitment and participation"" and work on the following questions:- What is the experience of partner organisations with participation of people of different ages and nationalities, who are interested in and distant from participation, as well as people who are close to and distant from education?- Which best practice methods are there in the area of culturally sensitive addressing and participation in the partner countries?- What influence do individual values, the living environment and interculturality have on- access to people and their participation?Through the Strategic Partnership, this topic is to be developed in four transnational workshops of several days' duration in the partner countries. In their work, all partner organisations deal with the issue of participation of different target groups on an operational or strategic level. Due to the different focuses and expertise of the partner organisations, a large thematic breadth and depth is generated.During the project period the project group will work on an OPERATIVE level with the- the exchange of good practice in terms of content and differentiated access to different citizens and local diversity- the international aspect in the context of participation- and the educational approach resulting from the two aspects mentioned aboveapart.On an INDIVIDUAL level, the actors deal with different milieus and diversity on site in the workshops. This is intended to increase the empathy of the professionals towards the citizens. At the INSTITUTIONAL level, the innovative approach has an integrating effect, as the focus is on diversity and differentiated access to the respective groups. At LOCAL/ REGIONAL level the project is action-oriented. Participating actors should address target groups in their familiar language through networked, cross-functional learning. This promotes the connection between organisations and authorities at local and regional level. In addition, it has an integrating effect and strengthens the community and is intended to strengthen civic involvement. After completion of the project, social integration will be promoted and civic participation strengthened at SYSTEM LEVEL. It also promotes greater interaction between citizens, actors, administration and politics. The bottom-up approach will strengthen networking, communication and professional skills.Documentation is provided through regular reporting on a project homepage and is disseminated locally through press reports, work in committees and network structures. In the future, a more in-depth examination of this topic is envisaged by addressing the target group via a proposal with intellectual output."

<< Background >>CONTEXTThere is growing recognition and awareness that nature can help provide viable solutions that use and deploy the properties of natural ecosystems services in order to address urban environmental, social and economic challenges. The European Commission (EC) defines NBS as “Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions”.The EC has several objectives focusing on NBS, being one of them the advancement in “the development, uptake and upscale of innovative NBS”. In order to reach this objective, the EC has funded several NBS implementation projects under the H2020 programme (EdiCitNet, CLEVER Cities, proGIreg, URBiNAT, CONNECTING Nature, GrowGreen, UrbanGREENUP, UNALAB, CLEARING HOUSE, REGREEN, RECONECT, Operandum, MyBuildingIsGree). Cities are showing a growing interest in the integration of NBS to address urban challenges. Currently, NBS projects for cities are mainly developed by external entities specialized with the necessary knowledge to develop such complex projects, where experts from the fields of botany (e.g. plants resistant to pollution), technology (e.g. irrigation, impermeabilization), design (e.g. integration of the project in the existing urban environment) and economy (e.g. economic impacts of the implementation of NBS as savings in the Health sector, possibility to create extra incomes for citizens as in the case of urban cultivation) are required. In order to further strengthen the integration of NBS in cities, experts working in the public sector need to be empowered and trained with a transdisciplinary knowledge. In turn, this will help: (1) introduce NBS projects in the cities with more efficient action plans and visions targeted at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially SDG 13 Climate Action; (2) integrate NBS in the urban and climate action plans; (3) develop new innovative NBS projects; and (4) receive,implement, and manage NBS projects developed by external entities.<< Objectives >>“Green Skills 4 Cities” aims to establish a transdisciplinary educational platform targeted at the development of skills in the field of NBS implementation in cities. The project will bring together trainers and learners from the fields of botany, technology, design, and economy and cities involving them in an unique transdisciplinary learning environment aiming at the development of curricula targeted at working in the public sector.GOALS:The project goals are: > Develop curricula of professionals targeted at NBS implementation, thus increasing cities sustainability; > Increase the quality and relevance of higher education, focusing on the transdisciplinary dimension, to better respond to the labour market needs;> Reinforce networks in the field of urban sustainable development, establishing collaborations between HEIs, RTOs and Municipalities, thus facilitating the introduction of the learners in the labour market;> Produce results that are reusable, transferable, up-scalable.CONCRETE OBJECTIVES:In order to reach these goals, the project has the following specific objectives:> OBJ 1 Setting up a “Training for Trainers” Programme to enable trainers to develop transdisciplinary educational formats for learners;> OBJ 2 Setting up a “Long-term Programme” aimed at creating a transdisciplinary educational format embedded in each of the participating Educational Institutions academic programmes;> OBJ 3 Setting up a “Short-term Programme” aimed at the development of a one week format for professionals (lifelong learning);> OBJ 4 Setting up a series of dissemination activities in order to promote the upscaling and replication of the project. All the activities will be jointly designed and implemented by municipalities and HEIs and RTOs.<< Implementation >>The project is going to implement educational activities with the following characteristics:> Trainers will be trained to work in a transdisciplinary environment, incorporating teaching methodologies from other disciplines;> Curricula will be jointly developed by Educational Institutions and Municipalities;> Learners will work on the Urban Challenges defined by the Municipalities;> Municipalities will review the work of the learners;> Trainers and learners will be involved in a transdisciplinar environment learning about botany, technology, design, and economy;> In the three training programmes (Training for Trainers, Short-term and Long-term Programmes) learners will receive classes with “Flip Teaching” methodology: they study the resources made available online and the theoretical transdisciplinary classes are used to solve doubts, consolidate knowledge, and envision new ideas;> Theoretical transdisciplinary classes will be given online at the same time to all the learners participating from the different countries;> Within the Long-term Programme, students from different disciplines will work online to jointly develop a project targeted at the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions for a specific municipality;> Within the Long-term Programme, the “Learning by Doing” methodology will be applied: design students will build a working prototype of the project jointly developed with the other students, thus testing its performances.<< Results >>The project outcomes and results will be related to the project objectives:OUTCOME 1 - “TRAINING FOR TRAINERS” (related to OBJ 1):“Training for Trainers” is aimed at enabling trainers to develop transdisciplinary education formats for students.It will include:> educational resources aimed at enhancing the transdisciplinary skills of the trainers and to allow them to co-design the “Long-Term Programme” and “Short-term Programme”. They include the description of the basic concepts and fundamentals of each discipline and the teaching pedagogy and methodology.OUTCOME 2 - “LONG-TERM PROGRAMME” (related to OBJ 2):The “Long-term Programme” is an educational format embedded in the academic programmes. The learners will be selected within the students of the 3 educational institutions (IAAC, UNIGE, WU). It aims to form professionals able to work in municipalities and public bodies on urban sustainability enhancement through the implementation of NBS. The students will be involved in a transdisciplinary theoretical module and a practical module in which they will cooperate transnationally towards the development of a project addressing urban challenges selected by the cities.It will include:> Curriculum and guidelines for the “Long-term programme” - report including the characteristics of the curricula developed, the students selection process, the guidelines for the course implementation, the evaluation implementation procedure.> educational resources (e.g. books, videos, etc.) addressing botany and technology dimension, design dimension and economic dimension.OUTCOME 3 - “SHORT TERM PROGRAMME”(related to OBJ 3):The “Short-term Programme” is a 5 days long educational format targeted at lifelong learning. It aims to introduce the participants with the key concepts related to urban sustainability and NBS implementation and guide them to a better understanding of the theory through the development of a practical exercise. The learners will be professionals, employees of municipalities and public bodies and university students in the fields of botany, design, architecture, urban planning, engineering, business. The learners will be involved in a transdisciplinary theoretical module and a practical module in which they will develop a project addressing local urban challenges selected by the cities.It will include:> Curriculum and guidelines for the “Short-term programme” - report including the characteristics of the curricula developed, the learners selection process, the guidelines for the course implementation, the evaluation implementation procedure.> Educational resources (e.g. books, videos, etc.) addressing botany and technology dimension, design dimension and economic dimension.OUTCOME 4 - “DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES”(related to OBJ 4):The dissemination activities will take place along the entire duration of the project. They will be done through the use of online media channels (e.g. the website and social media channels of the project and of each partner, through external platforms and journals, etc.) and through 7 multiplier events specifically organised to promote the main results of the project and foster its replication. In detail:3 National Symposiums, one for each country where the programmes will be implemented, to disseminate the results of the whole project. 1 Webinar to promote the educational programmes and to present the NBS projects produced by the learners to municipalities and public bodies.1 Webinar to promote the results of the Training for Trainers programme to Higher Educational Institutions and RTOs.1 Webinar to promote the results of the Long-Term Programmeto Higher Educational Institutions and RTOs, municipalities, public bodies and students.1 Webinar to promote the results of the Short-Term Programme to Higher Educational Institutions and RTOs, municipalities, public bodies, students and professionals.

The CO-CREATED project (CO-CREATION approaches for European civil servants: EDucational framework) foresaw a strategic partnership for innovation cooperation funded by the Erasmus Plus program (Adult education) with the aim of developing innovative actions, that included the use of ICT tools, within the public administration.The project partnership consists of 4 associations /Union of municipalities from Italy, France, Spain and Bulgaria and has directly involved 57 pilot municipalities.Thanks to the participation in the project, the administrators and employees of the municipalities involved were able to develop new knowledge and skills in the field of co-creation, European project management, active citizenship and volunteering, and improve their language skills through interaction with participants from other countries.CO-CREATED set and reached the following goals:- reduce administrative burden and waste by improving the effectiveness of the services offered and promoting transparency through collaboration with citizens;- the creation of a collaborative network, with the public sector and with external actors;- improve the effectiveness of digital technology for the elaboration of public services;- encourage greater participation in the implementation of policies and the implementation of local services through new channels and new communication methods;- strengthen institutional capacities to manage and monitor the implementation of European projects by the Municipalities.The project duration was of 36 months and included the realization of three Intellectual outputs. We started by defining the level of knowledge of municipal employees regarding co-creation initiatives, volunteering and European projects carried out by the Municipality. During this phase questionnaires were administered to approximately 100 employees of the 57 sample municipalities involved and the results were used to define a specific training plan. The training contents (including the audio-video webinars) were tested during an international mobility attended by 61 participants selected from the employees of the municipalities and the staff of the partner organizations of the project. The courses are available and downloadable from the learning platform www.cocreated.eu developed during the realization of the project Co-Created.The project also included four coordination meetings between the partners and three Multiplier events in Italy, France and Spain.In addition to the associations / Union of Municipalities, project partners, the employees and administrators of the following municipalities were directly involved:- in Spain, Seville, Nijar, Vera, Moraleda de Zafayona, Rota, Niebla, Lucena, Priego de Cordoba, Las Gabias, Peligros, Ubeda, Alhaurin de la torre, Mijas, Pilas, Utrera;- in France Saverne, Strasbourg, Billere, Saint Sebastien sur Loire, Saillans, Loos-en-Gohelle, Orvault, Paris, Bischwiller, Biot, Sceaux, Schiltigheim, Annecy, Rennes, Lingolsheim;- in Bulgaria Avren, Aksakovo, Beloslav, Byala, Valdichol, Devnya, Dolni Chiflik, Dalgopol, Kavarna, Malko Tarnovo, Pomorie, Primorsko, Sozopol, Suvorovo, Tzarevo;- in Italy Sambuca di Sicilia, Librizzi, Vita, Aragon, Porto Empedocle, Aidone, Gangi, Villafranca Sicula, Carini, Favara and Racalmuto

CONTEXT/BACKGROUNDCommunities are usually defined as an aggregation of people that share common traits. These can be nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief system, geographical location, common interests, work sector etc. Regardless of the reason for the aggregation, we know that communities are important for humans, in fact they play a vital role in the well-being of human beings. As the popular saying goes, no person is an island to which we can also add that no person is a house without doors or windows, meaning that there is usually a way to connect with someone at some level. Given their importance, communities have the power and potential to bring people together and to act as tools of social inclusion for people that are usually marginalised.In today’s world, the digital innovations and the challenges of globalisation have changed the fabric of society forever. It is becoming rarer and rarer for people to be in touch with their local communities and to create networks that are both local and offline. Often there is a gap, something that is missing. It is common to hear people say things like “we don’t talk with our neighbours anymore” and to lament isolation and loneliness as prevailing traits on today’s global society. There is a need for community spaces and activities that can help people connect and build networks in their local communities. This need is very present in big metropolis but it also very relevant for rural areas.OBJECTIVESWe believe that education and skill enhancement can help fight these trends and that is why this project aims to address the needs of communities in Europe through the training, education, and empowerment of community workers. The people that will take part in the project and benefit from the project’s intellectual outputs will enhance their skills and employability and in turn enhance the social inclusion, skills, and employability of the people they will train, involve in their activities, and come in contact with thus creating a virtuous circle of empowerment. This project has the potential to impact not only community workers and existing communities but also to help people create community spaces and activities.PARTICIPANTSThe target group of this project is community workers and stakeholders in community engagement and development. In the framework of the project we define this group as individuals or organisations that work for the well-being and development of local communities. These can be charities, NGOs, religious institutions, theatres, local organisations, local government, schools, community centres, educational institutions, cultural associations, Community Interest Companies, networks, social cooperatives etc. . The people that will be involved in the project will be people that work at different levels in these organisation as volunteers, employees, managers, mentors and directors.ACTIVITIESThe project activities will be:- The development of 3 Intellectual outputs: needs analysis, material for the target group, and an online platform for the upskilling of the target group.- 1 International training activity in Greece- 3 Multiplier events- 1 local event in each of the participating countries- Dissemination activities such as project website and social mediaMETHODOLOGYThe project will rely on a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods for the research of intellectual output 1 and for the evaluation of the project activities. As far as the methodology implemented in IO 2&3 it will be mostly non-formal learning activities to foster the social inclusion of marginalised people and to make the material as accessible as possible.RESULTS AND IMPACT3 intellectual outputs: needs analysis, material for the target group, and an online platform for the upskilling of the target group.Training Activity and empowerment of participantsLocal and Multiplier EventsSocial Media and Website for the projectCreation of a European partnership and exchange of good practices and ideasEmpowerment of the target group and the communities they work withLONG-TERM BENEFITSBuild up a network of organisations working with the target group for:- sharing good practices on best methods- promote social inclusion through community engagement and participation- Building a stronger European identity through community engagement and civic participation

The motto of the European Union is 'united in diversity'. Cultural diversity is deeply rooted in European history. Unfortunately, awareness of this phenomenon is still not sufficient in the European Union. This heritage of diversity is expressed particularly well in the biographies of the most prominent figures of European culture, including writers, poets, composers, musicians, sculptors, painters, designers and architects. Many of them were born in ethnically mixed regions. They were shaped by different religions, traditions and cultures. This diversity is expressed in their works, which often transcend and synthesize different elements in order to create new values. Therefore, these characters contributed to the transfer of ideas and artistic motives and the crossing of borders between nations and states in Europe and spread of innovative ideas. Central and Eastern Europe, distinguished by its cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, has created exceptionally favorable conditions for the development of artists who merged different cultures and traditions. They often migrated to Western Europe, where they created their greatest works. Thus, they contributed significantly to the construction of the European cultural community. The local, regional, national and European levels often mixed in the biographies of the artists and writers. Disseminating knowledge about these personalities is extremely important for strengthening the European civic identity and cultural awareness of all EU citizens, which is based on intercultural dialogue. This knowledge should be expanded particularly among young people. Their level and quality of education will have the greatest impact on the shape of the European community in the coming decades.Within the framework of the project, 20 mini-series consisting of 2 podcasts (each podcast prepared in a different country) dedicated to the greatest personalities of European culture from Central-Eastern Europe will be recorded. As part of the work on each podcast, a workshop will be organized consisting of five sessions (two content-oriented, two technical and one graphic) for a group of high school students. A total of 400 students will take part in the workshops. From 3 to 5 professional and artistic experts will be employed to carry out the workshops in each country, i.e. a total of 12-20 people. Podcasts will be produced on the basis of materials prepared by workshop participants in combination with the producer's materials. Based on the materials provided by all partners, a documentary movie will be produced devoted to the phenomenon of multicultural artists and writers from Central and Eastern Europe, placing it in a broader European context. All products will be placed on a specially created project website. The resources will be generally available to all Internet users, while through the promotional campaign they will be disseminated especially among young people and teachers. The project itself will be presented at two public promotional events in Western Europe, which will be aimed at young people.The project leader is the Polish foundation of the College of Eastern Europe (KEW), which publishes books, magazines and podcasts, and organizes conferences and seminars. Its participants are the Slovenian-Italian film association Kinoatelje, the Hungarian Association of Writers, Literary Critics and Translators of Literature, the Lithuanian media organization NARA publishing podcasts, and the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA), the largest organization of the local government sector in Europe.