Complex Toolbox for Volunteers on preparing and running international projects Erasmus Project

Project Title

Complex Toolbox for Volunteers on preparing and running international projects

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The project focuses on empowerment of low-skilled adult learners, volunteers engaged in activities in voluntary organisations, which are understood as all those non-profit organisations that engage volunteers and provide voluntary services of any kind.

More and more people engage into voluntary work of various kind on formal and informal basis. Importance of non-profit org. providing voluntary services (associations, societies, foundations, churches) is increasing steadily. In 2015 (Eurostat last avail.), the involvement in informal voluntary activities in the EU-28 was slightly higher than in formal (organised) voluntary activities (22.2 % versus 19.3 %). Participation in partner countries: IT(12 formal; 11,2 informal), PL(13,8; 50,6), ES (10,7; 10,6), DE (28,6; 11,4); BE (20,4; 20,8). In all countries there are strong organisations that belong to networks, but there are also many small that operate locally/regionally and struggle to survive. Volunteers help elder, sick, immigrants, environment, but they also do work that helps keeping organisations alive. In this aspect, it would be beneficial for them to take advantage of EU funds. If they had strong digital, intercultural and initiative taking and entrepreneurship skills with specific knowledge on EU projects writing and managing, it would not only bring positive effects to their lives but also to organisations they voluntary for. Partners conducted own research about participation of voluntary organisations in EU projects and trainings available for volunteers. Results show that the reason “why” they don’t participate is mostly that volunteers are not trained in this area, they are not aware of such opportunities, they don’t have international contacts or they don’t have competences to write high quality EU funded project. Analysis of approved projects show, that there are no or little written by volunteers. As for the trainings, organisations can’t afford it, especially if from their point of view, it is less urgent. If they have to choose accounting vs. how to prepare EU project, the first will be chosen, because it is a requirement while the second is only an option. As it is getting more difficult for small associations to raise money, this sector in particular could benefit from EU funded programs but often there is no one, who would know how to prepare projects.

The objectives are:
– to improve and extend the supply of high quality learning opportunities tailored to the needs of volunteers, especially those that are low-skilled by enhancing their knowledge and skills in issues related to EU projects development and management with a focus on developing effective open and innovative education in the digital area through the use of ICT supporting key competences
– increase inter-regional and transnational cooperation and develop and reinforce European networks especially of those voluntary organisations that are not part of EVS/ESC
-increase the capacity of voluntary organisations to operate transnationally
-develop digital learning materials and tools in particular OER and support the effective use of digital technologies in education and training
– to disseminate widely the results in order to reach as many as possible volunteers and voluntary organisations throughout European Union.

Target group are low-skilled adults who work as volunteers of those voluntary organisations that are not part of EVS, that operate in small communities, work on local and regional levels and are not aware of possibilities that EU funded projects could bring them.

The project is centred among development of two main Intellectual Outputs:
– 1 OER for volunteers including practical Toolbox on various aspects of cooperation within EU projects (including 1-Internationalisation for voluntary organisations, 2- Dissemination and exploitation of results, 3-Intercultural communication in transnational work, 4-quality in EU projects, 5-ICT tools for the implementation and management of European projects). OER will include theoretical part and practical tools for work on planning, design and management of EU projects.
– 1 e-catalogue of good practices in the field of EU projects implementation by voluntary organisations with possibility of interactive exchange of good practices for these organisations.

The project is likely to have a sustainable impact within and beyond the project lifetime on the low-skilled adults who work as volunteers, on voluntary organisations, adult education providers, participants and participating organisations.

As result of the project low-skilled adult volunteers will upgrade their competences in preparing and managing European projects, enhance their digital skills, intercultural competence and sense of initiative and entrepreneurship. Voluntary organisations will be able to strengthen their position in the region, gain new sources of funding, run more effective operations and establish new, international networks.

Project Website

http://ctv.erasmus.site/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 239424 Eur

Project Coordinator

CSVnet & Country: IT

Project Partners

• assist Gesellschaft für Unternehmensberatung und Personalentwicklung mbH
• STOWARZYSZENIE CENTRUM WSPIERANIA EDUKACJI I PRZEDSIEBIORCZOSCI
• CENTRE EUROPEEN DU VOLONTARIAT
• Asociación Valencia Inno Hub