DIgital Entrepreneurship for Adult Learners Erasmus Project

Project Title

DIgital Entrepreneurship for Adult Learners

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The context and or background to the DEAL Project is the deficit in entrepreneurship digital skills identified by the EU Commission, the associated unemployment statistics (See below) and the opportunity presented by digitalisation, especially in the area of developing self employment – entrepreneurship opportunities in particular for the older, rural female worker. DEAL supports especially vulnerable target groups who are preparing for the unavoidable impact of digitalisation. External global drivers of change such as rapidly changing technologies, globalisation, climate change and urbanisation will have significant impacts on enterprises nationally and at a European level.

– 44% of EU Citizens do not have basic digital skills
– of that 44%, some 42% are unemployed

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The target 150 participants will in the main be recruited from low income, older rural and females cohorts. The objectives of the project are to these recruits in a specially designed education and training programme which will provide them with the necessary knowledge, information and competence to have the necessary self-confidence to take advantage of digitalisation for the purpose of developing self-employment entrepreneurship opportunities. Dissemination and Valorisation of the project products and results are key objectives with a target of over 150,000 set.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The activities of the DEAL project will include:
1. Leading and Managing all aspects of the project including:
a. Reporting and Financial Requirements
b. Communications
c. Quality Assurance
d. Risk Assessment and Remedial Actions
e. Dissemination and Valorisation

2. Developing a user-friendly Open Educational Resource Platform for the purpose of hosting our proposed Education and Training Programme and Associated Resources for the benefit of the Target Group

3. Mapping Dynamics and Trends of the Silver Economy and Active Aging for the purpose of ensuring, through the production of a comparative Country Map, using a common methodology, of the existing and emerging dynamics and trends of the
silver economy and active ageing, so as to ensure that the currency, relevance and practicality of the proposed education and training programme responds to the actual and not some perceived needs of the Target Group

4. Training and Resources Toolkit for the purpose of imparting relevant Skills, Knowledge and Competence to the Target Group.

5. Producing a DEAL Operational Manual and Position Paper to enable other Organisations and Users to understand, operationalise and benefit from the Projects outcomes and outputs into the foreseeable future.

PROJECT METHODOLOGY

There will be a number of methodologies employed in the DEAL Project including:

1. A democratic inclusive partnership style to Project Management
2. An adult education pedagogic approach to programme management, design, development and delivery, which respects the knowledge and experience and actual circumstances of the learners and puts their needs at the centre
3. A common methodology and framework for mapping purposes
4. A technological methodology that places ease of navigation, information retrieval and accessibility to the fore having in mind at all stages the need to build digital and entrepreneurial self confidence in the learner
5. A methodology committed to the free flow of information and resources on a continuous basis into the future so as to benefit people and organisations not originally involved with the Project.

KEY PROJECT RESULTS AND IMPACT ENVISAGED

· Successful delivery on time and as originally described
· Full compliance with the Funding Agency’s requirements
· A cohort of trained individuals, drawn from the target group who will have the knowledge, skills and competence, as well as the self confidence to develop self employment opportunities through entrepreneurship.
· A relevant Education and Training Programme (in the area of Digital Entrepreneurship and Self Employment Opportunities) and associated Resources freely available to all
· An Operational Manual and Position Paper making the results and outcomes of the project truly transparent and available for further exploitation

FINALLY THE POTENTIAL LONGER TERM BENEFITS
-A reduction in the number of EU Citizens who do not have digital skills
– An increase in the number of EU Citizens self employed through their own efforts as a result of having benefited from the education and training programme originated by the DEAL Project
– Specific groups such as women, rural dwellers and older people will yield particular benefits from DEAL as the project supports these cohorts to address the very specific challenges they face.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 286214 Eur

Project Coordinator

EQUAL Ireland Education, Research and Related Services, Company Ltd. & Country: IE

Project Partners

• IDP SAS DI GIANCARLO COSTANTINO (ITALIAN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS)
• IRISH RURAL LINK CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED
• INSTITUT DE HAUTE FORMATION AUX POLITIQUES COMMUNAUTAIRES
• Longford Women’s Link CLG
• INTERNET WEB SOLUTIONS SL
• Husavik Academic Center / Þekkingarnet Þingeyinga