E.U. – COUNTRY ARTISANS Erasmus Project

Project Title

E.U. – COUNTRY ARTISANS

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Rural development and urbanisation

Project Summary

The objectives of the two-years project E.U. – COUNTRY ARTISANS have arisen directly from the general and specific objectives of the Erasmus+ programme. Project is in the line with the EU Parliament Resolution of 16 January 2008 on adult education, entitled “It’s never too late to learn (2007/2114 (INI))” which is a pledge to promote adult learning programmes. Considering the importance which the EU gives to education and training has been essential unlocking the potential of people, regardless the age or the background, partnership realised the project designed to follow the identified needs at the organizational level and the social needs identified at the national / regional levels. The idea to prepare and implement the project was created thanks to the identified need of adult training in the area of entrepreneurship and crafts at the EU dimension. The main objective was to strengthen and expand the competences of adults in entrepreneurship education, to enable people to find new entrepreneurial opportunities at the field of handmade production and crafts. For this purpose, the partners have identified the potential existing in the area of crafts and established ways to improve the social life of target groups. Through project we pooled two social categories of adults who practice traditional crafts at hobby or subsistence to those who want to learn these trades and to develop their own business by selling handmade products.
Project was implemented within the partnership of four organizations. Co-ordinator the Educational Association, z.s. is non-profit association which aim is developing of the open educational society, information, consultation and guidance activities in the framework of the lifelong learning. Romanian NGO Fundatia Dimitrie Cantemir (FDC), founded in 1996 having as objects of activity learning, culture, education. BEST Institut GmbH from Austria was founded in 1990 as an independent organisation for providing continuous training, vocational qualification and career services. Latvian association ‘Biedrība Eurofortis’ was established in Riga in 2011, taking over the broad experience of the education and consultancy centre SIA Eurofortis in realization of the EU supported international projects in the field of education and training. Partnership have a lot of experiences in developing EU projects within Transfer of innovation LdV projects, Grundtvig, Erasmus+ projects, all of these projects are focused on educational and training activities and also quality management activities. They cooperate with wide range of local and international partners –especially in educational (schools, local and national educational authorities), business – association as direct organisations and other stakeholders. The project therefore helped partners to provide further and better services to their main target group, i.e. unemployed people at all ages and with all kinds of qualification.
All the planned activities were implemented. The project was successful and met the predefined expectations. All target groups have reported on positive impact and that general awareness and understanding of entrepreneurship education are increased. We identified potential on crafts existing in specific regions / countries and established ways to improve the social life of target groups. THE ONLINE PLATFORM (www.euartisans.eu) is used to support established networking of craftsperson at EU level and pool together artisans and their craft products for commercial purposes; in the end, to improve their standard of living. This platform also includes the training programme/ course MY BUSINESS. An entrepreneurship course was developed in order to train adults practicing traditional crafts as a hobby or for a living and those who want to learn these trades to eventually develop their own business selling handmade products but lack basic details related to entrepreneurial topics. Alongside the entrepreneurship course, the HANDICRAFT CATALOGUE has been developed in order to bring together all the information regarding arts and crafts, traditional fairs and exhibitions in the countries involved at project, folk and tradition museums, the historical background and local artisans relevant for each country. The last products which aim was to facilitate learning of traditional techniques wide public, are I LEARN A CRAFT courses – Blue printing, Tablet weaving, Romanian blouse, known as “ia and Birch Bark. As a result of the projects, a wide audience of artisans and handmade makers have been informed about the importance of entrepreneurial spirit in crafts in an attractive and interesting way. This contributes to raised awareness among artisans of entrepreneurship education and activities in the field of crafts. The project reached a higher number of people than expected and proved to be very effective.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 171280 Eur

Project Coordinator

Educational Association,z.s. & Country: CZ

Project Partners

• BIEDRIBA EUROFORTIS
• BEST INSTITUT FUR BERUFSBEZOGENE WEITERBILDUNG UND PERSONALTRAINING GMBH
• FUNDATIA DIMITRIE CANTEMIR