Together with 9 other partners, the LLLPlatform wasinvolved in the Capacity-Building for the Lifelong Learning Programme (CB4LLP) project. Over two years (December 2012-October 2014), the project aimed to facilitate the exploitation of Lifelong Learning Programme projects’ results creating and promoting new Capacity Building methodologies and practical tools for sectoral, regional, national and European stakeholders.
International research and evidence shows that those responsible for development strategies, either at local, regional or national level, tend to be relatively isolated, often relying on their personal abilities and contacts, lacking of a solid background of information on methodologies, tools and good practices emerging form Lifelong Learning Programme and related initiatives.
This is even more true when considering the extremely weak degree of cooperation among decision makers and actors from public administration, which is unfortunately also reflected by an extremely weak cooperation among different fields of education, such as VET, higher and non formal education. The project aims at overcoming these barriers and promoting cooperation and synergies among different players sharing methodologies, tools and good practices with a wide audience, primarily with decision makers, public administrators and educational providers, and thus contribute the integration of LLL results and tools within capacity building processes.
The Platform organised capacity-building workshops, providing its expertise on the EU level and disseminating the project outcomes to a broad array of stakeholders.
The first CB4LLP workshop
The LLLPlatform organised its first CB4LLP workshop in the framework of its Europe 2020 Working Group, held approximately twice a year and gathering all interested member organisations of the Platform.
The Platform worked as a space for knowledge exchange between its member networks and uses their expertise to discuss and feed in EU policy-making. The Working Group Europe 2020 is an illustration of this peer learning and builds a common voice on issues related to ET2020 and Europe 2020, but is also a place to foster capacity-building among the Platform members.
It was therefore the ideal settings to present the CB4LLP project and to involve as many member organisations as possible in the capacity-building process.
Second CB4LLP workshop
A second CB4LLP workshop was organised in December 2013 during the Lifelong Learning Week annually held by the LLLPlatform, also targeting its members that had the occasion to attend the first workshop or not. CB Ambassadors were also there to assist the Secretariat. After the first workshop, the Platform reflected on how it could provide guidance to its members on how to use successful existing LLP projects outcomes to improve their own project idea.
During this second workshop, the LLLPlatform used the example of a pilot project the Platform wants to launch on validation of non-formal and informal learning. It showed how it has compiled the most interesting projects covering this area in LLP databases (ADAM, EVE…) in a grid of analysis comprising several criteria, such as innovative aspects, potential partners or transferable products.
This grid is supposed to be a capacity-building tool following the spirit of the second phase of the CB4LLP project to accompany the target group in building successful projects without reinventing the wheel. The LLL-P with this new tool aims to provide consultancy services to its members and potentially stakeholders outside the network. The tool will be applied to EUCIS-LLL members that have answered questionnaires and further developed before the 3rd workshop (aimed to assess end-users satisfaction).
First CB4LLP Fair
Together with EfVET, the Platform organised its Capacity-Building Fair during the Lifelong Learning Week in December 2013. The idea of organising Lifelong Learning Weeks aims to raise awareness on Lifelong Learning (LLL) in Europe and to put forward the need to adopt a holistic approach at all levels of decision-making, implementation and evaluation.
This is necessary if we want the EU to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy as set in the Europe 2020 strategy. This year, the Week had a particular focus on the upcomingEuropean Elections of Spring 2014.
At this occasion, the Platform launched its Manifesto for the European elections and many events took place in order to provide ideas on how to modernise education and training systems in Europe. The event is taking place at the European Parliament, which is highly strategic to organise theCB Fair in parallel and give visibility to the CB4LLP project.
Second CB4LLP Fair
The Platform organised a 2nd Capacity-Building Fair during its Erasmus+ training session on 5 March. The session was aimed at informing stakeholders (50 participants) in Brussels on the opportunities of the new EU funding programme and presenting the CB4LLP method was very much complementary to encourage them to build innovative projects building on LLP initiatives.
Third CB4LLP Fair
Another CB Fair was organised on 30 June 2014 in the Platform’snew premises to raise awareness of various civil society stakeholders on the advantages of the CB4LLP method. Many participants signed up as capacity-builders on the project website and had the occasion to discover the final CB4LLP guidebook.
Coordinator: Centro Studi “Cultura Sviluppo”- CSCS
Duration: 01.11.2012-31.10.2014
Partners: Coopération Bancaire pour l’Europe GEIE, BE; EUCIS-LL, BE; Central Denmark EU Office, DK; EfVE, BE; European Minds, SE; Lapplands Gymnasium, SE; ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗ ΒΙΩΣΙΜΗ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ ΤΩΝ ΠΟΛΕΩΝ, GR; Asset Τεχνολογική ΕΠΕ, GR; University of Sarajevo, School of Economics and Business, BA.