Main objective of the project Rural SKILLS is the development and consolidation of specific competences (knowledge, skills and attitude) in rural development operators, aiming at creating new pathways for employment with non-formal and informal learning activities in the field of rural development and LEADER methodologies and in leading LAG’s strategies. The overall objective of the project is also to promote transnational cooperation between LAGs (Local Action Groups), to enhance the dissemination of their methodology, its different instruments and applications and good European practices. Local Action Group is a broad-based local private-public partnership whose aim is to improve the long-term potential of the local area and who has the ability to define and implement a development strategy for the area. They are selected to implement a local development strategy on the basis of criteria set up at the program level by the Managing Authority. The partnership is made mostly from European LAG, this is because we have tried to include those directly involved in the development of training courses for operators of the LEADER program in order to create a network that can also work after the end of project to bring forward new methodologies in education and information. LAG MontagnAppennino will lead the project, which has a strong expertise in leading Local Action Groups strategies and local/rural development strategies beyond a specific experience in leading transnational LEADER cooperation projects and Interreg projects. Other six LAGs are involved in the partnership, two from Portugal LAG CoraNE and LAG ADRAT, one from Croatia LAG Valleys and Hills of Medjimurje, one from Hungary LAG Kiskunok Vidékéért Egyesület, one from Latvia LAG "Zied zeme" and one from Belgium LAG Vlaamse Ardennen, in addiction to the The Institute of Restoration and Environment (IRMA S.L.) from Spain which will be responsible for the communication and dissemination tasks. The project is addressed and will involve LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators, rural development operators and workers, rural development experts, local authorities staff and office workers, regional authorities staff, Managing Authorities staff, students, young workers and managers in the field of agriculture, crafts, commerce and tourism, citizens of rural areas, trade associations. The activities of Rural SKILLS will include the sharing of objectives and strategies of the various local development strategies of the LAGs involved and analysis of local, regional and national legislation for the 2014-2020 EU program among the Consortium; the sharing of methodologies of territorial animation implemented in each participating territory with particular attention to communication tools among LAGs Consortium; the identification of specific skills to share among the Consortium and with the target groups; the organization of short-term mobilities for their staff and other professionals involved in each territory involved in the project, in which the consortium will share good practices of the LAG and the rural territory. The partners involved will visit the area and the organizations involved with a delegation of its staff and other rural development operators selected (youth, public administration, local associations). Rural SKILLS will organize joined training activities for the LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators and LAG’s Managing Authorities staff about regional and national legislation for the 2014-2020 LEADER program, local development strategies, animation methodologies and innovative communication tools for rural development. The end results will ensure a constant flow of information and update of a network of European LAGs and subjects that deal with sustainable development of rural areas, through joint training of the operators, implementing and transferring innovative practices in between LAGs at European level. Rural SKILLS will provide local projects with a new dimension, since they provide stakeholders with alternative and novel opportunities to look for and solve issues in innovative ways. Exchange of good practices are capable of producing different types of added-value: are linked to the territory and the respective local development strategies of the partners. These projects help to meet the needs and challenges addressed in the strategies of the LEADER areas. New visions and new dimensions will support and promote new ways of working. Furthermore exposure to transnational experiences can help broaden business horizons and encourage LAGs to adopt improved operational approaches. These in turn will generate knock-on also the socio-economic and/or environmental benefits for rural areas.
Main objective of the project Rural SKILLS is the development and consolidation of specific competences (knowledge, skills and attitude) in rural development operators, aiming at creating new pathways for employment with non-formal and informal learning activities in the field of rural development and LEADER methodologies and in leading LAG’s strategies. The overall objective of the project is also to promote transnational cooperation between LAGs (Local Action Groups), to enhance the dissemination of their methodology, its different instruments and applications and good European practices. Local Action Group is a broad-based local private-public partnership whose aim is to improve the long-term potential of the local area and who has the ability to define and implement a development strategy for the area. LAG MontagnAppennino leaded the project other six LAGs were involved in the partnership, two from Portugal LAG CoraNE and LAG ADRAT, one from Croatia LAG Valleys and Hills of Medjimurje, one from Hungary LAG Kiskunok Vidékéért Egyesület, one from Latvia LAG "Zied zeme" and one from Belgium LAG Vlaamse Ardennen, in addiction to the The Institute of Restoration and Environment (IRMA S.L.) from Spain which will be responsible for the communication and dissemination tasks. The project was addressed and involved LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators, rural development operators and workers, rural development experts, local authorities staff and office workers, regional authorities staff, Managing Authorities staff, students, young workers and managers in the field of agriculture, crafts, commerce and tourism, citizens of rural areas, trade associations. The activities of Rural SKILLS included the sharing of objectives and strategies of the various local development strategies of the LAGs involved and analysis of local, regional and national legislation for the 2014-2020 EU program among the Consortium. The partners involved visited the area and the organizations involved with a delegation of its staff and other rural development operators selected (youth, public administration, local associations). Rural SKILLS organized 5 joined training activities for the LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators and LAG’s Managing Authorities staff about regional and national legislation for the 2014-2020 LEADER program, local development strategies, animation methodologies and innovative communication tools for rural development. The project achieved a good impact on the local communities and territories, specially on the target groups this project refers to, which are LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators, rural development operators and farmers, rural development experts, local authorities staff and office workers, regional authorities staff, LAG’s Managing Authorities staff, students of schools and universities, young workers and managers in the field of agriculture, crafts, commerce and tourism, citizens of rural areas, trade associations. Participation in public project presentation meetings and the involvement of local actors have lived up to expectations so far. This has been reached both through the study and analysis phases, the phase of sharing practices and methodologies analyzed and during the Short-term joint staff training events by transferring them to realities involved in the rural development and LEADER policies. Rural SKILLS provided local projects with a new dimension, since they provide stakeholders with alternative and novel opportunities to look for and solve issues in innovative ways. Exchange of good practices have been capable of producing different types of added-value: are linked to the territory and the respective local development strategies of the partners. These projects help to meet the needs and challenges addressed in the strategies of the LEADER areas. New visions and new dimensions will support and promote new ways of working. The project has been innovative at LEADER European Network level because is one of the first Erasmus+ which involve all LAGs, because the objectives mainly relate to innovation and openness to the outside world of the target groups, openness and mutual cultural enrichment allow LAGs to discover the importance of their diversity, while creating references and a common language which, in turn, promote the establishment of new forms of education and new training paths especially because the next program period 2020-2027 is behind the corner.