The overall objective of the project is to develop a new, innovative method in the field of adult education to strengthen the community development process in a more sustainable way in the most disadvantaged areas. During the project, we are able to adapt the Estonian version of the social “hackathon” methodology based on the circumstances of the most disadvantaged microregions. After the adaption process, we are going to implement the developed methodology by the project partners. At first, we are going to organize two adult educational trainings by inviting intersectoral professionals from the target group. Secondly, we’re going to implement the new method in the rural development process in Romania and in Hungary as well.
The primary target groups of our project are regional professionals and local active residents, citizens who play a major role in adult education and learning in their own field of expertise, in their local community. Their personal development is therefore essential to enable them to work more effectively with their target groups and clients. In the field of social interventions, the community development and community-based rural development approach is based on the premise that qualitative change in people's everyday lives and quality of life can be achieved through collaborative processes that build on local resources and knowledge and involve a wider range of local community. This requires professionals and community leaders who embrace this approach and who, from time to time, develop new ways of promoting social inclusion. Our project therefore offered professionals and local residents an innovative training and professional development opportunity by transferring this approach to the participants involved by adapting the practical knowledge of the Estonian social hackathon.
The methodological development of community development processes has the potential to address some of the main social challenges facing Central Europe: emigration, the continuing decline of the population in rural areas, especially among young people, and the lack of adequate infrastructure and public services. To address these problems, a methodological manual for social intervention planners and communities, local stakeholders committed to improving the quality of life in deprived areas, is being developed, adapting the Estonian social hackathon, which builds on community resources and solution proposals by creating the possibility for local, intersectoral development to emerge and be implemented intersectorally. The above challenges were also identified during our 2 years of regional mapping work preceding this project, and we identify this current project as an innovative learning and action opportunity, building on its previous achievements. This practice- and action-oriented approach to adult learning has created an opportunity to develop personal competences and skills.
The overall objective of the project is to develop a new, innovative method in the field of adult education to strengthen the community development process in a more sustainable way in the most disadvantaged areas. During the project, we are able to adapt the Estonian version of the social “hackathon” methodology based on the circumstances of the most disadvantaged microregions. After the adaption process, we are going to implement the developed methodology by the project partners. At first, we are going to organize two adult educational trainings by inviting intersectoral professionals from the target group. Secondly, we’re going to implement the new method in the rural development process in Romania and in Hungary as well.