ECCE was conceived with 4 objectives, all achieved successfully: (1) Understand & tackle the weaknesses & strengths of the creative industry, with particular focus on circular economy potential for positive business impact. PR1 achieved via our CREATIVES & JOB OPPORTUNITIES EXPLORATORY PANELS addressing research gaps on specific challenges & opportunities (2) Upskill the VET community to train creative entrepreneurs how to explicitly implement circular practices into their own business, while providing the knowledge & skills to people to learn how to start-up their own circular enterprise. PR2 achieved via our Training Course (3) Build & maintain connections between creative entrepreneurs, educators & unemployed creatives through intelligence sharing, opportunity giving & mentoring, facilitated by an online platform. PR3 achieved via KNOWLEDGE SHARING PLATFORM & OERS (4) Ensuring long term viability & continued implementation of circular models through a ‘Zero-Waste’ Circular Workshop Guide, aiding entrepreneurs to meet regularly & promote their circular businesses to customers & a wider supportive network within business & local government. PR4 achieved via zero-waste marketplace event guide for creative entrepreneurs.
To provide tailored re-skilling & upskilling for self-employed & unemployed creatives to achieve circularity & address the need for a bespoke VET programme, aligned with the diverse needs of 3 key target groups: TG1: Current & Aspiring Creative Entrepreneurs ECCE - many creatives are self-reliant/small businesses on whom Covid had a devastating impact. ECCE provides upskilling to embrace the circular economy as a key tool to renew their business, reduce costs & change their relationship with resources & waste in a way that yields a strong economic return. TG2: VET Schools, Enterprise Centres, Networks of Creatives. Fresh content was needed in terms of resilience & sustainability, preparing trainees to future proof their creative businesses. For many, the needs was to understand the circular economy as a subject to be taught & as a practice to be implemented in creative businesses. TG3: Regional & sectoral policy & decision makers, creative & craft networks, & environmental network. The creative sector is often earmarked as a regeneration strategy & leading generator of jobs, economic diversification, & cultural engagement. A cross collaboration approach ensured this would be a greener & more sustainable economic activity.