The main aim of the project was to support the European level networking of the Civil Society Organisations active in the lifelong learning sector. The specific goals were: 1. Facilitating European level networking of adult learning Civil Society Organisations through increasing the accessibility of information and applicable knowledge, guidelines and recommendations concerning the European Cooperative Society (SCE) as a form of EU level networking. 2. Facilitating European cooperation in the adult education sector by delivering practical and reusable resources for the practitioners for self-directed education in the field of European projects initiation, designing, developing and realising. 3. Supporting the resilience of adult learning Civil Society Organisations and their capability to cope with the most current challenges for adult education: Digital transformation, inclusion and diversity in education, environmental awareness of the learners and educators, supporting active democratic activity of adult Europeans. 4. Supporting the development and strengthening of the FIRST Network as a laboratory for developing and testing solutions for the capacity building to operate in the international arena, enhancing innovativenes
The main challenge the project addressed was lower than possible level of European networking of Civil Society Organisations active in the lifelong learning, adult education sector. The idea of the EU NET was built on the outcomes, conclusions and the Exit Strategy of a 2 – year long Erasmus+ KA 2 project, 2018 – 2020, of five European organisations active in the field of adult education: “First-time international projects realisers support network” (1stTIPPM). The project was concluded in founding the FIRST Network in December 2020. Analysis preceding founding the FIRST Network disclosed lack of proper/affordable legal and formal solutions supporting networking accessible for the non-profit and/or not-for-profit CSOs. There seemed to be a legal gap on the level of European legislation. The procedure of founding and registering European networks is just expensive and complicated. The European Cooperative Society form seemed promising, but it was totally unsurveyed and unexplored. The EU NET also addressed the identified need for more practical examples, more case studies, material for further self-education in the field of European level cooperation and networking of the adult learning CSOs.