(OO) improve understanding of sustainable coworking models at the local level to promote best practices and shape European policies for decentralized workplaces and remote work. (SO1) Share innovative coworking access solutions and best practices; (SO2) Equip community leaders with the skills for sustainable local investment and regeneration; (SO3) Develop a Self-Assessment Tool for community leaders to identify strengths and opportunities in community reactivation.
The CoLab Europe project emerged from a shared will among the partner organisations to address common challenges affecting rural and peripheral areas across Europe. In today’s context, cities and local communities must focus on social innovation and on building new economic and social models that respond to ongoing transformations, particularly those driven by digitalisation and changing work paradigms. In 2021, the European Commission set out a long-term vision for the rural areas of the Union, aiming to make them stronger, more connected, resilient, and prosperous by 2040. This vision recognises the persistent and intertwined issues that have characterised rural and remote areas for decades, including: Out-migration of young people and ageing populations; Stagnation in regional development and social polarisation; Underutilised public infrastructure and poor access to essential services; A widespread negative perception of rural life among the younger generation.