The project “My language – Your language” deals with success factors for good citizen participation. The scientific discourse on civic participation and its methods is extensive and controversial. Both science and practice have stated that educationally and disadvantaged groups of the population are excluded and socially disadvantaged be excluded. In addition, practical experience shows that municipal calls for participation are generic and not tailored to the target groups to be reached, and that existing networking structures are also ignored.
Through the project, the partners will examine the described gap of lacking target group oriented access in accordance with the priorities “Social Inclusion” and “Common Values, Civil Society Engagement and Participation” and work on the development and enhancement of transnational partnerships.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of the project is to look at good methods and practices in the context of civic participation at the international level, to receive further training and to learn skills on how target group-oriented participation can succeed on the ground.
More specifically, The project aims to share success factors of good civic participation in the international exchange of good practice and to exchange and learn from each other on a professional level.
The project will, build capacities and solve problems, by consolidating the approach of Decentralisation in the years to come. By sharing the processes of Bottom-up Decision Making with international partners.
The impact of the work will emphasise the decentralised cooperation approach as a means to promote local development on a solid and sustainable and fair basis, thanks to a multi-stakeholder approach and aiming at implementing the global Sustainable Development Goals at the local level.
OBJECTIVES
Providing local authorities and civil society groups with Capacities to address local problems using participatory approaches and therefore identifying more sustainable, fair and inclusive solutions
Co-designing action plans aimed at solving local problems
Creating permanent and solid links between local and regional authorities and civil society in the communities/cities targeted by the project;
Creating long-lasting links between communities and cities in Tunisia and European partners, following the lines of decentralised cooperation
Within this project, ALDA holds the role of animation of Local and participative Democracy pole. The pole will opt internally for a structured participatory approach which delegates the power of reflection and proposal to specialised committees:
Advocacy
Communication
Capitalisation and evaluation
Research and action
The coordination of the local and participatory democracy pole will consist of a solid and rich program in terms of capacity building, intersection, exchange of practice and learning for the member associations of the pole.
OBJECTIVES
Contribute to the construction of an effective local democracy in Tunisia, which considers the needs of all citizens, including the most vulnerable groups
Contribute to the decentralisation process in Tunisia
The project’s roots come from reviving the legacy of Rossini’s opera by conjugating it with modern forms of arts, such as theatre, music, design, cooking. Co-designing and co-development processes between young artists coming from different European countries will cooperate for the co-creation of an opera theatre piece based on Rossini’s opera, and with the active involvement of citizens. Indeed, audience engagement workshops and activities will be organised in 4 European countries (Italy, North Macedonia, Greece and Portugal) to inspire people with different forms of art.
OBJECTIVES
Bravo Bravissimo aims at promoting social inclusion and the wellbeing of society through the promotion of culture and through the valorisation of young emerging artists.
In addition, the project aims at raising awareness on common history and values, reinforcing the sense of belonging to a common European space. The project takes into account the dual nature of culture, recognising, on the one hand, its intrinsic and artistic value, and, on the other hand, its economic value, including its important contribution to social inclusion.
Within this framework, the project focuses its attention on important aspects to strengthen the promotion of culture:
Encouraging people to explore Europe’s rich heritage and the world of opera;
Encouraging young artists to improve and exchange their skills
Making citizens reflect on the impact that culture can have in all our lives.
The project aims to strengthen the integration of students with migrant background in schools, prevent early school leaving and improve their success in education by providing training, coaching and guidance to teachers. Through the project, school leaders and educators will be equipped with the necessary skills and innovative tools to support secondary students in the process, strengthening collaboration between schools, families, and other external stakeholders. To this end, an open online course (OOC) for middle and secondary school teachers will be developed throughout the project, as well as a teacher community (OEC) in order to share good practices.
OBJECTIVES
Develop the professional competencies of teachers in dealing with migrant and refugee learners and diversity in classrooms
Support schools to facilitate inclusion and success of newly arrived migrant and refugee students, thus contributing to the tackling of early school leaving (ESL)
Support and enhance the performance of newly-arrived migrant and refugee students in secondary schools
Strengthen collaboration among all members of the school community (school leaders, teachers and non-teaching staff, learners, parents/families)
EGAL 2 (Egalité de Genre dans l’Action Locale / Gender Equality in Local Action) builds up on the results of the EGAL project, carried out in 2019-2020 with the support of Fons Mallorqui.
Capitalising on the experience of the 5 targeted rural municipalities, EGAL 2 will pursue the path towards a greater inclusion of the gender dimension in local policies, empowering local elected women in leadership skills and gender-sensitive budgeting. In the framework of the project, a national seminar on good practices of inclusion of the gender dimension at the local level in Morocco is also foreseen.
OBJECTIVES
EGAL 2 general objective is to enhance the living conditions of women in the Tétouan province in Morocco. More specifically, the project seeks to empower 5 rural municipalities in terms of the inclusion of the gender dimension in local policies, in particular for what concerns gender-sensitive budgeting.
RADEX seeks to make an impact on countering, preventing and diverting violent radicalisation, as it will equip young people, youth workers, social workers, youth organisations with the tools needed to identify patterns, methods, and different processes of youth radicalisation and a digital tool to prevent and/or divert it, when it happens.
OBJECTIVES
RADEX aims to prevent and divert young people’s radicalisation by providing them with an online platform that will include modules on violent youth radicalisation, a simulation video to showcase how, when and where different types of radicalisation processes may take place, and to whom they are addressed to.
In the framework of the AUTREMENT project, the consortium is launching a Call for contributions for the Inter-regional Forum on Active Mobilities that will take place in Mahdia (Tunisia) on 24th-25th May 2023. Are you an expert of active mobilities in the Tunisian or Mediterranean context and you would like to participate? Have a read to the call and apply to contribute!
[The call is only available in French🇫🇷]
Dans le cadre du projet AUTREMENT, le consortium du projet a lancé un Appel à contributions pour le Forum inter-régional sur la mobilité active qui aura lieu à Mahdia (Tunisie) les 24-25 mai 2023. Si vous êtes vous un.e expert.e de mobilité active dans le contexte tunisien ou méditerranéen et vous souhaitez participez, lisez l’appel et envoyez votre proposition de contribution!
Les propositions de contribution doit être envoyée en remplissant le formulaire dans l’appel avant le 28 février 2023.
The second in-person Transnational Meeting of the ReCAP project represented a key moment to explore the work undertaken so far by the partners and to define together the next steps of the project.
The very first phase of the meeting was devoted to the presentation of the report “Local context and needs analysis” by Solidaridad Sin Fronteras, developed within the framework of the first Project Result. It was an essential moment to collect feedback and suggestions from the project partners for its validation.
The above-mentioned report will be the starting point to develop tools and methods to train youth workers and involve youngsters with fewer opportunities.
Afterwards, La Piccionaia and CESIE introduced the next key activities related to the second and the third project results, giving the chance to the participants to discuss together the upcoming tasks and share relevant inputs.
Using art methods and creative tools, the youth workers will stimulate participation and civic engagement of young people in vulnerable situations
The ReCAP project is specifically addressed to young people in vulnerable situations, such as NEETs, people with a migrant background, minorities, youths from the LGBTIAQ+ community, with a particular attention to girls. Through the use of art methods and creative tools, the youth workers in the different partner countries will stimulate participation and civic engagement of young people who are more affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second Transnational Project Meeting in Madrid was an intense and fruitful opportunity that underlined the power of a great collaboration with the aim of supporting vulnerable young people through art and creativity.
The Civil Society Exchange Partnership Program seeks to strengthen the links and collaboration between Turkish and European civil society organisation. ALDA and MEDAR’s sub-granted project “TEAM4TEAM” focuses on active citizenship and digital literacy, and will involve through an open call for proposals many Turkish and European organisation working on these topics in order to create further partnerships.
The project is funded by Mercator Stiftung and operated by MitOst e Istanbul Bilgi University.
OBJECTIVES
TEAM4TEAM’s objective is to engage participants in an intense international collaboration process. ALDA and MEDAR have developed a common model of exchange linked to media literacy and participation, including these three phases:
an online school open to EU and Turkish NGO representatives
a job-shadowing exchange for pairs of EU-Turking NGOs
a final summer school Our mobility program aims to provide a space for CSOs in Turkey and the EU to complement their expertise and join their efforts in promoting active citizenship, media literacy and participatory journalism.
In March 2022, ALDA organised an international event in Trieste, as part of the project EUScepticOBSERVE: analysing Euroscepticism, informing citizens and encouraging debates. Trieste was chosen as the location as it is particularly representative of the theme being analysed. Hence, the event itself was called “Euroscepticism at the gates of Europe”. This was an excellent opportunity to reflect on issues such as migration, migration flows and European laws. Moreover, all the thoughts and suggestions shared throughout the event and workshops have been re-elaborated into the EUScepticOBS Manifesto, as well as the ALDA’s one
The Manifesto has been created starting from some important questions that participants have been asked to answer individually and reflecting on their life experiences and knowledge.
What can I do as a citizen to improve these issues?
What should we ask local and European authorities?
What can I do as part of a civil society organisation (NGO, university, association etc.)?
What emerges from the participants’ answers is that the level of migrants’ inclusion influences the country’s perception and European policies. Citizens are scared to lose their culture or national identity thus, they reject complete integration. Usually, they do have biassed thoughts concerning the migrant population. To move forward from these prejudices and negative approaches, citizens, civil society organisations and European authorities should respect different cultures and be aware of the sensitive and complex subject.
Overall, the Manifesto defined several proposals, among them:
The EU needs to increase knowledge and education, about itself, its achievements and its role in our lives;
Increase decisively its budget to make the Erasmus program accessible and expand it to high school citizens;
Establish a common EU passport and ID card to enhance the ownership feeling of European belonging.
Period:
01/12/2020 - 31/05/2022
Countries involved:
Belgium Bulgaria Croatia France Italy North Macedonia Portugal Serbia Spain
DESIRE project will use a peer to peer approach to involve citizens in illustrating and sharing with other youths what the Schuman Declaration is and what has been its role in the constitution of the European Community. Through the co-creation of artistic tools, as videos, theatre, games, audio narratives, partners will accompany groups of youth citizens in re-discovering history and in debating on EU values as intercultural dialogue, peace and solidarity.
At the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Declaration, partners are invited to reflect on the importance of “Solidarity” to which Schumann referred as the first result for the creation of the EU.
OBJECTIVES
The project aims to raise people and especially youth’s awareness on the historical importance and the meaning of the Declaration of Schumann for the EU. The objective is to actively involve citizens in approaching history in a proactive way.
The innovative and participative methodology employed aims to stimulate youngsters’ critical thinking and to put together the basis for a stronger and more conscious EU, in such a crucial historical moment plenty of divisions, scepticism and in the middle of Brexit consequences.
Are you interested in topics like sustainability, climate change and diversity? Would you like to study in a unique and multilingual environment?
Apply to the new Erasmus Mundus joint Master course in Climate Change and Diversity: Sustainable Territorial Development (CCD – SteDe)!
Starting from the academic year 2023/2024 until 2026/2027, the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master CCD -SteDe will support 80 talented students withstudy scholarships. Two of those are directed towards people from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo* and Montenegro.
The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master CCD -SteDe is a world leading programme in the field of sustainable territorial Development targeting climate justice
CCD-STeDe is organised in 4 academic paths, which combine different languages and teaching methods, in presence, blended and online:
Climate change, Sustainability and Development at Università degli Studi di Padova and Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar – Ecuador
Regional and Local Studies at University of Padova and Universidade da Madeira
Territorial management at University of Padova and Université Joseph Ki Zerbo
Environmental management at University of Padova and University of Johannesburg
Promoted and co-funded by the European Union, the 2-year Master course has been recently complimented for its successful implementation and for the innovative approaches, flexibility and adaptability shown during the COVID-19 pandemic, which underlines the strong commitment of the consortium, which ALDA has been part of since 2014, towards the students.
Do not miss this unique opportunity, apply to the first call for applications. This is the only call with the possibility of being selected for a scholarship!
ICONS responds to the skills gap between professionals and non-professionals involved in the implementation of the Building Information Modeling (BIM), by empowering the latter in understanding BIM-designed projects through specific training modules and the support of a specifically designed APP.
ICONS’ action plan includes the consolidation of strategic and operational cooperation between actors within the construction sector, as well as the maximiSation of communication flow between designers, site managers and blue collar workers.
OBJECTIVES
ICONS aims to improve the working quality in the construction sector by increasing the workers’ digital skills and BIM knowledge and, consequently, to promote the productivity and sustainability of the construction sector in Europe.
Specifically, the goal of the project is to create a tailor-made training course and a digital APP, in order to translate the highly technical and complex set of information that is contained in a BIM structure into a modality which can be read, understood and easily processed by non-professionals.
The two-day conference, entitled “Co-creating rural futures”, marked a key moment to present the work undertaken by the SHERPA project partners during 2022, and discuss their contribution to the European Union Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas (LTVRA).
More on a technical note, the conference focused on the role of Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) and multi-stakeholder governance in delivering the LTVRA and reflected upon the sustainability of SHERPA MAPs after the project’s end. Yet, how far can citizens contribute on that, and how the society can benefit from it?
Didier Duboisset (External Observer of ALDA and representative of the GAL Pays Vichy Auvergne) and Valeria Fantini (project manager and head of the “environment” hub in ALDA) attended the conference, thus bringing the perspective of a Civil Society Organisation especially in the breakout session “Governance and membership of the Multi-Actor Platforms”. Hence, governance plays the main role within the last MAPs cycle (empowering rural areas in multi-level governance processes), underlining the added value of ALDA in contributing to this specific aspect of the project.
Finally, the annual conference has been the occasion to present highlights from the SHERPA and MAPs Position Papers on the social dimension of rural areas, sustainable and resilient value chains, climate change and land use, and digitalisation.
*** The 3rd Annual Conference “CO-CREATING RURAL FUTURES” of the SHERPA project took place in Montpellier (France) on 31 January and 1 February 2023
About the project SHERPA:
Sustainable Hub to Engage into Rural Policies with Actors (SHERPA) is a four-year project (2019-2023) with 17 partners funded by the Horizon 2020 programme. It aims to gather knowledge that contributes to the formulation of recommendations for future policies relevant to EU rural areas, by creating a science-society-policy interface which provides a hub for knowledge and policy.
This nine- month project has been designed as a collaborative initiative of the members (seven Local Democracy Agencies -LDA and ALDA Skopje) of the newly created thematic CSO network – Balkan Network for Local Democracy (BNLD with its main office in Skopje).
The main objective of this project is to help create preconditions for new tourism product development to increase youth employment and income generating activities through engaging micro-localities, youth greeters and vloggers in regional co-operation programme.
All the activities are intended to contribute to the overall objective with specific focus on activities designed to engage youth from local communities in regional intercultural exchange programme to work together on a new tourist product development.
ACTIVITIES
The project forsees capacity building for LDA greeters and vloggers, professional tour guide skills development exercise, field visit and learning by doing approach.
Innovative IT technologies, creation of the regional online platform containing audio, visual and written narratives of the WW2 monuments, social community theatre approach in creating storytelling are all incorporated in the three main project component in order to develop youth friendly innovative promotional actions to provide orientation and publicise the narrative of the nine magnificent monuments from the WW2.
Creation of LDAs regional network of young greeters and vloggers who will explore and valorise cultural, recreational, craftsmanship and culinary heritage in micro-localities and create youth friendly online platform: (Balkan) Monumental 9 is primarily intended to help increase attractiveness for tourist development and income generating activities at micro-localities included in this action
According to most climate models, Southern Europe, and the especially the Mediterranean basin, is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Due both to expected increase of peak flow of the Olona and Seveso rivers and to the runoff generated by the not permeable urban fabric, Milan Metropolitan City (CMM) is prone to flood risk and extreme weather events like heat waves. Local governments are in a unique position to engage local stakeholders and draw punctual responses to local climate related vulnerabilities and risks. At the same time, individual municipalities do not have the necessary resources (scientific knowledge, administrative competences, funding, etc.) to deal climate problems.
It is for this reason that Metro Adapt aims at fostering the creation of a common well-structured governance related to climate change adaptation among the local authorities of the Metropolitan Area of Milan and produce tools that allow local authorities to implement cost-effective climate change adaptation strategies and policies adapted to the local context. The project will also pay high attention to the sharing and dissemination of the project’s tools and good practices with the other Italian and EU metropolitan areas.
OBJECTIVES
Mainstream the adaptation strategies and measures in the elaboration process of the CMM Territorial Plan and in the planning and building rules of the 134 CMM municipalities through an innovative approach identifying intermediate entities of governance (the 7 CMM Homogenous Areas);
Establish and promote Nature Based Solutions (NBS) according to a multi-objectives approach (flood risk and heat-island reduction, together with regeneration of neglected urban space) that enhance the technical knowledge required for their design and implementation of NBS at local level;
Enhance bottom up initiatives increasing citizens’ awareness and engagement on climate change adaptation strategies;
Make available disaggregated meteorological and territorial monitoring data and tools that contribute to the development of accurate vulnerability analysis of the 7 Homogenous Areas of CMM;
Develop a network of Italian and European metropolitan areas enhancing the mainstreaming of adaptation policies and measures and supporting the implementation of Nature Based Solutions.
ACTIVITIES
Assessment of the present situation concerning the mainstreaming of adaptation policies and measures in the CMM territorial plans
Providing municipalities with a set of simple and standardised tools and rules on resilient measures to be integrated in their urban plans and regulations;
Development of a “METRO ADAPT Platform” on the implementation of Nature Based Solutions
Drafting of technical standards and feasibility studies and organising training workshops for municipal technician for the development of NBS;
Organisation of local events to raise citizens awareness on the climate change issue and to trigger behavioural changes to combat its effects;
Realisation of two demonstrative NBS facilities;
Improving and complementing the existing spatial and meteorological data and information on the CMM
Realisation of an e-learning platform on CMM web portal delivering training on vulnerability analysis to municipalities;
Fostering an Italian and European network of metropolitan areas.
Words are not enough to express this important achievement, which is the demonstration of the ALDA’s fruitful first insight: believe in the power of citizens as change makers and democracy promoters. Changing people’s lives for better is the goal behind every single action; thus, easing the conditions in which people are living in, and supporting a democratic outcome of every initiative.
Yet, the world has posed several challenges since the very beginning: fundamental values are at stake and extreme behaviours are spreading all around. What can we do? How can Civil Society Organisation act and counterbalance this anti-democratic drift?
There is a necessity of investing in the democratic culture, in the participatory mechanisms and in the empowerment of future generations: ALDA’s 500 projects do that
By localising actions, by engaging with local communities and by creating a space of dialogue among institutions and citizens. There is a necessity of investing in the democratic culture, in the participatory mechanisms and in the empowerment of future generations: ALDA’s 500 projects do that.
On the one hand, having a consortium of different stakeholders within each project favours an intercultural exchange and cooperation; on the other, it increases mutual knowledge and the sense of community, thus encouraging the development of a collective approach to common matters.
With its projects, ALDA is addressing the above-mentions issues through decentralised cooperation and participatory mechanisms, enabling people with new tools to react and face problems. The Rude Awakening project, for example, developed an interactive videogame taking place during the WWI. Aimed at raising awareness on European historical and cultural heritage, while stressing new educational and emotional perspective on war and peace, through this output the project not only stimulate the reflection on the present situation, but also it firmly underlines the importance of peace and the necessity of its safeguard.
More on a scientific note, but still having the well-being of people at the centre and still focusing on the necessity of local community, the LIFE Beware project addresses climate change and the consequence of it in the urban and rural areas. It calls for experts and CSOs to collaborate to reach a common strategy for climate adaptation, especially on flooding risks.
Last but not least, leading an international membership, made of 300 realities, and being in its turn member of several global network, all ALDA’s projects have a world-wide ranging, and meet one or more Sustainable Development Goals, thus localising the latter and cooperating to the achievements of the UN AGENDA 2030
