Innovation Archives - Assembly of European Regions

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#HotlineCohesion: Cohesion Policy for a Young and Green Future

15 February, 2023 By Anna Comacchio

Local, but European. Practical, but inspiring. #HotlineCohesion brings you the most interesting youth opportunities linked to EU Cohesion Policy.

The many opportunities for youth employment and green transition offered by Cohesion Policy require appropriate visibility, especially amongst the youth. Widespread information makes sure that opportunities reach their target, and that the future is shaped to the needs of those who will live in it.

Every week the AER will publish its series #HOTLINE COHESION with information concerning new funding opportunities and participatory processes open to youth in your regions!

Youth unemployment is a longstanding challenge for Europe

High youth unemployment in Europe has been a persistent issue for the last decades. Post-pandemic figures show that, as of October 2021, 2.905 million youth (under 25) were NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) in the EU and the youth unemployment rate was 15.9%. Unless appropriate measures are taken, more and more young people may disengage from active job search, and they may grow distant from the political and social life of their communities.

The EU response to youth unemployment

This issue becomes even more relevant in light of the new Cohesion policy 2021-27, especially when it comes to relaunching local economies and jobs which have been largely affected by the pandemic. The new policy provides several novelties such as the new European Social Fund+ and the Youth Employment Initiative, and the Just Transition Fund – which are further reinforced through the financial support coming through Recovery and Resilience Facility and REACT-EU as part of the Recovery Plan for Europe.

The youth action for a green and fair future

On their side, young citizens lead the protests asking for concrete actions to be taken to fight climate change, protect biodiversity and safeguard their future. With the adoption of the European Green Deal, the EU made the response to these requests its highest priority, setting the ambitious goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent in the world by 2050 while reducing greenhouse gas emission by 55% by 2030. When it comes to climate change, Cohesion policy is key as it provides the place-based framework and the financial support needed to ensure that a ‘just’ and ‘sustainable transition becomes an opportunity for European regions.

Youth for a Just Transition

The magnitude of the transition requires the active involvement of the young generations, as those mostly concerned by the transition. ‘Youth for a Just Transition: A Toolkit for a Youth Participation in the Just Transition Fund’ promoted by the European Commission highlights that young people’s participation in the transition process is essential because:

They have the ‘right to participate’ in decisions concerning their future;
They own ‘valuable ideas and skills’ that should be applied to develop a sustainable transition path and solutions to possible challenges;
They can foster the ‘intergenerational dimension’ of the transition raising the awareness of their local peers about its reasons and consequences;
‘Achieving a successful transition‘ requires providing ‘sufficient opportunities and good alternative jobs for young people’.

The Commission is also putting its money where its mouth is, fostering concrete actions to ensure meaningful participation of the youth in the transition process with calls for proposals such as ‘EUTEENS4GREEN’ (coming up soon in our #HotlineCohesion).

On its side, at AER we recognise the major importance to build upon the space that the transition provides for actions that are explicitly targeted to (re)launch youth employment in the context of a future and green economy and society. YOUTHopia is our space to make cohesion real for the NextGeneration.

See you next week at #HotlineCohesion!

The Youthopia Project is co-funded by the Directorate General for Regional and Urban policy (DG REGIO) of the European Commission.

Includ-EU Online Session: “Anti-discrimination: a Transformative Approach for Organisations”

27 December, 2022 By Anna Comacchio

This online session focused on how we can identify and prevent systemic discrimination in our environments. It was led by Diversity Equity and Inclusion Expert, Author and Podcast Producer Prisca Ratovonasy. She shared the stage with Mame-Fatou Niang, Associate Professor, Author and Artist-in-Residence at Ateliers Médicis.

The slides of the training are available here

The bibliography is available here, it is in one document with the agenda

This session was held in English and simultaneously translated into Italian, Slovenian, Romanian, Greek, Spanish, and Dutch, allowing us to grow our community and involve more and more institutions.

This was a rare opportunity to bring together an international community with 7 European languages around a shared objective to make services and organisations more inclusive.

The session enabled all participants and organisers to:

better understand the stakes
raise awareness on the transformative dimension of addressing discrimination
get actionable knowledge, ready to use

If you missed this, please contact us ([email protected])

This online training session is organised in the context of INCLUD-EU, an EU project funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration fund (AMIF) which contributes to building more inclusive and cohesive European societies by enhancing knowledge, driving innovation, and stimulating cooperation between local and regional authorities in the European Union. To know more about the project, visit the project website.

NEW AER Taskforces 2023-2025 set for launch

13 December, 2022 By Gisela Guari Cañada

During the 2022 Autumn Bureau Meeting, the AER members decided to establish two new Taskforces which will address the political priorities of the Bureau for the period of 2023-2025.

Taskforce on Active Citizenship

Why?

The year 2022 has been key in setting a precedent for strengthening our democracies by enabling new participatory processes and putting citizens’ interests at the centre of decisions. Capitalising on the work of the Taskforce on Democracy, and with the end of the Conference on the Future of Europe, the AER recognises the need for continuing the path towards activating citizens’ participation through deliberative democracy mechanisms in place.

The Conference on the Future of Europe has offered the opportunity to enhance deliberative democracy at the European level by bringing the EU closer to its citizens and building a more citizen-focused Europe. Providing an alternative to traditional participatory routes, new representative deliberative processes have been established for better engagement and involvement of citizens in policy-making at all levels of governance.

In 2023, the European Commission will launch a new EU package to defend democracy, which will be part of the overall European Democracy Action Plan. This package will focus among others, on developing civic space and promoting citizen participation to bolster democratic resilience.

What?

In view of the European elections in 2024, the AER calls on regional and local authorities to foster active citizenship by seeking innovation for greater participation of citizens in public decision-making. Thanks to the provision of the necessary deliberative participation tools and instruments, citizens will be able to be meaningfully involved in the democratic life of their local communities and resulting in more democratic governance.

Capitalising on the work of the Taskforce on Democracy, the AER will continue to ensure broad and equal participation of both women and men in political decision-making, as well as recognise the key role that young people can play in strengthening democracy and fostering sustainability in local communities.

How?

Does the focus of this Taskforce match the policy priorities of your region? Then become a member by filling out the form below!

Become a member!

Any questions? Contact Gisela Guari [email protected], Institutional Relations & Advocacy Manager at the AER Secretariat.

For any doubts or questions on the functioning of the Bureau Taskforces, please, check the Bureau Taskforce Terms of Reference.

Taskforce on the Future of Work – Digital Skills

Why?

During the 2022 State of the Union speech, the President of the European Commission announced that 2023 will be “the European Year of Skills”.

Regions are already finding innovative ways to drive inclusive economic growth and job creation in light of the post-pandemic shift away from traditional office-based work. For instance, remote working—particularly in rural areas—will offer economic, social, cultural, environmental and territorial benefits, and enhance territorial cohesion.

Since the pandemic and the normalisation of working from home, remote working hubs have proliferated across Europe and in AER’s member regions. With the right mix of digital, childcare and transport infrastructure, remote working and digital innovation hubs are re-balancing economic activity towards rural areas and beyond urban centres. This new economic model can be a driving force for true territorial cohesion across Europe.

There is a double benefit to bringing local people and their families back to rural communities: it increases entrepreneurship and job creation and reverses demographic, cultural and linguistic erosion caused by economic emigration—the so-called ‘brain-drain’ phenomenon. There are real benefits for urban areas, too; reduced pressure on school places, housing, water, sewerage and transport systems, as well as cuts to harmful emissions caused by commuter traffic.

Indeed, marginalised and vulnerable groups (migrants, older people, NEETs, etc) may not reap the benefits of these new opportunities; lacking the computer literacy, language or human skills necessary to work remotely. More broadly, there is a skills mismatch between emerging labour market demands in new sectors and graduate qualifications; this gap must be narrowed to ensure that no one is left behind by this transition. Many peripheral regions also lack the capital resources, infrastructure or know-how to set up innovation or remote working hubs without significant support.

Making progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and realising the potential of the digital and green transitions in our regions, towns, cities and villages; it is imperative that the gap between vulnerable groups and urban and rural societies is not widened.

What?

Capitalising on the work of the AER Taskforce on Jobs, Growth, and Investment, and taking into consideration the key recommendations from its position paper, the AER urges European governments and institutions to further invest in developing the skills needed to drive growth, and support the transition to a green and digital economy. Regions are playing a crucial role in supporting our societies through the digital transition; while overcoming the urban-rural divide to ensure no one is being left behind.

Inclusive growth and job creation in new sectors and contexts will strongly depend on a skilled, reskilled and upskilled workforce with a set of digital competences adapted to new needs and work trends. In this regard, the members of the AER decided to establish during the last Autumn Bureau Meeting 2022 a Taskforce on the Future of Work and Skills.

The future of work has arrived in our regions, and it is in our hands to ensure that regional authorities and their citizens have the high-quality digital skills they need to thrive in the new labour market. At the AER, we stand ready to prepare our members to meet the challenges of the recovery and the twin transitions, promoting Europe’s social, economic and territorial cohesion.

How?

Does the focus of this Taskforce match the policy priorities of your region? Then become a member by filling out the form below!

Become a member!

Any questions? Contact Gisela Guari [email protected], Institutional Relations & Advocacy Manager at the AER Secretariat.

For any doubts or questions on the functioning of the Bureau Taskforces, please, check the Bureau Taskforce Terms of Reference.

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Bio-based Innovation to Decarbonise the Construction Sector

7 November, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

On 6 December, the day before the AER Bureau, the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is organising a workshop on “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus“, which will look at bio-based innovation in the construction sector.

Bio-based innovation: a catalyst for change

The bio-based sector or bioeconomy, is a catalyst for systemic change. Indeed it opens new ways of producing and consuming resources while respecting our planetary boundaries. It contributes therefore directly to achieving the economic, social and environmental goals of the European Union’s Green Deal.

Massive impact in the construction sector

The construction sector has a considerable environmental impact, during the whole life cycle of buildings (construction, use, demolition) as well as the life cycle of construction materials.

In this context, bio-sourced construction materials, if managed in a sustainable way during their whole life cycle, have a major role in the decarbonisation of the construction sector. The development of technological innovation, value chains and skills ecosystems require however intense collaboration across sectors.

Creativity, sustainability, inclusion: it’s possible!

The New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary EU initiative that connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces and experiences.

The New European Bauhaus was launched by President von der Leyen in September 2021. It adds a cultural dimension to the Green Deal and accelerates the green transition with change on the ground that combines the values of aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusion.

Mutual learning to accelerate the development of the bioeconomy

The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges and opportunities. The activities organised by the working group are also laying the ground for future partnerships and projects.

The workshop “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus” will therefore look at:

European strategies supporting the decarbonisation of the construction sector
Societal challenges, the territorial approach
Technical innovations in bio-based materials, which are being explored and implemented in the regions
The state of play in the regions.

The programme of this workshop is available on the event webpage. As places are limited, registrations will be taken on a first-come first-served basis.

Share your experience!

It is still possible to propose policies and practices you are proud of in your region to be presented at the workshop on 6 December. Your experience matters and is interesting for other regions: this is what the mutual learning community is all about! If you would like to share your region’s experience in the decarbonisation of the construction sector via bio-based innovation, please get in touch with AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius.

[Partner Search] Erasmus+ VET & Learning Mobility Grants

30 September, 2022 By Anna Comacchio

Is your region or are organisations in your region looking to upscale exchanges and mobility schemes to foster upskilling, employability prospects and internationalisation?

The Public Service of Employment of Catalonia (SOC) is looking to establish reciprocity-based, long-term cooperation schemes, as well as explore other cooperation agreements, with the aim to send and host students and teachers carrying out a learning mobility experience.

SOC has been accredited by the Spanish Erasmus+ National Agency (SEPIE) as coordinator of an Erasmus+ VET consortium to promote mobility among teachers and students of professional employment courses – targeted at both unemployed and employed citizens.

Under this framework, SOC coordinates the ITER mobility project, a partnership of 28 Catalan VET centres which has been granted over 150 students’ mobility grants in the next years (under KA121 Erasmus+ VET calls) to carry out traineeship and job-shadowing experiences.

The ITER Mobility Project

The main objective of ITER mobility is to support participants on the mobility journey to ensure the growth of their employability by upskilling their personal and professional skills through a mobility experience abroad.

Student mobilities: three-months mobilities
Teacher mobilities: 7 – 10 days

At the moment, a call is now open for hosting partners to co-organise 115 mobilities by August 2023. You can find at this link the list of professional certificates which have been prioritised by the members of the consortium for the present call.

What we are looking for…

...reliable and enduring hosting partners for our Erasmus+ VET project to:

Host VET students in companies that offer quality traineeship placements
Organise job shadowing experiences for our VET teachers
Support them finding accommodation
Support finding or organising a language course, if required
Project documents management support
Emergency contact, if needed

What we offer…

…a reciprocity-based cooperation scheme:

We are a reliable hosting partner with a strong company network in Catalunya willing to host as many Erasmus+ students/teachers as we send you
We give support finding accommodation to your Erasmus+ participants hosted in Catalunya
We ensure all documents are taken into account
Support and guidance along the mobility cycle

If your region/organisation is interested in joining the ITER mobility project or discussing further cooperation options, please contact Anna Comacchio (AER Project and Policy Manager):

[email protected]

(Deadline: 15 November 2022)

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Skills for the Bioeconomy @AER Summer Academy in Donegal

27 September, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, and opportunities, and create the ground for future partnerships and projects.

Youth at the heart of the shift to green gold

On the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland, the AER working group on the Bioeconomy facilitated a workshop with young people, to challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become the green gold for a sustainable future.

Getting the opportunity to increase knowledge and awareness around the challenges in the field of agriculture, especially for youth, was a wonderful and rewarding experience. The discussions and conversations we had during as well as after the workshop were very interesting, I learned that youth in other regions face many of the same challenges as we do in Norway with the low profitability, lack of free time and challenges with recruitment and finding substitute workforce when needed. In addition to the aforementioned challenges which I believe are essential to overcome for farming to become more attractive for the future generations, this workshop made me reflect a lot upon the importance of giving young farmers opportunities for development such through exchange programs. I brought this perspective with me into many conversations, and hopefully, it will lead to facilitation of such opportunities in the nearest future in my own and other regions.
Sigrun Myrvang, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)

Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental.

In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations
Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The AER Summer Academy: a forum for exchanges

The AER Summer Academy is a forum for exchanges of experience when it comes to regional development and expertise in Europe.

Objectives:

Promoting regional democracy and the principle of subsidiarity.
Providing an opportunity for regional representatives to build networks with their counterparts across wider Europe.
Fostering interregional cooperation.
Promoting European integration, identity and sense of belonging among young people.
Facilitating exchanges of experience and good practices between regions, policy-makers and young people.
Supporting mutual learning.

The European Year of youth: an opportunity to reframe policies

The 2022 edition of the AER Summer Academy was a very special edition. Indeed, this was the first in-person edition since the COVID-19 pandemic. As has been shown since, the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on youth. The event taking place during the European Year of Youth, was an opportunity to reframe policies and policymaking. This was the opportunity to make mobility and exchanges with peers across Europe possible again. To listen to young voices, and learn to listen better too.

Skills & the bioeconomy

The bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources. It spans over sectors as diverse as food, construction, energy and waste management. In the context of societal challenges such as climate change, food security, energy independence and environmental sustainability, the bioeconomy is deemed to generate solutions for a better use of resources, life-cycle management and the development of new materials.

Because the industries in the bioeconomy, the value chains, the collaborations between stakeholders are new, there are major challenges in terms of skills: both to develop the right skills and to attract & retain skills in the industry.

The workshop looked specifically at food and food production for the future, with sustainability and security as the tagline. A key focus was on young voices in relation to food production and education, innovation and recruitment.

Speakers:

Aud Hove, Deputy Mayor of Innlandet (NO), Chair of AER working group on the bioeconomy
Gjertrud Nordal, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)
Sigrun Myrvang, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)
Presentation from Innlandet available here
Vivian Stribos, EU Lobbyist for Gelderland (NL)
Freek Beijer, youth delegate, Gelderland (NL)
Presentation from Gelderland is available here
Mairead nic Iomaire, Cill Ulta Centre for Sustainability, Donegal (IE)
Presentation from Udarás Na Gaeltachta is available here

Upcoming activities of the working group

The Working Group will organise an experience-sharing workshop on the sides of the AER Bureau meeting in December. The exact date of the workshop will be communicated ASAP

Regions interested in the topic, could be specifically interested in the following event which take place in the context of the European Week of Regions:

Food 2030: Regions as agents of change for sustainable food systems and biobased solutions
Region Värmland invited the CEO of Paper Province, a cluster organization, to present their experience in the transition to biobased solutions. The session will provide feedback on the Food 2030 policy and emphasise the role of regions in the green transition through a bioeconomic lens. The participatory lab will focus on food and sustainable food production. It will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on food systems and bio-based solutions directly to representatives from the European Commission.

If you would like to be informed about the activities of the Working Group on the Bioeconomy, please fill in this questionnaire (3 questions + contact details), it is possible to join anytime!

Photo taken in Donegal by Ainars Djatlevskis on Unsplash

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Second wave of EU4Health calls 2022

16 September, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

The European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) published three calls for proposals under the EU4Health 2022 Annual Work Programme on:

diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
cancer and non-communicable diseases
cancer training programmes

The actions will support Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Cancer Mission

The deadline of these calls is 21 February 2023

More information is available on the call webpage

Background

The European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) implements European programmes and initiatives for health, food safety, digital, industry and space.

It works closely together with five Directorates-General (DG CNECT, DEFIS, GROW, RTD and SANTE which is the lead DG for the HaDEA) and with the Commission’s European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), which are focused on legislative and strategic tasks in policy making.

Infographic: https://hadea.ec.europa.eu/about/programmes-funding_en

EU4Health

EU4Health, with a budget of €5.3 billion, is the fourth and largest of the EU health programmes. The EU4Health programme goes beyond an ambitious response to the COVID-19 crisis to address the resilience of European healthcare systems. The programme provides funding to national authorities, health organisations and other bodies through grants and public procurement, contributing to a healthier Europe.

Prepare your application

An online information session will be organised by HaDEA on 19 October 2022, registrations for the info session are open here.

The information session is organised by HaDEA with the participation of DG Santé to present the policy context, objectives and expected impact as well as the procedure for this second wave of calls.

How can the AER help?

The AER has been involved in several health projects, in particular on digital health and integrated care systems. If you are looking for partners in other regions, contact the AER Project Unit, we can connect you.

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Interview with Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

22 August, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

How exchanging experiences with other regions leverages knowledge and the ability to create impact: the Chair of the newly created working group on the bioeconomy & skills, Aud Hove, Innlandet (NO), shares about her motivation for setting up a working group within the AER network.

Can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Aud Hove, I serve as the deputy county mayor in Innlandet county, Norway. I come from a small mountainous village and municipality, named Skjåk, but due to my occupation, I currently live in Lillehammer. I have always been interested in bio-based business and nature management.

In Norway we have a saying “from the earth to the table” not different from EU new initiative Farm to Fork, emphasizing that value chains must play together and do no significant harm to others or the environment.

Our region, Innlandet needs our farmers and we need the industry so that people get what they need for a living. At the same time, I also believe that we must change some of our habits and consumption. Norway, Europe, and the western world consume far more than we produce and it is not sustainable in the long run.

What motivated you in launching the working group on the bioeconomy & skills?

The bioeconomy is both the past and the future. We have always harvested from the wood and fields, but oil, gas and coal have taken up too much space in the last decade.

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success.
Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The value chain in biomass and green carbon can be used more sustainably, wisely while we at the same time look for new products fit for green Innlandet and Europe.

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success. Bioeconomy, and circular economy is not only necessary for a green transition, but also our green gold, our future livelihood.

What do you want to achieve with this working group?

Innlandet and Norway cannot solve global environmental challenges alone.

As emphasised in the Paris Agreement, the EU Green Deal, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, international collaboration and solutions are needed. Sharing good examples and tackling common challenges across national borders is a part of Innlandet’s strategy.

We want to create a common understanding of different opportunities and challenges, by learning from others and sharing our best practices. Developing and improving the bioeconomy is part of the solution for climate and environment, and I think Innlandet has expertise and know-how which we can share with the rest of Europe.

What will the working group do in the coming months?

Our ambition is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, opportunities and maybe future partnerships and projects.

First we will facilitate a workshop on the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland with young people, where we will challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become our green gold in a sustainable future. Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental. All three pillars must be weighted equally to get a fair distribution and a future in harmony. In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations.

Second, we are planning a meeting of the working group on the side of the AER General Assembly, during the European Week of Cities and regions, the second week of October 2022. This meeting will be focused on experience exchange.

In Spring 2023, we want to organise an online activity around project development.

Another activity we will carry out is the mapping of the specificities of each region and their good practices as a basis for matchmaking, study visits, potential projects

If this collaboration with other regions was a film, what would be the title?

“Together we can build a better and greener future”

Or: “Leapfrogging green bio-based transitions – A tale of European Regions”

Thank you Aud Hove for the interview!

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SOLD OUT: 2022 AER Summer Academy, County Donegal, Ireland

10 August, 2022 By Anna Comacchio

Co-hosted by Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Campus in Letterkenny, and the Gteic Gaoth Dobhair, “The AER Summer Academy—a Europe for the Next Generation” will bring together more than 100 politicians, youth delegates and civil society activists from across Europe for a week of debate on how to shape a more democratic, peaceful and sustainable future through real civic engagement of young people, starting in Europe’s regions.

This edition of the Summer Academy is the first one since the pandemic, and it will be the first time this event comes to Ireland.

A Special Year for Ireland and Europe

The Summer Academy takes place in a year of important milestones for Ireland’s relationship with its European partners. 2022 has been designated the European Year of Youth by the European Commission, and marks the 50th Anniversary of Ireland’s vote to join the European Community, precursor to the European Union, in 1972. The Irish language gained equal status alongside the other official languages of the European Union in 2022, and Ireland is also chairing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The Summer Academy is being part-funded by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs’ Communicating Europe Initiative.

What’s in store for participants?

SEE FULL PROGRAMME

The programme consists of plenary debates on youth participation in regional politics, and a range of workshops on rural entrepreneurship, the bioeconomy, the Ukrainian refugee crisis, the future of skills, of tourism and remote working. It will also include study visits to Derry City to learn about the Peace Process, Glenveagh National Park and Údarás na Gaeltachta’s ‘Gteic’ Gaeltacht remote working hub in Gweedore.

Confirmed speakers include, among others, Andreas Kiefer, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Minister of State Jack Chambers TD, Joe McHugh TD, Chair of the Irish Parliamentary Committee on European Union Affairs, and Anne Karjalainen, Chair of the European Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture. Delegations are expected from AER member regions in Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Romania, Spain, Serbia and partner organisations in the youth field.

Announcing the launch, AER President, Magnus Berntsson said “We are delighted to bring the Summer Academy to County Donegal during the European Year of Youth, and in a year of special anniversaries for Ireland. It has been a tremendously difficult couple of years for young Europeans. As we reshape Europe for the post-Covid era, it is imperative that policymakers work together to give young people a real say in shaping their future—starting in our regions. The Summer Academy in Donegal will be a unique opportunity for young people to tackle the common challenges facing all of Europe’s regions.”

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Liam Blaney, who will be also present during the opening ceremony, said ‘’we are very much looking forward to welcoming young Europeans, distinguished guests and speakers to our county for such a prestigious event. The items which will be discussed are of huge importance for our future leaders and we welcome the opportunity to facilitate such debate.’’

Micheál Ó hEanaigh, CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta and AER Vice President for Youth said ‘’Údarás Na Gaeltachta are delighted to be partnering with Donegal County Council and AER in delivering the 2022 Summer Academy. We very much look forward to engaging with our colleagues in the broad AER network to address the wide range of issues which will be covered in the academy which will assist in generating a Europe for the next generation.‘’

Registrations are open via eventbrite.

The 2022 Summer Academy is proudly brought to you by:

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Bioeconomy & skills: first meeting of working group

28 June, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

On 22 June 2022, the AER working group on the bioeconomy and skills held its first meeting to define priorities and develop activities for the coming months

Getting to know each other

The working group aims to be a space for targetted experience sharing, finding resources and strategic intelligence, as well as developing initiatives and projects. For this to be possible it is essential to get to know each other and hear what makes the topic of the bioeconomy a current one in different regions across Europe.

The meeting therefore started with a presentation of each members and a pitch on the situation in each region.

Defining priority areas for exchanges

Members of the group discussed what they hoped to find in this group, and what they could share.

Three main areas stood out:

bio-based construction materials and techniques
new food systems
waste management: including clothes, digital waste (topic also relevant for food systems & construction)

In the context of the bioeconomy, where the industry, the value chain, the collaborations between stakeholders are new, there are major challenges in terms of skills: both to develop the right skills and to attract & retain skills in places where the industry is located

Planning activities

The working group was created based on a proposal by Innlandet (NO). The approach is to have light-weight working group, which will develop a few activities for the coming year, which can take place on the occasion of AER events.

The group agreed on the following activities:

Workshop of the working group on the occasion of the AER Summer Academy on September 1st, in Donegal. More information on the Summer Academy, the general programme of events and registration form is available here

Experience exchange event on the side of the AER General Assembly (onsite), which would also coincide with the European Week of Regions & Cities

Online meeting around project development (tbc whether brokerage event, or information on funding etc)

Mapping of the specificities of each region and their good practices as a basis for matchmaking, study visits, potential projects

About the AER working group on the bioeconomy & skills

The working group on the bioeconomy and skills was set up in Spring 2022, based on a proposal by Innlandet (NO), supported by Lower Austria (AU), Gelderland (NL), Värmland (SE). Indeed, to set up a working group a region has to find at least three supporting regions, which will help shape the activities, participate and contribute to the work.

The working group on the bioeconomy and skills is currently chaired by Aud Hove, Deputy Mayor of Innlandet (NO) and gathers representatives from Värmland (SE), Gelderland (NL), Fribourg (CH), Donegal (IE), Udaras na Gaeltachta (IE), Adana (TR), Eastern Slovenia (SI).

It’s possible to join anytime

If you are interested in collaborating with this working group, please fill in this short questionnaire so we know you better and can contact you. Working groups are exclusively for AER members. If you have any question, you can contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Exchange Johanna Pacevicius.

I want to set up a working group on another topic!

An AER working group provides a space for experience and knowledge exchange.

If you’re not yet sure exactly about the activities or the specific focus of the working group you would like to lead, but you know you want to be engaged and lead a working group, contact us!

We’ll schedule a meeting to specify needs. We’ll help you identify the topic and main objective of the working group you’d like to set up and make sure that

this will indeed create value for you
there is a match between expectation and resources

We’ll help you to develop a draft proposal on the focus of the Working Group and identify a few potential activities, which you will then be able to share with other AER members.

What kind of topics?

At the AER we like to say that everything is possible!

Topics need to be in line with the Mission and Objectives of the AER, as defined in the AER Statutes

They need to be in line with the basic fundamental principles of the Council of Europe.

Who will be in the working group?

You may already know with which regions you would like to specifically cooperate with, in that case let us know and when needed we can facilitate the connection.

Working groups are open to all AER members. In order to propose a new working group, a core group of 1 leading region and at least 3 supporting regions are needed for the creation of a working group.

If you don’t yet know which regions you’d like to work with, let’s discuss! Together with the AER Secretariat you’ll be able identify peers in other regions who could be interested to work with you.

What kind of activities?

As per the AER Statutes, working groups are responsible for

Promoting networking and knowledge exchange between AER members on specific issues related to regional development; (8.3a)
Identifying and disseminating good practices. (8.3.b)

In this context, and depending on what you would like to achieve, activities can include activities to raise awareness on a topic and share existing practices, experience sharing, workshops to identify how to address shared challenges and societal changes, information sessions on funding opportunities, project development workshops…

There are many ways in which the AER offer and synergies with other activities can match your expectations. Contact us!

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Inclusion, Creativity & Human Potential

28 June, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

Labour participation is an essential building block for inclusion. It has a direct impact on access to housing, wellbeing and the ability of individuals to contribute.

A Holistic Approach to Labour Market Inclusion

The Includ-EU workshop “Inclusion, Creativity and Human Potential” on 14-15 June 2022 in Venice, highlighted regional policies and practices, that support stakeholders to build on their ideas, motivation, competences and experiences.

Speakers included:

Rossella Celmi, IOM Coordination Office for the Mediterranean, Lead Partner of the Includ-EU project
Gloria Bondi, The Human Safety Net
Angelique Petrits, DG HOME
Rabab Ahmad, IOM’s Regional Office for the EEA, the European Union and NATO
Alan Barbieri, The Human Safety Net
Mónica Oltra Jarque, Vice President of and Minister for Equality and Inclusive Policies of Generalitat Valenciana, Member of Intercultural Regions Network
Helena Castellà Duran, Adviser to the Minister of Equality and Feminism’ office, Catalonia
Stefano Rovelli, The Human Safety Net
Mays Kabouch, Coordination Entrepreneuriat IDF, Singa
Federico Mento, Director, Ashoka Italy

They shared how they are working to improve access to labour market -or accessed the labour market- the collaborations they implement, and how they learn from their peers to improve practices.

For the European Union, improving access to the labour market for all has deep implications both for the economy and for social cohesion. The challenge of integration and inclusion is particularly relevant for migrants, not only newcomers but sometimes also for EU citizens with a migrant background.

The EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027 states that

Ensuring effective integration and inclusion in the EU of migrants is a social and economic investment that makes European societies more cohesive, resilient and prosperous.
Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027, COM(2020) 758 final

This workshop therefore specifically focused on the benefits of peer learning for better policies and practices. It actually created a space where meaningful exchanges between peers would occur. At a time when everything is available online, it was important to design an experience that would nurture the network and encourage further collaborations.

Tapping Into Human Potential

In the afternoon, the interactive exhibition at the Home of the Human Safety Net provided participants with an opportunity to explore different dimensions of human potential and their own character strengths: Creativity, Perseverance, Leadership, Team spirit, Hope, Curiosity.

These character strengths were also highlighted in the exchanges with Yousaf Marufkhel, Mohammad Hossaini and Ali Rezai from the Orient Experience, an ethnic catering company founded in 2012 by political refugees and asylum seekers in the city of Venice.

It was born from the idea of making the experience and memory of the migrants’ journey (from Africa and the Middle East to Venice) meaningful through the proposal of a “menu” of dishes that retrace that itinerary.

The Migrant As An Innovator

In fact, the dishes are the result of the migrant’s encounters with other cultures and a personal reinterpretation and adaptation to the place where they are proposed. The Orient Experience makes it possible to transmit new knowledge and live a new sensorial and relational experience, through the conviviality offered by the food, the care of the place of refreshment where this otherness is breathed in.

The Orient Experience highlights the potential offered by the encounter between different cultures, and diversity as a source of innovation and education. It is a testimony of the figure of the migrant as an innovator.

Attendees had dinner at the Orient Experience to actually live the concept.

Collective Intelligence To Improve Practices

On the second day, participants were invited to work in small groups using the co-development methodology developed by Adrien Payette and Claude Champagne. This professional development approach focuses on the group & the interactions between participants to promote understanding and better practices. Co-development has two general objectives:

improving a professional practice
learn how to solve complex problems.

Co-construction, collaboration, sharing, individual and collective reflection are at the center of this approach, based on the idea that it is possible to “learn on your practice, by listening and helping colleagues to progress in understanding and improving their own practice”.

This session was the first of a series of sessions to be facilitated in upcoming events of the project. The 6-step co-development methodology helped participants to take advantage of the presence of their peers to unlock challenges and seize opportunities in a very concrete way.

Strategic Partnerships For Integration

The afternoon session started with a plenary moment, which includes the presentation of:

the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies on their multi-annual integrated programmatic document for work, integration and inclusion 2021-2027;
the Fondazione Leone Moressa, a private research institute dedicated to the study of the economics of immigration who will focus on the economic added value of migration.

This Includ-EU workshop was hosted at the premises of the Human Safety Net, a foundation created by Generali, which brings together non-profit organisations and the private sector in Europe, Asia and South America. It was therefore quite natural to look at strategic partnerships to tap into expertise, networks and resources outside government.

The two roundtables gathered the following representatives:

Simona Torre, Fondazione Italiana Accenture
Kenny Clewett, Ashoka – Hello Europe
Paola Cavanna and Dina Ulinici, IM Italy – Alt Caporalato
Massimiliano Giacomello, Consorzio Comunità Brianza –
Hope Fund and the Bonvena Network
Carlo Massini, Hogan Lovells
Alice Dalfovo and Stefano Buzzati, Diagrammi Nord – Una casa per l’uomo
Anna Filippucci, MicroLab
Gianfranco Della Valle, Region of Veneto – Navigare

Exchanges showed the importance of getting opportunities to discuss shared objectives, ways to facilitate the work of NGOs, as well as the challenges related to different standpoints and perspectives.

Additional Resources

Here are some more resources from the Includ-EU project and findings:

More on labour inclusion in Includ-EU countries: https://includeu.eu/labour-inclusion/

Includ-EU Thematic Briefing on Education: https://includeu.eu/second-includ-eus-briefing-education/

Includ-EU Thematic Briefing on Housing: https://includeu.eu/first-includ-eus-briefing-housing/

Avoid FOMO: Follow Us!

If you haven’t yet subscribed to the Includ-EU Newsletter, this is the place to be.

To get regular news about the project, the pilots, resources and upcoming events: follow Includ EU on Twitter @Includ_EU

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Inclusive Housing: Why And How?

10 June, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

Access to adequate and affordable housing is a key determinant of successful integration. Housing conditions have a strong impact on employment and education opportunities and on the interactions between migrants and host communities. Poor housing conditions and segregation can exacerbate divisions, which undermine social cohesion. Inclusive housing is therefore essential for thriving neighbourghoods.

The need for cross-sectoral approaches

In the framework of the Includ-EU project AER organised a webinar on cross-sectoral approaches to inclusive housing. The 4th Includ-EU webinar looked at practices that promote the benefits of intercultural identities of neighbourhoods. Encouraging social interactions via holistic housing policies and reinventing public spaces is of utmost importance to foster integration.

Setting the framework

Rossella Celmi, Project Manager at the IOM Coordination Office for the Mediterranean, opened the webinar by reminding participants that

Beyond its strictly material aspect, upholding the right to housing is considered crucial for human dignity and personal development, as well as a precondition for the enjoyment of other rights

With the war in Ukraine leading to new needs to welcome migrants, mainly women with children, Rossella Celmi shared an overview of the current situation, both in Ukraine, with high numbers of internally displaced persons (for up-to-date numbers: see this UNHCR Ukraine webpage), and in neighboring countries, as well as the IOM response in different countries (see Rossella Celmi‘s presentation here)

Looking at housing through an intercultural lens

Ivana D’Alessandro, Head of the Intercultural cities Unit, Council of Europe started off with the basic principles of intercultural cities: Integration is not only about rights, it is about

Promoting real equality
Building on the diversity advantage to create a “WE” culture based on shared values
Fostering Interaction within and between

The intercultural model brings together the principles of Diversity, Equality and Interaction.

These three principles lead to a specific role for public space: social trust indeed builds across diversities in the public space. Urban planning is therefore fundamental for authorities that want to develop intercultural cities and regions. To harness the diversity advantage.

Gentrification, a process through which lower income residents are displaced from a neighbourhood due to an influx of new residents, resulting in a change of character of the neighbourhood, results in displacement, and change in social and urban character. Gentrification therefore has negative impacts on all three dimensions of interculturality: equality, diversity, and interaction. Ivana D’Alessandro cited Tom Slater Professor of Urban Geography, at the University of Edinburgh who calls gentrification “the special expression of economic inequality”.

She shared how the intercultural cities’ principles apply to the public space

Applying these principles is then reflected in work on the rent gap and affordability, in the prevention of displacement, the strengthening of participatory processes, achieving inclusive public space and the promotion of sustainable tourism… which in turn will have an impact on rent etc. See Ivana D’Alessandro‘s presentation here

Includ-EU briefing on housing

Eleonora Milazzo, PhD, researcher and migration policy consultant at Kings College London shared the findings of the Includ-EU Briefing on Housing, which analysed the housing context for migrants in Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia and Spain. The data lead to a series of recommendations:

The briefing also describes a series of local and regional examples in the 6 countries, which illustrate how these recommendations can be implemented.

In Includ-EU, sharing of examples is seen as an essential tool to improve policies and practices. Eleonora Milazzo‘s presentation is available here, and provides for instance details on

how the “A New House” initiative in Cluj-Napoca provides material and medical assistance to vulnerable families and individuals
how Lucca’s House Agency in Tuscany matches supply and demand on the housing market
how Slovenia provides additional housing support for beneficiaries of international protection
and many other examples!

Unleash the potential of migration

Migration is a phenomenon that will remain and is likely to amplify in the future. In this context, rather than “solving” a “migration challenge”, sustainable policies and practices are focused on creating meaningful, equal to equal interactions between newcomers and local citizens. This in turn is deemed to enable cities and regions to benefit from the entrepreneurial spirit, variety of skills and creativity associated with cultural diversity.

Fatemeh Jailani, COO of SINGA Global, shared insights on SINGA’s “3 weapons of mass cohesion”, which are community organising, entrepreneurship and innovation.

SINGA’s tried and tested citizens hosting methodology fits in the “innovation section”, and is a methodology that ensures a healthy, equal relationship between newcomers and local citizens.

The 7 steps methodology

This methodology ensures the relationship is mutually beneficial and not rooted in a saviour-victim pattern.

Registration: aspiring hosts inform about motivation & space available
Informational meeting: to explain the programme, methods of intercultural co-housing, check motivation
Connection: based on location, motivation & expectations, areas of interest
First meeting: in neutral place. Potentially a second meeting to visit
Decision making: if both sides agree, then they have access to tools such as agreement, charter of cohabitation, intercultural training
Follow-up: the ‘J’accueille’ team will check on cohabiations regularly.
Facilitate communication: whenever there is a communication issue hosts and hostees can contact the team. A mediation service is available too.

While in emergency situations, the methodology may seem slow, results show that it is very effective and more sustainable than citizens hosting solutions without knowledgeable support. Safety is indeed a key aspect, both for hosts and hostees.

ANCI Toscana’s new model to tackle temporary housing needs

Additional Resources

Here are some more resources from the Includ-EU project and findings:

Video of the webinar on Cross-sectoral approaches to Inclusive Housing
Includ-EU Thematic Briefing on Housing
Includ-EU website

Videos of the other Includ-EU webinars

Webinar on Access to Quality Education and Training- An Intercultural Approach
Webinar on Intercultural Regions: Active Participation & Social Inclusion
Webinar on Intercultural Regions: Improving Labor Market Inclusion
Webinar on Intercultural Regions: Improving Access to Services

All articles related to the includ-EU webinars and workshops

Avoid FOMO: Follow Us!

If you haven’t yet subscribed to the Includ-EU Newsletter, this is the place to be.

To get regular news about the project, the pilots, resources and upcoming events: follow Includ EU on Twitter @Includ_EU

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The Knowledge Transfer Toolkit is out!

31 May, 2022 By Birgit Sandu

Are you aware of an innovative practice and would like to test in your region or would you like to strengthen cooperation with other peers across Europe and beyond to foster innovation within your regional ecosystem? The AER developed a Knowledge Transfer Toolkit gathering its long-lasting expertise in the field and its recent application in the context of the SCIROCCO Exchange project as to support regional and local authorities and other organisation in the design and implementation of effective knowledge transfer programmes and activities.

A tailor-made knowledge transfer programme

In the context of the SCIROCCO Exchange project on health systems innovation, the AER developed a knowledge transfer programme, which was personalised for nine health and social care authorities with the aim of preparing the local environment for the adoption or scale-up of integrated care.

The toolkit builds on the expertise of the AER and its application in the SCIROCCO Exchange project to offer transferable expertise and tools for the effective design and implementation of knowledge transfer programmes. It is aimed to support regional and local authorities, as well as any organisation wishing to use knowledge transfer for policy innovation, in developing and implementing activities that are tailored to their specific needs and objectives.

Download the Knowledge Transfer Toolkit!

Why knowledge transfer?

Knowledge transfer is a key approach to support policy innovation and capacity-building within different regional systems and sectors. By building on mutually beneficial collaborations among stakeholders it provides a framework for the exchange of know-how, capitalisation of learnings and tools, and the development of sustained collaborations. However, to ensure its effective implementation it is important to build on the specific regional context, needs, and objectives as to develop tailored knowledge transfer activities.

A toolkit for any collaboration or project

The toolkit offers:

A process for the co-development of personalised programmes, accompanying the user through each step in the process.
A menu of activities, describing for each activity what it can be used for, what needs and intention that specific activity can address, and offering practical information for their organisation.
First-hand insights and learnings for the effective organisation of online and hybrid activities.
A list of key elements to ensure resilience and success in a knowledge transfer process.

By providing hands-on information and tools, the toolkit ensures a wide relevance and applicability policy areas, maturity levels and cultural contexts.

The AER as a knowledge transfer lab

Since its inception, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) has built an expertise in policy learning providing opportunities and space for policy-makers and regional stakeholders to engage in cooperation, facilitating mutual learning and knowledge transfer activities. Throughout the years, created different methodologies for knowledge transfer – such as the peer review methodology -, as well as original formats of events – such as the AER mutual learning event on topics such as artificial intelligence or the smart food systems -. It developed programmes such as the AER Summer Academy as a format for structured exchanges between civil servants, young people and politicians; Centurio, the former civil servants exchange programme; or Eurodissey a youth mobility programme.

Moreover, thanks to its large and diverse membership, and the widespread organisation of knowledge transfer activities, the AER has developed a broad understanding of the type of knowledge transfer activities which create the most impact according to the regions’ specific objectives and the cultural contexts.

If you want to learn more about how the AER can support knowledge transfer among its members and broader international network, contact our Policy&Knowledge Coordinator, Johanna Pacevicius, and European Projects Manager, Birgit Sandu.

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DG REGIO Opportunities: Fund Your Regional Innovative Practice On Citizens’ Participation in Cohesion Policy

8 April, 2022 By Anna Comacchio

EU Commission DG REGIO is seeking proposals by public authorities and civil society organizations, interested to strengthen citizen participation in cohesion policy through collaborative innovative solutions.

With the experience of Together4Cohesion, AER turned into an active player in the fostering of more participation of citizens and stakeholders in Cohesion policy, with the end-goal to bring citizens closer to its regions and to Europe, and at the same time, through a more active citizens’ engagement, to make institutions more transparent and accountable. AER advocates for more citizens participation, innovative deliberative and participatory practices not only in Cohesion Policy but as a general tool to increase the quality of policymaking, while fostering engagement, pride and sense of belonging among citizens, and therefore welcomes this new DG Regio call and encourages all its member to check out this call with deadline 30.04.

This present call for expression builds on previous experiences of collaboration in this field between DG Regio and the OECD which resulted in the below publication:

The European Commission is now offering technical support by experts from OECD to managing authorities, intermediate bodies or beneficiaries and to civil society organisations to implement in an innovative way the partnership principles in EU Cohesion Policy. Up to 10 proposals, co-signed by a public authority and a civil society organisation, will receive assistance by the Open Government unit of OECD to test new innovative solutions for engaging citizens.

Such solutions can be in the context of design, implementation and/or monitoring of the programme, but also of a strategy specific for one of the five policy objectives, or even of a specific investment under programmes 2021-2027

For further details, see the call for expression of interests on Innovative Implementation of the Partnership Principle. Have a look at the presentation and watch the video recording. To reply to your questions, you can book a 15-minutes conversation with DG REGIO and OECD these two days:

Monday April 11 2pm-3pm
Tuesday April 12 11am-12pm

The application should be sent at [email protected].

The deadline for applications is 30.04.2022.

For any questions: [email protected], [email protected]

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Partner Search: Town Twinning for Environmental Action

14 January, 2022 By Mirthe Vogd

The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, a member region of AER, is searching for project partners to join their project proposal related to climate and environmental issues in the framework of the Town Twinning Action between Turkey and EU-II Grant Scheme (TTGS-II). Working with the vision of offering a cleaner and more sustainable environment to future generations, it aims to enhance dialogue between Turkish and EU local authorities and strengthen the capacity of local authorities for the purposes of climate and environment based actions.

The grant scheme provides support for projects aiming at developing town twinning relationships between local administrations/authorities in Turkey and EU Member States and strengthening their roles in the EU accession process.

About Izmir and the project proposal

Local authorities in Turkey are the implementers of the national and international climate and environment-related policies at the local level. Therefore, climate-related experience sharing, capacity building at the local level, and local policy development would strengthen the vision and enhance climate change strategies for every party.

Over the last decade, the City of Izmir has been taking significant actions towards improving its environmental performance, particularly through strategy development, investment and many projects. Izmir has adopted Green City Action Plan, Izmir Sustainable Energy, and Climate Action Plan and is shaping its roadmap of 2030 through sustainable, innovative, and democratic solutions.

The specific objective of this proposal is to create a concrete and long-term partnership between Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and local authorities in the EU in areas relevant to climate and the environment.

The idea of the project is based on the particular area of both cities that they can work together and establish a common strategy or action plan. Izmir is therefore open to partnering with other EU local authorities in order to design a comprehensive and effective project proposal.

How to take part?

If you are interested in joining this project, please send your expression of interest by 28 January to Mirthe Vogd, European Projects Assistant ([email protected]) & our Member Relations Coordinator, Mr Anne Henk Bloemhoff ([email protected]).

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us in case you would need additional information!

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Local, but European. Practical, but inspiring. #HotlineCohesion brings you the most interesting youth opportunities linked to EU Cohesion Policy.

The many opportunities for youth employment and green transition offered by Cohesion Policy require appropriate visibility, especially amongst the youth. Widespread information makes sure that opportunities reach their target, and that the future is shaped to the needs of those who will live in it.

Every week the AER will publish its series #HOTLINE COHESION with information concerning new funding opportunities and participatory processes open to youth in your regions!

Youth unemployment is a longstanding challenge for Europe

The EU response to youth unemployment

The youth action for a green and fair future

Youth for a Just Transition

See you next week at #HotlineCohesion!

Read more about #HotlineCohesion and #YOUTHopia:

Taskforce on Active Citizenship

Why?

What?

How?

Taskforce on the Future of Work – Digital Skills

Why?

What?

How?

Bio-based innovation: a catalyst for change

Massive impact in the construction sector

Creativity, sustainability, inclusion: it’s possible!

Mutual learning to accelerate the development of the bioeconomy

Share your experience!

More information on this topic

The ITER Mobility Project

What we are looking for…

What we offer…

If your region/organisation is interested in joining the ITER mobility project or discussing further cooperation options, please contact Anna Comacchio (AER Project and Policy Manager):

Youth at the heart of the shift to green gold

The AER Summer Academy: a forum for exchanges

The European Year of youth: an opportunity to reframe policies

Skills & the bioeconomy

Upcoming activities of the working group

Background

EU4Health

Prepare your application

How can the AER help?

Can you please introduce yourself?

What motivated you in launching the working group on the bioeconomy & skills?

What do you want to achieve with this working group?

What will the working group do in the coming months?

If this collaboration with other regions was a film, what would be the title?

Thank you Aud Hove for the interview!

This edition of the Summer Academy is the first one since the pandemic, and it will be the first time this event comes to Ireland.

A Special Year for Ireland and Europe

What’s in store for participants?

The 2022 Summer Academy is proudly brought to you by:

Getting to know each other

Defining priority areas for exchanges

Planning activities

About the AER working group on the bioeconomy & skills

It’s possible to join anytime

I want to set up a working group on another topic!

What kind of topics?

Who will be in the working group?

What kind of activities?

A Holistic Approach to Labour Market Inclusion

Tapping Into Human Potential

The Migrant As An Innovator

Collective Intelligence To Improve Practices

Strategic Partnerships For Integration

Additional Resources

Avoid FOMO: Follow Us!

The need for cross-sectoral approaches

Setting the framework

Looking at housing through an intercultural lens

Includ-EU briefing on housing

Unleash the potential of migration

The 7 steps methodology

ANCI Toscana’s new model to tackle temporary housing needs

Additional Resources

Videos of the other Includ-EU webinars

Related articles

Avoid FOMO: Follow Us!

A tailor-made knowledge transfer programme

Why knowledge transfer?

A toolkit for any collaboration or project

The AER as a knowledge transfer lab

About Izmir and the project proposal

How to take part?

Library