Project

Project Overview

A training curriculum for adults engaged in the organisation and management of cultural events, will be designed and implemented with local teams, to strengthen their management skills, and expose them to prospects and strategies that work toward a European vision and framework.
Valorising the cultural heritage background of rural communities, the project particularly aims to encourage adults, young and old, who are not generally engaged in lifelong learning, to participate in training, transnational exchanges and a mentoring programme which will see local teams and community leaders sharing their tacit knowledge and competencies. This intergenerational and participatory approach can contribute greatly to community development and wellbeing.
The curriculum, targeted to strengthen the competencies in organising and managing local cultural festivals and events, acts as a ‘Trojan horse’ in engaging team leaders in further training and the community, as a whole, in a transnational educational experience.
The informal learning sessions will be specifically focused on the following key skills: cultural awareness and expression, digital skills, civic and entrepreneurial competencies. The exchange of these competencies are closely linked to the project’s other goal; the clarification and recognition of the learners’ prior learning. The recognition and valorisation of their tacit knowledge and skills will, hopefully, motivate older members of the community to engage in intergenerational dialogue and focus on the common goal of maintaining and renewing the intangible, cultural heritage of their local area.

VAL.oR. aims are;
a) to support adult education staff to develop and implement a process to validate non-formal and informal learning;
b) to ensure the continued sustainability of locally run cultural festivals and events in rural communities which provide educational opportunities for all and are key economic drivers for local areas;
c) to sustain the generation of new ideas, revitalising EU cultural endeavours.

About the project

Ten organisations from Bulgaria, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland are working together to achieve these common goals:

1. Developing a process for the validation of prior learning.
2. Designing a curriculum framework for cultural festival and event management.
3. Identifying and collating the tacit knowledge of the ageing volunteers.
4. Showcasing the best practices adopted by the current crop of ageing volunteers.
5. Creating an intergenerational mentoring programme to support the next generation of volunteers.