Ecoprise intends to promote a new entrepreneurial model and skillset for a new professional figure, the Ecoprise Designer, able to contribute to local regenerative development by promoting a harmonious coexistence between human life and nature within enterprises, while creating a new model for sustainable multi-functional social entrepreneurship.
Project
ECOPRISE
Future-oriented social entrepreneurship through Ecovillage Design
Date of implementation
Till 1 February 2024
Funding Institution
Webpage
https://ecoprise.eu/
Info & Contact
Alejandra Infante Velado
Social Media
Beneficiaries
- Established/aspirant Entrepreneurs in the fields of rural, social and cultural entrepreneurship, interested in expanding and varying their offer and in making their business more sustainable.
- Civil Society Organisations’ representatives wishing to explore the potential of social economy and new ways to provide a multi-faceted, socially valuable offer.
- Professionals in disciplines relevant to Ecovillage design, such as ecologists, designers, and artists, interested in supporting future-oriented entrepreneurs in setting up their Ecoprise.
- VET/HE providers & trainers, who shall support future Ecopreneurs through specialised training.
- Public authorities at local, regional, national and EU level, especially involved in environmental protection, local development, employment, education, and training; and local development agencies, urban planners, architects, enterprises (rural and urban), and social/cultural associations, seeking sustainable land use alternatives.
Objectives
- Stimulating entrepreneurial attitudes, through the creation of a new entrepreneurial model and of the professional figure of the Ecoprise Designer.
- Fostering innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning, by co-creating an international course on Ecopreneurship, based on Ecovillage Design Education.
- Improving the quality and relevance of skills and analysing skill gaps in social entrepreneurship and the potential of ecovillage design, as well as strengthening transversal and technical skills needed for better resilience, by developing and certifying an ad-hoc learning path.
- Facilitating the flow and co-creation of knowledge between HE and VET, research, public and business sectors, through a multi-sectoral partnership and active involvement of key stakeholders.
- Supporting effective and efficient HE and VET systems, strengthening their ability to keep pace with the digital and green transition by promoting an innovative skillset to assist the creation of new sustainable and multi-functional social enterprises.
Actions
- Identification of successful examples of social enterprises and ecovillages and analysis of existing skills gaps in the two fields.
- Development of the Ecoprise Model, reference point for the following actions, and the Skillset for Ecoprise designers.
- Development of the Ecoprise design course and the Ecoprise training Vandemecums, for trainers and learners.
- Pilot testing of the Ecoprise course, contributing to generate new Ecopreneurs through a diversified learning approach, including work-based learning experiences.
- Set up and consultations with Expert Boards in Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece and Cyprus, composed of social entrepreneurs, ecovillage experts and educational and/or training institutions member, throughout the entire project.
- Set-up of 6 local Ecoprise incubators in Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece and Cyprus.
- Celebration of YouPrise Workshops organised in VET schools and HEIs, sharing the new model and boosting students’ entrepreneurial mindset.
- Policy Hacks and creation of Ecoprise case studies.
- Organization of two Ecoprise European Summits: Digital Summit and a EU roundtable.
- Hosting of 5 local forums in Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece, Cyprus, and the Ecoprise Final International Forum, in Italy.
Impact
- Better awareness and understanding of current trends in the fields of social entrepreneurship and ecovillage design.
- Upskilled professionals, thanks to the development and testing of a multidisciplinary educational programme for future Ecoprise Designers, enabling them to put into practice the acquired knowledge by designing their ideal Ecoprise.
- Increased capacity of VET and HE trainers to respond to today’s social and professional trends, and keep pace with the digital transition.
- Creation of new communities and networks of key professionals, such as 6 Expert Boards and 6 local Ecoprise incubators.
- 300 learners across 6 implementation countries (Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece and Cyprus) participating in the Ecoprise course piloting.
Results
- SWOT analysis: Social enterprises versus ecovillage experiences.
- Ecoprise prototype.
- Skillset for Ecoprise designer.
- Ecoprise Training Syllabus and Course.
- Ecoprise training Vademecums.
- Ecoprise MOOC.
- Digital Collection of case studies, analysing the potential use of Ecoprise model.
- Ecoprise Zine: planting the seeds of future-oriented enterprises.
Partners
- CESIE ETS (coordinator, Italy)
- LAND Impresa Sociale (affiliated, Italy)
- Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Portugal)
- GLOBAL ECOVILLAGE NETWORK OF EUROPEEV (Germania)
- UNIVERZITET U NOVOM SADU (Serbia)
- UAB THEORIA (The Critical) (Lithuania)
- EUROTRAINING EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION (Greece)
- ReadLab Brussels (Belgium)
- CSI CENTER FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION LTD (Cyprus)
- GRANTXPERT (Cyprus)
- Mazoji Bendrija Zaliasis judejimas (Lithuania)
- ECQA GMBH (Austria)
Nº project
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.