CoLab Europe: Training for the Future of Coworking

Funded by the European Union. However, the views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them. (Project ID: 2023-2-IT01-KA210-VET-000177749)

Today, cities find themselves needing to focus their attention on social innovation and new economic and social models related to this innovation. In 2021, the European Commission outlined a long-term vision for the Union's rural areas. This vision identifies several areas of action to achieve the goal of stronger, connected, resilient, and prosperous rural areas by 2040. For decades in Europe, rural realities and small towns have been facing the dual and interconnected issue of youth emigration and an aging population, leading to stagnation in regional development, social polarization, impoverishment, underused public infrastructure, and a negative perception of these areas. However, due to the digitalization of jobs and the emergence of new industries, a different trend has begun, a trend that should be carefully considered: the strong growth of remote work, significantly increased during the COVID-19 epidemic. Small town communities have been the most affected by the previously mentioned negative phenomena.

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen methodological knowledge on sustainable coworking models at the local level, in order to promote the adoption of best European practices in the field of decentralized workplaces and remote work.

Specifically, the project aims to achieve the following specific objectives:

• (SO1) Share innovative alternatives and good practices for accessing coworking solutions;
• (SO2) Provide community leaders with the skills to adopt a transformative and sustainable approach to investments and the regeneration of local communities;
• (SO3) Produce a self-assessment tool to help communities identify strengths, opportunities, and resources for their revitalization.

The main planned activities are:

• 1 promotional campaign for the activities;
• 3 mini-panels on:
  1. Types of Coworking: EU best practices,
  2. Coworking Management: tools and methodologies,
  3. Coworking Communities: how to build long-term communities and partnerships.
• 3 national workshops for discussion and dialogue among youth, municipalities, and businesses on project themes;
• 1 promotional campaign on the project's results.

The results the project aspires to achieve are:

• increased awareness of the benefits of coworking in the cities involved in the project;
• 36 leaders, entrepreneurs, interested in training on the coworking theme have been trained;
• 30 youths involved in the workshops;
• 3 local associations involved in the workshops;
• 3 public entities involved in the national workshops.