HECSOs

🌟 HECSOs Multiplier Events: Inspiring Change in Cyprus 🌟 💡 We are happy to announce the success of the HECSOs Multiplier Event hosted at UCLan Cyprus by SYNTHESIS, bringing together a dynamic group of stakeholders to discuss and expand the reach of the Erasmus+ HECSOs project. 👩🎓👨🎓 The event welcomed higher education students from schools of Art, Media & Communication, and Business & Management, alongside representatives from civil society organisations including SYNTHESIS, HUB NICOSIA, INSPIRE, and ECOINCLUSIVE. 🔍 During the event, the SYNTHESIS team presented the project’s key results and resources, sparking engaging discussions on their potential impact. Students actively participated, sharing ideas on how these resources could enhance university curricula and foster deeper connections between education and community action. 🤝 The dialogue highlighted the power of collaboration, with participants exploring innovative ways to embed HECSOs resources into academic programs and drive sustainable community change. 🎯 A big thank you to all participants for their valuable contributions and commitment to making this event a transformative success! Together, we’re shaping a future of empowered, community-driven education. #HECSOs #ErasmusPlus #EducationInnovation #CommunityEngagement #SYNTHESIS #HigherEducation

🌟 HECSOs Multiplier Event: Empowering Local Action in Madrid 🌟 💡We are excited to share that the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid successfully hosted a HECSOs Multiplier Event, gathering a diverse and engaged audience to explore the Erasmus+ HECSOs project results and policy recommendations. 👨🏫 The event brought together a wide range of participants, including UC3M students, professionals from various fields, representatives from local institutions, and faculty members dedicated to advancing community engagement. 🔍 The discussion focused on actionable ways to implement the HECSOs recommendations at a local level, emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and practical solutions for community challenges. 🎯The participants contributed rich insights, shared experiences, and exchanged ideas that inspired new pathways for community-focused action. 🤝 A heartfelt thank you to all who joined us and made this gathering an inspiring success! #HECSOs #CommunityEngagement #Erasmus+ #EducationForSustainability #UC3M #Collaboration #Innovation

🎉 Celebrating the Success of Our Workshop: "How to Boost Community Engagement in the EU" We are delighted to share the success of our recent workshop, "How to Boost Community Engagement in the EU," held on November 20, 2024, during #LifeLongLearningWeek at #CaritasEuropa in #Brussels. Organized in collaboration with the University of Turin and HECSOs partners, this event brought together universities, policymakers, and civil society organizations (CSOs) to explore strategies for strengthening community engagement and fostering social innovation. Over the past three years, the #HECSOs project has empowered European universities (Università degli Studi di Torino (Project coordinator), Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie Politehnica București former University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and University of Thessaly) to forge deep, sustainable connections with CSOs (S-NODI Learning Community, Mind2Innovate, SYNTHESIS Center for Research & Education, and Community and Neighbourhood Work of Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien (Caritasverband)), driving social innovation and socio-economic inclusion across the EU. The workshop showcased the impactful work of our consortium, including: ✅ Development of innovative, evidence-based models and training programs 🤝 Co-designed skill frameworks tailored for collaboration 📜 Crafted policy guidelines forming a solid foundation for impactful community engagement ✨ Workshop Highlights: MEP Benedetta Scuderi emphasized the critical role of community engagement, drawing from her personal journey as a young activist and her current perspective as a member of the European Parliament. Her speech underscored how grassroots involvement can inspire broader change and how European-level action can amplify local efforts. irene bonvissuto from #DGCLIMA led a thought-provoking session on fostering cross-sector partnerships. Her insights highlighted the critical role of collaboration in tackling climate and community challenges, sparking an open discussion where participants exchanged impactful strategies to address shared societal issues. 🙌 A Big Thank-You! We are deeply grateful to all participants and speakers (Antonio Fantasia, Francesca Ricciardi, Lisa Plattner, Laura Martínez Gálvez, Isabel Jiménez Alonso, Vittoria Lombardi, Dr Stefania Savva, Benedetta Scuderi, and irene bonvissuto) for their contributions, making this workshop a significant step toward building a more inclusive and collaborative European community. #HECSOs #CommunityEngagement #ErasmusPlus #SocialInnovation

✨𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!✨ The final 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗧𝗣𝗠) of the #HECSOs project took place on 𝟮𝟭-𝟮𝟮 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 in 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀, 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺, at #CaritasEuropa. This milestone event was not just a moment for reflection, but a celebration of the journey we’ve shared as partners, working together to bridge higher education and civil society for meaningful community engagement. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 of how HECSOs tools are already making a difference - empowering local communities, fostering collaboration, and building sustainable networks. It’s through these shared experiences that we’ve seen the true impact of our efforts. Highlights of the meeting included: • The 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, available for free on our website: https://hecsos.eu/results. • Finalizing the 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻, ensuring the project’s benefits will endure beyond its formal conclusion. • Refining strategies for the upcoming 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, designed to amplify local impact. • Engaging in an 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽, reflecting on lessons learned and mapping out future opportunities. 💡𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗦𝗢𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀? We invite you to explore our free resources and share your ideas below on how we can continue driving change together. 🌍 Visit https://hecsos.eu for more information. Let’s keep working toward a future where higher education and civil society join forces for sustainable and inclusive community engagement. Partners involved: Università degli Studi di Torino (Project Coordinator), SYNTHESIS Center for Research & Education, S-NODI Learning Community, University of Thessaly, Community and Neighbourhood Work of Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien (Caritasverband), Mind2Innovate, Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie Politehnica București former University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid #CommunityEngagement #ErasmusPlus #TransnationalProjectMeeting #Brussels #HECSOs

🌟 HECSOS Multiplier Event: Bridging Communities and Inspiring Action 🌟 We are thrilled to announce that POLITEHNICA Bucharest successfully organized a HECSOS Multiplier Event, bringing together a dynamic mix of participants: high school teachers and students, university students and faculty members, professionals, and CSO representatives. 🎯 The event was designed to foster collaboration and innovation through the Discovery Station Approach, where participants were: 🔍 Challenged to ideate creative solutions, 💡 Engaged in community-oriented activities, and 🤝 Empowered to apply ideas from the HECSOS toolkits across various community areas. This interactive gathering highlighted the power of education, collaboration, and actionable insights in addressing community challenges. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making this event a success! 💬 🌱 Together, we’re creating a ripple effect of positive change and showcasing the true potential of education in shaping sustainable and thriving communities. #HECSOS #CommunityEngagement #EducationForSustainability #PolitehnicaBucharest #Collaboration #Innovation

🎉 Celebrating the Success of Our Workshop: "How to Boost Community Engagement in the EU" We are delighted to share the success of our recent workshop, "How to Boost Community Engagement in the EU," held on November 20, 2024, during #LifeLongLearningWeek at #CaritasEuropa in #Brussels. Organized in collaboration with the University of Turin and HECSOs partners, this event brought together universities, policymakers, and civil society organizations (CSOs) to explore strategies for strengthening community engagement and fostering social innovation. Over the past three years, the #HECSOs project has empowered European universities (Università degli Studi di Torino (Project coordinator), Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie Politehnica București former University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and University of Thessaly) to forge deep, sustainable connections with CSOs (S-NODI Learning Community, Mind2Innovate, SYNTHESIS Center for Research & Education, and Community and Neighbourhood Work of Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien (Caritasverband)), driving social innovation and socio-economic inclusion across the EU. The workshop showcased the impactful work of our consortium, including: ✅ Development of innovative, evidence-based models and training programs 🤝 Co-designed skill frameworks tailored for collaboration 📜 Crafted policy guidelines forming a solid foundation for impactful community engagement ✨ Workshop Highlights: MEP Benedetta Scuderi emphasized the critical role of community engagement, drawing from her personal journey as a young activist and her current perspective as a member of the European Parliament. Her speech underscored how grassroots involvement can inspire broader change and how European-level action can amplify local efforts. irene bonvissuto from #DGCLIMA led a thought-provoking session on fostering cross-sector partnerships. Her insights highlighted the critical role of collaboration in tackling climate and community challenges, sparking an open discussion where participants exchanged impactful strategies to address shared societal issues. 🙌 A Big Thank-You! We are deeply grateful to all participants and speakers (Antonio Fantasia, Francesca Ricciardi, Lisa Plattner, Laura Martínez Gálvez, Isabel Jiménez Alonso, Vittoria Lombardi, Dr Stefania Savva, Benedetta Scuderi, and irene bonvissuto) for their contributions, making this workshop a significant step toward building a more inclusive and collaborative European community. #HECSOs #CommunityEngagement #ErasmusPlus #SocialInnovation

⏳ Two Days Left to Join the Conversation on Community Engagement in the EU! Join us on 20th November 2024 for "How to Boost Community Engagement in the EU," which will take place during #LifelongLearningWeek. This gathering will bring together policymakers, community leaders, and innovators to explore strategies for fostering inclusive, sustainable community engagement across Europe. 🎯 Why Attend? Discover how universities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are transforming social innovation and socio-economic inclusion across the EU through the impactful HECSOs project (Higher Education and Civil Society Organizations together for Community Engagement), coordinated by the University of Turin. Engage in discussions on innovative strategies to enhance community engagement and foster sustainable partnerships between higher education institutions and local communities. This dialogue will be a key moment to share ideas, address challenges, and explore actionable solutions for strengthening participatory democracy. Connect with leading experts in education, policy, and community development who are driving change, and join a dynamic platform for meaningful collaboration. 📍 Event Details: Where: Caritas Europa, Rue de la Charité 43, 1210 Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Belgium When: 20 Nov 2024, 12:30 – 15:00 🔗 Act Now! There’s still time to register and secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/eyYJ3kbV. We look forward to seeing you there! 💬 We’re Excited to Welcome You! Stay tuned for updates and highlights from the event—we’ll be sharing live insights and reflections on the HECSOs LinkedIn page. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this impactful dialogue! Together, let's strengthen community engagement and shape a more inclusive future for Europe! #CommunityEngagement #ParticipatoryDemocracy #ErasmusPlus #LifelongLearning #EUEvents

🌍 Empowering Local Communities in Romania: Key Policy Recommendations from HECSOs On July 30, 2024, the HECSOs project hosted two multi-stakeholder policy workshops in Romania to explore how to promote active community participation in decision-making and uphold the values of participatory democracy. Here are the main #recommendations: ✨ Fostering Engagement: Develop inclusive participation strategies by organizing townhall meetings, advisory boards, and digital consultations. Community leaders should play a pivotal role in building trust, and public input should be visibly integrated into policy decisions. 📚 Building Competencies: Implement training programs in active citizenship and essential skills like leadership, conflict resolution, and project management. Collaboration with Higher Education Institutions (#HEIs) can integrate community members into service learning initiatives. 💬 Enhancing Communication: To ensure representation and inclusivity, utilize diverse communication channels, including multilingual digital platforms, social media, and stakeholder surveys. 💡 Supporting Community Organizations: Strengthen financial and logistical support for grassroots initiatives through transparent funding mechanisms, infrastructure development, and assistance in proposal writing. These recommendations aim to bridge the gap between policymakers and communities, fostering trust and sustainable engagement. 📢 Want to know more? The complete recommendations are available on the HECSOs website: https://lnkd.in/gqKZ3gbr Don’t miss the upcoming European Policy Recommendations - details will be shared following this week’s event in Brussels! #HECSOs #CommunityEngagement #ErasmusPlus #ParticipatoryDemocracy #PolicyRecommendations #Romania

🌍 Promoting Community Engagement in Spain: Key Policy Recommendations from HECSOs On July 5, 2024, the HECSOs project hosted two multi-stakeholder policy workshops in Madrid, Spain, gathering insights on empowering local communities in decision-making and championing participatory democracy. Here are the core #recommendations: ✨ Fostering Inclusion: Address language barriers and promote inclusive communication through multilingual public service forms and training for officials. Greater emphasis is needed on co-creating policies with migrants and vulnerable groups. 🏛️ Strengthening University-Community Ties: Universities should enhance training programs in active citizenship, integrating students into real-world problem-solving that benefits local communities. Initiatives include providing hands-on learning experiences and building alliances with civil society. 💬 Optimizing Communication: Establish structured, strategic communication plans among stakeholders. Current gaps lead to uncoordinated efforts and reduced impact. Suggestions include hiring communication specialists and utilizing diverse media channels. 🚧 Overcoming Barriers: There’s a need for streamlined regulatory frameworks to facilitate collaboration between institutions and ensure funding stability. This would enable long-term, impactful engagement projects. These recommendations will support our efforts to foster active citizenship, inclusivity, and sustainable community involvement. 📢 Want to know more? The complete recommendations are available on the HECSOs website: https://lnkd.in/gqKZ3gbr #HECSOs #CommunityEngagement #ErasmusPlus #ParticipatoryDemocracy #PolicyRecommendations #Spain

🌍 New Policy Recommendations from Greece: Strengthening Participatory Democracy through Local Engagement As part of the #HECSOs #Erasmus+ project, recent policy workshops in Volos, Greece, gathered local experts and stakeholders to discuss enhancing community participation in decision-making. Here are some of the key recommendations: 🌐 Boosting Cross-Border Cooperation: Encourage collaborations across higher education institutions in Europe to build resilience, tackle socio-economic challenges, and promote sustainable futures. This enhances the integration of digital and green transitions through shared knowledge and innovation. 🤝 Fostering International Partnerships: Build lasting global alliances to empower students, researchers, and lifelong learners. Digital transformation in education will make cross-border collaboration more inclusive, even for rural communities. 🏢 Supporting Local Enterprise Zones (UEZs): Establish UEZs at universities across Greece, creating spaces that connect academia with industry, drive job creation, and address local skill needs. 📈 Strengthening University-Employer Partnerships: Develop sector agreements between universities and industries to meet skill demands, foster local growth, and expand career opportunities within Greece. 🗣️ Enhancing Public Engagement Standards: Ensure inclusive, transparent public consultations, enabling communities to actively shape policy. This includes accessibility to information, timely consultation windows, and robust feedback mechanisms. These recommendations are designed to empower local voices and bolster European values of inclusion and democracy. 📢 Want to know more? The complete recommendations are available on the HECSOs website: https://lnkd.in/gqKZ3gbr #HECSOs #CommunityEngagement #ErasmusPlus #PolicyRecommendations #HigherEducation #Greece #ParticipatoryDemocracy