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Train to LA21 - Training the Facilitators for Local Agenda 21 Implementation
Type
applied research project
Start Date
01 November 2004
End Date
30 April 2007
Status
completed
Keywords
Sustainable Development
Local Agenda 21
further education
Description
The TRAIN to LA21 project entails the development and testing of training products (courses and didactic materials) targeting the various professionals involved in the implementation of Local Agenda 21 (LA21), which is a very important instrument for the operationalization of Sustainable Development (SD) at local and regional levels.
LA21 can be understood as a process for improving the quality of life in communities by a mix of measures that are developed in a participative process by different local actors (public authorities, enterprises, NGOs, associations, etc.). It includes systems and processes for the integration of social, economic and environmental development and is grounded in a strong cooperation of local actors and institutional building for the development and implementation of a strategic development plan. The existing experience shows that there is a lack of appropriate skills among some of the competent personnel, not only in the thematic areas of sustainability and LA21 (concepts, relevant legislation, environmental management, mobility, waste management, indicators, social issues, etc.), but also in the process facilitation skills that are crucial to the success of this multi-stakeholder activity (good governance). Additionally, knowledge on local management issues, including the local political system, competences and decision-making processes, as well as local specific sustainability questions is necessary.
The TRAIN to LA21 project aims precisely at contributing to the development of skills and awareness amongst groups within the local communities that are involved in promoting and developing action in the field of regional sustainability, thus enabling the former to act as facilitating and dissemination agents. In order to accommodate the needs of various regions and target groups, the LA21 courses will be developed with a flexible modular structure, which ensures their wide applicability in different European regions. The target groups of these courses are the ones who will have to support, facilitate, co-ordinate and manage the LA21 processes. So the target groups are:
Politicians (elected) and technical staff working at municipalities, local and regional authorities;
NGO's acting in the field of sustainable development;
Others, facilitators, namely country specific such as the Green Guides in Denmark and people from cultural/ sports associations in Austria.
The potential users of the project results (TRAIN to LA 21 products) are trainers from vocational training schools or other education institutions who are willing to address LA 21 and regional sustainability in their training offers.
LA21 can be understood as a process for improving the quality of life in communities by a mix of measures that are developed in a participative process by different local actors (public authorities, enterprises, NGOs, associations, etc.). It includes systems and processes for the integration of social, economic and environmental development and is grounded in a strong cooperation of local actors and institutional building for the development and implementation of a strategic development plan. The existing experience shows that there is a lack of appropriate skills among some of the competent personnel, not only in the thematic areas of sustainability and LA21 (concepts, relevant legislation, environmental management, mobility, waste management, indicators, social issues, etc.), but also in the process facilitation skills that are crucial to the success of this multi-stakeholder activity (good governance). Additionally, knowledge on local management issues, including the local political system, competences and decision-making processes, as well as local specific sustainability questions is necessary.
The TRAIN to LA21 project aims precisely at contributing to the development of skills and awareness amongst groups within the local communities that are involved in promoting and developing action in the field of regional sustainability, thus enabling the former to act as facilitating and dissemination agents. In order to accommodate the needs of various regions and target groups, the LA21 courses will be developed with a flexible modular structure, which ensures their wide applicability in different European regions. The target groups of these courses are the ones who will have to support, facilitate, co-ordinate and manage the LA21 processes. So the target groups are:
Politicians (elected) and technical staff working at municipalities, local and regional authorities;
NGO's acting in the field of sustainable development;
Others, facilitators, namely country specific such as the Green Guides in Denmark and people from cultural/ sports associations in Austria.
The potential users of the project results (TRAIN to LA 21 products) are trainers from vocational training schools or other education institutions who are willing to address LA 21 and regional sustainability in their training offers.
Leader contributor(s)
Member contributor(s)
Partner(s)
The project is led by the Centre for Sustainable Business Development from INETI (Portugal). The partnership includes other 14 organizations from six European countries (Austria, Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain-Basque Country and Switzerland), in such
Funder(s)
Topic(s)
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Method(s)
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Range
HSG Internal
Range (De)
HSG Intern
Principal
Europäische Union, LEONARDO / SBF (Staatssekretariat für Bildung und Forschung)
Eprints ID
18714
5 results
Now showing
1 - 5 of 5
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PublicationType: work report
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PublicationRegional development and informal learning( 2007-12-10)First considerations on a new research agenda.Type: presentation
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PublicationTrain to Local Agenda 21 implementation. The case of Switzerland( 2007-12-29)The Working paper collects different reports and results of an ongoing European research project promoted by the Leonardo da Vinci- programme of the EU: Train to Local Agenda 21 Implementation. The project is to develop and test training products (courses and didactic materials) targeting the various professionals involved in LA21- processes. The Working paper describes the first Work package of the project: the analysis of Local Agenda 21 activities in Switzerland and especially in the Canton of Zurich with regard to knowledge and competencies. The analysis starts with some basic information of the development in Switzerland: How did the Swiss political system and other actors deal with the concept of sustain-able development? The second part is an analysis of the situation within the Canton of Zurich. The empiri-cal analysis concentrates in a first step on needs and offers of LA21- actors regarding (further) education. In a next step five concrete LA21- processes has been analysed to work out a kind of 'typical structure' which can help to identify basic competencies which can be used from a lot of different actors.Type: discussion paper
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PublicationHow to be Familiar with Local Agenda 21- Initiatives? Some Hypothesis on the Importance of Co-operation and Trust in Switzerland and Other European Countries( 2005-10-05)The success of Locale Agenda 21 (LA21)- initiatives depends on whether they can influence political agenda-setting. Starting from Luhmanns theory on public opinion the paper describes LA21- processes as political topics showing a typical life cycle. To make such processes lasting engaged actors play an important role. Comparing five LA21- processes in Switzerland one can see different actors acting as driving forces at different stages of a LA21- process. The actors perform different tasks within such a process. This is one of the most challenging task within a LA21- process to balance these differences. It is also subject of the ongoing debate on local and regional governance. The paper shows the importance of these questions to put the Local Agenda 21 on the political agenda and to keep the topic running. For this the five case studies are related to the results of another research project on the institutional stabilisation of LA21- processes.Type: presentation