Context and background of projectLABO vzw is a non-profit educational organisation that strives to support a strong civil society that collectively work to create social change and a commitment to social justice. LABO vzw believes in the power of communities to facilitate positive transformation of the current model of society. To date it has been challenging for LABO vzw to create the capacity scale up, share learning and collaborate at an EU level. We need to strengthen our educators capacity, particularly in terms of using innovative and transformative learning methodologies. We aim to reach more diverse and disadvantaged learners, and increase the degree to which both the realms of nature connection, and emotional resilience are incorporated. We chose our partner Col.lectui Eco-Actui (CEA) because of inspiring reports from other Erasmus+ funded partners. Objectives of projectThe project aims are to significantly increase their work and impact from the local through to EU level by increasing:- Active citizenship around social and ecological renewal at a local through to EU level.- Community engagement and cohesion at the local through to EU level- Share resources and build collaborations at an EU level to deepen and spread critical pedagogies.- Increase our capacity to meet the needs of disadvantaged and diverse learners - Enhance the overall quality and impact of our courses, and share this widely.- Build our trainer capacity, and provide peer-peer learning opportunities- Ability to meet the needs of learners based in countries other than Belgium- Support the professional development of younger adults - Explore entrepreneurial ways of sustaining educational work at an organisational and individual trainer level.- Learn Spanish or Catalan and improve staff's fluency in English- Support participants' personal sensibilities around nature connection and emotional resilience and sustain their commitment to social and environmental justice. Number and profile of participantsThis 18 month project will involve 20 trainers (18 on structured courses, and 2 on teacher trainer assignments) who are all community educators supporting and promoting learning that empowers active citizenship around social and ecological renewal. Participants are all experienced in a range of social empowerment practices and are passionate about their professional development to better deliver on their commitment to social and ecological renewal. At least half of them face economic obstacles and work as volunteers. Description of activitiesBetween June 2016 and May 2018 participants will travel to Col·lectiu Eco-Actiu in Spain to participate in one of the following trainings:- Wilderness Immersion- Action from Depth- The Wanderers- Permaculture, Nature Connection and Deep Ecology - Empowering Renewal- Conscious Collaboration- Training of Trainers- Transformative CollaborationMethodology An Action-Learning methodology will be used throughout to ensure all activities are embedded within the context of a reflective learning process. Description of envisaged results and impactWe envisage this project to help create the necessary capacity for a significant step change in LABO vzw‘s work. This will include increased: capacity and confidence to collaborate with others working towards similar objectives; social capital; sharing of best practice within and outside our network; enhanced quality, attractiveness and effectiveness of trainings, especially in terms of meeting the needs of disadvantaged learners; and increased entrepreneurialism and professional development of trainers and learners. Participants will improve their English, and Catalan or Spanish. More experienced trainers will take part in a teaching assignment to learn and be mentored by specialist trainers at CEA. We envisage increased availability and quality of educational work in Belgium and the EU more widely around themes for social empowerment and active citizenship, using an innovative range of cutting edge educational methodologies.We foresee an increase in people’s level of active citizenship as well as seeing improvements in individual and organisational wellbeing and sustainability.Long term benefitsWe feel excited about the culture shift in educational practices this project will help to support, and the overall contribution that this project will make to social and ecological renewal work across Europe. Through this project education supporting social and ecological renewal will become far more learner-led, dynamic and suited to diverse audiences and needs. We also envisage the creation of a broad network of practitioners working strategically to integrate and disseminate learner led, nature based, and inner practices into educational work across Europe. We believe this project will help collective efforts being made to create a more life affirming, equitable and sustainable world.