Sustainability of Comenius Networks Comments, Effects, Experiences, Successions Peter Härtel Brussels, 17 th October 2005

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS2 Personal Background - Styrian Economic Society - Coordinator of C3 – Network / 2001 School and Business - Making Transition Work - Activities and Projects on local, regional, national, transnational level (Comenius, Leonardo, Youth, Joint Actions …)

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS3 Some quotations Main goal of networks “… to create a platform… and maintain it beyond of community support…” comenius web-page Quality criteria - Analysis of educational development in Comenius 1,2 - How to ensure sustainability beyond community funding Comenius pp-presentation

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS4 “All networks are strongly encouraged to ensure concrete sustainability of some important activities …” europa.int. July 2005 “… the sustainability of the networks is a critical issue of the Comenius 3 Action…” Ecosfera, April 2004

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS5 “Four sectors of assessing the sustainability - Ownership by beneficiaries - Policies support - Appropriate technology - Institutional and management capacity” Ecosfera, April 2004 “… Serious week point… networks should not rely on the commission for dissemination of their outcomes…” Ecosfera, April 2004

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS6 Sustainability Not only one point among others But a core criteria for the worth and the effect of all activities during the funded network time and the basis for real, long-term European, national, regional added value

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS7 Aspects of Sustainability in SAB-MTW - To help former projects to cooperate and to be sustainable - Communication, dissemination, implementation with actors and partners of Comenius projects and other activities in the field of Transition from School to Work - Perspectives, activities, development, beyond the funded network

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS8 Products and Effects - Collection, contact and communication with all European funded former and current projects with the topic “School and World of Work” Comenius Other European projects Leonardo, Youth … Other national or regional activities -First in all members states Europe 15 -then in all members states Europe 25 (+ Bulgaria, Rumania)

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS9 Collection and Documentation - of more than 200 European wide projects and activities in the field of “Transition” -Evaluation of all projects, check of transferability in other countries, good/best practices - Reference projects, new approaches, continuous activity and cooperation on regional, national, European level

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS10 E.g. Spain New approaches for cooperation between school and municipality – regional network between municipalities and schools in southern Andalusia Poland Development of a National Guidance Forum for Transition and Lifelong Learning a pioneer project in Europe Austria Preparation and development of a European Guidance Forum for Lifelong Learning with European partners

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS11 also in other partner countries … All this activities are initiated by and based on the C3-network - Start up funding for input and impulse - but in principle independent from the network and its budget - and all are still going and growing on

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS12 Accompanying - Presentations on national and transnational conferences e.g. August 03 IAEVG-Bern, Swiss September 04 Potsdam, Germany BMBW August 05 IAEVG-Lissabon and - Cooperation and activities in “normal” business (many examples in all countries). Additional: New European activities

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS13 Principals of continuous work 1 Based on experience and developments of the C3-Network 2Long-term thinking and short-term acting 3European perspective and local, regional, national activities 4Continuing contact with former partners/members and involvement of new European actors 5 Extension of the point of view, fields of acting and topics of cooperation and partnership 6Additional and new (re)sources for funding on local, regional, national and European level 7Not “more of the same”

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS14 Example on European level European Guidance Forum Joint Actions project Topic: Guidance and Counselling for Lifelong Learning “Transition” is a part of it but EGN is more Policies, Structure, Developments with “old” and new partners Cooperation Nations – EU – OECD - ICCDPP

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS15 Example on national level To build up National Networks – Fora for Life Long Guidance in Austria Czech Republic Finland France Germany Poland cooperation with other networks (coordinator: UK)

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS16 Barriers and Challenges - Money - Management - Motivation “ 3 M” Successful “transition” from Comenius Network to a continuous work in a field of Lifelong Learning

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS17 Proposal For an European support for sustainability responsibility for sustainable work – actors in the network But maybe could help an innovative and creative support for the crossover between the official (funded) duration of the network and the long term, continuous and sustainable activities in the future a kind of “low budget leverage” For activities in sustainability e.g. communication platform conferences continuous newsletters etc.

COMENIUS CO-ORDINATORS´ INFORMATIONS MEETING BRUSSELS18 Thank you - for good cooperation and support by the commission -Impressive experiences at the network activities and with European partners and friends -As a basis for a wide range of work today and for your attention!

Sustainability of Comenius Networks Comments, Effects, Experiences, Successions Peter Härtel Brussels, 17 th October 2005