We All are Europe - AESAEC

We All We All are Europe
Participation of Older,
and other Active European Citizens
A Handbook Supporting Active European Citizenship by Conceiving,
Submitting and Managing EU Projects
AESAEC
A c t i v e E u r o p e a n
S e n i o r s f o r A c t i v e
E u r o p e a n C i t i z e n s h i p

The AESAEC project (Project No 141757-2008-LLP-AT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP) has been funded with support from the European
Commission, represented by the Education and Culture DG.
This publication reflects the views only of the author/project group, and neither the Commission nor the DG can be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
3

Publisher/Editor:
AESAEC Project Group
Authors:
Proof-reading in English:
Layout and design:
Cover design:
Printed by:
Michael Schwaiger (Auxilium/AT)
Max Reisinger, Katrin Meister (ISSAK-VHS Graz/AT)
Steffen Hartje (Fritid & Samfund/DK)
Teresa Diaz Bello, Yolanda Mates (ASAEL/ES)
Patrizia Giorio, Bettina Bussi (CO & SO Network/IT)
Csilla Lázár (Soros Educational Center Foundation/RO)
Dušana Findeisen (The Slovenian 3 rd Age University/SI)
Irtysh Language Services (UK)
Michael Schwaiger
Anne Sprotofski
dieGrafikZone, www.dieGrafikZone.at
dieGrafikZone, www.dieGrafikZone.at
© 2010 by AESAEC Project Group, represented by Auxilium Pro Regionibus Europae in Rebus Culturalibus, Geidorfplatz
2, A-8010 Graz
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means
(including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the
publisher. For permission or more information please contact office@auxilium.co.at or any of the organisations
listed on the back of this publication.
ISBN 978-3-9502999-0-8
4

Preface
This handbook is a result of the project Active European Seniors for Active European Citizenship
(www.aesaec.eu) that has been supported by the European Commission through the Grundtvig Action
(dealing with general adult learning) of the Lifelong Learning Programme
(http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/llp/about_llp/about_llp_en.php).
The basic idea of this project was to link a target group with a target area and a target activity
which are usually not often linked to each other:
• our target group is senior citizens, aged around 60 year and over
• the target area is Active European Citizenship, in the sense of actively supporting the ideals
and values of the European Union and promoting knowledge of its policies, structures, citizens,
cultures etc. by feeling and understanding oneself as an active part of this process
• the target activity was European project management as a legal framework and as a source
of funding for such kind of activities.
The general aim of the project was to introduce the concept of European Citizenship to Europe’s
senior citizens and to make clear to them how they could personally benefit from active participation
with this concept. On the other hand, it is absolutely necessary for the European Union to involve
senior citizens more in its processes and concept development; only if the EU can manage to
be accepted and proactively supported by this extremely large group of citizens, with all its life
experience and knowhow, can a sustainable and positive development of a modern Europe at the
social, political, cultural, economic and ecological levels be expected. The EU programmes and
funds that we worked with in our project were understood as being one of the missing links between
the EU and its senior citizens as well as being perfect catalysts in bringing them closer to each other.
The main product of our project is a training course based on this handbook with two major parts:
• Part A contains three short chapters about pedagogic concepts and guidelines which might
be helpful when organising and implementing training courses for senior learners
• Part B has seven modules dealing with the European Union, the concept of Active European
Citizenship, the Senior Volunteering Programme, the Europe for Citizens Programme as
well as about how to design, structure, write, budget, submit and implement EU projects
under these programmes.
As said above, primarily our intention was to focus on senior citizens as learners, however during
the testing phases of this course, we realised that this handbook can be a very helpful source of
information and know-how for anybody interested in the EU, Active European Citizenship and EU
project management. So, please do consider that the content of this handbook is less age-oriented
as it was originally planned – which means it might be worth having a look at it regardless of the
date of birth stated in your passport.
We wish you an enjoyable, entertaining and sustainable learning experience.
The AESAEC project group
5

Contents
Part A: The Pedagogical Concept 11
I. The conceptual framework of the AESAEC educational programme
Dušana Findeisen (Slovenian 3 rd Age University, Ljubljana/SI)
13
I.1. Introduction 13
I.2. Towards understanding old age, senior citizens’ needs and issues and their
active role in the community
14
I.3. The changing society 15
I.4. Conclusion 18
II. Findings of the IANUS project and their relevance for the AESAEC E-
educational programme
Patrizia Giorio (FormAzione, CO&SO Network, Firenze/IT)
III. Authentic Location Learning, Multi-sensorial Learning and Learning by
Doing as innovative pedagogic elements of the AESAEC educational
concept
Michael Schwaiger (Auxilium, Graz/AT)
20
23
III.1. Introduction 23
III.2. Authentic Location Learning 25
III.3. Multi-sensory Learning 26
III.4. Learning by doing 27
Part B: Learner’s Manual 29
Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
Dušana Findeisen (The Slovenian 3 rd Age University/SI)
Module 2 - The Concept of Active European Citizenship and its Relevance for
Senior Citizens
Steffen Hartje (Fritid&Samfund/DK)
31
45
2.1. Why is AEC important for senior citizens 45
2.2. The role of civil society in the development of AEC 47
2.3. Development of new communities in the EU 49
2.4. Reflection upon the opportunities for AEC involvement in the future 50
7

Module 3 - The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its relevance for
AEC and Senior Citizens
Teresa Diaz Bello/Yolanda Mates (ASAEL/ES)
53
3.1. The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) 53
3.2. Action 1 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens 55
3.3. Action 2 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens 58
3.4. Action 3 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens 59
3.5. Action 4 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens 60
3.6. Think Tank 62
Module 4 - The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors
(GIVE) and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
Csilla Lázár (Soros Educational Center Foundation/RO)
65
4.1. The Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) and Grundtvig in a nutshell 65
4.2. Volunteering as a form of Active Citizenship 69
4.3. Senior Volunteering Exchange Projects 74
4.4. GIVE - Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors 78
Module 5 - The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II: Linguistic part
Max Reisinger/ Katrin Meister (VHS Graz/AT)/
Michael Schwaiger (Auxilium/AT)
84
5.1. General considerations concerning communication 84
5.2. Working with texts and writing an application 87
5.3. Advertising psychology meets application writing 92
Module 6 - The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the technical
part
Bettina Bussi/Patrizia Giorio (CO & SO Network/IT)
97
6.1. How to build a project group 97
6.2. The project plan 103
6.3. The evaluation plan 107
6.4. The dissemination plan 109
6.5. The Project budget 112
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Module 7 - How to implement a project successfully
Michael Schwaiger (AUXILIUM/AT)
116
7.1. Considerations before starting with the project work 116
7.2. Project meetings and international visits 123
7.3. Monitoring and evaluation 130
7.4. Dissemination and valorisation 136
AESAEC - Glossary 141
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Part A: Pedagogical Concept
11

The conceptual framework
I. The conceptual framework of the AESAEC educational programme
(Dušana Findeisen, Slovenian 3 rd Age University, Ljubljana/SI)
I.1. Introduction
The AESAEC project focuses on older people being full and active members of local, national and
European communities, despite the fact that people in later life are burdened by social stereotypes
about them and they tend to think that it is not up to them to intervene in community life. We
firmly believe that senior citizens should and will be involved in important decision making processes
that concern themselves and other generations in the community; we further believe that
lifelong learning is important in later life, having a strong impact on both the learner and the community.
Moreover, when learning, education and training take place within European projects devised
by senior citizens themselves the transformational impact becomes even stronger.
The AESAEC project includes the development of an educational and training programme for older
citizens enabling them:
to change their own, and to some extent also the social, outdated image of them being
not very active and not participating in the community in old age, freeing themselves from
their own stereotypes
to better understand their own needs and issues and the need for intergenerational bonds
(solidarity, co-existence and cooperation among generations)
to become familiar with European institutions and European policies related to older people’s
needs and issues
as a result of education and training senior citizens should be able to devise a European project
and apply for funding, and hopefully implement.
Any type and format of education for older people has its topic, of course. But any type and format
of education in later life is also, simultaneously, education for empowerment. Therefore trainers,
mentors and students engaged in educational programmes are concerned with achieving a better
understanding of what old age in contemporary European society can and should be.
There are different ways of how to increase awareness about major social changes and what impact
they have on the intergenerational relationship; awareness about older workers and their position,
flexibility and security, combating age barriers at work, the right to work and the right to receive a
pension, active ageing in the broader sense of the word, mandatory or compulsive retirement,
structured free time in later life, opportunities to cooperate with other generations, voluntary activities,
policies about old age and people in later life, style(s) of life in retirement and old age
etc.
13

Therefore, we thought the conceptual framework of the AESAEC training programme should include
not only knowledge about European institutions and policies concerning older people and knowledge
about how a project proposal is shaped. We thought that students in later life involved in preparing
a European project proposal should start by increasing knowledge about themselves and their position
in society and also learn more about how they can contribute towards changing society for the
better.
I.2. Towards understanding old age, senior citizens’ needs and issues and their active role in
the community
In most Western European countries old age did not emerge as a political and social issue until the
1950s. After the Second World War, Europe was mainly interested in repairing the damage and looking
towards the future focussing on the younger generations, often forgetting about older people.
Older people were portrayed by social stereotypes as passive not interested in any kind of participation
in society. In the AESAEC project and training we are interested in the new European attitudes
towards older people and new European approaches towards participation of senior citizens in
community life and education associated with it. In addition we are interested in examples of good
practice in this field as a source of learning.
14
An active senior citizen who is ready to devise a European project proposal, prepare an application
and eventually implement the project, if the proposal is successful, should have knowledge about
the existing frame programmes and above all should be familiar with values and concepts concerning
older people, old age, the style of life of older people, pension schemes, active ageing and
other policies, the right to a pension and the right to work, the right to social security, flexible security,
etc. Moreover, he or she should also know about the European institutions and policies that
concern older people and their relationships with other generations as well as the most important
European non-governmental organisations dealing with the issues of older people. He or she should
be aware that older people are not all the same, as actually they are all different, much more different
than the members within the younger generations and therefore he or she should stand for
the right to be different in later life, to have his or her own style of life, to be differently treated
by policies, etc.. Not all older people are patients and their ageing is not necessarily pathological,
but rather normal, not all older people are poor, not all older people are helpless or functionally
illiterate. An active senior citizen should therefore stand up against the discourse of weakness and
dependence adopted in most policies, by the media, public statements and other texts about people
in later life. Moreover, not all older people are grandmothers and grandfathers, as they can
have different social roles. They can be workers, volunteers, learners, etc. They differ according to
the status they have in society. They have different needs if they are employed or not, if they are
volunteers or not, if they live alone or in a family, if they have a partner or not, if they have managed
to create a large or a small social network, if in their network younger people are included, if
this network is a source of emotional support and information, that is an open network, or if it is

The conceptual framework
closed one consisting mainly of family members. They differ if they have health concerns or not, if
they are men or women, if they are well educated or not. They differ because the course of their
life and their social roles have been very different. They have a different style of life. They differ
according to these and other criteria but they are least different because of their different ages.
Age may be an important factor with youngsters growing up, but not adults! It is time to free ourselves
from these views and stereotypes about older people. Consequently, policies concerning
older people are not free of these views and stereotypes and an older citizen devising a European
project proposal should be aware of them and should not repeat them while preparing a project
proposal. This does not seem to be an easy task, since stereotypes about old age are often consolidated
by older people themselves. Consolidating stereotypes does not help in creating a new image
of older people who are well engaged in community matters and contributing towards different
policies. Combating stereotypes can be an important task to be tackled by European projects concerning
older people. Such projects should be ambitious, conceptual, accompanied by intensive
public campaigning and possibly they should be intergenerational. Older people should not be applauded
just because they have reached the age of eighty or more, and shall we say, use computers
or because they try to live imitating younger people. They should be applauded for their contribution,
for having achieved something valuable for themselves and the community.
Government policies in many European countries concerning old age and ageing currently develop
mostly in three directions:
a permanent dialogue with those who have just retired and are aware of their own impending
old age and old age as it is today for those who have been retired for some time
development of services in close collaboration with families and their neighbourhood
creation of opportunities for older people to be, on an equal basis with other generations, a
part of the community.
Most problems arise within this last area. Why Because older people are predominately regarded as
being dependent and in need of help from others. Moreover European policies often develop in the
same way , with a great deal of consulting NGOs and individual senior citizens at different stages of
the period called between work retirement and old age.
I.3. The changing society
Senior citizens planning to engage in European projects are expected to have an in depth view of
the major social changes affecting all generations and the relationships between them. Enlightened
adaptation to these and other changes in society and within communities can be a topic and aim of
European projects. What are the major changes in society affecting all generations
15

a) Paid work: Unbalanced public finances reflect the disappearance from society of »paid work and
a regular monthly income« Today's forms of work, performed by the current middle generations,
differ from Keynesian times, when permanent, full-time employment was the norm; predominant
today are fixed-term jobs, part-time jobs, home-working, tele-working, the grey market economy,
alternating periods of employment, education and training and flexible security. We are facing a
transition from »a civilisation of work and stability « to a period of instability, temporarity and, for
many, also diminished prosperity and a sense of precariousness. The new types of employment
tend to affect the lives and work of older people and their participation in the community. Younger
people and older people are today much more concerned about what is happening in the community
since they are much more affected by the changes within it. It is time for them to be more
active within different communities, locally, nationally, European-wide or even globally.
Occasional paid or voluntary work performed by older people can result in new jobs for younger
people. Not every type of work can turn into a full time job. Initially an activity develops step by
step. Work can be then performed in the form of occasional activities and occasional paid work.
Such work is more easily taken on by older people, since they already have some regular income.
But occasional activities can later become full time jobs for younger people. Older people do not
“steal” jobs from younger people, since they take on different types of activities compared to
younger people. Having a permanent job is hardly a good solution for older people and what is
more, they do not want to be employed full-time. The third age has different characteristics to
those of the second age.
The social position of several groups comprising of members of younger generations is becoming
similar to that of older people. These groups contain young first-time job seekers, unemployed middle-aged
persons, the permanently unemployed older workers, people in between fixed-term contracts,
as well as persons who are unemployable due to their level of qualification and skills and are
pushed to the edge of society. In today's societies, looking for solutions for older people, therefore,
means also finding solutions for the above-mentioned groups that also exist within communities.
b) New technologies are not very accessible for all older people; if any members of the community
are denied access to modern technology, all generations and the whole community are affected. If
they are without access to information they cannot integrate into the community, they cannot keep
pace with progress, they cannot enter the e-economy, e-government, e-education, e-
communication, etc. and, thus, they are more and more dependent on the active working population.
Without older people having access to technology then communities are less integrative for
them. We wonder whether in our society dependence on employment can be reduced and a different
basis, more in tune with actual social developments, can be found.
16

The conceptual framework
c) The urgent need to preserve human and social capital that is being neglected: Older people are
possessors of non-tangible and invisible cultural heritage (experiential knowledge, skills, beliefs,
customs etc) that needs to be preserved, maintained and passed onto younger generations if its
continuity is to be ensured. The overlooked abilities and knowledge of older people form an important
part of human and social capital. Their activation and employment could improve the social
position of older people, and, in addition, lessen the burden of younger generations. Presently society
is wasting a considerable part of the human capital it possesses and could foster, which is a
disaster for the information society, based as it is on knowledge. Modern states and modern communities
can preserve and strengthen their vitality mostly through the human and social capital
that is available. Moreover the ageing society is being looked upon as a threat and, a failure but it
could be regarded as a success. A success for our civilisation, which it is.
A considerable number of older people with readily available and experientially validated knowledge
are now on hand for the benefit of the community. Moreover, we should not be so concerned
about the decreasing birth rate. On the contrary what we should be concerned about is the »quality»
of our children or grandchildren; about how to develop their sensibility, tolerance, resistance
to stress, ability to relate and respect others and their ability to build a community. We should focus
on their values, knowledge and cultural awareness to as indicators of their quality! Quality
seems here to be in overriding quantity. We may say so. The quality of our children will help communities
survive as well as the quality of older people!
An integrative community should take care and exploit for its advantage the knowledge and abilities
of its members, notwithstanding their age. The lack of infrastructural networks enabling older
people to become reintegrated into society, leads to their social exclusion and isolation. How can
older people create and maintain their social networks How can they obtain support: materials,
emotional support, information and knowledge How can they start dealing with community matters
and how from can they participate in the society What networks of public institutions and organised
structures are available to the elderly in today's Europe Are there real opportunities for them
to socialise, opportunities for goal- oriented, engaging free-time activities that bring about real
individual and social changes, opportunities for learning and for education, are there specialised job
centres for older citizens, specialised medical services, geriatric hospital wards, organisations
providing voluntary work and training for older people, cultural organisations for older people How
can older people re-enter society, or rather, how can we prevent older people from being excluded
How can they secure for themselves an equal position with that of other generations in society to be
able to live fulfilling lives in their later years a period of 20-30 or more years
d) Ageing society requires active old age – new ways for social integration: The ageing society has
brought about more interest in older people. Older people, like anybody else, can become reintegrated
into society only by being active. The experience of many retired people has shown that
17

they may be more successful when joining new social groups, by getting involved in new activities.
It is impossible to list all the activities senior citizens can participate in together with other people.
Given a bit of support and advice as well as adequate training / education, every individual can find
something he or she would enjoy doing. To discover what other people need and what they are willing
to accept, identify the things that may become a new challenge for him or her. The choices and
attractions of this period are always very personal. The time has finally come when one is allowed
to do what one is fond of and interested in. As an illustration, let us just mention a few possibilities:
one can learn how to play a musical instrument, take up performing, painting, exhibiting, researching,
translating, one can become involved with museums, work as an assistant custodian or tourist
guide, do voluntary work within an organisation, set up a club or society, take up calligraphy, design
websites, write for and read stories to nursery school children, co-operate in the design of the curriculum
for local community schools, take care of one's garden or perform gardening services for
others, give advice, provide learning and psychological help, instruct younger people and people of
one’s own age, make plans, design, become involved in politics, work with the media, establish a
company, write and publish books, or participate in community matters representing one’s peers
and all other generations. All activities should, however, have a clearly defined objective and operative
plan. For older people to have their position changed within communities and society it is
necessary however, to undertake such activities that are goal oriented and can bring about
change in their personal life and in society
I.4. Conclusion
People in later life relate to other generations and therefore should be more extensively engaged in
shaping the life of communities. Cooperation between generations and solidarity among generations
is possible only when senior citizens can and are allowed to age actively. Local, national and European
policies should therefore address people in later life as active people, people with potential
and as people with a variety of psycho-social needs. Senior citizens who are ready to engage in preparing
European project proposals concerning themselves and their peers as well as relationship
with other generations should take care to counter stereotypes which are contrary to the new image
of active and participating senior citizens. To this end senior citizens preparing a project proposal
need to have an improved understanding of European institutions and their policies relating to
old age, as well as knowledge about European NGO activities concerned with older people’s issues.
Adapting to social changes or preparing for their consequences affecting older people can be both a
topic and aim of European projects.
Bibliography:
Durandal, J-Ph.V. (2003) : Le Pouvoir gris. Sociologie des groupes de pression de retraites. PUF. Paris.
Guillemard, A.-M. (1986): Le declin du social. PUF. Paris.
Erikson, E.H. et al (1989): Vital Involvement in old age. W.W. Norton & Company. New York.
Findeisen, D.: Educating the 45+ to understand and change their social position.
18

The conceptual framework
Kroehnert, S./Hosmann, I./Klimgholtz, R.(2008): Europe’s Demographic Future. Berlin Institute for Population and Development.
Rečnik, M.: Izobraževanje starejših odraslih, Education of the elderly. ACS, Ljubljana, 2000, str. 13-38
Roberts, K. (1981): Leisure. Longman. London.
Rojek, C. (2000): Leisure and Culture. Palgrave Macmillan. New York.
Shields, R. (1997): Flow, Space and Culture. No.1, Volume.1, pp. 1-9
19

II. Findings of the IANUS project and their relevance for the AESAEC
Educational Programme (Patrizia Giorio, FormAzione CO&SO Network, Firenze/IT)
The Grundtvig project IANUS – Standards for Intergenerational, Intercultural and IT-based Later
Learning (N°134057-LLP-1-2007-1-AT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP) has tried from 2007 to 2009 to identify and
analyse those factors which are likely to influence later learning activities throughout Europe in a
positive or negative way.
It is fact that at the European level the labour market crisis which has occurred in the few last years
has determined a revision and renewal of the Lisbon strategy to foster and support growth and job
creation by a range of structural reforms. In many countries there is limited public awareness of the
potential of older people and the necessity to increase their social activity and participation in national
life in order to improve their living conditions as rightful members of all EU countries as a
consequences themes such as Active Citizenship are becoming more and more important in our
countries.
Learning in later life is a relatively recent concept which is stipulated by European and national
bodies, pedagogues, experts in psychology and medicine, by vocational training institutes and nonprofit
organizations. However it is not well-known as a comprehensive approach in different public
spheres which targets at increasing the authority and the influence of older people and at the same
time diminishing existing stereotypes that the third age is generally characterised by poor health,
decreasing social activity and less interest in life.
That is why guidelines and training programmes with regard to EU educational policy are recommended
and are necessary to foster the dissemination of good practice examples. In order to further
develop the concept of later learning at the European level we report some key elements that
are important when later learners are the beneficiaries of training at different levels:
Bio-genetic and psychological factors:
- general accomplishment of human brain in connection with age
- life time of the human brain and brain re-growth
- memory and reproduction processes/interactive memory systems in the human brain
- physical and psychophysical problems
- emotional development
- gender aspects
Social psychological dimension:
- intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for learning at the age 50+
- internal and external learning barriers
- ability of later learners to view reality from a wider perspective as an effect of maturity
- establishing a psychological sense of community and a sense of “we”
- generate a social process of inclusion
20

Findings of the IANUS project
Structural dimension on national / regional / local levels:
- legal aspects and responsibilities
- traditions and approaches towards later learning
- existing networks and projects
Institutional dimension:
- course planning and organization
- ways of mixing intergenerational / intercultural learning groups
- marketing
- registration procedures
- communication strategies
- ability of trainers
- course settings
- testing settings and quality assurance.
Pedagogical dimension:
- quality recommendations concerning methods, didactics, training materials
- blended learning solutions
- usage of ICT learning environment
- trainer-learner relations
- learner-learner-relations
- advantages and challenges when working with groups heterogeneous in age and culture
- learning from older people
- types of educational guides to encourage cooperative learning amonst older people that
need to be considered
- lively trainer-learner and learner-learner interaction based on trust
- importance of mentoring
- suitability of learning contents for later learning
- assumptions about the individual learners’ prior knowledge
- adapting the language used in class to the target group of later learners
- gender aspects from the didactical perspective
- the effect and the importance of the size of groups on the learning process
EU adult education policy dimension:
- tools, instruments and concepts of the Commission’s adult education policy relevant/appropriate
to the target group
- suggestions to the Commission to modify existing tools, instruments and concepts, such as
EUROPASS, mobility programmes etc., and to increase their relevance for the target
group
- suggestions to the Commission to develop and introduce new tools, instruments and concepts
to react appropriately, and in time, to demands and needs of those responsible for
21

and/or interested in adult education, such as ministries, social partners, training organizations,
umbrella organizations of target group etc. to improve their support for later/intergenerational
learning
Following tips and hints were developed as part of the IANUS guidelines to support the trainers in
order to overcome the factors stated above:
trainers must have knowledge of the heterogeneity of the group
respect for and focus on individuals
knowledge of different political, cultural and institutional approaches towards later learning
knowledge of the development of projects in the field of later learning
ability to support process-oriented learning and reciprocal learning (learning from each
other) with the shift of emphasis from teaching to learning through the development of
new and diverse didactic approaches, which enable participants to share their insights
and knowledge with one another
ability to adapt the learning contents to the needs of the heterogeneous target group of
later learners
ability to include different roles of female and male learners in the learning process and to
raise the people’s awareness of the development of gender roles in different societies
development of special skills in the sense of strengthening, especially women’s selfconfidence
in the learning-setting
co-responsibility with regard to group dynamics: support of
learner-learner relations based on trust
lively trainer-learner and
ability to develop individual goals to be achieved during the learning-process
ability to argue for cultural diversity and for the present-day reality of belonging to a European
cultural community
flexible learning programmes and seminars in terms of duration, content and venues
necessity and ability to encourage cross-disciplinary working
making the target group aware of the necessity and the benefits - in a cognitive, practical
and social nature - of learning in later life
fostering the understanding of older people as rightful members in all EU countries
Bibliography:
www.ianusllp.com
22

Authentic Location Learning, Multi-sensorial Learning and Learning by Doing
III. Authentic Location Learning, Multi-sensorial Learning and Learning
by Doing as innovative pedagogic elements of the AESAEC educational
concept (Michael Schwaiger, Auxilium, Graz/AT)
III.1. Introduction
The AESAEC project group endeavoured, above all, to ensure that the pedagogical orientation of the
training contents as we well as their didactical implementation were in tune with the needs and
general framework of the target group, which is older people aged 60+. From this it should not be
deduced that these pedagogical and didactical arrangements are only valid specifically for older
people. It is more a case of dealing with core elements of educational theory, which have been
developed for other categories of learners and are of universal relevance. Their use is, however,
especially promising as educational concepts for older learners, as they help to maintain long-term
motivation to learn, to increase the prospect of sustainable learning success and to develop specifically
the learner’s ability to apply what they have learnt. They also allow the greater life experience
that older people have (in comparison to younger learners) to flow deliberately into the lesson.
In principle our pedagogical thinking is on the basis, that formal learning processes, in addition to
simply conveying knowledge and information, should above all have the aim of (further) developing
relevant core skills in the learner; in particular this includes the following:
cognitive skills (analytical thinking, logic, problem-solving, planning etc.)
affective skills (esteem, sympathy, identification etc)
methodical skills (knowledge about the use of methods and instruments etc.)
social skills (communication, conflict resolution, teamwork etc.)
Intercultural skills (knowledge about own / foreign cultures, acting in an intercultural context
etc.)
conative skills (effort, engagement etc.)
The list of these core skills could be added to further, and the terms stated can be regarded to neither
be differentiated out nor do they sharply differ from each other. This list provides, however, a
basic insight of which central elements the project group paid particular attention to in the course
development. In this context it is important to understand that the project group saw the traditional
learning requirements – conveying, strengthening and reproducing knowledge and content –
as being insufficient by a long way. Much more the project group has over and above this endeavoured
to provide the learners with sufficient ability to act in a way, which has made it possible for
what has been learnt to be sustainable, original and autonomous in order – in the widest sense – to
meet needs and solve problems.
23

To attain this ability to act, the aforementioned comprehensive and multilayered subsets of skills
must be conveyed or activated. In conclusion the demands of the AESAEC course are no less than…
to bring the European Union, in terms of its relevance to older people, closer to learners,
in which a clearly defined objective is that the learner, at the end of the course, attaches
a higher degree of importance to the EU and has a deeper sense of being a European citizen
in comparison to when the course began.
to inform learners about the opportunities offered by EU funding programmes and their
contents with relevance to senior citizens, and together to analyse and assess their advantages
and disadvantages, chances and risks.
to motivate learners to actually apply for and implement an EU project about a topic that
can, to a high degree, be personally identified with.
to support the learners in order to independently design an EU project and, in cooperation
with international project partners, to submit an application.
to offer support to the learners for the successful and sustainable implementation of the
international cooperation project.
to integrate the learners into long-term and sustainable cooperation, networking activities
and European processes at the national and international levels.
In order to achieve these multilayered aims, or rather to address and convey the aforementioned
skills, the project group has, in its pedagogical concept, reached agreement on the use of a likewise
multilayered mix of methods and instruments. The central subject of this concept is the learner (or
group of learners), who represents the focal point of the learning process throughout the duration
of the whole course, and who either alone, or together with others, shapes, influence and steers.
The more active this role is applied and taken up the greater the likelihood that this course will
achieve its objectives that have been outlined above. This of course means that each individual
learner likewise carries a share of the responsibility for the successful outcome of the course, that
should not be underestimated; a fact that should above all be actively and consciously emphasised
to all participants at the beginning of the learning process.
As an example of the AESAEC training concept’s innovative character and high degree of relevance
to the target group (which is also confirmed by the Key Factor Collection) the following three
approaches are emphasised:
24

Authentic Location Learning, Multi-sensorial Learning and Learning by Doing
III.2. Authentic Location Learning
Learning at an authentic location is – as a deliberately applied methodology – still relatively new
amongst general educational concepts. It is true that in the school and university sectors during the
last few decades it has been forcibly encouraged. However as a rule its application has been limited
to certain subjects and activities (e.g. including visiting museums for history or politics teaching,
excursions for geography, visits abroad for learning foreign languages). The situation is somewhat
more positively structured in vocational training and further education, in which learning and practical
periods spent at places of work represent a traditionally fixed integrated component of career
development.
In general adult education however, Authentic Location Learning – with a few exceptions – is not
widely applied at all, with the reasons for this varying considerably: they include participants having
limited time, the significant amount of organisation required by educational providers in terms of
preparation and implementation, the related high cost to course participants, the often low acceptance
level of this form of learning amongst learners and teaching staff, but also due to the lack of
interest shown by learning groups to spend time together outside of the educational establishment.
In the AESAEC training concept there is a distinct awareness that every available meaningful opportunity
should be used to leave the “usual” learning location (educational establishment or classroom),
to convey learning subject matter and learning objectives. At the same time formal as well
as informal learning activities can and should be moved to the following locations:
museums, libraries, exhibitions, cultural events
public discussions, seminars and lectures
national and EU public institutions that are of relevance and interest
other EU project groups, institutions or networks which may be relevant or of interest
production units working with professional texts, marketing of products, projects etc. (e.g.
newspapers, publishers, advertising agencies, project managers etc.)
possibly restaurants and public houses with European flair
internet (much of the learning content – e.g. programme information, application and reporting
forms etc. – are easily accessible via the internet, so the internet should be used
actively and intensively as a virtual learning location.)
These are just a few suggestions and ideas which have been taken into consideration by our training
course and which can be expanded or completed depending on demand and opportunities. In addition
it is important to ensure that Authentic Location Learning (as also with all other learning
forms) is not implemented as a L’art pour l’art, but instead is deliberately embedded in the pedagogical
concept and provides concrete learning results.
25

III.3. Multi-sensory Learning
Holistic learning is by no means a new approach in educational theory – just think of the principles
of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi or Maria Montessori. But ever since neurology first allowed us to understand
how the human brain processes information and the resulting thought processes, we know
that the absorption of information via the various sensory organs really does activate different functions
of the brain. These collect, analyse, interpret and further process information, which usually
flows into complex processes of memorising, thought and action.
For educational theory the hypothesis is reinforced (and also repeatedly confirmed), that the more
successful learning is the more brain functions are activated, because…
the resulting linking of brain cells is greater
the storing of information and skills occurs more intensively
this information and these skills can be more easily retrieved or activated
On the basis of our sensory organs the following sensory learning forms can be expressed as a rough
summary:
auditory learning (hearing, listening, discussing, talking etc.)
visual / optical learning (reading, seeing, looking, observing etc.)
haptic / kinaesthetic learning (touching, creating, moving, playing etc.)
olfactory and gustatory learning (smelling, tasting)
It is indisputable that the first two learning forms are put into use most of the time, but also haptic
/ kinaesthetic learning is gaining in importance in many pedagogical areas. However, relatively little
consideration has been given in the wider educational context – apart from in a few areas of
vocational education – to the specific application of olfactory and gustatory learning. On the one
hand this has a certain justification, but on the other hand it should not be completely disregarded
with respect to the areas of sensitisation and association. Above all in terms of conveying intercultural
subject matter smells and tastes can perfectly well be specifically applied. Thus preparing
international dishes together as well as eating them together can offer a very fruitful learning ambience
with great memory potential (which in a similar form was tested very successfully in company
canteens as part of the EU project Europe at Work).
It is therefore a central element of the AESAEC training concept to understand learning also with
regard to the absorption of information and as complete a process as possible.
26

Authentic Location Learning, Multi-sensorial Learning and Learning by Doing
That is why methods and instruments are applied which correspond to the overall sensory attentiveness
potential of the learners and which actively use learning potential.
III.4. Learning by Doing
Also learning by doing is a relatively old term in educational theory, which in this form was first
introduced by the boy-scout founder Robert Baden-Powell, but on the other hand is based on older
models of action-orientated learning (like for example from John Dewey). The concept of applied
learning is regarded as being sufficiently well known, so that a comprehensive explanation of it
does not seem necessary here. It is necessary however to highlight that AESAEC must be seen in its
entirety, as an attempt to establish a sustainable Learning by doing concept. Thus the EU cofinanced
project AESAEC is just the starting point for a long-term process. Through the project the
course participants are sensitised and equipped so they can independently take part in EU projects,
in order to experience a more active sense of European citizenship, to contribute to the shaping of
European processes and to speak up for one’s own interests and needs. That the pedagogical concept
of the course extensively uses elements of Learning-by-doing is only too logical and consistent.
However the actual and long-term calculated effect of Learning-by-doing is felt, above all, towards
the end or after the AESAEC course, when the participants have conceived and submitted their project
proposals and in particular when these – in the case of a project being approved – can actually
be implemented. It is then that the participants, through active Learning by doing, are fully capable
to learn about the European Union, EU funding mechanisms, EU project management, interculturalism,
intercultural cooperation and problem-solving approaches. In addition they can further develop
themselves but also their surroundings – and as a final consequence – the European idea.
Bibliography:
Andersson, Sven/Andersson, Ingrid (2005): Authentic Learning in Social-cultural Frameworks. Taylor & Francis.
Clark, Aldrich (2005): Learning by Doing: A Comprehensive Guide to Simulations, Computer Games, and Pedagogy in e-
Learning and Other Educational Experiences. Pfeifer.
Coffield F. et alii (2004): Learning styles in pedagogy in post-16 learning. A Systematic and Critical review. London. Learning
and Skills Review Centre.
Dörig, Roman (2003): Handlungsorientierter Unterricht - Ansätze, Kritik und Neuorientierung aus bildungstheoretischer,
curricularer und instruktionspsychologischer Perspektive. WiKu-Verlag.
Europe at Work (2007): Europe Cooks at Work. ( www.europe-at-work.eu)
Land Brandenburg/Ministerium für Bildung, Jugend und Sport (Hg.) (2005): Außerschulische Lernorte. LISUM.
Lawrence, Gordon D. (1997): Looking at Type and Learning Styles. Center for Applications of Psychological Type.
Lombardi, Marilyn (2007): Authentic Learning for the 21 st Century: An overview. EDUCAUSE.
Montessori, Maria (2009) [1919]: The Montessori Method. Wilder Publications.
Museum Nuremberg/Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Ground: Learning in Authentic Locations: The Education Forum.
(http://museums.nuremberg.de/documentation-centre/education-programme.html)
Niederhauser. Rolf/Rhyn, Heinz (2004): Lernen außerhalb der Schule. Das Projekt MatI – Marktplatz für außerschulisches
Lernen. Haupt.
Reyher, Uwe (Hg.) (1998): Lernen außerhalb des Klassenzimmers. Außerschulische Lernorte mit Erfahrungsberichten und
praktischen Tipps. Oldenbourg Schulbuchverlag.
Schiffler, Ludger (1998): Learning by Doing im Fremdsprachenunterricht. Max Hueber.
Sliwka, Anne (2001): Das anglo-amerikanische Beispiel. Band 2. Weinheim
Vogt, Reinhold (2007): Gedächtnistraining in Frage & Antwort. Warum kreatives Denken besser ist als Pauken. Soft Skills
kompakt. Junfermann.
27

Part B: Learner’s Manual
29

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
Module 1:
Dušana Findeisen (The Slovenian 3 rd Age University/SI)
The European Union and its Relevance for Senior
Citizens
Unit 1
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Did you say European Union Did you say older European citizens
Understanding the mission and functions of the European Union and its
integration processes
European institutions, their mission and how they relate to each other
Demographic ageing and the ageing society in Europe
Older citizens’ major issues and how they are being approached by European
institutions
Older citizens and who represents them at the European level
After this unit you will be able to:
understand the gradual shaping of the idea of European integration
say what the most important institutions and advisory bodies of the EU
are, what their missions and functions are and how they relate to each
other.
understand how European and national legislation, dealing with senior
citizens’ issues, relate to each other
be aware of demographic changes, the ageing society and active ageing,
and how they interact with the major needs of older people
become familiar with the key NGOs and European networks representing
older people and what they are doing for you.
Older people’s satisfaction with life depends on how well they are integrated into society. (Theory
of activity in old age, 1972)
Warming up:
The European Union – What does it mean to you
What is your personal experience of the EU Do you personally
think it was a good idea to establish it in the first
place and do think it is good idea that your country is part
of it
Please take a few minutes to reflect upon these questions
and discuss your answers with others!
Listen / Read
1.1.1. Understanding the nature and role of the European Union and its integration processes
We would like to begin by saying that a significant number of European citizens, be they young,
middle aged or older, seem to have not quite a sufficient understanding of the mission and functions
of the European Union, its institutions, as well as an incomplete knowledge of the gradual
building of Europe. This might be due to the fact that the “EU is an enterprise that was launched by
closed circles and was constructed with little participation by European citizens” 1 and that “the
unification process indeed has until now been promoted mostly by the political elites” (Habermas,
1 Jacques Delors, Les Controverses du progrès, 26 June 2009, France Culture.
31

2009, 101). In spite of this, Europe is believed to be “a wonderfully successful and globally admired
project, though too often it is regarded merely as a project and rarely as an outcome” (Marcel
Gauchet, idem), although in fact the results and outcomes are many, just as the aims of the European
Union are manifold. It is with this understanding that this AESAEC manual is designed to
make readers, and particularly you, senior European citizens, familiar with how and what has been
achieved within EU, and what the results and outcomes have been, primarily in the areas that directly
concern you.
As planned, the EU has become a framework for numerous enriching cultural, social, economic and
other transactions among its member states. It established a common currency and it has provided
for common security. Nevertheless, it has also failed several times and in several ways. Thus,
Jacques Delors, Marcel Gauchet, Cohn Bendit and others are convinced that Europe has failed in
imposing itself as a political force and it has failed in imposing itself in the processes of globalisation.
Moreover, member states do not truly understand that “union is a force” and that union means
community, giving, as well as ensuring receiving. In order to receive member states should more
willingly give up a part of their power. 2
Nevertheless, in times of economic, financial, political and social crisis, the EU is believed to have a
new chance, that is, the chance to tackle, democratically, issues of common and global interest,
such as environmental issues, reversing the global trend of the market economy (Habermas, 2009,
p.105) and demographic changes. These issues cannot be tackled in isolation, but on the contrary,
they should become subject to large-scale public debate and real civil dialogue (Jacques Delors,
idem). Nowadays most European institutions and advisory bodies (European Commission, European
Parliament, European Economic and Social Council) act accordingly. “The development of a European
wide political public sphere - that is of a communicative network extending beyond the national
borders and specialising in the relevant questions - is of central importance to the emergence
of the European identity, says Habermas (2009, p.87). It is time for Europe and its institutions to
become an agora, a truly deliberative space, including the representatives of all its citizens. Members
of the AESAEC project firmly believe that older citizens should be more present in the shaping
of European policies and in the decision making processes pertaining to them and their cooperation
with other generations. The endeavours of the AESAEC project are consistent with Jaques Delors’
argument that in the future, “the European dynamics will be much more dependent on the contribution
of the European citizens than on the European institutions”. (Jacques Delors, idem). For this
purpose it is most important that European citizens, including senior citizens, increase their knowledge
about the European Union, its institutions and its achievements.
How theories of integration help us to understand the nature and the aims of the European Union.
Some prominent integration theories:
In 1920 federalists argued that European countries should form a natural entity and that they should
never again enter into an inter-European war. Altiero Spinelli declared that the nation states have
lost their raison d’etre...
Functionalists, like David Mitrany, rightly pointed out that international organisations are meant to
address priorities dictated by human needs and therefore such organisations should modify their
tasks and functions according to the needs of the moment. Such orientation is consistent with the
fact that the European Union has become so interested in old age, older people and older workers.
Ageing represents a large demographic change which requires changes in the relationships between
generations and also demands a different cultural model or organisation of ages. In addition to this,
new policies are needed.
The Transactionalist Theory, supported by Karl Deutsch, asserts that the sense of community among
states would depend on the establishment of a network for mutual transactions. Networks can be
seen everywhere. Framework programmes and structural funds are there to support networking,
32
2 German citizens were at one time against the Euro, but Helmut Kohl persuaded them that the Euro was good for everybody
in Europe, and consequently they accepted it.

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
projects, etc. Have you ever heard of Leonardo da Vinci, Grundtvig, Erasmus, Comenius and other
programmes They offer frameworks within which European projects as well as transactions and
mutual cultural, social, economic and political exchange and mutual recognition are possible.
The Nonfictional Theory, developed by Ernst Haas and Jean Monet, involves common action leading
to a cohesive society. Robert Schumann said on 9 May 1950: “Europe will be built by concrete
achievements which create a de facto solidarity”.
Economic integration was intended to gradually build solidarity amongst the participating nations
and would in turn create a need for supranational institutional laws. Later on this would lead to the
need for an effective supranational structure. This theory makes us think of the “customary law”
that was often created spontaneously and applied in the development of towns. Laws were not imposed
on the inhabitants; rather they were a codification of the generally accepted ways of living
together in a town.
The integration processes step by step
If we wanted to give more sense to Europe, we should first ask ourselves what Europe has become
over the four stages of its integration: Customs Union, Common Market, Economic and Monetary
Union and Towards Political Union. In fact, in order to understand the European Union, we should
not forget its past. Europe was established under much different conditions than exist today; the
Europe of six member states in the early 1950s and the Europe of 27 member states in 2009 are two
completely different entities.
The construction of modern Europe began after the Second World War. In 1945 Winston Churchill
described Europe as “a breeding ground for pestilence and hate” and a year later, as a remedy to
this state, he proposed to “recreate the European family and to provide it with a structure within
which it can dwell in peace, safety and freedom.” Safety and freedom were the reasons why the EU
was created. The successful formula was the integration of the former antagonistic nation states
into a union of peacefully interacting and competing nations. In his famous appeal, Robert Schuman
recognised that only a lasting reconciliation with Germany could form the basis for a united Europe
and he pleaded that Europe should pardon Germany, though not forget what had taken place, which
at that time was a difficult thing to ask for.
The process of European integration has been ongoing since 1950
based on the construction method taught by Jean Monnet and
Robert Schuman; building Europe brick by brick, with each step
being taken after careful evaluation.
Jean Monnet contributed to the creation of the binding formula.
This formula consists of creating numerous links between the nation
states; common laws, policies and institutions, common European
method governing the member states’ economic activities that
then should influence the day to day lives of European citizens.
Robert Schumann
At the beginning the objective was for the EU to become a political
structure. However this intention has failed and instead of being a
strong political force Europe has became more interested in its
economic power. (Jacques Delores, Les Controversies du progrès,
26 th June, 2009, France Culture.)
To join the European Union, a state must fulfil certain economic and political conditions, called the
Copenhagen Criteria (after the Copenhagen Summit in June 1993). These state that a candidate
country must be a democracy, it should have a free market and should be willing to adopt the entire
body of laws that the European Union has already adopted. According to the Maastricht Treaty,
each current member state and the European Parliament must agree to any enlargement.
33

Important events, dates and facts
1950-52: Based on the so called Schuman Plan, the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC) was founded to ensure joint control over coal and
steel production, the two most important areas in the armaments industry.
One of the main reasons for its foundation was to prevent a country
preparing for a new war by having common control of these areas of production.
France, West Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
were the founding members of this Community. In 1952 Italy joined and
the six countries all signed the Treaty of Paris (23 July 1952).
1957: With the Treaty of Rome, the ECSC developed into the European Economic Community (EEC),
providing Europe's first real common European market.
1973: The United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Denmark joined the EEC.
1980-1986: Greece (1980) as well as Spain and Portugal (both 1986) became new members.
1990: With the reunifciation of the two Germanies the former Deutsche Demokratische Republik
(DDR) / German Democratic Republic (GDR) also became part of the Community.
1993: By virtue of the Maastricht Treaty the EEC turned into the European Union and due to general
economic, political and social developments related to the end of Cold War tensions, some
EFTA (European Free Trade Association) states and even countries from the former COM-
ECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) also became interested in obtaining full EU
membership. The European Union then entered into a very dynamic period of enlargement,
more than doubling the number of its member states over the following 14 years. This
caused Hans-Dietrich Genscher, former German Foreign Minister, to say that “the nicest
achievement of the European Union is its enlargement”.
1995: The former EFTA countries Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU.
2004: Malta and the Republic of Cyprus (i.e. the southern, Greek part of the island), former COM-
ECON members, the Czech Repubic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, the former parts of the
Soviet Union Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and, last but not least, Slovenia, a Yugoslavian republic,
all became new member states.
2007: With the entry of Bulgaria and Romania the list of the 27 member states of the EU was completed.
However, the enlargement process of the European Union must not be seen as finished. Currently
official accession negotiations are in progress with Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey, and discussions
with other countries in the western Balkans may soon follow.
Treaties and Strategies
Treaties are the primary source of European law and they are also the legal basis for common policies.
All policies relating to older people are thus dependent on the treaties, these being instruments
of progressing European integration. Some of them you have already read about above, however
below is a summary of the most important treaties in the EU’s history:
The Treaty of Paris (1951) establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Its main
objectives were to eliminate various barriers to trade and to guarantee peace and safety in
Europe.
34

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
Treaty of Rome (1957) establishing the European Economic Community (EEC).
The main aim of this treaty was the creation of a common market between
the member states. It introduced the free flow of capital and
workers between members.
The Treaty of Maastricht (1992) was a major step in the development of the
European Community. It created the European Union and led to the creation of the Euro. The
treaty created what is commonly referred to as the pillar structure of the European Union.
This concept of the Union divides it into the European Community (EC) pillar, the Common
Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) pillar, and the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) pillar. The
latter two pillars are intergovernmental policy areas, whereby the greater power lies with the
member states, whilst with the European Community pillar the Union's supranational
institutions — the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of
Justice — hold most of the power. All three pillars combined together are called the European
Union.
The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) meant a greater emphasis on citizenship and the rights of
individuals. It sought to achieve more democracy in the shape of increased powers for the
European Parliament, a new approach to issues of employment, a more integrated community
in terms of freedom of movement, security and justice, the beginnings of a cohesive
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the reform of EU institutions in the run up to
enlargement.
The Treaty of Nice (2001) reformed the institutional structure of the European Union to withstand
eastward expansion. The Amsterdam Treaty was originally intended to have tackled this aim;
however it failed to do so at that time. There was doubt for a time whether the treaty would
be brought into force after its initial rejection by Irish voters in a June 2001 referendum. This
referendum result was reversed in a subsequent referendum held a little over a year later.
The Draft Constitutional Treaty (Rome 2004) was intended to establish a Constitution for Europe
and was signed by 53 senior political figures from the 25 EU member states. In most cases
heads of state designated plenipotentiaries to sign the treaty, however some presidents also
signed on behalf of countries which hold the status of a republic.
The Reform Treaty of Lisbon (2007). Changes included more qualified majority voting in the Council
of Ministers, increased involvement of the European Parliament in the legislative process
through extended co-decision making with the Council of Ministers, eliminating the pillar
system and the creation of a President of the European Council with a term of office of two
and half years and a High Representative for Foreign Affairs to present a united position on
EU policies. If ratified, the Treaty of Lisbon would also make the Union's human rights
charter, the Charter of Fundamental Rights, legally binding. 3
The Lisbon Strategy is, apart from the treaties, also a highly important concept in connection with
the objectives and aims of the AESAEC training course. Due to its importance it needs to be
considered by senior citizens, when preparing a European project proposal. The strategy was
set out by the European Council in Lisbon in 2000 and is also known as the Lisbon Agenda or
Lisbon Process. It is an action and development plan for the EU, important for all social
groups, older citizens included. Its aim is to make the EU "the most dynamic and competitive
knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010, capable of sustainable economic growth with
more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and with respect for the environment".
Now, one year away from 2010, we know that this plan was much too ambitious to be fully
implemented successfully. However, it has produced some success and good results in the
fields of education and lifelong learning, in the general development of EU citizenship, in
economic growth and in job creation within the EU. In respect of the four pillars of the Lisbon
Strategy, the focus is now as follows:
• member states should strive to adopt measures to promote creativity and enterprise with
a view to making Europe the most creative environment in the world
3 During the development of this course book (November 2009), the Czech Republic, as the last of the 27 EU member states,
signed the Reform Treaty of Lisbon, which means the treaty will now come into force.
35

• Europe’s economic and social development should centre upon its cultural heritage and
richness
• investment in human resources and framework measures to ensure flexisecurity are of crucial
importance to Europe
• environmental policy should be highlighted as a key force driving innovation and economic
growth.
The fundamental objective of the European Union is the strengthening of economic and social cohesion.
The European Union is aiming at reducing the disparities between different regions. The Structural
Funds play a major role here, including the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and
the European Social Fund (ESF).
1.1.2. European institutions, their mission and how they relate to each other
The European Union has institutions which are not easily understood by the majority of EU citizens.
There is a division of responsibilities between the European and national levels, and thus division
itself is a political decision. The fact that European institutions have been granted the power to
take decisions, calls for “technical” solutions at the European level. Therefore we can assume that
these technical solutions are also political in nature. Nation states can regain some of their lost
regulatory power if they harmonise their taxation and economic policies, as well as social policies at
the European level. After taking this step they can again make decisions at the national level.”
(Habermas, 2009, pp. 83-84)
There are two truly European institutions concerned with Europe on a daily basis, the European
Commission and the European Parliament. But there are also other European institutions, such as
the Council of Ministers and the European Court of Justice.
European Commission (EC)
The European Commission is commonly referred to as the Commission. Each state, after having
acceded to the EU, has one of its nationals acting as a European Commissioner, which means at the
moment there are 27 commissioners. The President of the Commission is nominated by the Heads of
State or Government, and the nomination must be then approved by the European Parliament.
The Commission is the driving force behind European
integration. Its ability to act is important for the development
of common policies and thus for the integration
processes. The Commission defines common interest in
each policy and prepares amendments to proposals. The
Commission is also the guardian of the treaties and the
“acquis communautaire”, that is of all Community Legislation.
It ensures fulfilment of obligations by the
member states.
In the Draft Constitutional Treaty it is stated that the Commission shall ensure the application of
the Constitution (Moussis, 2008. pp. 40-43). The Commission is also the executive body and plays an
administrative role. In addition, the Commission has a representative role, representing the EU in
third countries. The European Commission regularly seeks the views of citizens and stakeholders
when it develops policy and legislation. It launches open consultations in the areas of employment,
social affairs and equal opportunities. Anyone interested in a complete overview of public consultations
launched by the European Commission can consult Your Voice in Europe
(www.europeanvoice.com) on the Commission’s website. Any European citizen or organisation can
participate in discussion forums on a wide range of issues on the Debate Europe platform
36

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
(http://europa.eu/debateeurop). Older citizens preparing a project proposal can gain inspiration by
consulting this website.
The European Parliament
After the last enlargement in 2004, the number of seats in the European Parliament was increased
to 732. Of these 99 are allocated to Germany as the country with the largest population and five to
Malta as the smallest EU country. The MEPs are elected directly by the peoples of Europe. Senior
and other citizens can therefore approach them with their questions and appeals. The Parliament
exercises four functions: legislative, political, supervisory and budgetary.
The Parliament can give approval with regard to the concluding
of international agreements. It participates in the adoption of
Community Acts, and politically it represents more than 450 million
citizens. It monitors the Commission’s activity and is required
to agree to any major budgetary decisions.
The European Parliament also appoints an Ombudsman
(http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/start.faces) empowered to
receive complaints from European citizens with respect to poor
administration and performance by the Community, and it leads
on the Intergroup on Ageing (www.age-platform.org), whose
activities are very relevant to older citizens.
The Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers, or simply the Council, is
composed of a ministerial level representative from
each member state who is authorised to commit the
government of that member state. It is composed of
nine configurations which each focus on a number of
related areas. These include general affairs and external
relations, economic and financial affairs, and
health and social matters. Currently the Council’s
Presidency rotates every six months and thus each
member state has the opportunity to prove its efficiency
in promoting common policies.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ)
The Court of Justice (often called European Court of Justice) consists of one judge
per member state sitting in its chambers. The common rules adopted by the decision
making bodies may be interpreted differently from one country to another if
only national courts were to control decision-making. The main task of the Court
of Justice is to clarify ambiguous legal provisions. For example, recently Age Concern,
the largest British older people’s charity (www.ageconcern.org.uk) backed
the Heyday Case challenging the mandatory retirement age. This case has been
referred to the European Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling
Heyday and Age Concern are confident that the new rules breach the requirements of the European
Directive on Employment because they leave people over 65 without the right to choose to continue
working and enable employers to refuse to recruit anyone over the age of 65. More and more employers
are using the new regulations to force out people over 65‚ knowing that they cannot be ac-
37

cused of unlawful discrimination. Older citizens, preparing a European project proposal, could gain
inspiration by studying the different cases brought to court on the grounds of age discrimination.
The Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
The Economic and Social Committee (EESC) takes into account
the interests of various economic and social groups. Its members
are proposed by the member states’ governments and are appointed
for a term of four years by the Council .They divide into
the Employers’ Group (employers, bankers, federations etc.) the
Workers’ Group (trade unions etc.) and Various Interest Groups
(representatives of agriculture, small and medium sized enterprises,
the professions, consumer organisations, families, older
people etc.). The Committee must be consulted by the Council
and the Commission in certain areas.
The Committee of the Regions
The Importance of the regions and the role they play in the Governance
of the EU was recognised in the treaty establishing the European Community.
This Committee consists of representatives from regional and
local bodies. It must be consulted by the Council or the Commission on
matters like employment guidelines, legislation on social matters, the
environment, education, vocational training, culture, public health and
all other important matters such as cross-border cooperation.
Reflection / Discuss
You may have thought that what you already knew about Europe was quite enough. You may have
had some idea about how Europe has become integrated. Probably you had heard about some of the
treaties and strategies, but now you know to what extent and why they have become important
milestones in European Union history and also how they ultimately relate to older citizens.
Although based on the principles of the French Revolution – liberty, equality, fraternity – the European
Union is not a revolutionary enterprise but it is an intellectual enterprise as much as it is a
practical reality. Knowing a little bit more about the European Union, its principles, history, current
structural developments and mission, it is as important as understanding the identity and the
aims of your own country.
The European Union and your country are closely related and you are European citizens as much as
you are citizens of your own country. Within this framework it is barely conceivable to think that
European institutions are of no concern to European citizens, because they simply are! More than
70% of your national legislation comes from Europe, whether it concerns maximum working hours,
the food you eat, the air you breathe or the age when you can retire.
And do you know who decides all these issues It is not the anonymous bureaucrats in Brussels, but
increasingly it is the European Parliament that makes decisions, the men and women who you elect.
Together with your ministers, heads of state or government they take decisions affecting your everyday
life, whether you are young or old, producer or consumer, or living in the North, South, East
or West of the Community. Often we complain that Europe is distant from its citizens - but is it
38

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
really Is it not much closer and more transparent than we all think, and does it not care very much
about issues relating to all European citizens, including issues affecting older ones
Please discuss these issues, including all relevant pros and cons, as well as your points of view before
and after this unit.
Listen / Read
1.1.3. Demographic changes and the ageing society
The ageing society is one of the major current demographic changes. The other changes are shrinking
populations, the ageing workforce and migration.
When we think about ageing, we think about it principally as individual ageing, not as demographic
ageing. Demographic ageing is a rather new phenomenon which first appeared in the second half of
the 20th Century. Despite the progress achieved in all areas, human life is not any longer than in
previous times, however the number of people over the age of 65 is increasing considerably and
deaths are outnumbering births. Ever more people reach an advanced old age and at the same time
the rate of fertility is reducing in some European regions due to a number of reasons, migration
being one of them. Population is ageing and our societies are ageing. We live in an ageing society.
Of course, on the one hand this is a threat, but it is also a huge change. Any kind of change requires
adaptation. This brings about the need to promote a cultural change in attitudes towards older people
and old age, a change in the position of older people in society and the need to modify policies
that determine the relationships between generations and that meet the needs of different generations.
The members of the AESAEC project group believe that enhancing intergenerational solidarity and
cooperation is key in reacting constructively to today’s rapidly evolving social and demographic
context. Changes in the age structure of our populations will have a significant impact on the dynamics
among generations, and intergenerational solidarity and cooperation will need to be reinvented
and sustained by appropriate policies. A more inclusive approach to people of all ages
therefore needs to be developed and actively promoted in all areas of social and economic policy.
More positive attitudes and expectations in respect of older citizens’ contributions need to be cultivated
and ageist assumptions must be challenged and not tolerated. People of all ages have a vital
role to play in contributing to society and their experience, knowledge and vitality are needed to
build a stronger Europe. It is essential to develop targeted and well coordinated policies which capitalise
on the strong potential of older people to contribute.
In the ageing society much greater participation by younger and older generations is needed. In
addition policies and strategies as well as action plans serving this end are needed. Moreover, European
projects can, especially when launched by senior citizens, highlight these issues and can propose
ways to achieve greater participation by all generations in society.
Major older people’s issues and how they are being approached by European policies
Older people’s needs and issues are addressed by different policies adopted on the basis of the
European Treaties. However progressive they may be, they are often governed by a significant
number of negative or positive stereotypes about older people. In our view this is mostly due to the
fact that older people are approached mostly in terms of their age and not in terms of their involvement,
potential, situation etc. What is important are their differences. The least important
seems to be their age!
However people in later life – according to some definitions this already begins at around the age of
45 - are a large group of extremely heterogeneous people. Consequently, an in-depth knowledge of
the diversity of older people, of their needs and potential is needed before setting a policy or even
a European project.
39

The issues of older people are connected to the way of life that society allows or enables older
people to have. Older people’s needs are social, emotional, cognitive and involve the need for sharing
values. Their needs are psycho-social, just as with all individuals regardless of their age. The
needs of older people should be met by policies.
The issues of older people also involve the numerous stereotypes about them and old age that are
to be found everywhere, such as with regard to policies, treatment by professionals and voluntary
working. Stereotypes do not only affect older people, as they also affect everyone dealing with
issues relating to older people, such as professionals, politicians, researchers etc. The best thing
would be to ban these stereotypes - which is an easy thing to say but a very difficult thing to
achieve.
Older people’s needs should be taken into account by European projects and should be satisfied at
all levels within society; this includes at the level of their relationships with a partner, children, coworkers,
co-students, co-volunteers, at the local community level, at the level of the municipality,
at the regional level, at the state level and at the EU level. All levels are important when seeking to
act upon issues that concern older people. The issues of older people are related to their untapped
and unrecognised human capital (abilities, knowledge, skills), to the lack of social capital (not
enough institutions, associations, etc), to the insufficient support of active ageing, to integration
into society, to social protection, to eradicating poverty, to stimulating them volunteering and to
active citizenship.
The issues of older people are connected with the lack of justice and the inequality (discrimination)
faced by older people and retired people, be it legally, culturally, socially, economically or politically
based - with older people not being allowed or stimulated to take part in decision making
processes at all levels.
In order to identify the issues of older people, one must first identify sources in society that are
available to the generations in the middle, and secondly, a number of questions need to be asked:
do older people have equal access to work, culture, education, health, transport, housing, science
and active citizenship Do they have the right to go on working after their retirement without being
penalised Do older people have equal access to the media and do they appear in the media Are
there discounts offered to older people solely on the basis of their age, pushing them in the end to
appreciate being supported and slowly abandoning their right to play an equal role in public matters
The direction of local, national and EU policies regarding older people is often one that promotes
weakness and dependency and this should be changed! EU treaties and common policies as well as
numerous documents address older people’s issues. Senior citizens launching a European project
should be knowledgeable about the contents and the aims of the EU treaties and the common policies,
as well as about many of the documents that address older people’s issues in a direct or indirect
way.
Employment and Discrimination
At the Amsterdam European Council heads of state or government of the member states accepted
Article 13 of the Amsterdam Treaty against discrimination - and promoting social inclusion - in all
its forms. This article is further related to the EU Race Directive, the EU Employment Equality Directive
and the Gender Equality Instruments - all these documents are related also to older people.
Discrimination can be visible or invisible. This issue is being tackled also by a number
of organisations supported by the European Commission. Visiting their web
pages older citizens can learn much about the subject and also about the related
policies and documents:
• AGE (The European Older People’s Platform): http://www.age-platform.org
• ENAR (European Network Against Racism): http://www.enar-eu.org
40

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
• EDF (European Disability Forum): http://www.edf-feph.org
Additionally, social inclusion of vulnerable groups is being promoted at the European level by:
• Caritas Europa: http://www.caritas-europa.org/code/en/default.asp
• CECOP (European Confederation of Workers' Cooperatives, Social Cooperatives and Social
and Participative Enterprises): http://www.cecop.coop
• COFACE (Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union):
http://www.coface-eu.org
• EAPN (European Anti Poverty Network): http://www.eapn.org
• EMN (European Microfinance Network): http://www.europeanmicrofinance.org/index2_en.php
• ESN (European Social Network): http://www.esn-eu.org
• European Women's Lobby: http://www.womenlobby.org
Intergenerational solidarity
Technology can also help older people to carry out daily activities as well as to monitor health, create
social networks, learn and study. It can further increase their participation in society and augment
their safety. It enables older people to participate in the e-economy, e-government, e-
communication, and to benefit from e-health and e-learning. The use of technology can also facilitate
social inclusion, improve professional participation and quality of life and ultimately enhance
independent living. The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to help older
people and people with disabilities to continue to live at home is commonly known as Ambient Assisted
Living (AAL).
Active European Citizenship
Education for Active Citizenship is a lifelong process. One cannot become an active citizen “just like
that”, when one grows old. Policies are needed to support older people’s potential for volunteering
and to prevent discrimination on the grounds of age in this field. AGE publications on senior volunteering,
that might help you in preparing a European project proposal, are given on the AGE Leaflet
on Promoting Volunteering for Europe’s Seniors (http://www.age-platform.org).
1.1.4. Older citizens and who represents them at the European level
The institutional level
The issues of older citizens are being addressed through the endeavours of various European Institutions,
mainly by the European Commission and the European Parliament.
The European Commission (EC)
The EC seeks public opinion on the issues through promoting public debate, peer reviews, consultations,
thematic conferences etc, and prepares proposals in the field of social policy that concern
older citizens (employment, social security, volunteering etc.).
Intergroup on Ageing
This is a group within the European Parliament and unites MEPs from different committees and sectors
who are willing to discuss this particular issue. The Intergroup issues statements directed at the
41

European Council and other EU institutions. The Intergroup is convinced that social protection and
employment policies must be linked, that the EU has a key role to play in bringing about reform of
pension systems in order to ensure decent pensions for all, giving people a fair share of society’s
economic prosperity and not just preventing outright poverty. Countries need to provide secure,
universal and fully adequate first pillar pensions. It is also necessary to adopt reforms to allow and
encourage older people to keep working.
The NGO level
AGE (www.age-platform.org), the European Older People's Platform, is a European network of
around 150 organisations working on behalf of people aged 50+, which directly represent over 28
million older people in Europe. AGE aims to voice and promote the interests of the 150 million people
aged 50+ in the European Union and to raise awareness of the issues that concern them most.
AGE also aims to give a voice to older and retired people in EU policy debates through the active
participation of their representative organisations at EU, national, regional and local levels, so as to
input into EU policy development. AGE’s work focuses on a wide range of policy areas that impact
on older and retired people. These include issues of anti-discrimination, employment of older
workers and active ageing, social protection, pension reforms, social inclusion, health, research,
accessibility of public transport and of the built environment, lifelong learning and ICT.
There are other important NGO’s at this level, some of which specialise in the issues of older
people, and some of them that deal with relevant issues as a part of their particular field of
activity. Many also play an important international role in the field of research. Below is a selection
of some of the more important and relevant NGOs:
• Care (Christian Action Research & Education for Europe): http://www.careforeurope.org/
• CEV (European Volunteer Centre): http://www.cev.be/
• COFACE (Confédération des Organisations Familiales de l'Union Européenne):
http://www.coface-eu.org/
• CCRE (Council of European Municipalities and Regions): http://www.ccre.org/
• EUROCADRES (Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff):
http://www.eurocadres.org/
• Eurocarers (European Association Working for Carers): http://www.eurocarers.org/
• Euro Cities: http://www.eurocities.eu/main.php
• Euro Health Net: http://www.eurohealthnet.eu/
• European Association for Population Studies: http://www.eaps.nl/
• European Federation for Retirement Provision: http://www.efrp.org/
• European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities:
http://www.easpd.eu/
• EURAG (European Federation of Older Persons): http://www.easpd.eu/
• European University: http://www.euruni.edu/Scripts/Index.aspxidz=2
• FAFCE (Föderation der Katholischen Familienverbande in Europa):
http://www.family-eu.org/cms/index.php
• IPSE (Institut de la Protection Sociale Européenne) :
http://www.idies.org/index.phppost/Linstitut-de-la-protection-sociale-europeenne-IPSE
• Youth Forum Jeunesse : http://www.youthforum.org/
Since 2000 social policy has occupied a much more prominent place in the overall agenda of the EU.
After the adoption of the Lisbon Strategy by heads of state or government, a new goal was formulated
which stated that economic and social policies should go hand in hand. As a result an ambitious
social agenda was formulated, which sets out the social priorities - the Open Method of Coordination-
which promotes stronger co-operation and co-ordination between member states on different
social issues. This method applies to the areas of employment, social protection (pensions),
social inclusion and education.
There are currently a number of key demographic changes to consider, such as the shrinking total
European population, processes affecting migration and, above all, demographic ageing. When talking
about ageing we often have individual ageing in mind, and not the ageing of our societies and of
the population. The ageing of the population, or demographic ageing, is however an achievement
42

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
of civilisation and should not be considered as a threat. The ageing society simply requires many
changes to the role of older people and to the roles of other generations, including many changes in
their mutual relationships. Above all, it requires the active participation of all citizens within the
member states of the European Union.
There are many issues with respect to older people:
working longer under better conditions
preparing for volunteering whilst still in paid employment
working as a volunteer on an individual basis or in an organised way within public institutions
and other organisations during retirement
having a different position within families
taking part in lifelong learning and education
participating in local communities
participating in taking decisions in municipality matters such as education, health, culture,
transport, social protection, alleviating poverty etc
All of these issues plus others are important to older people and not just matters such as pension
schemes and pension reforms that are reported so often.
Therefore understanding the European Union, as well as how and why it has been integrating, will
provide a better grasp of how its institutions and advisory bodies function for your benefit. Moreover,
you will then understand better which non-governmental organisations operate at the European
level for your benefit and how you, as senior citizens, can participate in shaping EU policies
concerning your own and other generations. Above all, you may develop an idea of how you can
contribute to the reality of the European Union. Together we can make Europe a better place to
live!
Reflection / Discuss
Have you learnt anything new about the EU in this module, about opportunities for senior citizens or
yourself in the EU, or about options for your engagement within the concept of the EU Hopefully
yes – however, please reflect upon this module within group discussions. It is up to you which issues
you would like to focus on. Perhaps the following questions can give you a helping hand:
• To what extent is ageing likely to affect how our societies function
• If you wanted to tackle an older people’s issue, which institutions or organisations would
you contact, why and how
• How can we support generations in the middle to provide a link between all the generations
and how can we support all generations to co-operate with each other
• How can we preserve the cultural heritage of older people and pass it on to younger generations
• How can we support senior citizens to continue in employment for longer
• How can we help older people update their skills and make others more aware of what they
can contribute
Hints for additional activities supporting this module
• Spend some time on the websites indicated in this module and find out whether or not they
are of some interest to you.
• Try to find local / national offices representing the EU in your country / region – and arrange
a date to visit them.
43

• Find out who are the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) representing your region /
country – and make contact with them if you have any questions to ask them.
• Follow daily news on TV, radio, in newspapers etc. which contain more intensive reporting
about developments at the EU level, particularly in relation to issues concerning senior citizens
and / or Active European Citizenship.
References and other sources helpful for further information:
Balibar, E. (2003): We the People of Europe; reflections on transnational citizenship. Princeton: Princeton University
Press.
Church, Clive H./Phinnemor, David (2009): The Penguin Guide to the European Treaties: From Rome to Maastricht,
Amsterdam, Nice and Beyond. Penguin Reference Books.
Habermas, J. (2009): Europe The Faltering Project. Cambridge: Polity.
Intergenerational Solidarity for Cohesive and Sustainable Societes: outcomes of the Slovenian Presidency Conference
Brdo. Slovenia, 28-29. April 2008 .
Moussis, N. (2007): Guide to European Policies. 13 th edition. Rixensart. European Study Service Official Journal of the
European Communities.
http://ec.europa.eu (European Commission)
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives (Eurobarometer)
http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice (Commission’s website for citizens to express themselves)
http://eesc.europa.eu/index_en.asp (EESC - Economic and Social Committee)
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu (EUROSTAT – centre for European statistics Union Documents)
http://eurageurope.org/eurag/ (EURAG - European Federation of Older Persons)
http://europa.eu/documentation (European Union Documents)
www.age-platform.org/ (AGE - European Older People’s Platform)
www.careforeurope.org/ (Care - Christian Action Research & Education for Europe)
www.caritas-europa.org (Caritas Europa)
www.ccre.org/ (CCRE - Council of European Municipalities and Regions)
www.cecop.coop (CECOP - European Confederation of Workers' Cooperatives, Social Cooperatives and Social and Participative
Enterprises)
www.cev.be/ (CEV - European Volunteer Centre)
www.coface-eu.org (COFACE - Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union)
www.coface-eu.org/ (COFACE - Confédération des Organisations Familiales de l'Union Européenne)
www.consilium.europa.eu (Council of European Union)
www.eapn.org (EAPN - European Anti Poverty Network)
www.eaps.nl/(European Association for Population Studies)
www.easpd.eu/(European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities)
www.efrp.org/ (European Federation for Retirement Provision)
www.enar-eu.org (ENAR - European Network Against Racism)
www.esn-eu.org (ESN - European Social Network)
www.eurocadres.org/(EUROCADRES - Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff)
www.eurocarers.org/ (Eurocarers - European Association Working for Carers)
www.eurocities.eu/main.php (Euro Cities)
www.eurohealthnet.eu/ (Euro Health Net)
www.europarl.europa.eu/(European Parliament)
www.european-microfinance.org/index2_en.php (EMN - European Microfinance Network)
www.family-eu.org/cms/index.php (FAFCE - Föderation der Katholischen Familienverbande in Europa)
www.idies.org/index.phppost/Linstitut-de-la-protection-sociale-europeenneIPSE
www.womenlobby.org (European Women's Lobby)
www.youthforum.org/(Forum of Young People in Europe)
44

Module 2 – The Concept of Active European Citizenship and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
Module 2:
Steffen Hartje (Fritid&Samfund/DK)
The Concept of Active European Citizenship and its
Relevance for Senior Citizens
Unit 1
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Why is AEC important for senior citizens
Understanding the concept of Active European Citizenship (AEC) and its
relevance to senior citizens
Demonstrating the opportunities of AEC for elderly citizens
After this unit you will be able to:
understand why it was - and still is - important to develop the idea of
AEC
understand the rights and obligations upon which the concept of Active
Citizenship is established
apply the concept of AEC to daily life.
I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.
Socrates
Warming up:
Please discuss freely about whether or not you have
ever heard about the concept of Active European Citizenship
and what citizenship in general and European
citizenship in particular mean to you.
Listen / Read
2.1.1. The idea of an active citizenship
The idea of an active citizenship is not new but can be traced back to ancient Greece, where the
philosopher Aristotle was the first to develop a theory about citizenship. In 500 to 400 before Christ,
as a result of Aristotle’s concept, citizenship was practiced by the city government in Athens, called
polis. Greek citizenship was primarily built on the obligations that each citizen had to the city government.
To be an active citizen, one who took part in political life, was considered to be a moral
duty. One was morally obliged to take an active part in common polis matters, if one was to be
respected as a citizen and a human being. The citizenship idea was thus closely linked to the individual
citizen’s rights and the duty to take an active part in the political community. Even though
citizenship was based more on the obligations towards the city government than on the rights of the
individual citizen, the obligations did not take the form of legal orders, but were considered as an
option to serve the community and to gain the resulting respect.
In the 1700s there was a redrafting of the citizenship concept. The beginning of industrialisation and
the spread of the market economy started to create large social changes. These changes were both
results as well as catalysts due to the enormous gap that existed between the traditional absolute
monarchies at the time and the new progressive sense of citizenship - which among other things
finally led to the French Revolution in 1789. At the philosophical level the period was marked by the
enlightenment philosophy that contributed to the development of new values such as freedom,
tolerance, pluralism, individual rights and also secularisation, which separated religion and poli-
45

tics. Following these basic ideas, the new nation states created during the 19th Century made it
possible to develop a real state of law and at the same time secure a state-free environment for the
citizen to act individually and collectively.
The idea of the independence of a state - also from the church - gained more and more credibility,
and the clarification of borders between countries meant that the citizens became more aware of
their affiliation to a nation and of the conditions that applied. As a holder of subjective rights they
enjoyed protection from the nation state as long as they obeyed the law.
2.1.2. Active European Citizenship (AEC)
The hasty development of globalisation, given the achievements made in information technology,
the global convergence of the financial markets and the growth in global production has led to nation
states losing more and more control over general production conditions and therefore they are
limited in their ability to maintain existing welfare levels.
The reduction in the importance of the nation state has an impact on our understanding of the concept
of citizenship, as since the era of industrialisation it has always been linked with an understanding
that it is the nation state that secures the rights that make it possible to practice active
citizenship. In line with the rapid pace of globalisation there is a demand that rights are no longer
just guaranteed within the nation you live in, but that they are also respected by people in other
nations. From being rights of citizenship won by fighting inside the context of a nation state, individual
rights are today also secured at the European and global levels. Typically social rights will be
secured by the nation state, the rights in relation to the internal market will be guaranteed by the
European Union and the UN will guarantee human rights. As a consequence of globalisation the idea
of active citizenship needs to be developed on three levels: the national, European and global levels.
The citizens of Europe must view themselves not only as British, German, and Italian etc. but
also as a European citizen and indeed as a citizen of the world.
The increasing globalisation of the world economy contributes to creating a global identity and responsibility.
Today we see a common responsibility within the area of ecology in terms of global
development. People’s awareness of the Earth’s limited resources and of the menace posed by an
uncontrolled development of the market economy threatening the fragile ecological balance is creating
a worldwide commitment to our planet. The development of European and global responsibility
at both the political and ordinary citizen level could be an important element in the development
of the idea of active citizenship.
A prerequisite for the development of AEC is that citizens in European countries have a certain mutual
sympathy and are interested in what takes place in other European countries, which may hopefully
lead to the development of a common European identity. Already today we see many communities
with an identity and self-knowledge that extends beyond the national context in which they
live. There are communities of people who network across frontiers using IT-technology; however
there is still a long way to go before a common European identity becomes a reality.
The contents of this part of the training course will focus on the participants’ attitude towards
other European countries, pointing out, for instance, which countries are, in their opinion, the most
popular and which, on the contrary, are not considered favourably.
Moreover, how can one become more engaged in what is going on in other EU countries
Reflection / Self-study / Discuss
Active European Citizenship is a rather complex concept to explain, especially because it is a hypothetical
construct, such as freedom, love or engagement, and there are no generally agreed definitions
concerning it. Finally, it is very much dependent on what a person has in mind when speaking
about AEC – and there is nothing wrong with that!
46

Module 2 – The Concept of Active European Citizenship and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
So what does Active European Citizenship mean to you Do you think that you are already an active
European citizen, and if yes, in what context Think of your own opportunities for becoming a
more active citizen. Is there anything that prevents you from being more active, such as physical,
mental, social or other conditions If there are any barriers, how can they be overcome
What role can elderly citizens play in the development of AEC at the local, national and European
levels What does the demographic trend with the increasing number of elderly people in Europe
indicate in relation to the development of AEC
Unit 2
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
The role of civil society in the development of AEC
Considerations concerning the relationship between the development of
civil society and the development of AEC
Introduction of a European dimension in voluntary work at the local level
After this unit you will be able to:
understand the connection between local voluntary work and the development
of AEC
improve voluntary work in your local area
organise voluntary work through proactive networking.
It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.
(Aristotle)
Warming up:
Play music from other European countries - relax, listen and be inspired!
2.2.1. What is the definition of civil society
Listen / Read
“The civil society refers to the arena of uncoerced collective action around shared interests, purposes
and values. In theory, its institutional forms are distinct from those of the state, family and
market, though in practice, the boundaries between state, civil society, family and market are often
complex, blurred and negotiated. Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of spaces, actors
and institutional forms, varying in their degree of formality, autonomy and power”. (The London
School of Economics Centre for Civil Society's Working; http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CCS/
what_is_civil_society.htm)
Civil societies are populated by many different organisations, such as non-governmental organisations,
community groups, gender organisations, faith-based organisations, associations, trade unions,
self-help groups, social movements, coalitions, advocacy groups and many more.
2.2.2. Associations – a framework for voluntary work and citizenship
The most common form of organisation in civil society is the association, as it is an easy way of organising
voluntary work. Legal, administrative and organisational frameworks for creating an association
do vary from country to country, however on the whole it is a rather simple and inexpensive
procedure. For example in Denmark, one only needs to set some rules that ensure the association is
built on democratic principles, and that there will be a governing board elected from the association’s
members.
47

Quite often it makes sense for citizens to organise voluntary work if they wish to influence the development
of the local community. An active citizenship is built on democratic communities, and
voluntary associations are way of fitting into such communities.
In Scandinavia there are many voluntary associations and, as in Denmark, even the smallest communities
have many different associations. There are voluntary sports associations, scouts associations,
night school associations, youth associations, senior associations etc. The associations are also important
for civil society and local democracy, as they make it possible for citizens to get in touch
with other citizens who undertake voluntary work and to communicate from one association to another.
These associations do also make it easier for local politicians to enter into dialogue with civil society.
For example in the Danish municipality of Varde, there is a very good continuous dialogue between
the local associations and the town council organised within the framework of voluntary development
councils.
In a voluntary association active in civil society, citizens can easily learn and understand participative
democracy and active citizenship, as there is little or no interference from the state, from the
market or from other interests in this sector of society.
Exercises
Please discuss the following questions and issues:
What are the characteristics of civil society in your country and are there any examples of how voluntary
work is linked to local democracy
How can voluntary work be organised more innovatively, and think of a way in which the European
dimension can become a part of voluntary work at the local level
How can networking be used in voluntary work
Working in a group please discuss the following question and create some promising suggestions:
How could it be possible to involve more senior citizens in voluntary work and local democracy
(Please consider frameworks, preconditions, barriers, individual and public demands, needs and
interests etc.)
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Module 2 – The Concept of Active European Citizenship and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
Unit 3
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Development of new communities in the EU
Understanding how social networks contribute to strengthening European
cohesion
After this unit you will be able to:
participate in social networks on the internet
approach new forms of tourism-based projects and networks.
If you treat people right they will treat you right - ninety percent of the time.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Warming up:
Social networking – what does this mean to you and how does it work Are
you a passionate social networker yourself
2.3.1. What is Social Networking and how does it work
Listen / Read
Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, such as small rural communities
or a neighbourhood. Traditionally social networking was based on “real” contacts and face-to-face
communication, however in recent years social networking happens more and more online via the
internet. The internet is filled with millions of individuals who are looking to meet other internet
users, to gather and share information or experiences about lots of different topics, from sport to
gardening to developing friendships etc.
In online social networking websites are commonly used and are called social
sites. Social sites function like an online community of internet users. The
online community members share a common interest such as an interest in
each other’s lives, hobbies, sports and many other subjects. When you access
a social networking website you can begin to socialise with the other members.
This socialisation may include reading the profile pages of other members
and possibly even contacting them.
Another benefit is that making friends includes intercultural skills and, most of
all, understanding. The internet gives citizens from all around the world access
to social networking sites. This means that although you live in Italy you could
develop an online friendship with someone in Denmark and learn something
about the daily life in this particular European country. Not only will you make
new friends, you might also learn a thing or two about new cultures or new languages.
Social networking involves grouping specific individuals or organisations together.
Some of the social networking sites have a focus on a particular interest
whilst others are more general. The websites without a main focus are often referred to as "traditional"
social networking websites and usually have open memberships. This means that anyone can
become a member.
49

2.3.2. Popular social networks
Facebook (www.facebook.com) is the most popular global social networking website that is operated
and privately owned. Users can add friends and send them messages. Many of the users of
Facebook will tell their friends about what they are doing every day, and friends have the opportunity
to comment on these messages.
Blog or weblog is a website mainly maintained by an individual with regular comments, descriptions
of events or other material. Many blogs function as a personal online diary; others provide commentary
on a particular subject. A typical blog combines text, images, links to other blogs, web pages
and other media materials related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive
format is an important part of many blogs.
Twitter (http://twitter.com) is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its
users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts displayed on the
author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers. Senders
can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow open access.
In twitter there is a 140-character limit on message and it is sometimes described as the "SMS of the
internet”.
Reflection / Discuss
Please look up some virtual networks and blogs on the internet. What is their basic idea and function
What skills do you think are necessary in order to participate in virtual networks How can they
be used for strengthening AEC and cohesion in Europe How can you personally benefit and what can
you learn from them
Unit 4
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Reflection upon the opportunities for AEC involvement in the future
Designing visions regarding the European community and the future development
of AEC
After this unit you will be able to:
design and apply visions for improving AEC and voluntary work in the
Europe of the future.
Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.
(Willie Nelson)
Warming up:
Agree on song you all would like to sing together – and sing it!
(This is an old tradition in Denmark of singing a song before meetings, seminars,
training etc. It does not harm anyone, and quite often it results in a very
good atmosphere)
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Module 2 – The Concept of Active European Citizenship and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
Listen / Read
2.4.1. The Future Workshop (Shortened version)
The Future Workshop (FW) method is not new. It was created in the 1970s by Robert Jungk, a German
born Austrian writer and journalist, together with some colleagues. It has been used in many
countries over the last decades as an appropriate tool for people willing to develop visions for addressing
real-life problems. Originally it was developed as a method to support the political struggles
of community groups for improved representation of their interests to create a better future
worth living for.
Basically, the Future Workshop can be divided into five phases:
1. The preparatory phase, which involves deciding on the topic and making some practical arrangements
(preparation of flip charts, papers, markers etc.)
2. The critique phase, during which all the negative experiences related to the chosen topic are
brought into the open. In the critique phase the problem is critically and thoroughly discussed
and investigated. Brainstorming is the preferred creative technique, followed by clustering
and structuring the ideas, thoughts, comments etc. into some main sub-themes.
3. The fantasy phase, in which the participants come up with ideas in response to the problems,
by expressing their desires, fantasies and alternative views. In the fantasy phase the participants
try to create a utopia, to draw an exaggerated picture of the future. Brainstorming and
other creative techniques might be used. The participants should make a selection of the
most interesting notions and develop these into a visionary paper.
4. The implementation phase. The workshop concludes with the implementation phase, in which
the ideas from the previous phase have been seen with more realistic eyes. The ideas are
checked and evaluated with regard to their practicability and a plan of action is drawn up.
5. In the follow-up phase the FW ends with an agreement on the elaboration of a report that
collects all the results gained and presents a completed action plan.
2.4.2. The Visionary Workshop
The Visionary Workshop (VW) consists of the Fantasy Phase and the Implementation Phase of the
Future Workshop. The problem with the FW in relation to training courses is that it can take too
long to go through all five phases. We therefore suggest focussing only on the FW’s most important
phases which are the Fantasy Phase and the Implementation Phase of the workshop; together they
are often called the Visionary Workshop.
1. The Fantasy Phase
Warming up: Before the participants start with their work it is advised to get them into a creative
mood, e.g. they could listen to some music of their choice, they could play some games or
they could use story telling as source of inspiration. Once everyone feels relaxed and comfortable
the actual working part of the Fantasy Phase can begin.
The work begins: In the Fantasy Phase the participants try to create positive pictures of the future
in relation to the subject which the future workshop is addressing, by questioning themselves:
How do we wish the future to be if it is not restricted by laws, economics, resources
etc The participants should suggest solutions, whilst ignoring these restrictions, such as: How
should life be for elderly people if the state has sufficient money to care for all citizens who
are not in the labour market How would it be to live in a society in which there is no discrimination
of older people How would the EU be if older citizens had much greater power
The participants have 10-15 minutes by themselves during which they should try to answer these
questions and create suggestions about how the future could be. When they have finished the
work, they should write their suggestions as headlines on a blackboard or flipchart. When all
have written their headlines each participant should explain what their suggestion refers to.
Very important: During this process there must not be any discussions!
After the presentation of the headlines the next key question is: Which headlines cover the
51

same subject In the following process, the number of headlines will be reduced by clustering
them into umbrella terms or areas. When this is completed the participants should list the headlines
in order of priority for working with during the next phase of the workshop. The key question
then to be answered is: Which are the most promising headlines for further development
An easy way to do this is for participants to vote with each participant having one or more
votes, as appropriate. As a result of the vote the participants now have some common visions
for the future, upon which they agree, visions that they will try to implement in the next phase
of the workshop!
2. The Implementation Phase
In the Implementation Phase the visions are confronted with reality, and the most important
question to be answered is: Which one of them is mostly likely to become a reality in the near
future In the Implementation Phase the participants can involve experts to help them and it
also might be necessary to gain further information through research, e.g. using the internet,
which can enrich the discussions. After the visions from the Fantasy Phase have been confronted
with reality, there will only be a few visions remaining which seem to have the potential to be
implemented in society in the near future – however some of the rest of them might still be useful
as a goal for the group. The Implementation Phase will end with an action plan which will be
elaborated upon. The action plan will describe what needs to be done by whom and when as a
concrete follow-up to the workshop.
Exercise
Select a topic of your choice and test whether or not the Visionary Workshop is an appropriate tool
for a group with limited time to create promising visions! One hint: select topics which are close to
your own life, interests and expertise – perhaps even in connection with the application that is
planned to be submitted at the end of this course!
References and other sources helpful for further information
Hartje, Steffen (2007): The idea of an active citizenship. (www.learnship.eu)
Marshall, T.H./Bottomore (1991): Citizenship and Social. Pluto Classic. USA.
Jungk, Robert/Mullert, Norbert (1970): Future workshops: How to Create Desirable Futures, Institute for Social Inventions.
Social Networking in Plain English: A short explanation of social networking websites and why they are popular. This video
comes in an unbranded "presentation quality" version that can be licensed for use in the workplace.
http://twitter.com
www.coe.int
www.commoncraft.com/store-item/video-social-networking
www.facebook.com
www.globalideasbank.org/site/bank/idea.phpideaId=1657
www.learnship.eu
www.lse.ac.uk
www.whatissocialnetworking.com
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Module 3 – The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
Module 3:
Teresa Diaz Bello/Yolanda Mates (ASAEL/ES)
The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its
relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
Unit 1
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP)
Exploitation of the ECP, its priorities, features and structure
Information concerning the funder and operator of the ECP
Reflecting best practice elements of a good project and the procedures
for submitting project applications
After this unit you will be able to:
value the ECP programme
give a basic overview of the ECP
estimate its potential for the general public
define a good project concept with main key factors
You get a passport, you can vote, you are entitled to the protection of the state.
(Toolkit on European Citizenship)
Warming up:
According to the content learnt so far, has your approach towards the EU
and / or the concept of Active European Citizenship changed
If so, how and why
3.1.1. Structure of the Europe for Citizens Programme
Listen / Read
In order to achieve its objectives the Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP)
proposes four actions, divided into different measures.
Action 1 – Active Citizens for Europe: This action is directed specifically at activities involving citizens.
These activities fall into two types as follows:
- Town twinning
Direct exchanges between European citizens through their participation in town twinning
activities encourage networking and cooperation between twinned towns to create real
links between citizens of different European member states.
- Citizens projects and support measures
Within this measure a variety of projects of a transnational and cross-sectoral nature, directly
involving citizens can be supported.
Action 2 – Active Civil Society in Europe: This action is aimed at civil society organisations and think
tanks, which can receive either structural support on the basis of their work programme or support
for transnational projects, the so called action grant. This action is composed of three sets of
measures.
53

- Structural support for European public policy research organisations (think-tanks)
This measure is designed to strengthen the institutional capacity of European public policy
research organisations (think tanks).
- Structural support for civil society organisations at the European level
This measure provides civil society organisations, which operate with a European dimension,
with the capacity and stability to develop their activities at the European level.
- Support for projects initiated by civil society organisations
The aim of this measure is to support cooperation through concrete projects by civil society
organisations from different participating countries.
Action 3 – Together for Europe: This action focuses on deepening the concept of active European
citizenship and at promoting its understanding all over Europe, thereby contributing to bringing
Europe closer to its citizens, through three sets of measures:
- High-visibility events
This measure will support events organised by the Commission, where appropriate in cooperation
with the member states or other relevant partners, which help to increase citizens’
sense of belonging to the same community and their commitment to the European project.
- Studies
In order to gain a better understanding of active citizenship at the European level the
Commission carries out studies, surveys and opinion polls.
- Information and dissemination tools
Comprehensive information on the various activities of the Programme, on other European
actions related to citizenship and on other relevant initiatives, will be provided through different
dissemination tools.
Action 4 – Active European Remembrance: This action aims at preserving the main sites and archives
associated with deportations and at commemorating the victims of Nazism and Stalinism, as a
means of moving on from the past and building the future.
3.1.2. Who operates the ECP
The European Commission: The European Commission is ultimately responsible for the smooth running
of the ECP. It manages the budget and sets priorities, targets and criteria for the programme
on an ongoing basis, following consultation with the Programme Committee. Furthermore, it guides
and monitors the general implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the programme at the European
level. The European Commission relies on an Executive Agency to carry this out.
The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA):
The EACEA was established in 2005 and is responsible for the implementation of most of the actions
of the Europe for Citizens Programme. It is responsible for the management of the complete life
cycle of these projects. The EACEA also oversees the Europe for Citizens Points (PEC) whereby
member states are responsible for ensuring targeted, effective grass-roots dissemination of practical
information on the programme implementation. A list of PECs can be found on the EACEA website
(http://eacea.ec.europa.eu).
The member states and other participating countries: The EU member states are also involved in
the implementation of the ECP, in particular through the Programme Committee, to which they
appoint representatives. And, of course, they also host the PECs to inform their citizens first-hand
about the programme. Last but not least municipalities, councils, associations, NGOs etc. are also
involved at the national level in the development and orientation of the EPC.
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Module 3 – The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
3.1.3. Elements of a good project idea
Of course this question cannot be answered in a simple way, however here are some hints and recommendations
(please also see Modules 5 - 7):
have an interesting, innovative and viable idea
pay attention to the objectives of the programme, to its priority themes, to the horizontal features
and to the concept of this measure
prepare a clear and detailed presentation of a meeting’s programme
explain what will happen during the project, what the role of the participants will be and what
the sustainable results of your project will be
ensure that the programme provides an active role for the participants
explain how the local community is involved in the project, e.g. during the preparation phase, in
connection with project meetings or in connection with possible follow-up activities
explain what kinds of publicity and other public exposure the project will receive.
Exercise
Please find out where your national PEC is and make contact with its staff via email, telephone or
by visiting it in person. Ask questions regarding what you wish to know about the ECP and do not
forget to inform the PEC about the AESAEC project. Arrange a date when the entire group of learners
can visit the PEC in person.
Unit 2
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Action 1 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
In-depth view of Action 1 (Active Citizens for Europe) and its relevance
for senior citizens
After this unit you will be able to:
evaluate Action 1 of the ECP according to its potential for being applied
to for projects addressing topics relevant to senior citizens.
We have made Europe, but, how do we make Europeans
(Toolkit on European Citizenship)
Warming up:
Please discuss following questions:
Are you familiar with the concept of town twinning Is your home town
or village twinned with a town or village in another European country
If so, have you ever been involved in any of the activities
In your opinion do you think that town twinning actions are of any
value or are they just a waste of time Why Why not
3.2.1. Action 1 – Active Citizens for Europe
Listen / Read
This action is divided in three measures:
1. Town Twinning: this measure consists of benefiting from the links established at the local
level between twinned municipalities for fostering exchanges and cooperation.
55

2. Citizens Projects and Support measures which provide support for citizens projects which
are aimed at assisting Europeans from different countries to come together around common
issue and promote the exchange of good practice and to help pool experience.
Ad 1. Town Twinning
Town twinning is a reality in Europe today as a significant number of municipalities are linked to
each other through town twinning agreements. Town twinning encourages exchanges of experiences
on a variety of issues of European interest, and it provides unique opportunities to learn about the
daily lives of citizens in other European countries. The Town Twinning measure is subdivided into
two sub-measures:
Citizens meetings, the objectives of which are defined as:
- a commitment to European integration
- active participation
- building up friendship
- intercultural dialogue.
Networks of twinned towns, whose objective are (in addition to 1.1.):
- networking among municipalities on issues of common interest appears to be an important
means for enabling informed discussions and exchange of good practice. Twinning is
a strong link that binds municipalities; therefore, the potential of the networks created
by a series of town twinning links should be used for developing thematic and long-lasting
cooperation between towns. Activities should have a defined target group for which the
selected theme is particularly relevant and involve community members active in the
subject area (experts, local associations, citizens and citizens groups directly affected by
the theme etc.).
Ad 2 Citizens projects and support measures
Citizens meetings: a major challenge of the European Union today is to bridge the gap between
the European citizens and the European institutions. This measure aims at exploring innovative
methodologies and approaches to encourage the active participation of citizens
at the European level and to stimulate dialogue between European citizens and European
institutions.
Support measures: this function is a tool to develop the quality of projects submitted within
Action 1. It also supports the exchange of experiences, expertise and good practice.
Exercise / Reflection / Research Discuss
Visit the official website of the Europe for Citizens Programme
(http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.html), look up an appropriate language version (it is
available in English, German and French) and find the Programme Guide in your national language.
There you can find detailed information about the programme in general as well as about Action 1.
Please form 4 groups, and split the 4 measures between these groups; each group should now insert
the missing information concerning the measure it is has been allocated in the wanted table below.
Present the results to each other and discuss what advantages and disadvantages are generally connected
to the different frameworks of the measures when applying for and implementing a project
(such as being eligible in the first place, the effort needed to apply for a project, the demands of
implementing a project, amount of grant money received etc.)
Do also discuss which of the measures you think are more suitable for submitting a project application
in order to increase the participation of senior citizens in the Europe for Citizens Programme
56

Module 3 – The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
WANTED
Europe for Citizens Programme –
Action 1: Active Citizens for Europe
Characteristics
Measure
1.1.
Measure
1.2.
Measure
2.1.
Measure
2.2.
Topics
Objectives
Target groups
and eligible organisations
Eligible countries
Min. and Max.
Number of
partners
Role of
partners
Min. and max.
duration of action
Documents to
be used for application
Deadline(s) for
application
Regulations for
reporting
Grant regulations
Payment procedures
Others:
____________________
57

Unit 3
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Action 2 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
In-depth view of Action 2 (Active Civil Society in Europe) and its relevance
for senior citizens
After this unit you will be able to:
evaluate Action 2 of the ECP according to its potential for being applied
to for projects addressing topics relevant to senior citizens.
Citizenship is the peaceful struggle though a public sphere which is dialogical.
(Toolkit on European Citizenship)
Warming up:
Explain briefly what these concepts mean to you:
- think tanks
- civil society organisations.
3.3.1. Action 2 – Active Civil Society in Europe
Listen / Read
This action supports civil society organisations and think tanks as a tool for specific links among
European citizens and the European Union. It is divided into three measures:
1. Structural support for European policy research organisations (think tanks)
2. Structural support for civil society organisations at the European level
3. Support for projects initiated by civil society organisations
Ad Measure 1 and 2: In order to provide think tanks and civil society organisations at the European
level with the necessary capacity and stability for extending and structuring their activities, structural
support is available to European policy research organisations in the form of an operating grant
to cover part of their running costs.
Ad Measure 3: Support for projects initiated by civil society organisations.
Project should take one of the following forms:
- Event projects: seminars, colloquia, workshops, debates, hearings, meetings, training activities,
socio-cultural activities.
- Projects with tangible products: publications, websites, TV/radio broadcasts, production of
audio-visual material, opinion polls, studies, analysis, production of education and training
materials, application of new information technologies.
Structure of the projects:
- action
- debate
- reflection
- networking.
Exercise / Reflection / Research / Discuss
Please have a look again at the ECP programme guide and collect information and data concerning
all issues that are relevant to know about if one wishes to apply for a project. Therefore, please use
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Module 3 – The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
again the above wanted table and adapt it yourself to the content and structure of Action 2. Do
discuss again the advantages and disadvantages of the individual measures and their specific potential
for project applications submitted by and for senior citizens.
Unit4
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Action 3 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
In-depth view of Action 3 (Together for Europe) and its relevance for
senior citizens
After this unit you will be able to:
evaluate Action 3 of the ECP according to its potential for being applied
to for projects addressing topics relevant to senior citizens.
Citizenship is not just a certain status, defined by a set of rights and responsibilities. It
is also an identity, an expression of one’s membership of a political community.
(Will Kymlicka)
Warming up:
In groups of 3-4 persons reflect and answer the next question:
According to your opinion what topic could be celebrated by a
high profile event in 2010
3.4.1. Action 3 – Together for Europe
Listen / Read
This action aims at deepening the concept of Active European Citizenship and promoting its understanding
all over Europe, thereby contributing to bringing “Europe closer to its citizens”, through
three sets of measures:
1. high profile events
2. studies
3. information and dissemination tools.
Ad Measure 1:
High profile events should be substantial in scale and scope, striking a chord with the peoples of
Europe, helping them to increase their sense of belonging to the same community, making them
aware of the history, achievements and values of the European Union, involving them in intercultural
dialogue and contributing to the development of their European Identity.
Ad Measure 2:
In order to obtain a better understanding of active citizenship at the European level the Commission
will carry out studies, surveys and opinion polls.
Ad Measure 3:
Places the focus on citizens and the variety of initiatives in the area of active citizenship, on comprehensive
information about the various activities of the programme, on other European actions
related to citizenship and on other relevant initiatives provided through an internet portal or by
other means.
ATTENTION!
It is important to know that this action will be initiated and carried out only by the European Commission,
and therefore it is not planned to select projects under the measure described below.
59

Exercise / Reflection / Research / Discuss
Try to identify projects, activities, events etc. initiated by the European Commission under this
Action 3 of the ECP. Evaluate them according to the level at which they address your interests, demands
and needs Would you have spent money on them too Why Why not
Unit 5
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Action 4 of the ECP and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
In-depth view of Action 4 (Active European Remembrance) and its relevance
for senior citizens
After this unit you will be able to:
evaluate Action 4 of the ECP according to its potential for being applied
to for projects addressing topics relevant to senior citizens.
“To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons
or daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.” (Isaiah 56;5)
Warming up:
According to your opinion what does active remembrance mean
Have you organised or attended an Active European Remembrance
event If so, what was it about
3.5.1. Action 4 – Active European Remembrance
Listen / Read
The European Union is built on fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and respect for
human rights. In order to fully appreciate their meaning it is necessary to remember the breaches
of those principles caused by Nazism and Stalinism in Europe. It is particularly important to do so
now, as the witnesses are gradually disappearing. An awareness of the full dimensions and tragic
consequences of the Second World War will thereby be maintained, particularly through the involvement
of younger generations of Europeans.
By their activities citizens will engage in a reflection on the origins of the European Union, on the
history of European integration, which has preserved peace among its members, and finally on today’s
Europe, thereby moving beyond the past and building the future. This action will therefore
play an important role in nourishing the broad reflection on the future of Europe and in promoting
active European citizenship.
The following projects will be funded:
- Projects linked to the preservation of the main sites and memorials
associated with the mass deportations, the former concentration
camps and other large-scale martyrdom and extermination sites of
Nazism, as well as the archives documenting these events, and for
keeping alive the memory of the victims, as well as the memory of
those who, under extreme conditions, rescued people from the
Holocaust.
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Module 3 – The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
- Projects linked to the commemoration of the victims of mass exterminations
and mass deportations associated with Stalinism, as
well as the preservation of the memorials and archives documenting
these events.
Projects can take one of the following forms:
- Event projects: conferences, seminars, colloquia, workshops, meetings, training activities,
socio-cultural activities etc.
- Projects with tangible products: publications, websites, TV/radio broadcasts, production of
audio-visual material, opinion polls, studies, analysis, production of education and training
materials, application of new information technologies etc.
Exercises
All projects must correspond to at least one of the following features and are encouraged to combine
several of them. Please have a look at the ECP guide and find out what needs to be understood
under these features:
Preservation:
Commemoration:
Reflection:
Networking:
Finally, please discuss the following questions in connection with Action 4 of the ECP:
- What kind of project topics dealing with the country you are living in at the moment could
fit into this action
- Are you a time witness yourself who could enrich an Action 4 project with your own life experience
- The Active European Remembrance action seems to be perfect for the participation and engagement
of senior citizens. Do you agree with this statement What are the challenges and
what are the risks of this action according to your opinion
- This action somehow seems to link the atrocities of World War Two and of the Nazi and the
Stalin regimes with the birth of the modern Europe, which finally developed into the European
Union as we know it today. Do you agree with this fundamental idea or not
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Unit 3.6.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Think Tank
Introduction to an evaluation tool in order to reflect about the ECP and
its potential for senior citizens
After this unit you will be able to:
evaluate the ECP according to its potential for being applied to for projects
addressing topics relevant to senior citizens ´
express profound recommendations about how to make the ECP more
attractive to senior citizens.
3.6.1. Check list for project ideas in the ECP
As a very basic method of orientation to help decide whether or not you should continue with planning
to apply for EU funding under the ECP, please consider the following criteria:
1) Under which action/measure
do you
wish to submit a project
application
2) What is the basic idea
of your project
(please describe briefly)
3) Do what degree does
your idea meet the requirements
of the …
4) Is the promoter an eligible organisation/body
5) Is/are the partner organisation(s)
eligible
6) Do you have the potential (knowhow,
time, manpower, funds etc.) to
write and submit an application
7) Is it realistic to submit a proposal
before the application deadline
8) Do you have the potential (knowhow,
time, manpower, funds etc.) to
implement a project in case it is
funded
9) Do you have the financial means to
pre-finance some of the project activities
and to finance expenses not
covered by the funding (if there are
any) as your own contribution
10) Are you aware of all accompanying
activities in connection with an EU
project (such as evaluation and particularly
public relation activities)
11) Does your idea have a high degree
of potential for sustainability and will
there be an (added) value also after
the project has ended
12) Now, after answering all of these
questions, are you still willing to continue
with the development of your
project idea
Evaluation and checklist for project ideas under the ECP
Action 1
Action 2
Measure: _________________________________________________
Action 3
Action 4
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Fully
Not at all
programme’s objectives
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
thematic priorities
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
horizontal features
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
motivation/interest of your organisation
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
motivation/interest of your partner organisation 10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 - 0
Yes No Comments, plans, suggestions, considerations etc.
62

Module 3 – The Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP) and its relevance for AEC and Senior Citizens
3.6.2. Check list for project ideas in the ECP
Now that you know about the ECP in detail, what do you think about its orientation and potential,
and its challenges and risks Please use the table below to express your opinion, considerations,
recommendations etc.:
A) Which action do you
think is most appropriate
to promote the idea
of Europe and of Active
European Citizenship in
general
Action 1
Action 2
Action 3
Action 4
Fully
Evaluation of the ECP
Not at all
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
Comments, plans, suggestions, considerations
etc.
B) Which action do you
think is most appropriate
for senior citizens
to actively participate
in
Action 1
Action 2
Action 3
Action 4
Fully
Not at all
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0
Comments, plans, suggestions, considerations
etc.
C) What do you think are
the strengths of the
ECP
•
•
•
D) What kind of
chances/opportunities
do you have if you apply
for a project under the
ECP
(assuming the project
receives funding)
•
•
•
E) What do you think are
the weaknesses of the
ECP
•
•
•
F) What kinds of
risks/threats are there
if you apply for a project
under the ECP
(assuming the project
receives funding)
•
•
•
G) What should be done
to make the ECP more
attractive for senior
citizens to participate
in more actively
•
•
•
63

Please make contact with your national contact point for the EPC and arrange a meeting. Either
invite a representative to your training course or visit the office in your country with the whole
learner group. Present and discuss the results of this evaluation, and focus in particular on areas
and possible activities of the EPC that could be improved to make it more attractive to senior citizens
to participate in.
Hints for additional activities supporting the module implementation
• Please have a thorough look at the programme’s website for detailed information and including
the programme’s guide (http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.html).
• Make contact with your national office or info centre for the ECP and arrange a meeting; do
also consider contacting an official office for the promotion of the EU at a local or regional
level and discuss issues of interest to you with them.
• Do also use other opportunities to leave the classroom or to bring in persons from outside
your learning group as often as possible, e.g. visit activities and events organised by the ECP
or visit/invite people/organisations that already have experience of implementing a project
under this programme etc.
• In particular, when working on Action 4 you could consider your group holding a minute’s silence
in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust and other victims of the Nazi and Stalin
regimes.
• If possible visit a site of historic remembrance, a museum or documentation centre etc.
dealing with remembrance as described in Action 4.
References and other sources helpful for further information
Barberm N. (2002): Citizenship, Nationalism and the European Union. 27. European Law Review 241.
Centre for Civil Society/London School of Economics (01/03/2004): What is civil society
(http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CCS/what_is_civil_society.htm. Retrieved on 2006-10-30)
Counsil of Europe: The European Convention on Human Rights (1950) and its Five Protocols (1952-1966).
GD for Education and Culture (2009): Europe for Citizens Program 2007-2013. Program Guide. Version valid as of 1 st January
2009.
Toolkit on European Citizenship. (http://www.historyguide.org/europe/lecture16.html)
WIENER, A. (1998): European Citizenship Practice. Building Institutions of a Non-State. Boulder (CO): Westview Press.
WINTER J.A/D.M CURTIN/KELLERMANN, A.E./ WITTE, B.D. (Eds.) (1996): WEILER, J.H.H.: European Citizenship and Human
Right. pp 57-86. The Hague, Boston, London: Kluwer Law International.
http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/WhatYouWant.aspNT=005
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu
http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.html
http://ecas.org
http://europeanhistory.about.com/cs/enlightnment
www.coe.int
www.eacea.ec.europa.eu
www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html
www.utm.edu/research/iep/l/locke.htm
www.youtube.com/resultssearch_query=EU+citizenship&search_type=&aq=f
www.youtube.com/watchv=A7AMjNYA-n8
64

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
Csilla Lázár (Soros Educational Center Foundation/RO)
Module 4:
The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe
for Seniors (GIVE) and its relevance for AEC and
Senior Citizens
Unit 4.1.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
The Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) and Grundtvig in a nutshell
Raising awareness about the European Commission’s lifelong learning
policy
Familiarising learners with the Lifelong Learning Programme, its subprogrammes,
their aims, target groups and objectives
After this unit you will be able to:
understand the main ideas of the European Commission’s lifelong learning
policy
differentiate between several funds and programmes through which the
European Commission promotes lifelong learning for different target
groups (including senior citizens)
be aware of mobility opportunities for various target groups (including
senior citizens).
It’s never too late to learn!
Warming up:
My personal experience about lifelong learning:
Please think about the following questions, and then discuss them with your colleagues:
What does lifelong learning mean in my personal life
Does the proverb in the motto above fit into my life
What did you learn and when
Directly after you were born: _____________________________
at age three: ___________________________________________
at seven: ____________________________________________
at fifteen: __________________________________________
in your twenties: _______________________________________
in your thirties: ________________________________________
in your forties: _______________________________________
in your fifties: __________________________________________
last year/month/week: __________________________________
Learning from each other
Senior learners at the Soros Educational Center
in Miercurea-Ciuc/Csíkszereda (RO)
Listen / Read
4.1.1. Lifelong learning then and now
Look at the paintings below by Pieter Brueghel the Elder, or choose pictures by painters of other
genres, and try to figure out what types of abilities and skills were necessary in daily life during the
times depicted:
65

The Hay Harvest (Pieter Brueghel the Elder¸ Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle)
Netherlandish Proverbs (Pieter Brueghel the Elder¸ Gemäldegalerie Berlin)
What main skills and abilities – in social as well as in professional life – were necessary a few
hundred years ago
How much are these skills and abilities still needed today
How do you think lifelong learning differed in Brueghel’s time from what it is in today
66
Now watch following film about the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc78_en.htm

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
What do you think are the most important skills and abilities that are necessary to transform the
EU into “a leading economy in the global knowledge based society”
Is it realistic for an appropriate number of EU citizens to acquire these skills and abilities in the
near future What needs to be done to achieve this aim
Exercise / Reflection / Discuss
Find information in your national language about the European Commission’s lifelong learning policy
and the Lifelong Learning programme. Use all sources and media available and make a list of the
useful contact details and websites!
4.1.2. The EC’s Lifelong Learning components and main target area
The European Commission named the sub-programmes of its Lifelong Learning programme after
great thinkers and scientists in European history, namely Comenius, Grundtvig, Erasmus and
Leonardo da Vinci. Can you match the pictures below with these names What do you know
about their lives and work Look up there biographies, e.g. on the internet using Wikipedia and
make short presentations about them to your training group.
Based on the information you found about the lives and work of Comenius, Grundtvig, Leonardo and
Erasmus, and using information from the web resources you collected in a previous section, try to
match the following target groups to the relevant LLP sub-progammes (check the correct answers at the
end of module):
Comenius Grundtvig Leonardo Erasmus
A) pre-primary to upper secondary school children, teachers and other staff
B) students, teachers, researchers involved in higher education
C) vocational school learners and teachers
D) learners above the age of 20 and educational staff involved in formal, non-formal and
informal adult education.
Why do you think European strategists chose these names to represent the Lifelong Learning subprogrammes
67

4.1.3. Grundtvig for adult education
It’s never too late to learn – the existence of this proverb in most languages illustrates that learning
has never been conceived as an exclusive undertaking for young people. The European Commission
supports continuing and after-school education via the sub-programme called Grundtvig.
Look at the information brochures about the Grundtvig programme or visit a website in your national
language and try to find answers to the following questions (check the correct answers at the end of
module):
How many components does the Grundtvig programme currently have
How many of these are aimed at supporting individual mobility
According to the Lifelong Learning Programme Guide 2009, the Grundtvig sub-programme “addresses
the teaching and learning needs relating to all forms of adult learning which are not of a
predominantly vocational nature, as well as the institutions and organisations providing or facilitating
any form of such learning opportunities for adults – whether of a formal, non-formal or informal
nature – including those involved in the initial and in-service training of staff.”
Do you know any local / regional / national organisations that would / could be eligible for the
Grundtvig programme
Do you know any individuals who could apply for a Grundtvig mobility grant
4.1.4. Grundtvig case studies
Exercise / Self-study / Discuss
Read about some projects undertaken by institutions and individuals within various Grundtvig actions.
Try to match each case study to the names of the Grundtvig actions you learned about in the
previous section (check the correct answers at the end of module):
A) A group of 10 people from different European countries participated in a one week long
workshop in Romania, where they studied traditional handicrafts (wool processing, weaving
and feltmaking) and folk art. During the one week workshop they received an insight
into the history of traditional Transylvanian handicrafts, the use of handmade objects in
traditional peasant society, the role of handicrafts in modern societies as well as handicrafts
as a way of artistic self-expression. The costs of the workshop were partly covered
under the ________________ Grundtvig action of the LLP.
B) Four people from Hungary and four from Denmark, all aged above 50, have been volunteering
in each other’s countries working with non-profit disabled children’s institutions.
Their home organisations applied for a ________________ Grundtvig grant to support this
volunteering exchange.
C) Anna Kovac, trainer at the School for Inclusive Education in Prague, participated in a
five-day training course in Spain entitled Education and tackling drop-out and disaffection
in schools. She was supported by the European Commission under the ________________
Grundtvig action.
D) European Computer Network – Opening the internet up for the elderly (EuCoNet) is a
project in which partners from six different European countries (DE, IT, CZ, ES, SK, and
the UK) developed learning and teaching methods for senior citizens and exchanged existing
approaches like peer-learning and intergenerational learning. The project was supported
under the ________________ Grundtvig action.
68

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
Unit 4.2.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Volunteering as a form of Active Citizenship
Definition and discussion of forms and principles of volunteering
Presentation of volunteering opportunities for senior citizens
After this unit you will be able to:
define more clearly what volunteering can be
identify organisations that work with volunteers at the local, national
and European levels
identify what the most important aspects of a volunteering project are.
The highest reward for man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it.
(John Ruskin)
Warming up:
My idea of volunteering:
Is it usual for people in your community to volunteer
What are the most popular forms of volunteering
Have you ever volunteered
Thinking about these questions, write down two sentences
starting with “Volunteering is…”
Compare your sentences with those of your colleagues.
Volunteers
This file is licenced under the
Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0
Licence. In short: you are free to share and
make derivative works of the file under the
conditions that you appropriately attribute it,
and that you distribute it only under a licence
identical to this one.
4.2.1. Official approach towards volunteering
Listen / Read
The United Nations Volunteers Report, prepared for the UN General Assembly Special Session on
Social Development, Geneva, in February 2001, defines volunteering as follows:
There are three key defining characteristics of volunteering. Firstly the activity should not be undertaken
primarily for financial reward, although the reimbursement of expenses and some token
payment may be allowed.
Secondly the activity should be undertaken voluntarily, according to an individual’s own free-will
(…).
Thirdly the activity should be of benefit to someone other than the volunteer, or to society at large,
although it is recognised that volunteering brings significant benefit to the volunteer as well.
(Excerpt)
How much does your opinion differ from what this official definition states
4.2.2. Types of volunteering
Please undertake some brief “research” within your group concerning which kind of volunteer activities
are represented the most by answering the following questions:
Do you currently actively participate in or do voluntary work for one or more of the following types
of organisations
- Environmental protection or animal rights organisation
- Political party or organisation
- Leisure association for the elderly
69

- Trade union
- Charitable or social aid organisation
- Religious or church organisation
- Education, arts, music or cultural organisation
- Consumer organisation
- An organisation for the defence of elderly rights
- An organisation defending the interest of patients and / or disabled
- Business or professional organisation
- International organisation
- Other interest groups for specific causes
- None of these
- Don’t know
The above question has been taken from a piece of research on social reality in the EU (European
Commission’s Special Eurobarometer on Social Reality published in 2007). According to this report,
8 out of 10 EU citizens consider helping others or voluntary work as an important aspect of life, but
most Europeans (64%) do not actively participate or do any voluntary work, at least not with any of
the organisations listed in the questionnaire. The European average conceals large differences between
the results of the different member states.
Look at the chart below and compare your group’s results with the official results at the EU and
national levels. Are your group results similar to or different from the results presented in the report
What could be the reason for any differences
Tab. 1. Do you currently actively participate in or do voluntary work for
one or more of the following types of organisations
A sport club or club for outdoor activities
Education, arts, music or cultural association
Religious or church organisation
A charity orgnisation or social aid organisation
A trade union
A leisure association for the elderly
Other interest groups for specific causes
Political party or organisation
An environmental protection, animal rights
organisation, etc.
An international organisation
A business or professional organisation
Organisation defending the interest of patients
and/or disabled
An organisation for the defence of elderly rights
A consumer organisation
None of these (Spontaneous)
Don't know
1%
1%
2%
8%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
1%
13%
64%
Tab. 2. Extent of active participation or voluntary work in the EU
AT
NL
SE
FI
DK
LU
IE
BE
FR
SI
IT
CZ
SK
UK
EE
DE
MT
CY
LV
RO
ES
EL
HU
PL
PT
LT
BG
60%
55%
53%
50%
49%
45%
40%
37%
36%
35%
34%
33%
33%
28%
28%
25%
24%
23%
20%
18%
18%
18%
17%
16%
12%
11%
10%
70

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
Exercises
Where can I volunteer
Look at the list in the table below of types of organisations. Can you give examples of such local /
regional / national or European organisations Use the internet and / or other available sources to
search for such organisations. In small groups make a list of them.
Area of activities
Name of
organisation
Level of activity
(local/regional/national/EU)
Where located
Environmental protection or
animal rights organisation, etc.
Political party or organisation
Other interest groups for specific
causes
Leisure association for the elderly
Trade union
Charitable or social aid organisation
Religious or church organisation
Education, arts, music or cultural
organisation
Consumer organisation
An organisation for the defence
of elderly rights
An organisation defending the
interest of patients and/or disabled
Business or professional organisation
International
organisation
Other organisations
71

Compare your list with the findings of the other groups.
Which of these organisations have you joined as a volunteer Which could you join
Why did you join Why would you join Why not
Learn about volunteer work in practice!
Invite a volunteer worker from a local organisation to visit your group or visit his / her organisation
yourselves. Speak about his / her and your own experiences with volunteer work as well as how
volunteer work and the AESAEC training programme could be linked with each other.
The following questions might help you to start off a conversation:
Why did you decide to work as a volunteer
How did you choose the organisation you are working for
What are the personal benefits of your volunteering and what are the benefits to your organisation
What are the most difficult / challenging aspects of your work and how do you prepare for your
activities in general
How do you make use of what you have learnt during volunteering
Have you or has your organisation ever participated in an EU funded project in connection with
your volunteer work
How would you recommend volunteering to the course participants
Self-study exercise
Below you can read a report about a successful volunteering project (adapted from Davide di Pietro
(2006): STILL ACTIVE! Handbook for Volunteers). Firstly please read the description of the project
and afterwards discuss the following aspects:
How do you think the volunteers benefited from the project
How do you think the host organsiation has benefited from the project
How do you think the project was prepared
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:
PROJECT HOST: Tiszta Forrás Alapítvány, Budapest, Hungary
PROFILE AND CONTEXT OF THE WORK: Volunteer work in a homeless shelter. The
shelter has two different areas: one area is for homeless people, who visit during the
day and receive food, take a shower and wash their clothes. A second is a residential
area where only men live and can cook for themselves. These men are officially registered
and regularly go to work. Once a week the shelter holds a Bible study and a
meeting for people addicted to alcohol.
ACTIVITIES OF THE VISITING SENIOR VOLUNTEER: A volunteer may help in the daily
housework, can help in the office or in the kitchen. Depending on language skills, he
can be of great help in communicating with the homeless people, sharing time with
them and listening to their problems.
NUMBER OF WEEKS: 2 - 4 weeks
WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM THE SENIOR VOLUNTEER
No qualifications are necessary, but openness and the willingness to be confronted by
serious problems. Since 2002 the organisation has worked with foreign volunteers aged
18-25 years from Germany and other EU countries, however the ability to express
oneself in the Hungarian language is desirable (minimum level: 1).
72

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
Now read the final report written by a volunteer and see how the project turned out to
be successful in practice. Which were the key elements for the success of the project
FINAL REPORT OF THE VOLUNTEER
Antonio, Italian volunteer
PRACTICAL ASPECT:
I already had some previous experience in Rome. I did voluntary work in a
community house for abandoned children. I can’t speak Hungarian and my
English is quite basic. Upon my arrival I felt immediately in tune with the
employees of the organisation. Only one of the employees spoke a little English,
and she was essential for the success of my stay there. My task was to
support those responsible for buying and distributing food and other basic
items. It was also the best place to have contact with the reality of homelessness.
From the start the co-operation has been constructive and friendly
despite the language difficulties. We used sign language most of the time
and their kindness, spontaneity and care did the rest. I was well housed,
staying in a guesthouse with English breakfast near the centre in Budapest
(an interesting and very beautiful city). During the daily activities I had
lunch with the organisation’s volunteers. I felt at home because I had all
that I needed during the day and the people who I met there treated me in a
friendly way. I felt fully satisfied with the visit.
SOCIAL AND HUMAN ASPECTS:
First of all I am very happy to have had this experience. Even if I had stayed
there for a shorter period I think that the benefit of this experience for
spirit and mind would still have been higher than originally expected. I tried
to live this experience in the best way from the start. For example, one day
I attended a mass (ecumenical rite) for homeless people. During it a woman
burst out crying as she told us her experience. This memory will be stamped
on my mind for ever as well as the silence and the expression of the other
people attending the mass. Doing voluntary work in one’s own country is
natural but to go and help people in other countries is something that perhaps
everyone should do. I believe it is necessary to be determined, resolute
and conscious of what somebody wants to give.
ADVICE, SUGGESTION
I consider that this experience should be encountered on an individual basis
to stimulate a spirit of integration. Two weeks is too short a time if someone
does not have an open mind. English is essential, but it is also necessary
to be interested, motivated, friendly and curious.
4.2.3. Thinking of possible volunteering projects
Volunteering projects vary according to factors such as local needs and the volunteer’s interests and
motivation. In small groups discuss the following topics:
Could the project described above be implemented in your country Why Why not
Is the topic of the project relevant / of high priority in your country Why Why not
Can you think of other volunteering project topics that could be relevant to the local needs of
your community
Compare your group’s ideas with those of other groups and save your project ideas to be discussed
further in the following units of this module.
73

Unit 4.3.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Senior Volunteering Exchange Projects
Goals of senior volunteering exchange programmes
Opportunities and risks of senior volunteering exchange programmes
Participants in a senior volunteering exchange project and their roles
Generating senior volunteering exchange project ideas
After this unit you will be able to:
understand the goal of senior volunteer exchange programmes
understand the benefits of international volunteering
understand the intercultural aspects of international volunteering
be acquainted with the components of a senior volunteering project
know the main tasks that a volunteering project involves
be familiar with some of the risks and opportunities that international
volunteering presents
identify projects that would meet your motivation and interest
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
(St. Augustine)
Warming up:
Friendship after war:
The start of structured volunteering endeavours goes
back to the beginning of the Twentieth Century. On
the UNESCO’s website the following event is described:
In 1920 the first international voluntary work camp
was organised in Esnes, a village near Verdun
(France), an area ravaged by horrible battle that
took some one million lives during the war. An initiative
of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation,
the camp helped rebuild farms and other
physical infrastructure, and, significantly, included
volunteers who had been enemy soldiers in the
Great War.
(From work camps to virtual aid, by Arthur Gillette,
former Secretary General of the Coordinating Committee
for International Voluntary Service)
Search the internet to find more information about
this first volunteering camp, and then discuss the following:
What do you think was the underlying message of
this action
Why do you think German volunteers joined the
group
How do you think local people appreciated the
work of the volunteers
Workcamp in Esnes near Verdun, 1920.
An early example of international volunteering.
74

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
4.3.1. Participants in international volunteering
Listen / Read
International volunteering means – besides solidarity and help - people from different nationalities,
backgrounds and lifestyles working closely to achieve a common goal. Volunteering abroad is an
intercultural - and in the case of senior volunteers – an intergenerational experience, where not
only the volunteer is introduced to another culture, but also the host organisation learns new perspectives
from the foreign volunteer.
Basically, an international senior volunteering project has three main participants / parties:
I. A Hosting Organisation
II. A Sending Organisation
III. The Senior Volunteer(s)
Look at the following list of tasks, which is a jumbled up list of the three parties’ responsibilities
(adapted from di Pietro (2006): STILL ACTIVE! A training course for senior volunteers). Discuss these
tasks within your group and decide which task is expected to be performed by which of the above
listed participants / parties (check the correct answers at the end of module).
N° Task
Participant /
party responsible
I II III
1 Send sufficient and clear information to sending organisation and volunteers
2 Keep motivated during the exchange programme
3 Recruit and prepare volunteers
4 Follow all the agreements set out at the pre-departure stage
5 Respect the local culture of the host organisation
6
Look for information on the host country and organisation and share it with the
volunteers
7
Arrange the programme including practicalities such as meals, accommodation and
travel
8 Transportation from the meeting point (airport or train station) to the project site
9
Welcoming and first orientation for volunteers: introduce the volunteer to the
project and to all the members, volunteers and staff of the hosting organisation
10
Pooling of previous volunteers and asking them to inform the new volunteers about
their volunteering experience
11
Take care of the volunteer during and after the project, ensuring contacts with the
hosting organisation while the volunteer is in the project
12 Be responsible for their own belongings and for themselves
13 Keep and respect different roles within the hosting organisation and the project
14
Introduce the local culture, customs, laws, traditions, beliefs and norms to the
volunteers
15 Be involved in the local community
16 Evaluate the project (write evaluation reports)
17 Be responsible for volunteers sent
18 Identification of a tutor or a contact person for the volunteers
19 Coordinating daily work of the volunteers
20 Provide information about arrival date and time of the volunteer
21 Help new volunteers after returning to the home country
22 Self-manage their free time
23 Provide emergency contact persons for families of volunteers
24 Coordinating daily work for the volunteers
25 Organising extra activities, e.g. leisure activities, or giving information about
opportunities and activities in the area
75

Practicing a senior volunteering exchange action through role-play
Exercise
Please split yourselves into two groups and imagine that Group A represents the board of a hosting
organisation and Group B a group of senior volunteers. In order to be prepared for the different
roles involved please read carefully the following profile and set-up:
Group A:
You are the board of a non-profit organisation that represents older people in a German city.
You collaborate with experts, service organisations and self-help groups, and the organisation
also runs a day-care centre for older people. You have been contacted by a French organisation
that has similar aims and they propose sending to you a small group of retired people (including
an electrician, a nurse, a housewife and a carpenter) to volunteer with your organisation for a
period of three weeks.
Discuss the following topics:
Would you be challenged in thinking about this opportunity
What would you expect from this volunteering project
What information would you ask the French organisation to provide before you make a
decision
How would you prepare for the project
Group B.
You are a group of retired French volunteers (among you there is an electrician, a nurse, a
housewife and a carpenter). You are members of a French organisation that represents the rights
of older people. You would like to improve your organisation and also your German language
skills. Some of you studied German at school and have been a few times to Germany and Austria
for short visits. The board of your organisation plans a volunteer exchange with a German older
people’s organisation. You are thinking about applying to be involved.
Discuss the following topics:
What would you expect from this volunteering project
What would you ask from the prospective host organisation
How would you prepare for the project
After each person has defined and formulated his / her expectations, needs and fears in connection
with this senior volunteering exchange action, please “meet” each other to exchange approaches
and information and to agree on a basic framework about how the action can be prepared and implemented
successfully.
Read / Discuss
4.3.2. Opportunities and risks of international volunteering
Read the first part of an Italian volunteer’s testimonial (adapted from di Pietro, (2006): Still active.
A training course for senior volunteers) about her international volunteering experience in an organic
agriculture co-operative. The volunteer should have been involved in the different activities
of the co-operative, such as promotion, production and distribution of the products.
Report of Italian volunteer (part 1)
76
I could tell enjoyable anecdotes, about my trip, my luggage and the transhipment
of an over 60, as I was immediately called upon to prove that I belong
to those “Active citizens who still have physical energy”. However I’d
rather describe myself as a clumsy and a bit provincial woman, a sort of a
“grandmother with a big suitcase”.
In my bag, indeed, I had a bit of everything: a small moka machine “Bialetti”,
some organic coffee, some food as a present for my hosts, some
“Navelli” saffron and other nonsense stuff to compensate for the terrible
truth: I DO NOT KNOW ANY FRENCH AND I KNOW NOTHNING ABOUT COM-
PUTERS! What will they do with me What will I do with them

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
Discuss the possible risks of a senior volunteering project, e.g. lack of communication, intolerance,
lack of clear tasks, isolation of the volunteer etc.
How do you think this specific experience continued
Now please read the second part of the report before answering the questions below:
Report of Italian volunteer (part 2)
My selfish will was to improve my little knowledge of French. I don’t think I
achieved this aim although I do think that I have somehow succeeded in giving
and receiving good and positive feelings and experiences.
My ten year experience as an events manager allowed me to find and suggest
some ways of improving the commercial aspect of the produce and the communication,
in order to reach a wider audience and to help develop the
hosting organisation.
As I had previously been told about the situation I was entering into, I had
done some research in the Rome area, collecting material from organic factories
and organisations, which turned out to be useful and interesting for
my French hosts.
Personally I am happy to have been involved in this kind of agricultural activity,
which was something completely new to me. Therefore I actively participated
and finally rediscovered the pleasure of simple things, which give
you the real taste of life, and give the feeling that you are still useful and
interested in others.
It may sound strange, but I felt such a pleasure in staying in the countryside
all day long, picking beans, pumpkins and apples, and helping to prepare and
deliver the baskets of produce.
I even dare to say that my experience was definitely positive for me and for
the hosting community. I’ve been officially invited to the inauguration of an
old factory that, on my advice, should become a sort of agrotourism and organic
cultural centre to host courses, meetings etc… (my proposal was presented
to the town council and accepted instead of their project, which only
included the restoration of the building and the setting up of the organisation’s
offices). I am proud of this. I’m in contact with them, and I always
send material which I consider useful to them.
Questions:
In order to complete a successful volunteering visit are volunteers required to have specific
skills What do you consider is more important: professional skills, social skills, intercultural
skills or any other skills
Are language skills vitally important for an international volunteer How can one overcome the
language barrier, before and during the volunteering visit
Could a local volunteer achieve the same goals within a project as an exchange volunteer If
not, what would be different and what are the benefits / disadvantages
Joining an international volunteering project yourself:
If you were to join an international volunteering project, what kind of project would you like to
be involved in
A) social: care for disadvantaged people, activities for disabled children, teaching skills to difficult
unemployed youngsters etc.
B) environmental: cleaning beaches or parks, restoring sites of particular historical interest,
helping in facilitating educational activities etc.
C) cultural: helping in the organisation of festivals or cultural events, helping cultural organisations
in their daily administration and in the organisation of campaigns, supporting intercultural
education projects etc.
D) Others: ____________________________________________________________________
Which European country would you like to go to, and why
77

What kind of activities would you like to do there (Do not only think of activities that are just
related to your qualifications, but also those that relate to your hobbies or activities you have
never tried but have always wanted to do)
Unit 4.4.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
GIVE - Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors
Understanding the objectives and structure of the GIVE programme
Knowing about the application process and the structure of the application
form
Generation of promising project ideas
After this unit you will be able to:
understand the European dimension and European added value of senior
volunteering projects
understand the goals, structure and application procedure for GIVE projects
complete the relevant parts of the GIVE application form
produce eligible and appropriate project ideas to apply for European
funding under the GIVE programme.
We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of
verbal instruction. (Malcolm Gladwell)
Warming up:
In the previous unit you have read about various volunteering
projects. Starting from the idea of “learning by experience”,
what do you think:
Do the volunteering projects presented contribute to the
enhancement of Active European Citizenship amongst the
participants If yes, how - if not, why not
What do volunteers learn from this volunteering experience
Help, learn, travel!
Listen / Read / Exercise
4.4.1. The “GIVE” action under the Lifelong Learning Programme
According to the European Commission “volunteering is increasingly recognised as a very valuable
informal learning experience for people of all ages.” (Guide to the Lifelong Learning Programme)
Therefore since 2009 the European Commission supports senior volunteering projects under the
Grundtvig component of the Lifelong Learning Programme. This specific programme is called the
Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE) and it is managed by National Agencies in all
countries participating in the Lifelong Learning Programme. On the European Commission’s website
you will find links to all National Agencies involved in the Lifelong Learning Programme:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc1208_en.htm
Please visit the website of your National Agency and access the National Call for Proposals under
the Lifelong Learning Programme. Look up all the available information about senior volunteering
projects and GIVE, consult the printed guides and information materials distributed by the trainers
and then answer the following questions by matching the questions in Table A with the answers in
Table B:
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Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
1
2
3
4
5
Table A
What are the main objectives of the EC
projects supporting senior volunteering
Who can participate in a “GIVE” project
(what is the criteria for individuals –
volunteers - to participate)
How many organisations need apply together
for the same project What will be
their role
How many volunteers can take part in a
“GIVE” project
How long should the volunteering period
be
6 Where are applications sent F
7
How much funding can a project receive
from the EC and what kind a costs will
this money cover
A
B
C
D
E
G
Table B
Individual adults participating in a GIVE project as volunteers
must be aged 50 or above and be either nationals of:
- a country participating in the LLP, or
- other countries, provided that they are either permanent
residents or registered as stateless persons holding refugee
status in a country which participates in the programme.
- to enable senior citizens to volunteer in another European
country for any kind of non-profit activity, as a form of informal
(and mutual) learning activity;
- to create lasting cooperation between the host and sending
organisations around a specific topic or target group, as a result
of the exchange of volunteers;
- to enable the local communities involved in the exchange of
volunteers to draw on the potential of senior citizens as a
source of knowledge, skills and experience.
An application must be sent to the relevant National Agency of
the applicant.
The volunteering activity in another country is carried out in one
continuous period of 3-8 weeks.
Each organisation will be expected to send 2-6 volunteers and to
host 2-6 volunteers during the grant period.
Funding for Senior Volunteering Projects is provided in the form
of a lump-sum grant to each of the two organisations participating
in the project concerned. It is designed to help cover both
the travel and subsistence costs of the volunteers and the costs
incurred by the organisations involved in the project.
The GIVE project partnership must consist of two organisations,
each located in different countries, participating in the LLP, and
at least one of must be an EU member state.
In the last phase of the previous unit you discussed about joining an international volunteering project.
Based on the guidelines of the GIVE programme, about which you just heard, please discuss
the following:
Do you think your project idea would be eligible for funding under the GIVE programme
What kind of improvements still need to be made to your idea (E.g. finding a transnational
partner, to agree on a specific work programme for incoming volunteers etc.; please do also
look at the closing exercise in 4.2.3.).
In case you decide to apply for a GIVE project, Modules 5 and 6 will help you to design and write a
good proposal, and Module 7 will provide you with hints and tips for implementing the project successfully.
Read / Write / Discuss
4.4.2. Becoming familiar with the application form and process
If you wish to meet the challenge of participating in a GIVE project, then applications need to be
sent to the National Agencies of the sending and hosting organisations. For this purpose there is a
specifically designed application form available which has the following basic structure:
1. Submission data (who to send the application to and by when)
2. Coordinator (presentation of one of the two partners, that is the one that assumes the coordination
of the project)
3. Partner (presentation of the other partner organisation)
4. Declaration of honour
5. Description of the proposed budget
6. Project management, work programme, key activities
7. Requested funding
79

Think of the senior volunteering project ideas that you have outlined in the previous section of this
unit, and discuss what should be written in the following sections of the application. Then insert key
words or key sentences into the tables provided below. (In this context, please consider thoroughly
what you learnt about the risks and opportunities involved with international senior volunteering
projects.)
A) Communication and cooperation (section 5.5. of the application form)
B) How will the activities match the volunteer’s profiles and interests
(section 5.7.4 of the application form)
Linguistic difficulties foreseen (section 5.9.2 of the application form)
C) What impacts and benefits do you expect the project activities to have on volunteers
(section 5.10.1 of the application form)
D) Impact and benefits resulting from the European nature of the project
(section 5.10.4 of the application form)
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Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
Read / Discuss
The GIVE quiz
True or false Individually complete the quiz below then discuss your results with the whole group.
(check the correct answers at the end of module)
True False
Are the following statements “True” or “False”
☺ ☹
a GIVE supports volunteering activities by seniors in their own countries.
Volunteering is undertaken of a person’s own free-will, choice and motivation, and
b
is without concern for financial gain.
c Volunteers replace professional, paid employees.
d Projects should involve two organisations from two different countries.
e The GIVE programme is open to adult citizens aged 50 or above.
Activities in which the volunteers will be involved can be profit making activities.
f
g
The funding from the EC is a contribution towards the travel and subsistence costs
of the volunteers and organisational costs of the sending and receiving organisations.
Hints for additional activities supporting the module implementation
• Spend some time on the websites indicated in this module and find out whether or not they
are of some interest to you.
• Make contact with your National Agency for the LLP, in particular the person(s) responsible
for the GIVE programme, and arrange a meeting.
• Do also use other opportunities to leave the classroom or to bring in persons from outside
your learning group as often as possible, e.g. visit NGOs, speak with organisations / persons
that have already experienced LLP, GIVE programme and / or volunteering work and / or intercultural
co-operation, visit locations where volunteering work is happening successfully
etc.
• This unit includes many activities which ask for the active as well as creative participation
of learners in training – please make sure these activities are implemented.
• Introduce different media and events, such as films, theatre, concerts, performances, exhibitions
etc., to deal with some of the more generic topics of this module, e.g. social engagement
and responsibility, intercultural exchange and learning, changes and risks of intercultural
co-operation etc. Please make sure that the all learners participate in and benefit
from such informal learning activities.
• Follow daily news on TV, radio, in newspapers etc. more intensively when they focus on social
engagement, volunteering work, intercultural co-operation in this field as well as EU
programmes. Share what you have heard and read about these issues with the whole project
group and turn this news into a valuable learning experience.
Correct answers to questions asked in this module
4.1.2 Pictures from left to right: Leonardo da Vinci; John Amos Comenius; Desiderius
Erasmus of Rotterdam; Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig
4.1.2 Programmes: a = Comenius; b = Erasmus; c = Leonardo da Vinci; d = Grundtvig
4.1.3. In 2009, Grundtvig has 10 components, 6 of them dedicated to mobility of staff and
learners
4.1.4. Case studies: 1 = Grundtvig Workshop; 2 = Grundtvig Senior Volunteering Project; 3
= Grundtvig In-Service Training for Adult Education Staff; 4 = Grundtvig multilateral
projects
4.3.1. Tasks for actors:
81

the Hosting Organisation’s tasks: 1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 24, 25
the Sending Organisation’s tasks: 3, 6, 10, 11, 17, 20, 23
the Senior Volunteer’s tasks: 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 15, 21, 22
4.4.1 Answers: 1-b; 2-a; 3-g; 4-e; 5-d; 6-c; 7-f
4.4.2. True – false: a-false, b-true, c-false, d-true, e-true, f-false, g-true
References and other sources helpful for further information
(2007): Europe for Lifelong Learning; Brussels: Unit Coordination of Lifelong Learning programmes. (Leaflet available in 21
languages)
(2007): European Social Reality. Report/Special Eurobarometer 273. European Commission.
(http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_273_en.pdf)
(2007): Grundtvig. Success Stories/ Europe creates opportunities. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European
Communities (Brochure available in 21 languages).
(2008): Grundtvig - Adult education. Mobility creates opportunities/ European success stories. Luxembourg: Office for Official
Publications of the European Communities. (Brochure available in De, En, Fr and Sl languages)
(2009): Lifelong learning programme. Creativity and Innovation/Success stories. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications
of the European Communities (Brochure available in Cs, De, En, Fr languages, no paper version available)
Application form for Senior Volunteering projects (available from the national agencies)
Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) - Guide 2009 – FICHES for each sub-programme
(http://ec.europa.eu/education/llp/doc/call09/fiches_en.pdf)
Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) Guide 2009 (part 1 and 2)
(http://ec.europa.eu/education/llp/doc/call09/part1_en.pdf )
(http://ec.europa.eu/education/llp/doc/call09/part2_en.pdf )
Lombardi, Erika/Pietro, Davide di (2006): Travelling abroad/International Volunteering Service Proposal for Senior Citizens;
Rome: Lunaria (http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/04%20Handbook%20en.pdf)
Mazzeo, Arianna/Bertinelli, Alessandra (2005): Survey of best practices and training methodologies to involve senior volunteers
in civil society organisations’ activities and projects: the cases of Italy and Austria.
(http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/1.Survey%20of%20best%20practices.pdf)
Pietro, Davide di (2006): STILL ACTIVE! A guidebook for the Organizations of the Civil Society Interested in Hosting Senior
Volunteers; Rome: Lunaria (http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/6.Guidebook%20for%20organisation%20English.pdf;
available in De, It, En, Fr)
Pietro, Davide di (2006): STILL ACTIVE! Handbook for volunteers; Rome: Lunaria (http://www.sevennetwork.eu/site/files/10.Handbook_for_volunteers_english.pdf)
Pietro, Davide di (2006): STILL ACTIVE! Training course for senior volunteers; Rome: Lunaria (http://www.sevennetwork.eu/site/files/14.training_course_Eng.pdf;
available in De, En, Fr and It)
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc78_en.htm
(Lifelong Learning Programme)
http://wikipedia.org
(Wikipedia / free encyclopaedia)
http://www.lebenslanges-lernen.at/
(National Agency for Austria)
http://www.ciriusonline.dk/
(National Agency for Denmark)
http://www.programmaleonardo.net/llp/index.asp
(National Agency for Italy)
http://www.anpcdefp.ro
(National Agency for Romania)
http://www.cmepius.si/
(National Agency for Slovenia)
http://www.oapee.es/
(National Agency for Spain)
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/educ-training_en.html#PDF
(Catalogue of all the publications of the EC on the Lifelong Learning Programme)
http://www.seven-network.eu
(EU project and network for senior volunteer exchange projects)
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm
(The European Commission’s public opinion analyses homepage)
www.ines.org/sci
(Civil Service International - A world-wide peace movement)
82

Module 4 – The Grundtvig Initiative on Volunteering in Europe for Seniors (GIVE)
www.eurag-europe.org
(European federation for Older people – have been involved in volunteering projects)
www.alliance-netwok.org
(Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations)
http://www.cev.be/1-news_home-RO.html
(European Volunteer Centre)
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc1208_en.htm
(List of National Agencies’ websites)
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc86_en.htm
(the Grundtvig programme of the EC’s official website)
http://ec.europa.eu/education/grundtvig/doc986_en.htm
(The GIVE sub-programme of the EC’s official website)
http://www.seven-network.eu/site/q=en/node/240
(GIVE partner organisation finder)
http://www.seven-network.eu/site/q=node/248
(Materials, handbooks, templates that can be used in the process of a senior volunteering exchange/GIVE project)
http://www.schloss-bedheim.de
(Location of a previous senior volunteering project)
Dirty Pretty Things. Film by Stephen Frears (GB; 2002)
East is East. Film by Damien O’Donnell (GB; 1999).
Monsoon Wedding. Film by Mira Nair (USA/IND/FR; 2001)
83

Max Reisinger / Katrin Meister (VHS Graz/AT) /Michael Schwaiger (Auxilium/AT)
Module 5:
Unit 5.1.
Unit in a nutshell
The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II:
Linguistic part
General considerations concerning communication
Participants become acquainted with the different levels and areas of
communication
Consideration of the difference between verbal and non-verbal communication
Understanding essential features of intercultural communication
Achievements
After this unit you will be able to:
understand why sometimes misunderstandings between two communication
partners can occur and what they should pay attention to in order to
avoid these
be aware of non-verbal signs, with regard to others as well as to oneself.
If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person's point of view
and see things from that person's angle as well as from your own. (Henry Ford)
Warming up:
Two old friends, Mr. Red and Mr. Blue, meet after not having heard from each other for some months:
Mr. Blue: Hi, how are you
Mr. Red: Great – I was on vacation for the last two weeks; it was prefect:
Mr. Blue: Oh, how I envy you – I can imagine exactly how it was:
What can we deduct from this story, particularly in connection with an EU project proposal
5.1.1. Means of communication
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
Communication consists of an exchange of many individual messages. These messages are conveyed
from one person (the sender) to another person (the receiver). A message must not necessarily consist
of words and language. We can also communicate when we do not speak:
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Module 5 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II: Linguistic Part
non-verbal
(mimicking, gestures,
silence)
verbal
(all forms that are
expressed with the help
of words)
Communication
paraverbal
(flow of words, speed of
speech, length of
pauses)
extraverbal
(clothing, smell,
external characteristics)
A person can express himself / herself non-verbally as well as verbally. Verbal signals must first be
learnt in order to understand them and to be able to use them. This takes place in the first years of
life. Our environment determines not only the accent and tone of our speech, but also the content
which we connect with individual words. Thus when a mother in Sweden asks her child to think of a
large animal the child would very likely think of a reindeer whereas a child in Africa might have an
elephant in mind.
However, our messages are not only be transported by different means, they can also include different
information, background knowledge etc.
Some linguists say that each message consists of up to four different aspects, which are:
• the direct message, in which I pass on information
• the self-disclosure message gives information about what is happening with me and what I
want to be made known about me
• the appeal states what I want of the other person
• the indirect message, with which the sender conveys the relationship to the receiver
For example, a person says to another person: “Can you lend me 20 Euros please”
The direct message reads: I would like to borrow 20 Euros.
The self-disclosure message says: I urgently need 20 Euros and I do not have them myself.
The indirect message conveys: We have a close relationship and I would not borrow money from
just any person.
The appeal means: I would very much appreciate to be lent 20 Euros.
Of course, it not always easy to differentiate between these four messages. However, usually the
sender gives a message with these four aspects, which the receiver picks up. It can happen that the
receiver does not pick up all four aspects of the message at the same level of intensity as that intended
by the sender. It can also occur that the receiver does not understand or wrongly interprets
one, more or even all aspects of the message – this is also called a misunderstanding!
Persons, due to their life experience, apply their own ideas in a communication situation. Remember
the short story above: Although the good friends both speak about a holiday they have a totally
85

different concept in mind. So, from one point of view, communication is therefore nothing more
than the exchange of subjective ideas – and one can only hope that this works!
5.1.2. Intercultural communication
When people communicate with each other and behave towards each other they are always being
influenced by their own background. We all have a tendency to expect that the behaviour of foreigners
corresponds with the rules of our own culture – however, it not always does. Quite often
communication fails because we simply do not know which concepts exist in different cultures and
how they are communicated.
The following simple examples prove this:
to tap on the head
• In Italy, France and Germany this sign means, when looking at the other person, how stupid
are you!
• In England and Spain the same gesture relates to oneself and means Wow, I am clever!
The OK – gesture in which the thumb and index finger form a circle
• In America this gesture says everything is ok!
• In Japan, as the gesture reminds one of a coin, it means so, now we can discuss finance!
• In Southern France the gesture represents a nil and means worthless.
• In many parts of Latin America, parts of Europe and Russia this gesture is extremely vulgar,
being understood as a sexual gesture and is very insulting.
With the index finger to beckon someone
• This gesture is used in Europe and America to hail a person to come to oneself.
• In Asia this gesture is used however only for dogs and prostitutes. The polite form is by repeatedly
fanning with the right hand to signal “come here!”
Discuss / Exercise
However, although they might be important for successful information transfer, when we write an
application we must forego non-verbal signs. What are the advantages and also disadvantages when
we are limited to verbal language List some points below.
Advantages
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
Disadvantages
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
Please do also watch the film about the topic of non-verbal communication on YouTube
(www.youtube.com/watchv=RX3eBScTQNQ). This clip shows how different the same idea can be
expressed in various countries with the aid of gestures. Are there any interesting gestures in your
country Talk about them.
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Module 5 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II: Linguistic Part
Unit 5.2.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Working with texts and writing an application
Learning how to write in order to appeal to the feelings of the reader,
and above all which feelings should be addressed when writing an application
Becoming acquainted with the characteristics of different types of texts
and formal criteria relevant for the application.
After this unit you will be able to:
define formal and content-based criteria of an application and differentiate
it from other types of text
appeal to the feelings of the project’s evaluator
The limitations of language are the limitations of the world. (Ludwig Wittgenstein)
Warming up:
E_____________________
U_____________________
R_____________________
O_____________________
P_____________________
E_____________________
A_____________________
N_____________________
U_____________________
N_____________________
I _____________________
O_____________________
N_____________________
For each letter choose a word beginning with that letter which is relevant to the topic “European
Union.” Form two groups, each writing a speech, whereby one group defends the values and activities
of the European Union and the second group argues against. It is important that the words you
chose in the above exercise are included in the speech.
Give the speeches and decide which arguments you would follow!
5.2.1. The power of words
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
Whoever works with text does not have any pictures at his disposal, which means that pictures must
be formed through language. The writer must arouse ideas and pictures so that we can see, hear,
smell, taste and feel what has been written.
The writer of a text can awaken vivid memories in us and even trigger physical reactions. Just think
of a freshly baked chocolate cake. Can you smell it Does your saliva start to flow Or imagine that
you are sucking a juicy, large and very sour lemon. Can you feel the cavity of your mouth, how the
corners of your mouth contract. Our feelings are linked to our imagination. For example if I portray
a hungry child crying bitterly then it provokes our sympathy, whereas a child depicted as smiling
causes us to show affection – without us actively needing to do anything.
It is the power of the imagination, which can be incorporated into our whole body!
This issue might also be important when writing a proposal, because evaluators are also human beings.
In addition to consciously following the quality criteria, they will also evaluate your project
unknowingly following their emotions and feelings.
Bearing this consideration in mind, which of the evaluator’s feelings do you think you should appeal
to when writing an application And which ones are best not to appeal to
87

Feelings which should be appealed to:
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
Feelings which should not be appealed to:
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
Now think about your speeches and which feelings they addressed
Positive feelings
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
Negative feelings
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
5.2.2. Different occasions – different texts
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
When we transfer information to others verbally we choose different types of texts, depending on
the situation, occasion, context, the receiver etc. What types of texts can you think of
For example three types of text are fairy tale, poem and application. Each has its own characteristics.
Please decide, with the aid of the so called differential diagram below, to what extent the
characteristics listed below apply to these types of texts (indicate them with a cross in different
colours):
Fairy Tale
Poem
Application
Structured O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O Unstructured
Subjective perspective O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O Objective perspective
real O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O fictitious
Research is necessary
before starting to
write
O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O
Research is not necessary
before starting to write
Technical terminology O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O No technical terminology
Set in future O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O Relates to the past
Place and time are
Place and time are not
O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O
important
important
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Module 5 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II: Linguistic Part
5.2.3. Writing an application seen from a linguistic point of view
Applications are specific types of text and therefore they should follow precise criteria and indicators.
It is a special skill to put complex information into writing and to persuade a totally unknown
person - very likely from a totally different country and with a totally different cultural background
– by means of a text to give you money for something he / she has perhaps never heard of before in
his / her life.
Be aware that not everybody is gifted with the ability to write successful proposals, and even if
somebody is very good at writing poems or diaries, it does not necessarily mean that the same person
is good at putting project ideas down on paper.
However, it is very difficult to give recommendations about how to write a good proposal, because
everyone (also every evaluator) will probably have their own preferences and ideas – nevertheless,
we try to give you some (not only linguistic) hints for you to consider before starting to write an
application.
Successful proposal writing always starts with a thorough read through of the application
details! One of the most common mistakes made is not going through all the details of the
call and the application in the first place, in order to get an idea of what kind of projects
the EC wants to be submitted (in terms of target groups, objectives, aims, duration, activities
etc.)! Always follow these indicators and requirements – regardless of what you personally
think concerning the requirements of an ideal project.
Before you start writing make a basic plan of your project idea including all important activities,
results, outputs etc. and try to structure them in rough – use this plan as a guideline
and check it regularly!
For a more detailed development try to work top-down instead of bottom-up. Start from
the general frameworks and requirements of the programme and plan downwards to detailed
activities and outcomes – this way you are making sure your project is always on solid
ground.
Usually you can submit your project in several languages (always in one of EN, DE or FR, and
quite often also in any of the other official EU languages). If you choose a language other
than your mother tongue you should really have excellent skills in that foreign language –
otherwise you really are on thin ice!
Do some basic research to get a better idea about your chosen topic and also to get a feeling
for the circumstances associated with it in other counties or at the EU level – this is crucially
important to the EU!
Be authentic in whatever you are writing, which means write about things you understand
yourself – experienced evaluators will find out very easily if you do have a good grasp of
what you are writing about.
Do not assume that your project idea and its frameworks are understood easily by others
just because you understand them – be aware that outside your region, country, culture,
field of profession etc. and without any pre-knowledge, it might be extremely difficult to
follow your descriptions and arguments.
Write in clear and if possible short and understandable sentences – remember that an
evaluator may read through hundreds of pages a day and therefore to make his / her task
easier describe your main ideas clearly and concisely. (By the way, nowadays electronic application
forms are quite often used which have character limitations for each section!)
89

However, at the same time you need to describe and explain a complex topic, involving
several partners and using a multi-level project process. This does all require a certain
amount of space – so do not be too brief either! Such catch 22 situations are not unusual
when writing a project application!
Do not be afraid to use technical / professional terms as they underline your expertise,
which is quite important too. However, do not overdo it and make sure the reader knows
what is meant by them.
For the same reason also try to structure your text properly, e.g. you can make your key
messages clear by underlining, -) listing or writing in bold.
Also redundancies are recommended but you will be in trouble if you push too hard. It is
fine to remind the evaluator from time to time what the main ideas and outputs of your
project are but he / she must not get the impression that you have run out of ideas and are
simply repeating things previously stated in the application.
The application must be of the highest possible linguistic quality (grammar, orthography,
expression etc.); regardless of fairness, it gives a poor impression if you are not able to
write your application properly. Of course, an evaluator should not judge this aspect; however
he / she may unknowingly become negatively influenced if it is poorly written.
Further to what was said before, it makes sense for somebody with a high level of language
skills and who has not yet been involved in the proposal writing to check through the application
and improve the linguistic level – thus you have quality control over the linguistic
quality as well as over the content and structure.
Try to entertain the evaluator as best you can, meaning to make him / her interested in
reading the proposal, to feel the spirit of the project group and to connect with your undertaking.
After going through your proposal, the evaluator should have the feeling of having
heard something new or even having learnt something new, and that your proposal is worth
spending money on. This is a very important point for your project’s summary, which is usually
on one of the first few pages of a proposal.
Try to be definite about your planned activities, and do not put them into questions, e.g.
we will do…, we will organise … and not: we might do …, very likely it will be organised …).
If you are not convinced of what will happen in your project how should the evaluator be
However, do also try to be as objective as possible when explaining your project and the
problems / circumstances relating to why the project is necessary. The evaluator must not
think that you are the only person who thinks positively about your project but that there is
a general need for it. Therefore, persuade with expressions like As commonly known … or
With regards to recent studies … instead of I am strongly convinced that … or We think it
would be the best that … Of course your opinion and expertise also count in the evaluator’s
eyes, but do try to underline them by using publications, bulletins, studies, media releases
etc.
Make sure you always indicate the most relevant information concerning your proposal (particularly
in the summary); usually you simply need to follow the most important question
words (also called W words), which are:
What
Why
Who
Where
When
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Module 5 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II: Linguistic Part
How long
How much (concerning the budget)
Start the application writing as early as possible; so that you do not run out of time and that
you have some time left for proof-reading and evaluation before submission. However, due
to some mystic law of nature, almost no applications are finished before the day of submission!
What else do you think could be important Please add recommendations and hints:
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Exercise
Basically there is not too much difference between writing proposals and writing newspaper articles.
Both should be written professionally and be linguistically correct. They should inform about
certain circumstances and key areas in an engaging way but without affecting too much. They
should be structured and provide a good overview, and quite often both have to deal with space
limitations. The only major difference is that the proposal tends to be about the future whereas an
article would normally relate to the past.
In any case people writing newspaper articles are professionals and should have highly developed
language skills. Therefore, visit the editorial office of a local newspaper and discuss this issue with
a professional editor; if necessary - the following questions may help you:
1) What is the most difficult challenge in terms of formulating text in your profession
2) In your opinion what differentiates a good text from a not so good text
3) What should one without fail pay attention to when writing a text
4) Can one learn to write good texts
5) When you must write about a topic, which you are not particularly interested in, how are you still
able to produce a good piece of text
6) To what extent do you take into account potential intercultural interferences (misunderstandings
caused by differences in cultural backgrounds) when writing your texts
7) How relevant are topics concerning the European Union for your work
8) Would you write an article about our project Can we support you anyhow
9) Other questions:
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Unit 5.3.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Advertising psychology meets application writing
Considering some basic elements of advertising psychology
Becoming acquainted with the interrelation between advertising and an
application
After this unit you will be able to:
consider some psychological elements of advertising when writing an application
identify which motives are important for an EU application and which are
not
differentiate between topics which are in and those which are out in the
EU project application world.
The bait must be tasty for the fish and not for the angler. (Advertising saying)
Warming up:
One of the most common concepts attempting to explain
the structure that man’s behavior follows is Maslow’s Pyramid,
named after the famous American psychologist. It
was always controversially discussed and today it seems to
be somewhat out of date - nevertheless have a close look
at the diagram on the left and discuss whether or not you
can draw helpful conclusions from it.
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
5.3.1. Basic considerations and their link to application writing
Why do we buy And why do we opt for product A and not for B, or for idea X and not for Z
These psychological decision making components are also relevant during the writing of an application,
as they sell our product (the application) to a potential customer (the European Commission or
rather the evaluator), with the aim of it being preferred above other products (other applications).
Therefore, it might be worth thinking about this once or twice before deciding upon your project
concept.
Motivation and incentives: Although the reasons and drivers for human behaviour is an extremely
complex field and far away from being researched in depth, one can very generally say that man
acts (= either doing something or not doing something – from a psychological point of view, both are
acting!) because of one or more internal motives meets one or more external incentives – together
they result in the level of motivation to act.
If we want to estimate whether somebody’s level of motivation to act, e.g. of an evaluator to approve
or not approve a project application, is high or low, we need to consider that the following
basic rules can be drawn up:
• the lower the motive is developed, the higher the incentive must be
• the higher the motive is developed, the lower the incentive can be
For example, when a person has satisfied his / her thirst then a drink must appear very appetising
for the person to want to drink it. However, when someone is really thirsty, then the he / she will
drink almost anything without needing much convincing. Generally, the following basic motives are
considered to determine human behaviour:
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Module 5 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II: Linguistic Part
fear wish for love belonging to a group autonomy moral feelings security faith
eroticism individuality performance confidence traditions freedom vitality
As this set of motives is valid for human behaviour it should also be relevant to the behaviour of
evaluators in terms of selecting or not selecting your proposal for funding. What do you think Does
this view make sense If yes, which of the motives listed above relate to an evaluator and should be
addressed when writing a proposal
more relevant
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
☺________________________________
less relevant
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹_________________________________
☹________________________________
As stated above, motives are only one side of the coin. The other side are incentives, which in this
case would be your project, its objectives, activities and aims, target groups etc.
One of the most important elements in this context is the general topic of your project. Of course,
the importance of topics can differ from country to country (what is a problem in one country might
not even exist in another, and what people from one culture would like to discuss might be stigmatised
and frowned upon by others). However, you should make sure that your project’s topic, objectives
and aims are in line with the general idea of the EU and its contemporary developments at the
political, economic and social levels - therefore, it is important to be aware of them!
In the table below you will find some topics listed. Which of them do you think are most likely to
receive funding from the EC If you are not sure, try to find out on the internet, in publications or
contact local info points.
Topics
Successful migration
Very
likely
Don’t
know
No
chance
People with disabilities
European citizenship
Liberalisation of drug use
New EU member states
Senior citizens
Cultural unity
Preference to particular countries or groups of people
The demographic development of society
Linguistic unity
Consideration to fringe groups in society
Mobility and exchange between EU citizens
Preservation of cultural stereotypes
Equality of status for all persons
Promotion of xenophobia
Health
Retaining different models and systems of education
Creation of a unified Euro zone
Smoke-free Europe
Euthanasia
Further enlargement of the Union
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Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
5.3.2. Some other helpful perspectives when writing a proposal
Whether we are writing a job application, going to an interview or applying for a project - these are
all forms of advertising. Either we are advertising ourselves, a product, an idea or a project. Therefore
it makes sense to learn from the professionals. Of course, it takes more than just considering a
few key ideas to become a good advertising expert. However, the following three thoughts may help
you when planning and writing an application.
Determination of target group
One must know the selected target group for a certain product or idea also when advertising oneself.
Important factors determining the behaviour of a target group are gender, age, income level,
social level, background, local environment, needs, profession, lifestyle, education, hobbies etc.
When applying for a project, your target group is the EC and its evaluators, because it is mainly
they who recommend that a project receives funding. These evaluators are usually not employed by
the EC, but are subcontracted experts from all over Europe and anyone can apply for such a job
(see http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/about/call_experts/call_experts_2007_en.php). This means that
you never know who will evaluate your proposal; you neither know his / her nationality and cultural
background, nor his / her gender or age and you also do not know if this person is an expert in the
specific area of your project’s topic. So, there are two questions, one can deduce from these circumstances:
A) If it is not possible to foresee any of the factors mentioned above – are there any other indicators
which are very likely to be given Which ones do you think and why
B) How do you think these circumstances can influence the way you structure and write your
proposal
Uniqueness and distinctiveness of a project idea
Connect a product, an idea or yourself with a characteristic, which makes it / you unique. This
characteristic could represent something special or something typical in a person, a region or a subject.
In the advertising world this is called the USP – Unique Selling Proposition. Of course, to claim
a USP for oneself is not easy at all, but it is often attempted. Just think of the many hair shampoos
which are all basically just for washing hair, but with much effort and imagination each of them
tries hard to be unique and distinguishable from others through its own characteristics: Is it aimed
at dandruff, greasy hair or fine hair It can be differentiated from others in the way it makes hair
appear, the way it lathers up and its smell.
So if it is possible for hair shampoos to be unique and distinguishable then it should be possible for
your project to be so too. Therefore, be innovative or creative (or both!) when a) planning and b)
describing your project. Do always consider that there are many other projects also wanting to be
funded. Make sure what your USP is in comparison to all the others – What makes your project special
Why will the EU or society be better off if your project is funded What is the added value of
your project
Can you think of concrete examples for such a USP when planning / writing a project
Authenticity of partnership
When trying to be unique and distinguishable never forget to remain authentic. It could be that you
have a great innovative project idea with an excellent USP e.g. how to overcome the over-fishing of
the European seas by introducing ecologically sensitive open-sea fishing methods - but if you are an
Austrian promoter and your partnerships consist of organisations from the Czech Republic, Hungary,
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Module 5 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing II: Linguistic Part
Slovakia and Switzerland, you might have trouble demonstrating the appropriate know-how and
experience in this field.
Of course, this might not always be fair to the product (Why should Austrians not have clever ideas
about tackling the over-fishing of the seas), but authenticity and brand are important selling factors.
Or would you by pizza from Greece, vodka from Spain, tea from Austria or wine from Latvia
Therefore, be aware that your partnership, its experience, its fields of expertise, its cultural background
and your project in general should always demonstrate a high degree of authenticity in
terms of the project topic.
Exercise
The Culture and Tourism Department for your town is awarding, in connection with its 700 th anniversary,
a grant of 20,000 Euros to the most innovative project of the year on the topic of: How can
I support my town with its European identity
Of course, you are interested in applying for this award on behalf of your organisation and you develop
a draft project outline using the template below. Before starting with your work, please split
into 6 groups with each group selecting one of the following identities, which also should be defined
more in detail.
a) a brewery b) a prison c) a hospital
d) a religious group e) an elementary school f) a sports club
Project Title
Description of organisation
(min. 500 characters)
Objectives and aims
(min. 500 characters)
Target group(s)
(min. 500 characters)
Results and outcomes
(min. 500 characters)
Usage of fund
(min. 500 characters)
Why should your project be funded
(min. 500 characters)
Each group then presents its project outline to everyone. Discuss each of them and decide together
who should receive the grant! To reach a clear result, we suggest that each group can award 5, 3
95

and 1 points to 3 of the other projects (but not to their own one!). The project with the most points
is the winner!
Hints for additional activities supporting the module implementation
• Use opportunities to leave the classroom or to bring in persons from outside your learning
group as often as possible, e.g. visit the editor’s office of your local newspaper or meet professional
advertising managers etc.
• Do not forget to work and learn as creatively and actively as possible and use any relevant
and reasonable types of media.
References and other sources helpful for further information
111 Kurz-Rezepte für den Deutsch-Unterricht (DaF)(2006). 1.Aufl., S.78f. Stuttgart: Ernst Klett.
Birkenbihl, Vera F. (1995): Signale des Körpers/Körpersprache verstehen und Körpersprache einsetzen; S. 197, 204 ; Augsburg;
Weltbild Verlag.
De Saint-Exupéry, Antoine (1950): Der kleine Prinz. Zürich: Die Arche.
Desmond, Morris (1996): Das Tier Mensch. S.16, 36. München: Wilhelm Heyne Verlag.
Die Bibel. Das Buch Genesis (1986): Klagenfurt: Österreichisches Katholisches Bibelwerk.
Gesteland, Richard R. (1999): Global Business Behavior/Erfolgreiches Verhalten und Verhandeln im internationalen Geschäft.
S. 59; 79-82; Zürich: Orell Füssli Verlag.
Greisinger, Manfred (1999): Ihr ICH als unverwechselbare Marke. Entwickeln Sie sich zu ihrem persönlichen PR-Manage! S.23,
59. Wien/Waldviertel; Edition Stoareich.
Karmasin, Helene (1998): Produkte als Botschaften. 2.Aufl., S. 60, 61, 64-79. Wien: Ueberreuter Verlag.
Linden, Peter (1996): Besser schreiben/Wie Wörter wirken. Publiziert in der Journalisten- Werkstatt. S. 12, 13. Hsg. vom
MediumMagazin und dem Österreichischen Journalist Salzburg: Johann Oberauer GmbH.
Linden, Peter (1997): Besser schreiben/Wie Texte wirken. Publiziert in der Journalisten- Werkstatt. S.2; 4-5; 9-1. hsg. vom
MediumMagazin und dem Österreichischen Journalist. Salzburg: Johann Oberauer GmbH.
Löhr, Jörg (2004): Lebe deine Stärken! Wie du schaffst, was du willst. 2.Aufl., S. 162-164. Econ Verlag.
Marx, Karl (1969): Das Kapital. 3. Aufl., Augsburg, Ullstein Verlag.
Simmons, Annette (2002): Story Faktor/Mit guten Geschichten Menschen gewinnen. S. 113-115. Stuttgart/München: Deutsche
Verlags-Anstalt GmbH.
Sturtz, Peter/Wend, Petra (2004): Geschäftsbriefe schnell und sicher formulieren S.13-19. Rudolf Haufe Verlag
Toscani, Oliviero (1997): Die Werbung ist ein lächelndes Aas. S. 9-12, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer Verlag.
Trout, Jack (2003): Differenzieren oder Verlieren. So grenzen Sie sich vom Wettbewerb ab und gewinnen den Kampf um die
Kunden. S.90-93; 111-115; 135-137; 141-143; München: REDLINE Wirtschaft.
Tselikas I, Elektra (1999): Dramapädagogik im Sprachunterricht. S.81. Orell Füssli Verlag.
Walleczek, Sasha (2008): Die Walleczek Methode/Das Kochbuch. S.46, Wien: Ueberreuter Verlag.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akronym http://www.rp6/durchfuehrung/antragstellung/tipsantragstellung
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interkulturalit%C3%A4t
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redundanz
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/about/call_experts/call_experts_2007_en.php (EACEA’s calls for experts)
http://www.web-akronym.de/index1024.html
www.beziehungskiste.ch/themen/kommunikation.asp
www.beziehungskiste.ch/themen/kommunikation.asp
www.eberl.net/dk/Vortrag/d_4ohr.html
www.markenslogan.com/start.html
www.personal.uni-jena.de/p1erra/down/jap/scripts/yamanashi-%20Seminar%20(kommunikationsmodell).pdf
www.rethoriksturm.de/kommunikationsmodell.php
www.schulz-von-thun.de/mod.komquad.html
www.suz.deutschdigital.de/deutsch/textsorten/index.phppmDeutsch&subpm=pmD6
www.suz.deutschdigital.de/deutsch/textsorten/index.phppmDeutsch&subpm=pmD6
www.youtube.com/watchv=RX3eBScTQNQ (film clip about “body language”)
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Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Module 6:
Bettina Bussi/Patrizia Giorio (CO & SO Network/IT)
The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the
technical part 4
Unit 6.1.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
How to build a project group
Profiling of the perfect project partner
Profiling of the perfect project group
Finding suitable partners and avoiding false friends
Communicating with partners during the application period
After this unit you will be able to:
find new partners using existing different sources, such as websites, databases,
events, networks etc.
manage communications with partners in a variety of ways (“traditional”
and very new ones)
build a balanced partnership with a good mix of expertise
share the responsibility of the project implementation with your partners.
Building Europe and developing common European solutions to common European problems means
co-operating with people, organisations and institutions in other member states, learning from
each other and together developing new activities, practices and systems.
(European Commission’s Guide on Transnationality)
Warming up:
My personal experience about lifelong learning:
Which countries are eligible for the
Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) and for
the Europe for Citizens Programme (ECP)
Legend:
= the member states of the EU
= European countries
= Candidate countries
Listen / Read
6.1.1. Finding appropriate partners for an EU project
Working transnationally can be a very rewarding experience but it does depend upon establishing
clear goals, strong partnerships and good management structures. Transnational working requires
time, dedication and resources to develop it effectively. Choosing the right partners will determine
the success of a project!
You know this already from
other partner decisions …
… however, you should be also aware
that the average divorce rate in
Europe is about 48%!
4 Relevant information and useful instruments can also be found in Module 7.
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Although a project partnership is not for ever but just for one or two years, do nevertheless take
your time to design, select and build the best possible partnership to avoid future problems and a
project that resembles a “War of the Roses”!
How to build the
perfect project team!
Guidelines and Checklists
A) Selection of partner organisation
with respect to its …
… skills and abilities in relation
to the project topic
Criteria, considerations, frameworks etc.
Deduction / decision for partner selection
… capabilities, capacity and
potential
… commitment, motivation and
involvement
… resources and finances
… stability and track record
… designated contact people
within partner organisations
… other factors:
B) Design of partner group
according to …
… total numbers of partners
needed
Criteria, considerations, frameworks etc.
Deduction / decision for partner selection
… mixture of expertise
… sizes and types of organisations
… geographical scope and EU
dimension
… partners that have close
links to beneficiaries
… partners you have worked
with before or who have been
recommended
… other factors:
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Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
C) Finding new project partners
by …
… using existing institutional
links, such as networking bodies,
partnerships or work contacts
etc.
… taking advantage of local
initiatives
Opportunities, changes, risks, threats etc.
Deduction / decision for partner search
… using European support organisations
… logging onto European partner
search databases
… attending partner-finding
events organised by your own
national agency
… using other projects
… other methods:
D) Key success factors for
cooperation in transnational
project groups such as ….
… building up an atmosphere of
trust, understanding and respect
Opportunities, changes, risks, threats etc.
Deduction / decision for partner search
… developing a sense of shared
values and common goals and
interests
… defining and agreeing as a
group the roles, responsibilities,
timescales and expected outputs
… fully involving all partners in
all project steps and processes
(as far as is reasonable)
… implementing a reliable
system of communication (using
all available and suitable media
and tools)
… treasuring transparency as a
fundamental value in longdistance
cooperation
… other factor:
… other factor:
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Exercise / Reflection / Research / Discussion
In case you have already decided to apply for a specific project under one of the EU programmes
please use tables A) and B) above for shaping and designing the partnership you need to implement
the project.
To find appropriate partners please follow the recommendations in table C) and check the following
databases to gauge their usefulness:
http://partbase.programkontoret.se
www.bond.org.uk
www.eurodesk.org/edesk/EUToolbox.dogo=7
www.leonardo.org.uk/partnersearch
http://crm.formez.it/crm/ricerca_partner/index.php
According to the Survival Kit, developed as part of the Socrates programme, “activities that help in
building a team” are …
- getting to know each other as people
- getting to know each other as professionals
- getting to know the specific skills of each partner
- getting to know the motives of the participants
wishing to work in the project
- getting to know the motives of each institution
wishing to work in the project
- giving the team a name
- defining the main concepts and aims of the project
- setting the evaluation criteria and methods
- working with motivated and committed individuals
and institutions
- clearly defining roles and responsibilities
- agreeing how to address conflict situations
- sharing the ownership of the project
- agreeing on basic rules for teamwork
- reflecting on the work and progress of the team
- using a suitable communication system
- employing variable working methods at the meetings
- recognising and sharing individual expertise
- encouraging reserved members
- celebrating milestones
- dedicating enough time to social events
- preventing isolation - through politics, age, economic
circumstances, abilities relevant to the project, linguistic
skills
- guiding and leading – showing sensitivity towards the
feelings of others
Please discuss whether or not you agree or disagree with this list Is anything missing Is it possible,
or even advisable, to rank these recommendations
6.1.2. Cultural and language issues
Listen / Read / Exercise
Developing trust, knowledge and understanding within a group of transnational partners is essential
for effective working. However, with cultural differences, geographical distances and language barriers
this is one of the greatest challenges.
The understanding of cultural differences, i.e. ways of doing business, levels of formality etc., together
with having an open mind and a willingness to try different approaches is essential when
building an effective transnational partnership. Depending on the countries involved, cultural differences
can include distinctions at many levels, such as:
- legal and financial systems
- religious beliefs
- holiday times and public holidays
- levels of formality.
What other kind of cultural differences could influence your project’s implementation Do you have
your own experiences in connection with this
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Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Other critical issues in this context are the selection of an appropriate language and decent communications
structures. It is essential to resolve issues relating to language and communication
between the various partners at an early stage. Your partners will need to ensure that they possess
adequate language skills and agree a working language. There also needs to be good communication
and contact between the transnational partners. This may include informal networking as well as
more formal means of communication.
Nevertheless, even if you consider all of these issues there is no guarantee that you will avoid having
some rough times with your project partners, as the following case study from the Craft Into
Technology – Technology Into Craft project (UK/00/B/F/PP/129_106) highlights:
The Project Manager, June J., learnt a great deal from the problems she encountered with the
partnership itself. She not only had to devote much of her time to solving the various problems
but was also concerned that these issues might have easily led to major difficulties with the
project’s outcomes and budget.
In this project it was discovered that Partner 1 was unable to complete the work it had agreed
to carry out. The contact person at Partner 2 kept changing, which had consequences for the
achievement of its aims. Partner 3 was unable to access the funding because of internal difficulties
with its accountant and Partner 8 left the project before it started.
Following discussions with the UK National Agency, the following solutions were found:
after detailed discussions with the other partners Partner 1 was asked to leave the project
and the contract was terminated. The partner’s work and budget were re-allocated
between the remaining partners.
with Partner 2 continuous efforts were made to establish and maintain contact with each
new contact person, as their details became available. June informed each new person of
the project’s aims and their organisation’s role, and sought to keep them up-to-date with
the project and the work still to be carried out.
June wrote formally to Partner 3’s accountant and through her perseverance the funding
was eventually released to the partner.
a replacement partner was found for Partner 8 and approved by the rest of the partnership.
June’s recommendations to others are to:
carefully check out prospective partners
have a contingency plan
carefully word partnership agreements
ensure that partners understand and agree to their role.
101

102
What can you learn from this case study to help your own project plans

Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Unit 6.2.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
The project plan
Understanding its function and necessity
Introduction of best practice instruments and methods
Discussion of the key criteria for a good project plan
Use of a project plan as a proactive management instrument
After this unit you will be able to:
develop a common management framework including project milestones
and partner roles
define a workplan that is coherent and consistent with the rest of the
project application
define a clear and realistic timescale for the whole duration of the project.
The majority of project disasters are well planned way ahead
(Jerry Maiden, NASA)
Warming up:
Where are we
Although this diagram might not be in your
mother tongue, try to figure out what it is
about and what it says.
6.2.1. How to develop a project plan
Listen / Read
As each project is a complex and unique process comprehensive and thorough planning is crucial in
order to work towards the aims in an effective way. Before drafting the application it is useful to
start scheduling activities and make a schematic and visual presentation of the project. The following
elements and steps should be considered:
Step 1: Project content
Define the project aims, objectives, outcomes, products and quality indicators, following …
the Project Cycle Management (PCM) (see above)
the Logical Framework Approach (LFA), which helps you to build a logical framework
that support partners to discuss and think through all of the implications
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound objectives (= SMART)
Define monitoring and evaluation strategies (see below)
Step 2: Planning the organisation of the project
Divide the project into phases and structure the main activities; break the project down into
distinct phases, such as:
start up phase: recruiting the project team for partnership
103

ealisation phase: transnational activities are an integral part of the overall aims
of the project and are not just fringe activities
co-ordination phase: monitoring, dissemination, evaluation, financial
management and reporting
finalisation phase: the partners consider their next steps or exit strategy
for the project
State which partners will be involved and who has responsibility for the delivery of specific
tasks
Link the workplan and its tasks to a timetable
estimate how much time will be involved and set a deadline for completion
plan for the whole duration of the project
make sure timescales are realistic
Devise a coherent workplan: in a well defined workplan all the activities, results and deadlines
must be clearly described and scheduled
Step 3: Financial and administrative planning
Lastly, task scheduling should integrate the costs data for each task: planning costs and resources,
designing contractual arrangements, devising reporting systems and procedures (see
Unit 5).
Listen / Read / Exercise
One of the greatest challenges in connection with designing a project plan is the necessity to define
a problem, a desirable solution and a solution finding process in the first place. The method described
below, adapted from a business development approach, may be of some help to you.
The Problem and Objective Assessment
By this method, problem solving should be made easier by reformulating problems into objectives. Therefore, the problem
assessment identifies and organises problems which you can then work with. The objective assessment identifies and organises
objectives in direct relation to the problems. In this approach, objectives are desired future situations, not activities.
An activity will use verbs such as to improve, reduce, construct and so on. However, an objective is a description of what it
will be like once something has been improved, reduced, constructed etc. When formulating an objective it is often simply
a matter of turning the problem statement around, or imagining a completely new situation as the example below shows.
Preparation and implementation work:
1. Each participant involved receives two set of coloured cards: some yellow cards on which the problems should be
indicated and some green ones for formulating the objectives (important: do not write activities but describe
situations!).
2. Arrange an appropriate timescale for formulating problems and objectives.
3. After this work is finished, all yellow and green cards are put into two columns on a poster or pin board, leaving
space for a middle column (see Stage 1 below; important: yellow problem cards and green objective cards dealing
with the same issues should always be placed opposite each other).
4. Once all the problem cards are covered by at least one objective card, try to assess the hierarchy of the problems
(which is the largest problem of all) as well as the hierarchy of objectives (which objective is most desired / important
to be achieved) dealing with each problem.
5. Now you should have a ranking on the left hand side beginning with the largest problem, and a ranking on the
right hand side beginning with the most desired objective replacing a problem. Perhaps there are some gaps
within the hierarchy of problems as well as within the hierarchy of objectives. In this case you may need to reorganise
your hierarchies or even to define problems as well as objectives in more detail (however, it is essential
that you do not lose sight of the original problem).
6. After you have agreed on a set of appropriately ranked problems and objectives, try to fill in the middle column
with actions that can overcome the problems and achieve the objectives. These activities, which are most likely
to change the largest problem into the best objective, might be the basis for your project plan! (see Stage 2 below)
NOTE: This is a free-flowing exercise which can be re-started at any stage of the process; each person involved can write
any objective for any problem. There is no limit to the numbers of cards that can be written.
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Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Stage 1
Problems
Lack of senior citizens
participating in AEC
Objectives
Senior citizens fully engaged in
volunteer work
Senior citizens take over responsibility traditionally
covered by professionals/younger
people
Senior citizens actively involved in
decision making processes concerning
AEC
Too few senior citizens
actively involved in EU
projects
Percentage of EU projects dealing
with senior citizens issues reflect
roughly their demographic force
Senior citizens are fully aware of EU funding
opportunities
Senior citizens are equally represented in EU
project groups
Senior citizens are involved in decision
making processes when creating new funds
and programmes
Stage 2
Problems Actions Objectives
Lack of senior citizens
participating in AEC
• Introduce AEC better to seniors
• Adapt volunteer work structures
to better suit the needs
and demands of seniors
• Prepare senior citizens better for
volunteer work by increasing
training programmes for them
• Involve more seniors in management/
at board level
• Etc.
Senior citizens fully engaged in
volunteer work
Senior citizens take over responsibility traditionally
covered by professionals/younger
people
Senior citizens actively involved in
decision making processes concerning
AEC
Too few senior citizens
actively involved in EU
projects
• Develop training course to
increase project management
skills of seniors
• Increase promotional activities
concerning EU programmes
specific to this target group
• establish more programmes
particularly dedicated to the
needs and demands of senior
citizens
• Allow senior citizens better
access to decision making processes
and committees
• Etc.
Percentage of EU projects dealing
with senior citizens issues reflect
roughly their demographic force
Senior citizens are fully aware of EU funding
opportunities
Senior citizens are equally represented in EU
project groups
Senior citizens are involved in decision
making processes when creating new funds
and programmes
105

Listen / Read / Exercise
6.2.2. How to define monitoring strategies
Project management must keep track of how the project is progressing in terms of expenditure,
resource usage, implementation of activities, delivery of results, risk management etc. This is
achieved through monitoring, which is the systematic and continuous collection, analysis and use of
management information to support effective decision-making.
Monitoring the project activities as well as the administrative and financial areas is important in
terms of being able to demonstrate that your project has achieved the aims and objectives stated in
the application.
Monitoring is an internal management responsibility, although it may be complemented by external
monitoring inputs. These external monitoring inputs can be useful in providing objective verification
of results, additional technical advice and a big-picture view for management.
Therefore, it is crucial for a successful project implementation to:
choose the appropriate levels of monitoring according to the type of project
work out the information needed to be collected during the project
share the relevant rules with all the partners so that everyone has the right information
The Logical Framework
When designing a project plan, the Logical Framework may be a useful tool for you. It is structured as follows:
objectives indicators evidence assumptions
overall
outcome
1
7
8
partner
purpose
2 9
10 6
outputs
3 11 12 5
activities
13
14
15
16
preconditions
4
The following sequences should be respected in order to use the logical framework appropriately:
1. The objectives column is filled in first by working from the top to the bottom of the blue boxes 1-3
2. The assumptions column is filled in second by working from the bottom (!) to the top filling in the green boxes 4
(preconditions), 5 and 6. The relation between the objectives and the assumptions estimates the level of risk.
The assumptions column includes internal and external factors (partly outside your control) that affect your success
and tests them against the logic of the objectives.
3. Next, follow the indicators and evidence columns to establish the basis for measuring the effectiveness and clarity
of the objectives. Therefore, fill in red box 7 and yellow box 8, then red boxes 9 and 10 followed by yellow
boxes 11 and 12 – please keep to this order.
4. Finally, fill in the activity row (pink boxes 13-16) by keeping in mind that the objectives, and not the activities,
should lead the project. The activities must not be seen as the result of a project but as way to achieve the results,
which are the objectives.
Use this instrument when designing your project plan and discuss in a group about the strengths and
weaknesses of the project plan too. Can you formulate any recommendations for improvement
106

Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Unit 6.3.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
The evaluation plan
Understanding the function and necessity of evaluation
Introduction of best practice instruments and methods
Discussion of key criteria for good project evaluation
Understanding levels, perspectives and stakeholders of evaluation
After this unit you will be able to:
understand the purposes of evaluation
distinguish between internal and external evaluation
distinguish between quantitative and qualitative indicators
develop an effective evaluation strategy for your project.
In God we trust. All others must bring data. (Robert Hayden)
Warming up:
Our life is determined by evaluation processes and instruments much more
than we think. Sometimes they are more standardised and official, e.g.
exams at schools, taking a driving test, or applying for a passport etc., and
sometimes they are based more on very personal factors and have unofficial
character, such as when we evaluate a person as being more or less loveable,
when we choose our holiday destination or meals in restaurants etc.
Can you think of some more examples of evaluation in daily life Is evaluation
necessary to give us a clear picture of the world – and is it able to do
so
6.3.1. Character and purposes of evaluation
Listen / Read / Research / Discuss
For most project coordinators the process of evaluating a European project begins as they construct
their application for funding and make their bid to the European Commission. However, for many
projects the real implementation of an evaluation strategy will begin with the first project meeting.
Measuring the impact of a project is not easy; it is much more straightforward to measure the outputs,
such as publications, courses, websites etc.
Work already carried out on the evaluation of projects indicates that the most productive form of
evaluation is one which involves all the project partners, begins with the project itself and is a result
of debate and agreement within the partnership. Above all, evaluation is a process that must
not be left to the final stages of the project! Nevertheless one must understand that successful project
evaluation requires a lot of experience, know-how, skills and, last but not least, hard work. As
a start to this topic please try to define and clarify the following key elements dealing with evaluation:
What kind of methods and instruments of
evaluation do you know
Do you have experiences with them Do you
know about their advantages and disadvantages
What kind of quantitative and qualitative
indicators in connection with project
evaluation can you think of
Internal and external evaluation – what
could these be and how do they differ from
each other
107

Please identify and formulate as many methods, indicators, evaluators and milestones for the three
main areas of project evaluation: output/results – process/workflow - dissemination/implementation
Areas and issues of evaluation
Issues
Methods/instruments
Indicators
evaluators
quantitative qualitative internal external
time/frequency
Learning materials
Training activities
Project Outputs
website
Dissemination
materials
Awareness strategy
Conferences,
seminars, workshops
etc.
Other:
Other:
Project meetings
Work phases
Process and workflow
Time/crisis management
Information flow and
management
Organisation work
for training, conferences,
workshops
etc.
Cooperation between
partners
Cooperation with the
European Commission
Other:
Other:
Relevance of
products
Dissemination and impact
Acceptance of
products by target
groups/stakeholders
Quantity and Quality
of dissemination
activities
Post-project scenarios,
e.g. Intellectual
Property Rights
Potential of sustainability
and sustainable
use of products
Conferences,
seminars, workshops
etc.
Other:
Other:
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Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Due to the importance of continuous project monitoring and evaluation the following key principles
should be undertaken by the partners from the beginning:
Agree as a group how you will monitor and evaluate your project and how your monitoring
mechanism should function!
Be clear what you mean by evaluation and promote its benefits. Some partners may not be
very familiar with evaluation activities and could view them with suspicion!
Make sure that everybody involved understands that evaluation and monitoring are essential
to identify whether or not the project is still on track at any stage of its lifetime. This also
helps to analyse where problem areas in the project are, and the process should be the basis
for taking decisions about how to continue with the future implementation of the project.
Be clear from the outset what information you require from the partners, in what format
and by when!
Unit 6.4.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
The dissemination plan
Understanding the function and necessity of dissemination
Introduction of best practice instruments and methods
Discussion of key criteria for good project dissemination
Understanding levels, perspectives and stakeholders of dissemination
After this unit you will be able to:
develop a comprehensive dissemination strategy from the outset of the
project until its end
define the target audience for dissemination activities
define how to sustain the project’s results after the end of the project.
No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if
a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. (John Donne)
Warming up:
What do you think the tangible and intangible outputs of an
EU project could be
Why do you think the European Commission places great emphasis
on the importance of the dissemination activities
Listen / Read
6.4.1. Purpose of dissemination and exploitation activities
The results generated, the lessons learned and the experience gained by each project team should
be made available to the widest possible audience.
The primary means of making this happen are the twin activities of dissemination and exploitation,
also known together as valorisation. Their key objective is to maximise the impact of project results
by optimising their value, strengthening their impact, transferring them to different contexts, integrating
them in a sustainable way and using them actively in systems and practices at the local,
regional, national and European levels.
109

The different categories of results may require different approaches for dissemination and exploitation.
For example, tangible results, such as products, may be easily demonstrated by actual items,
graphical representations and samples, whereas intangible results, such as experiences, may require
alternative methods to demonstrate them, perhaps by using survey results, interview analysis
or accreditation programmes.
Generally, there are many different formal and informal possibilities as well as a huge variety of
methods and tools available to disseminate EU projects, such as events, workshops, seminars and
conferences.
Specific websites for dissemination 5 ; you can create posters, brochures, leaflets, logos, websites,
newsletters, films and other promotional materials; you can (and should) use mass media (TV, radio,
newspapers, magazines etc.) … there are no limits. However, whichever way you go, please
never forget to indicate that your project is funded by the EC and do always indicate the project
number and the logo of the particular EU Programme.
The main general aim of EC project policy is for project outcomes and results to be used in a sustainable
way. However, it does not mean that the products can be used for free purely because
their development was funded by the EC. You are entitled to register your Intellectual Property
Rights (IPR) if you choose to do so. Finally, your project products can have varying levels of status,
such as full copyright, “some rights reserved” copyright but also in public domain (no rights reserved).
However, this is a complex issue, and it might be worth consulting experts to be better
informed about it.
Last but not least, it needs to be underlined that having a strong and tailor-made dissemination and
exploitation plan implemented from the very beginning of a project is a key priority and will be
very intensively evaluated during the approval process of your project application. Therefore, it is
recommended to consider very carefully at which stage of the project you can disseminate or exploit
what to whom and how.
The table below, based on a list from the 2007 LLP Project Handbook introducing possible project
objectives, may help you in structuring your areas of activities, the objectives of dissemination, the
choice of methods and instruments and your potential target groups.
Products
Methods, tools and means of
dissemination
Target groups of dissemination
Time/duration/frequency of
dissemination/implementation
reports and comparative
studies
innovative education
and training modules
new curricula and
qualifications
guidance material for
new approaches and
methodologies
online education and
training material (elearning)
conferences and cultural
events
seminars, debates
and symposia
110
5 Such as the database for Leonardo da Vinci projects ADAM (www.adam-europe.eu) or the non-profit association European
Network for Transfer an Exploitation of EU Project Results (E.N.T.E.R.) www.enter-network.eu.

Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Methods
increased knowledge
of the participants
within a certain field
or topic
Methods, tools and means of
dissemination
Target groups of dissemination
Time/duration/frequency of
dissemination/implementation
cooperation processes
and methodologies
managerial lessons
learned and knowhow
exchange of ideas
and good practice
Experiences
experience gained by
the project partners
in the management
and undertaking of
transnational partnerships
experience gained by
individuals, e.g. from
mobility periods
exchange of experience
and best practice
through the establishment
of networks
Methods, tools and means of
dissemination
Target groups of dissemination
Time/duration/frequency of
dissemination/implementation
Policy lessons
drawn from the overall
experience of projects
within a programme
or from individual
projects that
are particularly innovative
or effective
feedback to inform
policy making e.g. in
the Lifelong Learning
field within the
Commission and
within member states
Methods, tools and means of
dissemination
Target groups of dissemination
Time/duration/frequency of
dissemination/implementation
EU Cooperation
new or extended
European partnerships
transnational sharing
of experience and
best practice
cross-cultural dialogue
and cooperation
new dialogue and
partnerships between
EU and non-EU countries
Methods, tools and means of
dissemination
Target groups of dissemination
Time/duration/frequency of
dissemination/implementation
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Unit 6.5.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
The Project budget
Definition of headings, categories and lump sum budgets
Understanding how to link a budget to a project plan and partner activities
Learning how to properly cost a project
Distinguishing between dynamic and static budgets
After this unit you will be able to:
distinguish between headings, categories and lump sum budgets
link the budget to the project plan and the partner activities
properly cost a project
A budget is just a method of worrying before you spend money, as well as afterwards. (Unknown)
Warming up:
In every project meeting we talk about financial issues. In actual fact we
devote about half of our time to these questions. But still our partners regularly
ask for clarification or for more information about eligible costs, payments,
reporting etc. (Coordinator of a Comenius project)
How do you think one can avoid such inconvenient and disruptive situations
Listen / Read
6.5.1. Budgetary framework and planning
Depending on the programme or action you are applying to, you need to calculate an estimated
budget by using frameworks and forms provided by the EC. Budgeting methods can vary from one
programme to another; however there are basically two different concepts of budgets:
- line item budget: this budget contains estimated details of all planned expenses and revenues,
classified by different headings such as staff, travel and subsistence, equipment, subcontracting
or other costs. When submitting a proposal you need to provide the EC with a
detailed financial plan with all individual data for expenses (usually, including costs for
every single working day of each partner organisation, each page that will be translated,
each journey to be made etc.).
Such a budget usually requires much experience and effort in its calculation as well as in its
administration.
- lump sum budget: In this case, the budget is calculated by defined lump sums paid on the
basis of the usage of defined items, e.g. a certain sum for each kilometre travelled or for
each working day spent at a project event etc.
Since lump sum budgets are not broken down into detailed items of expenditure, less effort
and experience is needed for their calculation and administration.
However, please be aware that both budgets are understood by the EC as being estimations.
Final payments will only be made on the basis of real expenses or items actually used in
connection with the project implementation.
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Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Research / Discuss
Calculating budgets is always a tricky issue when preparing a project application, and there are
always two major challenges connected with this issue: a) the calculation of the budget and b) the
administration of the budget (accounting, declaration of costs, payments etc.).
The good news is that the application documents usually provide you with – more or less - detailed
instructions as well as with a calculation tool (a word or an excel file), both of which can be
downloaded from the websites of the various programmes!
Now, please look up the websites of the following programmes and try to find all relevant documents
and information in connection with budgeting.
a) LLP/Grundtvig/Multilateral project
b) ECP/Active Citizens for Europe/Measure 1.1. Town Twinning project
Compare both sets of financial frameworks and budget calculation instruments and discuss the advantages
and disadvantages as well as the opportunities and risks in connection with calculating and
administrating them!
Grundtvig/Multilateral Project
Active Citizens for Europe/Town Twinning
Advantages
/opportunities
Advantages/
opportunities
Disadvantages/risks
Disadvantages/risks
After working through these documents you may have found technical expressions and terms which
you are not fully familiar with. However, since a good knowledge of relevant terminology is critical
when working with EU funds, please try to explain the following expressions (if necessary, please
feel free to use any kind of assistance!):
Term
eligible / non-eligible costs
Explanation
direct / indirect costs
(how to deal with) revenues
(exempt from) Value Added Tax (VAT)
(percentage of) co-funding
(percentage of) self-contribution / own
funding
Ceilings for daily rates
Regulation of (party) pre-financing
Instalments
Final payment
Other: ______________________________
Other:______________________________
113

Hints for additional activities supporting the module implementation
• Plan a cooking session during which several dishes from different EU countries are prepared
by the whole learner group. Understand this task as mainly being a project management
challenge, which you should tackle by applying knowledge and skills you have just acquired
in this module. 6 Therefore,
• agree on quantitative and qualitative frameworks (when, where, and what to be cooked Is
there a financial limit Should anybody be invited etc.)
• define activities and split them between participants
• agree on a timescale and budget plan
• do not forget evaluation and perhaps even dissemination activities
• have fun and – bon appétit!
• Again, use opportunities to leave the classroom, e.g. visit an EU project group whilst it is
working, or bring in persons from outside your learning group as often as possible, such as
experienced project managers, representatives from EU programme offices or info points
from your region etc.
• Do not forget to work and learn as creatively and actively as possible and use any relevant
and reasonable types of media.
References and other sources helpful for further information
Bienzle, Holger (Ed.) (2002): A Survival Kit for European Project Management. Advice for Coordinators of Centralised Socrates
Projects. 2nd edition: Wien. Büro für Europäische Bildungskooperation/SOKRATES.
Development DG (2004): Project Cycle Management Guidelines. Volume 1. pp. 158. Brussels.
Directorate General Education and Culture (2009): Grundtvig Senior Volunteering projects – Tips and resources for a good
project pp. 11-12. Brussels.
Directorate-General for Education and Culture the EU's 5-stage plan for dissemination and exploitation. Brussels.
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (2005): EQUAL Guide on Transnational Cooperation
2004-2008; European Communities.
ECOTEC Research & Consulting Ltd, LLP UK National Agency (2007): Learning Together - How to work effectively with partners
and get the best out of your European project. Birmingham.
Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance (2006): Successful Partnerships - A Guide. OECD LEED Editor.
Leonardo UK National Agency (2003): Transnational Partnership Guidance Note for Leonardo da Vinci Projects. London.
Sida - Methods Development Unit (2003): The Logical Framework Approach. Edita Sverige.
The GB Equal Support Unit (2006): Transnationality – a guide for Development Partnerships. Birmingham.
The GB EQUAL SUPPORT UNIT: A Project Cycle Management and Logical Framework Toolkit. London.
http://creativecommons.org/about
http://crm.formez.it/crm/ricerca_partner/index.php
(partner search database at EU and global levels for EU/international projects)
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/index_it.html
(Commission’s Directorate-general for Education and Culture)
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/valorisation/index_en.html
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/equal/about/key-doc_en.cfm
(methodological guides)
http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus
(PLOTEUS - Portal on Learning Opportunities throughout the European Space)
http://partbase.programkontoret.se
(easy-to-use database to find partners in other European countries to assist in the implementation of GRUNDTVIG)
www.bond.org.uk
(network of more than 280 UK-based voluntary organisations working in international development and education development)
6 In case you are short of recipes, you might find some inspiration from “European Cooks at Work”, a cook-book, developed
by another EU project, for international cooking in canteens; the recipes are from Austria, Denmark, Spain, France, Romania,
the Netherlands, Malta and the UK; they are easy to prepare and tasty! (please see the downloads section at
www.europe-at-work.eu)
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Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
www.enter-network.eu
(European Network for Transfer and Exploitation of EU Project Results – E.N.T.E.R.)
www.europe-at-work.eu
(EU project website dealing with workers within companies and the EU)
www.eurodesk.org/edesk/EUToolbox.dogo=7
(list of European partner search databases)
www.evaluate-europe.net
www.languages.dk
www.leonardo.org.uk/partnersearch
(UK National Agency's Partner Search Database (PSD) for the LLP)
www.mdf.nl/en/training
(management training and consultancy bureau in the Netherlands)
www.pcm-group.com/pcm
(training and consultancy company in Belgium)
www.peermentor.bdf.es/Not_catalogo.aspidioma=1&home=2
www.spokenspaces.eu
115

Michael Schwaiger (AUXILIUM/AT)
Module 7: How to implement a Project Successfully
Unit 7.1.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Considerations before starting with the project work
Main considerations in the initial phase of a project
Understanding contractual structures and their impact on project management
styles
Definition of stakeholders involved in an EU funded project
Unwritten laws and rules in EU project management
Check-list of requirements when starting an EU project
After this unit you will be able to:
devise an appropriate management style according to your contractual
position
adjust your project management style to satisfy the expectations of all
stakeholders involved in your project
identify and agree on a set of quality standards relevant to successful
project management
ensure that the most important preconditions and quality standards are
fulfilled from the initial project phase.
The first 90% of the project takes 90% of the time. The last 10% takes the other 90%. (Unknown)
Warming up:
A never-ending discussion in international project management
is about the general management style: Should a
project be led by one partner (the promoter or coordinator)being
more or less self-contained or should a project
be managed by the whole partnership, mainly based on
democratic decision making
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each style
Which key factors could influence the decision on choosing
the style What do you think would be best How would
you like to manage a project
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
7.1.1. Project management styles and target group orientated arrangements
The questions asked above look rather simply to answer - but this is not the case. Project management
is a very complex issue, proceeding at many different levels at the same time, changing its
character and focus depending on the point of view of the person observing the project, and being
pocketed by many different stakeholders, representing different interests and demands. Last but
not least, project management is very much culturally and socially determined! The Finnish writer
Hannu Raittila composed a very nice novel called Canal Grande, in which a group of Finnish engineers
travel to Venice to support Italian colleagues in building water-barriers to prevent Venice
from becoming permanently flooded. The two totally different ways of approaching this task in applied
project management causes an intensive culture clash, which is not only the basis for a very
amusing story but it is also a very profound observation of misunderstandings, interferences and
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
confusion caused by different perspectives, approaches, focus points and methods of resolutions
determined by cultural and social backgrounds.
However, this does not only happen in fictional stories but also happens in daily life. As a short exercise
please imagine the following situation: you are the manager of a top-class hotel with 20 bedrooms
in your hometown and a group of guests has booked the whole hotel for a weekend. For Saturday
your guests have asked you to organise an “entertaining afternoon” in town including a “surprise
dinner”. None of your guests have ever been to your town; however money seems not to be
much of a problem. Their only precondition is that they want to be actively involved in the preparation
work as well as in the implementation of the afternoon’s activities.
Please design a programme starting at 13.00 pm for your guests by using the following format:
Time Activities How to involve guests Dos and don’ts
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Before you start, select one of the “groups of guests” listed below and create as tailor-made a programme
as possible:
• School pupils (aged 8-10) who won this trip as the 1 st prize in the national reading competition
sponsored by your National Ministry of Education.
• A group of Jewish emigrants who left your town some 60 years ago and this visit is the first
time they have ever returned since then.
• A group of German youngsters who must undergo an anti-drinking programme.
• A group of Spanish nuns from the Order of the Holy Trinity.
• A transnational project group of senior learners from 10 different EU countries working on
Active European Citizenship.
Did you get the feeling that the profile, image and related stereotypes of each target group determined
the planning of the programme
When implementing this exercise in other EU countries would this lead to different results (apart
from the different sightseeing attractions in each town) What can you deduct from this exercise in
relation to your project management plans
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7.1.2. Stakeholders of an EU project
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
One of the secrets of successful project management is the art of satisfying as many stakeholders as
possible to the highest possible degree. The difficulty is in identifying all relevant stakeholders involved
during the project’s lifetime, in identifying their interests and demands in relation to each
others and finding a way of satisfying them properly.
Some of the stakeholders are easier to be identified, others are more difficult. Also their interests
and demands are not always easy to distinguish. As an exercise, please think about the AESAEC project,
during which this training course was developed. Who do you think its stakeholders are What
are their interests and how could they be satisfied
Stakeholders of EU projects, using the example of the AESAEC project:
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
Should you already have your own project or project idea, explain who the stakeholders of your
project are and how their interests and demands can be satisfied
Listen / Read / Discuss
7.1.3. Contractual relations and their possible impact on the project management
Some of the main stakeholders in EU projects are even connected to each other by contractual relations.
Usually, this includes the funding body (European Commission, EACEA, National Agencies
etc.), the promoter or beneficiary (lead partner) and the project partner(s). At least the relationship
between the funding body and the promoter is always regulated by standardised contracts issued
by the EC and there is little to discuss about them. Also the partner(s) and promoter can be
linked to each other by more or less standardised written agreements. In general, there are three
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
different kinds of contractual relationships that these parties can have with each other and the one
opted for may also influence the style of the project management 7 :
1. The Sandwich Structure
Promoter, P 1
P 2 P 3 … P n
The EC stands in a contractual relationship only
with the project’s promoter (Partner 1) and only
between these two parties are all responsibilities,
rights and duties concerning the overall
project implementation settled.
The same contractual relationship exists between
the promoter and all other project partners
(P2, P3 …), containing each partner’s rights
and duties in the project. Important is that there
is no contractual relationship between the EC
and the individual project partners.
Examples: multilateral and network project in
the Lifelong Learning Programme.
2. The Primus inter pares Structure
Promoter, P 1 P 2 P 3 … P n
The EC stands in a direct contractual relationship
with all organisations involved in the
project (promoter and partners), and each organisation’s
tasks, rights and duties are directly
settled with the EC (mostly represented by different
national agencies). In this structure, the
promoter may, in most cases, also lead the
project but it is not linked with the partners by
a contractual agreement.
Examples: Grundtvig and Leonardo Learning
Partnerships
3. The One for All Structure
Promoter, P 1
P 2 P 3 … P n
Here the EC stands again in a contractual relationship
with only the project’s promoter but
the promoter is not necessarily related with the
project partners by a contract. The promoter is
only responsible to the EC for ensuring that the
project is implemented successfully and according
to the programme’s regulations. How
partners contribute to the project, how the
budget is shared in detail or what happens
when troubles occur between the project group
partners etc. is officially not put into writing
(but could be a matter for individual negotiations
and arrangements).
Examples: Leonardo Mobility Projects, Town
Twinning
7 There is no official terminology for the structures introduced above; all names used here are creations by the author and
are therefore not commonly known.
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Exercise
How do you think these structures can influence project management approaches, particularly from
the promoter’s point of view How do rights, duties, responsibilities, risks etc. change Can these
structures influence the management styles Why
The following table may be useful to help discuss this difficult issue:
Level of …
… responsibility the promoter has
towards the EC
… responsibility the promoter has
towards the partners
… pressure the EU can put directly on
the promoter
… pressure the EU can put directly on
the partners
… pressure the promoter can put
directly on the partners
… opportunities for partners to protect
their own interests towards the
promoter
Sandwich
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
Primus inter
pares
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
One for all
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
low
high
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
7.1.4. Hints and preconditions before starting a project
Listen / Read / Discuss
Although some main project management frameworks (legal responsibilities, financial procedures,
administration and documentation of expenses etc.) are settled by written contracts, their influence
on a successful project implementation must not be overestimated.
Quite often, unwritten laws and regulations are the real determiners of successful communication,
information flow, development work, social interaction and good partnership. Many of them are
based on so called soft skills, social and intercultural awareness and intelligence, experience or
personal dispositions, which are difficult to acquire intentionally. However we would like to take
this opportunity to give you some general hints and to raise some basic considerations before you
start your project work.
Make sure you know all the relevant legal frameworks and regulations (contractual settings,
budget, financial procedures, reporting etc.) of the programme that is funding the project –
the EC as well as your partners will expect and appreciate your knowledge of these issues!
Make early contact with your personal project officer (who is responsible for your project
from the funder’s side) in order to introduce yourself and to discuss relevant issues about your project.
Do not be afraid, as usually these persons are very kind and helpful and their main interest is
to ensure a successful and uncomplicated project implementation. Since you are both pulling on the
same end of the rope you should work as a team.
Establish an efficient and reliable technical communication structure within your partnership
(by email, telephone, skype, project group meetings etc.). All partners should have access to
these instruments and should be able to use them! Please consider also the strengths and weaknesses
of each of these instruments – and try to control them proactively (e.g. emails are great to
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
spread information quickly to many people at the same time but in order to solve problems or misunderstanding
a personal phone call might be the better choice).
Of course, the social side of your communication system is also of great importance and
therefore partners should treat each other with respect and trust – this applies, above all, to the
promoter! Although it is neither possible nor reasonable to base all activities within a project on
democratic decision making processes, extensive cooperation and agreement within a partnership is
indispensable. In case one prefers patronising behaviour, speaking with a commanding tone and
showing little willingness for teamwork, then it would be better not to start an EU project in the
first place!
Do respect cultural, national, social, ethical, religious, historical and individual demands
and diversity and be sensitive towards hot topics in this context. Nowadays, these management
traps seem to decrease because of a generally more open and interculturally aware European society.
Nevertheless, think twice before pampering vegans with tons of meat for dinner, before explaining
to guests from Bilbao or Belfast how best to deal with separatist movements and before
asking people from Scandinavia if it really makes sense to elect so many women into parliament.
Do also make sure that all partners – at least the main contact persons – speak the agreed
project language (often English, but it could be any other language you choose) to an appropriate
level! Be aware that it is extremely difficult to manage a project if this precondition is not met (and
it can also be very expensive!)!
Be aware that the content part of your project (product development, organisation of
mobility activities etc.) is only one side of your project. Dissemination and evaluation activities
must be considered too. There is no other way than to handle them simultaneously – be prepared
for this!
Without doubt the project manager is one of the key players within a project group.
Therefore such a position should be occupied by a carefully selected person, who possesses appropriate
project management skills, intercultural and social intelligence, methodological knowledge,
IT skills, flexibility and mobility, basic understanding of budgeting and administration, a general
idea about the project’s content, appropriate (foreign) language skills, the ability to write good
reports etc. If it is not possible to find one single person with this profile, tasks and responsibilities
can also be split between two or more persons in leading roles.
During the project hundreds if not thousands of pages, documents, pieces of information,
invoices, pictures etc. may pile up on your desk. It is critically important to keep a structured overview
of all these materials, as they keep the project going and they are the basis of all reports to
the EC. Therefore, make sure from the beginning that you use an efficient and easy to use documentation
and filing system covering electronic as well as hard copy documents.
Open up your project to the public from the beginning! Try to set up a network of national
and / or transnational experts and stakeholders who are interested in your project and who might
be able to support you in the one or another way (such as sourcing additional money, accessing information,
target groups, know-how, other networks etc.). Involve them in your project activities as
much as possible – you will see that it will be for the benefit of all!
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Exercise
Ready – GO!
Checklist for the project start!
Not fulflled
In progress
Fulfilled
All relevant programme regulations and rules are known.
All partners are informed about the approval of the application; they have confirmed
being a partner in this project and have nominated a contact person.
An appropriate project language was agreed and no major language barriers are expected.
You have made contact with your project officer and you are willing to cooperate
with him/her properly throughout the project’s lifetime.
The contractual procedure between the promoter and the EC has been successfully
finalised or is in the process of being completed.
The contractual procedure between the promoter and the partner(s) has been successfully
finalised or is in the process of being completed.
The project is managed by a person who has the appropriate abilities, skills and
know-how to carry out this task successfully.
An efficient and reliable communication structure is already set up and partners are
able to contact each other.
The partnership is aware of the content of the project (objectives, aims, target
groups etc.).
The partnership is aware of the management set up of the project (workplan,
budget, reporting and documentation etc.).
The partnership is aware of the project’s dissemination and evaluation strategy.
There are no indications that the initial tasks of the project cannot be implemented
as expected.
An effective and easily operated filing system is set up (electronically and for documents
in hard copy).
There is a basic willingness to open the project up to as many interested people,
organisations, bodies, stakeholders etc. as possible.
There is a potential post-project-life-time scenario (sustainability) in existence.
Most of the partners are still convinced that doing this project is a brilliant idea!
Other:
Other:
Other:
Other:
Before starting with your project you should check the above aspects to be on the safe side! You
can be quite confident if most of the lights are GREEN (great, if all of them - but at least more than
the half!) and none of them are RED! In this case: Ready GO! - and have fun with your project!
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
Unit 7.2.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Project meetings and international visits
Understanding the spirit and main purposes of transnational project
meetings
Consideration of key elements and workflow when preparing and implementing
a meeting
Instruments and tools for meeting preparation and implementation
After this unit you will be able to:
successfully plan, design and implement a transnational project meeting
or longer transnational visits
decide which instruments and tools are needed for these purposes
use transnational project meetings as a powerful strategic instrument of
modern EU project management
Coming together is a beginning - Keeping together is progress - Working together is success
(Henry Ford)
Warming up:
Visit www.bpb.de/fsd/europapuzzle/puzzle_flash1.html, where you can put
together the EU country by country. If you wish, hold a contest in small
groups, to see who is the quickest and needs less attempts. Please also discuss
with which countries you would like to do a project and why.
7.2.1. The project meetings – hints and practical arrangements
Listen / Read / Discuss
One of the greatest challenges in EU project management is the burden of long distance relationships
between partners. Knowing how difficult it sometimes is to cooperate with the person next
door in your organisation, you can imagine what might happen if all of your partners sit hundreds of
kilometres away from you. Of course, there are also times when you see the partners (mainly project
meetings, bi-lateral visits), and it is extremely important to make as much use of these opportunities
as possible for management issues. Therefore, they should be treated, prepared and implemented
with great accuracy and care!
Planning and implementing a project meeting or a bilateral visit is a project in itself, following the
same regulations and workflow. Speaking philosophically, from some angles project management
can be rather similar to doing a jigsaw: there are a number of individual pieces which make little
sense at the beginning but finally – when put together correctly - you will have a completed picture.
In our case the picture is a project meeting, and the pieces are the following key elements:
Fixing the meeting date
Dates for meetings and visits should be fixed as early as possible (half a year in advance is quite
standard) and never changed once they are fixed! Note - finding an appropriate date might be more
difficult than it sounds, when considering the schedules of all the partners, national holidays of all
the countries involved, the timescale of the project etc.
Choice of country / hosting organisation
Usually, the first meeting takes place in the promoter’s country and partners will then take turns in
organising the subsequent meetings. If you have more countries than meetings it might be delicate
to decide where to meet and where not to. However you decide, making sure that the meeting venues
make sense according to the project’s topic, that they reflect Europe’s cultural diversity and
123

geographic dimension and that they do not overburden the hosting organisations with work. Since
this issue needs to be fixed at the time of writing the application, discuss it openly and frankly with
your partners in advance.
Set clear objectives for the meeting
You should know why the meeting is needed (apart from “the project plan says so”) and what its
objectives and intended aims are. You should have a clear picture about what should be different
after the meeting than beforehand - socially, financially, with regards to content and development
etc.
Participants and other persons involved
Of course, the project partners are the most important participants at the project meeting, however
to make a meeting into a successful meeting it may be useful or even necessary to involve
others experts, stakeholders, the media etc. too.
Duration of meeting
The secret is to define relevant factors such as working time, time for rest or social activities,
travelling time, available resources (money, hotel rooms, venues etc.) and to put them into an
appropriate timeframe. Nowadays the average transnational project meetings last approximately
1½ to 2 full working days (not including travelling time).
Social activities
Nevertheless, do not underestimate the power of social activities (meals taken as a group, visits to
cultural or social events, city tours etc.), and, therefore, provide appropriate time for them. These
activities are perfect team building catalysers, as they allow participants to relax a little, and, last
but not least, they are great opportunities for learning more about the countries, cultures and citizens
of Europe.
Meeting venue
Suitable locations and venues (hotels, seminar rooms, restaurants etc.) should be used for the
meeting as it is important to create a pleasant and creative working atmosphere and to ensure the
smooth accomplishment of all the activities. The challenge is to make the partners happy without
exceeding the meeting’s budget. Nevertheless, do always consider the need for relevant technical
and other equipment (PCs, internet access, copiers, projector, flip charts, moderation cases etc.).
Language of communication
In case not all participants have sufficient knowledge of the meeting’s language you will need to
overcome this barrier by some means. For example, you could do the interpreting yourself, which is
cheap and easy to organise but is also exhausting and may tie up resources needed for other tasks.
It is more convenient to engage professional interpreters – as long as the high cost of this can be
covered somehow.
Special arrangements and needs
It may be that some of your guests have particular needs or wishes that require additional preparation
so that they feel comfortable at the meeting. This could include things such as a transfer service
to / from the airport or train station, the provision of vegetarian / vegan food, requests to visit
specific local events, organisation of a babysitter etc. To avoid surprises and disappointments you
should ask the partners well in advance whether or not they require any special arrangements
(please see form below).
Fixing the responsibilities and communication flow
By now you already know that organising a transnational project meeting means first of all a lot of
preparation work before the guests have even arrived. Therefore, make sure that tasks and responsibilities
are clearly distributed within the project group and that communication works well between
all parties involved – particularly between the promoter and the hosting partner.
Development and distribution of agenda
It goes without saying that the agenda is a key element of any meeting. In accordance with the
agenda participants will make their own travel arrangements, make preparations in line with the
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
contents of the meeting, and it will set out the timeframe for all of the meeting’s activities. Since
the agenda is so important a specific section below is dedicated to this issue.
Distribution and collection of other relevant information and documents
Do not forget to distribute all of the relevant documents, information and data for the meeting
preparation in good time before the meeting. Just as important is the collection and analysis of all
partner data and communication in connection with the meeting (number and name of participants,
their specific needs etc.). It is recommended to use standardised forms for the meeting registration
(see below).
Chair at meetings
Usually, one or at the most two persons lead the meeting. He / she should have appropriate (foreign)
languages skills as well as a basic ability to moderate a meeting, i.e. how to present, collect,
structure and evaluate information / data, how to keep a group working together in a relaxed atmosphere
etc..
Cultural diversity, dress code and the formal addressing of persons
Cultural diversity is always a major issue in project management and this includes when planning a
meeting. Although national and cultural stereotypes are proven by the one or another representative
from time to time, one will be surprised how few interferences in EU project management are
culturally determined (indeed overall there are very few, and they mainly seem to have their roots
in personal dispositions rather than due to the country a person is from).
Nevertheless, one should thoroughly consider whether or not cultural diversity could interfere with
arrangements for project meetings so that you can be well prepared in advance, e.g. when fixing an
“acceptable time for dinner” you might receive a timeframe ranging from 18.00 to 22.00, depending
on whether you ask a Scandinavian or a Spaniard. In actual fact 19.30 to 20.30 are quite common
times for such dinners!
Also, appropriate clothing is always an interesting question when attending a project meeting. Basically,
there are no formal rules and everyone can dress as he / she wishes and feels most comfortable.
Therefore it is difficult to give any recommendations. Usually, meetings in the North of Europe
seem to be less formal than in the South, but you can never be quite sure about this. A stronger
indicator might be the occasion of a meeting - a public conference may require different clothing
than a sight-seeing tour.
Another area of thin ice is Europe’s conversation rules about when and how to use a polite form of
addressing people properly. Due to the importance of English in EU project management, members
of project groups usually address each other by their forenames and no titles or official names are
used, which really eases communication within a group. But do not take this for granted and agree
on such informal behaviour as a project group.
List of attendance
In order to record who was present at the meeting, who was excused and who was absent without
giving a valid reason, a list of attendees should be prepared and signed by all participants for each
working day (see below).
Minutes
Whilst the agenda is sets out the plan for a meeting, the minutes are the summarised record of the
discussions, decisions and activities that take place during it, fulfilling two requirements. Firstly
minutes disburden the meeting participants from needing to take their own minutes, and guaranteeing
that all partners have the same outcomes and conclusions in writing as the basis for further activities.
Secondly the minutes should be structured, focused on the essential and circulated to partners
not too long after the meeting (for an example see below).
Evaluation
As with all other important parts of your project, meetings should also be subject to evaluation.
Since you have the unique opportunity to speak to all partners face to face and to observe the project
group during its work, interviews and observation may be an appropriate means of evaluation.
125

However of course, the use of written questionnaires can also produce valuable results (for details
see next chapter).
7.2.2. Templates for successful project meeting implementation
Exercise
Below you will find the form which was used for the registration of the kick-off meeting in the AE-
SAEC project, and on the following page you will find an example of an attendance list. Please have
a close look at both documents to see whether or not they are appropriate for collecting all of the
data and information that is needed Do you have additional suggestions concerning content and /
or design Please feel free to develop your own formats!
AESAEC
(141757-2008-LLP-AT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP)
Registration form for 1 st transnational meeting in Austria
9 th – 11 th November 2008
Name of participating organisation:
Name(s) of participant(s):
Telephone number(s) of participant(s):
E-mail address(es) of participant(s):
Date and approx. time of arrival:
(please note that we meet on Sun,
9 th Nov at Graz airport between 4pm-
6pm)
Date of departure:
(a shuttle bus will bring you back to
the airport on Tue, 11 th Nov not later
than 4 pm)
If you have any special needs,
wishes etc. please indicate:
(e.g. dietary requirements, smoker
room at hotel etc.)
Means of travel:
(please tick appropriate) aeroplane train car other:
___________
Please return this form to office@auxilium.co.at by
19 th September 2008 at the latest (earlier would be welcomed!)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
126

Attendance List for Project Meeting
Day 1
Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
Project:
Meeting in:
________________________________________________________________
Dates (from-to)
Participant’s Name Organisation Remarks (if any) Signature
127

Exercise
Please find below extremely shorted versions of the actual agenda and minutes from the AESAEC’s
kick-off meeting. Have close look at them and discuss their elements and structure. Do they correspond
to each other In your opinion how could they be improved
AESAEC - Kick-off meeting
10 th November 2008 / Graz / Kukmirn (AT)
Hotel Nagler, A-7543 Kukmirn, Tel+Fax: +43-3328-32xxx; www.nagler.cc
A G E N D A
MON, 10 th November
Time Activity Partner(s) involved
09:00 Official opening of the project Auxilium / AT
09:05 Getting known to each other - presentation and
introduction of all partners (max. 5mins per
organisation!!!)
09:45 AESAEC in a nutshell – main aspects and expected
outcomes
11:00 Coffee break
11:15 Workshops (in pairs) about partners’ interests
and expectations on the project
All partners
Auxilium and all partners
All partners
12:00 Presentation of workshop results all partners
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Contractual, financial and administrative issues
(contracts, payments, reporting etc.)
15:00 Dissemination, valorisation and impact strategy
(valorisation plan, potential and opportunities for
partners)
15:30 Evaluation and quality assurance strategy
(evaluation plan, comments and suggestions of
partners, communication strategy etc.)
16:00 Next project steps and developments, and discussion
of open questions
(responsibilities, tasks, deadlines, next meeting
etc.)
Auxilium
and all partners
Auxilium
and all partners
Auxilium
and all partners
Auxilium
and all partners
17:00 Evaluation of project meeting All partners
18:00 Official closing of the meeting All partners
20:00 Dinner for all participants All partners
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
Minutes
AESAEC – Kick-off meeting
10 th November 2008 / Graz / Kukmirn (AT)
AT / Auxilium
AT / VHS Graz
DK / Fritid &
Samfund
ES / ASAEL
Mr. Michael Schwaiger
Mr. Georg Müllner
Ms. Christina Pusswald
Mr. Max Reisinger
Mr. Steffen Hartje
Mr. Carlos Franco
Ms. Marta Munoz
IT / Obbiettivo Formazione
RO / SEC Soros
SI / 3rd Age
University
Ms. Patrizia Giorio
Ms. Arianna Neri
Ms. Csilla Lázár
Mr. Gusztav Balazs
Ms. Dušana Findeisen
Ms. Alenka Hebar
Monday, 10 th November
Official Opening & Partner Presentations
Following the official opening of the project by Michael Schwaiger/Auxilium, all project partners presented their
organisations
AESAEC in a Nutshell
Michael Schwaiger/Auxilium presented the main aspects of the AESAEC project :
• Training concept: The training concept focuses on authentic location learning, multi sensorial learning and learning
by doing
• Training course: The core materials will be available in writing – a booklet will be produced
• Pilot trainings: The pilot trainings will be conducted with courses of 5 learners aged 60+; according to the application,
4 real life
proposals will be submitted to the ECP; since we are 7 partners a submission of 7 proposals will be encouraged.
• The 2 nd Transnational Meeting 2 will be held in Zaragoza/ES from 25-26 th May, 2009.
• The project’s logo will be developed by SEC Soros, by 12 th December 2008.
Workshops
Three groups were built and suggested to focus on following issues in the AESAEC Training Course:
The three groups presented the outcome of their workshops and suggested the following modules for the
AESAEC Training Course:
Group 1:
• Mobility, Interaction between EU institutions and EU associations for Senior Citizens and Town twinning
Group 2:
• Common features / differences between Senior Citizens in the EU, Elderly people in the future
Group 3:
• Focused on ICT, project management and soft skills for Senior Citizens.
Contractual, financial and administrative issues
Georg Müllner/Auxilium discussed the aspects in regard to the contractual, financial and administrative part of
AESAEC:
• Financial reports must be signed and copies of invoices must be attached.
• Invoices for subcontracting costs must contain project name and number, name of subcontractor, amount to be
paid, service subcontracted, date and location of signature.
• Budget amendments can be made later in the project, but not at the project start
Quality Assurance and Evaluation Strategy
Michael Schwaiger/Auxilium discussed evaluation activities and the project work flow.
Dissemination, valorisation and impact strategy
In respect to the project, the following activities and products were discussed:
• ENTER (The AESAEC project has already been registered with the ENTER network.)
• Email Address Pool:
Please provide an email list of national and international expert organisations (min. 10 per partner)
by 15 th January 2009
• Newsletter
The 1 st issue of the AESAEC Newsletter will be published in January 2009.
• AESAEC flyers:
The project partners agree to produce the AESAEC flyers no later than May 2009.
Any other business
• Evaluation of the Kick-Off Meeting and Project Phase 1 (questionnaire was given to partners during the meeting in
hard copy,
however it will be sent out on Wednesday in digital version. It needs to be returned to Auxilium by
21 st November 2008.
Official close of the meeting
129

Unit 7.3.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Monitoring and evaluation
Basic understanding of workflow circles in project management
Identification of objects, methods, instruments and stakeholders of
evaluation
Reasons for and benefits derived from evaluation
Introduction of evaluation instruments
After this unit you will be able to:
identify and select relevant objects for evaluation
consider interests and needs of stakeholders and experts involved in
evaluation processes
design a draft evaluation plan
use selected instruments of project management evaluation.
There are no facts, only interpretations. (Friedrich Nitzsche)
Warming up
When speaking about monitoring and evaluation, one might think of complex
experimental set-ups in scientific processes. However, our daily life is full of
more or less intended, deliberate and professional evaluation processes. What
kinds of evaluation processes can you identify in your daily life and how do
you benefit from them
7.3.1. Project circle and objectives of evaluation
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
ACT
CHECK
PLAN
DO
On the left you see the PDCA circle introduced by William
Edwards Deming, an American pioneer in quality management.
It is one of the mostly used concepts to describe the
periodical development circle in project management. Please
find out yourself, by using additional sources, what the PDCA
circle is about in detail and discuss whether or not you agree
that development processes follow this structure.
Following the assumption of the PDCA concept, project management needs to continuously undergo
a wide range of evaluation processes, which help to improve the quality of its results and to guarantee
a general successfully project implementation. Therefore, evaluation is an integral and compulsory
element in most EU projects – and the EC rarely approves an application or a project report
without sufficient proof of an appropriate quality management system being implemented.
To establish an appropriate evaluation concept it is important to realise that there are many objectives
within a project that can be evaluated. The table below gives a rough overview (please note
that most objects cannot be allocated selectively, e.g. a project meeting could be listed in all four
classes).
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
Objects of evaluation
organisation process outcomes impact
• planning and management
• composition of partnership
• commitment
• ownership
• co-ordination and management
• crisis and conflict management
• lessons learnt
• others
• workflow and time management
• working methods
• project meetings
• communication and information
flow
• monitoring and evaluation
• dissemination
• lessons learnt
• others
• website
• manual learning materials
• conferences and public
events
• visits / mobility phases
• network development
• dissemination materials
(flyers, posters etc.)
• transfer of information and
best practice exchange
• official reports to EC
• lessons learnt
• national and transnational
feedback on project and
materials from relevant
target groups / end-users
• involvement and interest
of relevant stakeholders
and (political) decision
makers
• sustainable use of project
outcomes after project
ended
• set-up of sustainable networks
after project ended
• follow-up projects or other
forms of co-operation
• others
• Intellectual Property
Rights
• Commercialisation and
post-project scenarios
• others
Just as complex as the objectives of evaluation is also the variety of multilayer evaluation methods
and instruments. Ideally, in your evaluation concept, different methods and instruments should be
used for evaluating your project concerning several objectives and levels (always satisfying specific
needs and requirements.
7.3.2. Means and stakeholders of evaluation
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
Below you will find a short summary of some of the most important methods and instruments used
in project evaluation. Do you know all of them Do you have experience with some of them and do
you know anything about their strong and weak points. Which ones do you think are most appropriate
to evaluate the above indicated objectives and why
official
reports
questionn
aires
Experts
analyses
diary
notes
surveys
pilot /
focus
groups
inte
desk
research
document
s approval
observati
ons
improvem
ent
analyses
131

A wide range of various objectives for project evaluation do also require a wide range of different
experts and stakeholders, involved and interested in the evaluation process. Can you think of other
experts and stakeholders in the evaluation process What do they evaluate and what are their interests
in the evaluation process
experts / stakeholders
Partnership
What are they good at evaluating
What should they evaluate
•
•
•
•
What do they expect from the evaluation
What benefits do they receive
•
•
•
•
EC/EACEA
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Target group
/ end users
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Stakeholders,
political decision makers
external supporters of EU
project
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
External / internal evaluation
experts
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Others:______________
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
7.3.3. Useful instruments of evaluation
Listen / Read / Discuss / Exercise
The following instruments should give you an example of how evaluation instruments might work
and how they can look like and function. Please feel free to copy or modify them and to use them
for your own purposes.
Evaluation of project phases: This document can help you to collect feedback from the partnership
concerning whether or not everybody was happy with recent developments in the project; additionally,
everybody can express his / her overall impressions, feelings and opinions concerning the project!
PROJECT PHASE EVALUATION
Project Phase from: __/__ to __/__
Name of organisation:_______________________
TOPIC
Report/Comments
•
1.1. Please describe briefly the activities you have undertaken
in this project so far (Concerning dissemination
activities please see 1.3.)
1.2. Are there, in your opinion, deviations in the course
of these activities in relation to the proposal and /
or to your expectations
1.3. What dissemination activities have already been
implemented from your side
1.4. Do you think that there is a common feeling regarding
the aims of the project and where it is leading
•
•
•
1.5. How do you appreciate the quantity and quality of
communication between the meetings
•
1.6. How do you appreciate the quantity and quality of
the products developed so far
•
1.7. How do you feel about transparency in the project
and its processes
•
1.8. Do you see any threats and risks to the project so
far
•
1.9. Do you feel comfortable being part of the project
group Do you have the feeling that you can contribute
at all levels of the project and that you are
respected by all other project partners
•
1.10. If there is anything else you would like to comment
on or which you need to know to continue with
your project work please let us know!
•
133

Evaluation of project meetings: The evaluation of project meetings or mobility phases is a must in
each transnational project. The following tool might help you.
Project title:
Objective of evaluation:
Organisation:
Project meeting
Please give your opinion about the project meeting by following the scoring system below as well
as by providing the evaluator with some written comments!
☺☺ = very positive; ☺ = positive; = neither positive /nor negative ; ☹ = negative; ☹☹ = very negative;
NA= not applicable
Issues ☺☺ ☺ ☹ ☹☹ NA Comments:
Q1) Were you satisfied with the preparation work for this meeting
(E.g. quantity and quality of information flow before the meeting;
communication management from promoter and / or hotel etc.)
Q2) Were you satisfied with the seminar room
(E.g. location, equipment, size, table structure etc.)
Q3) Were you satisfied with the agenda for the meeting
(E.g. time structure, involvement of partners, appropriateness of
methods and issues etc.)
Q4) Were you satisfied with all information and materials you
received during the meeting concerning the content and
structure of the project (E.g. work, dissemination and evaluation
plans; aims and objectives of project etc.)
Q5) Were you satisfied with all information you received during
the meeting concerning the financial and administrative issues
of the project
(E.g. information about reporting system, contracts, payments, budgets
etc.)
Q6) Were you satisfied with all information you received concerning
next project steps and are you aware what kind of contributions
will be expected from you
Q7) Were you satisfied with the working atmosphere during the
meeting (E.g. did everyone have an opportunity to contribute properly
and equally to this project meeting Was everyone’s opinion heard
and respected etc.)
Q8) Were you satisfied with the way the meeting was managed
(E.g. communication, moderation and social skills; time, crisis / conflict
management etc.)
Q9) Were you satisfied with the quantity and quality of the contributions
made by other partners at this meeting
Q10) Were you satisfied with the social activities and atmosphere
of this meeting
Q11) Do you think the meeting was generally successful Do you
think the project group was able to achieve relevant results
and to make some progress with its work
Q12) After your impressions and experiences at the kick-off
meeting and the starting phase, do you still think it was a
great idea to join this project
What do you expect to be positive:
Q13) Looking ahead to the next steps of the project, do you feel
the project will see positive or negative developments
(E.g. What kind of threats, risks as well as chances, opportunities etc.
do you see Is there anything to be done, changed, avoided etc. in order
for you to feel happier with this project)
What do you expect to be negative:
Q14) If there is anything else you would like to add or if there is a
relevant issue not mentioned in this questionnaire, please feel
free to tell us using this space:
Thank you very much for your effort!
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
Workflow monitoring instrument: The following evaluation grid may help you to keep a better overview of the workflow in
your project. At the end of the day this is the most critical task of a project manager! The instrument is easy to use. List on
the left hand side (pink) of the template all the tasks and expected results in chronological order, and gauge, by ticking off
or commenting on the right hand side (blue), whether or not they have been fulfilled in time and according to the frameworks
set by the proposal or partnership agreements.
Workflow Monitoring Instrument
Expected tasks /
results
Short description
(if appropriate)
Deadline
Partners involved
Status
(e.g. already started, in
process, completed, cancelled;
comments etc.)
135

Unit 7.4.
Unit in a nutshell
Achievements
Dissemination and valorisation
Stakeholders, benefits and risks of dissemination and valorisation activities
Suitable dissemination methods and activities
Relevant elements of dissemination and valorisation concepts
Evaluation of dissemination and valorisation methods and activities according
to their customer orientations, cost-benefit ratio, sufficiency and
feasibility
After this unit you will be able to:
identify relevant dissemination and valorisation methods and instruments
consider interests and needs of project stakeholders in your dissemination
and valorisation concept
design a draft dissemination plan
use an instrument to control the implementation of your dissemination
plan
If I was down to my last dollar, I'd spend it on public relations. (Bill Gates)
Warming up:
Have you ever experienced any kind of dissemination activities in connection
with EU funds Please exchange your experiences within your group, and discuss
whether or not it makes sense to finance such dissemination activities.
7.4.1. Benefits and risks of dissemination activities
Exercise
Dissemination is a major issue in EU project management and each project group is usually obliged
to provide the EC with a dissemination concept or at least prove the implementation of dissemination
activities, appropriate in quantity and quality. Please try to work out the interests and benefits
as well as the risks and threats that dissemination has for each party involved in an EU project:
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
•
Dissemination activities
Interests and benefits
Party
•
Dissemination activities
Risks and threats
Partnership
•
•
EC / EACEA
•
Dissemination activities
Interests and benefits
Party
•
Dissemination activities
Risks and threats
Target group
/ end users
•
Stakeholders, political decision
makers,
external supporters of EU
project
•
•
•
media
•
•
the general public
•
•
Others:______________
137

Dissemination planning and evaluation: The following grid may help you to consider as many dissemination
methods and means as possible. Be creative and think hard about your own potential
and opportunities (you may be surprised how large and manifold they are). Do also try to identify
benefits and chances as well as risks and threats of each dissemination activity, and try to share
responsibilities and activities within the partnership. Finally, you should be able to select those
activities which are most relevant and realistic to be implemented!
Methods and means of dissemination
What can and should we do Who can do
what
Emails, email groups
Meetings /round Tables
Press releases, articles
TV / radio
Project website
Flyers
Posters
Printing of documents
(manuals, survey etc.)
DVD / CD ROM
Pilots / testing
Networking / lobbying
Organisation of workshops, conferences, public events
Presentation at workshops, conferences public events organised
by others
Dissemination platforms and networks
Sustainable implementation and usage
Professional public relation manager / expert
Agreement on Intellectual Property Rights for commercialisation
of project products
Other: ____________
Other: ____________
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Module 7 – How to Implement a Project Successfully
Exercises
Make up an EU project or take a real one (find one on the internet or take one you are considering
to apply for) and design a rough dissemination concept by filling in the above table. Try to keep
your considerations and assumptions as realistic as possible. When developing a dissemination concept
you should always consider the dissemination requirements and standards of the particular EU
fund you are applying to. Please look up the relevant documents, e.g. application form, call for
proposals, guideline for applicants etc., and analyse what is demanded concerning this issue.
Find an EU funded project in your country, if possible in your immediate area. Take a look at its
dissemination methods, instruments and efforts. Make contact with the organisation leading this
project and try to arrange a meeting at which you can become better informed about the project.
Do also ask the project manager about his / her experiences with dissemination and valorisation
activities and whether or not he / she is able to give you some recommendations and hints about
how to disseminate and valorise effectively.
Hints for additional activities supporting the module implementation
• Use opportunities to leave the classroom or to bring in persons from outside your learning
group as often as possible, e.g. experienced project managers, visit dissemination activities
of EU projects etc.
• Do not forget to work and learn as creatively and actively as possible and use any relevant
and reasonable types of media.
References and other sources helpful for further information
Adam, Tammy/Means, Jan/Spivey, Michael (2007): The Project Meeting Facilitator: Facilitation Skills to Make
the Most of Project Meetings. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.
Bienzle, Holger (Ed.) (2001): A Survival Kit for European Project Management. Advice for Coordinators of Centralised Socrates
Projects. 2nd edition: For projects of selection round 1-3-2001 and later. Wien. Büro für Europäische Bildungskooperation/SOKRATES.
Browaeys, Marie-Joelle/Price, Roger (2008): Understanding Cross-Cultural Management. Harlow. Pearson Education Ltd.
Dussap, Anne/ Merry, Peter (2000/2008): Project Management. T-Kit N°3. Strasbourg. Council of Europe Publishing.
ECOTEC (2008): Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Dissemination and Exploitation Actions. A Final Report to DG Education and
Culture of the European Commission under the framework contract on evaluation and related services. ECOTEC. Birmingham.
European Platform for Dutch Education (2005): Grundtvig Learning Partnership Navigator. Your Guide to European Cooperation
in Adult Learning. The Hague/Alkmaar.
Lientz, Bennet P./Rea, Kathryn P. (2003): International Project Management. London. Academic Press.
Marr, Steve (2009): Effective Leadership of Meetings. (www.womentodaymagazine.com/career/goodmeeting)
Murphy, Own J. (2005): International Project Management. London. Thomson Learning.
Raittila, Hannu (2001): Canal Grande. Werner Söderström Osakeyhitö. Helsinki.
Tilkin, Guy/Biesen, Alden (2007): Self-evaluation of your Project. How are we doing How do we know What do we do next
Handout at Coordinators Meeting for Grundtvig1 projects organised by the EACEA in Brussels 2007.
www.adam-europe.eu (Dissemination platform for Leonardo da Vinci projects)
www.bpb.de/fsd/europapuzzle/puzzle_flash1.html
www.deming.org/ (The W. Edwards Deming Institute)
www.eacea.ec.europa.eu (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency)
www.ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc1208_en.htm (List of all Executive Agencies for the Lifelong
Learning Programme)
www.ecotec.com (British NA for the LLP)
www.enter-network.eu (European Network for Transfer and Exploitation of EU Project Results)
www.ezinearticles.com/Intercultural-Management&id=24218 (intercultural management articles)
www.ipma.ch (International Project Management Association)
www.pmi.org (Project Management Institute)
www.skype.com (Open / free internet communication / telephone source)
www.sokrates.at/download/survivalkit/inhalt (Survival kit for EU project management)
www.yourchildlearns.com/mappuzzle/europe-puzzle.html (EU puzzle)
139

140

AESAEC – Glossary
AESAEC - Glossary
Acronym
Active ageing
Active citizenship
Active European Citizenship
Active European Remembrance
Adult education
Applicant
Associations
Authenticity
Beneficiary
Bottom-up process
Call for proposals
Citizenship
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations that are formed using the initial
components in a phrase or name. These components may be individual
letters (as in UNO) or parts of words (as in Benelux).
The act and policy of retaining older workers in the labour market but also
relates to independency, well-being, personal growth and the integration
of older people into society.
An idea already introduced in ancient Greece about how citizens in a state
can participate actively in all kinds of community processes, such as at the
political and / or social level. Quite often this participation is based on
voluntary engagement for the good of the general public.
Adaptation of the ancient idea by the European Union to promote the
interaction and participation of all European citizens in constructing an
ever closer Europe, united in and enriched through its cultural diversity,
forging a European identity based on recognised common values, history
and culture.
Special action of the Europe for Citizens programme focussing on the
remembrance of the victims of Nazism and Stalinism in Europe in order to
maintain the awareness of the full dimensions and tragic consequences of
the Second World War.
This denotes all forms of non-vocational adult learning, whether of a formal,
non-formal or informal nature. An "adult" in the Grundtvig sense
refers to persons over 25 years of age as well as young people below that
age who are no longer receiving an initial education within the formal
school or higher education system of the participating eligible countries.
Person or organisation who / which applies for an EU-project or grant,
usually on behalf of a project group. In case of approval of the application,
the applicant becomes the beneficiary.
Mental connection of ideas, thoughts, plans etc, by which one builds upon
another.
Refers to the truthfulness and credibility of origins, attributions,
commitments, sincerity, devotion and intentions.
Organisation, consortium or individual which / who directly receives an EU
grant and which / who is the official contractual partner of the funding
body. In an EU project group with two or more organisations this is usually
the promoter or lead partner, which is also responsible for the application,
the project implementation and the reporting of a project.
In political and social life a bottom-up approach means that the needs,
demands and wishes of the smallest unit (in this case the citizens) are the
starting point for decisions and processes, and by an upward direction they
influence the political or social life of a very large unit (such as a country
or the EU); opposite to a top-down approach.
A call for proposals represents the official start of an EU fund, usually released
by the European Commission or similar public bodies, requesting
applications; a call includes detailed information concerning the objectives,
aims, target groups, financial frameworks etc. of a fund and it also
introduces the application documents to the general public.
The state of being a citizen of a particular social, political or national
community.
141

Civil Society
Coherence
Cohesion
Contractor
Council of the European Union
Cross-fertilisation
Cultural diversity
Dissemination
EACEA
EC
Eligibility
Eligibility period
Enlargement
Euro
European added value
Europe for Citizens programme
European Commission (EC)
Civil society is composed of the totality of voluntary civic and social organisations
and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society as opposed
to the state-held power structures (regardless of that state's political
system) and commercial institutions of the market. Civil society refers to
the arena of uncoerced collective action around shared interests, purposes
and values.
In linguistic terms the logical organisation of textual content.
In linguistic terms the grammatical structure of a language.
beneficiary
The Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers or just the
Council) is the principal decision-making institution of the EU. It is
composed of twenty-seven national ministers (one per state).
In project management this means the achievement of objectives and aims
through different and complementary actions carried out by different types
of organisations and / or stakeholders.
Cultural diversity is the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific
region or in the world as a whole. As well as the more obvious cultural
differences that exist between people (such as language, dress and traditions),
there are also significant variations in the way societies organise
themselves, in their shared conception of morality and values, and in the
ways they interact with their environment etc.
Public relation work in connection with a project and its developments /
results, with the general aim to inform and reach as many stakeholders,
key areas, organisations or citizens as possible. (see also exploitation,
impact, valorisation).
The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency is a public body
responsible for the operative implementation of various EU funds, such as
Europe for Citizens, the Lifelong Learning programme etc.
European Commission
Conditions that must be met in order to participate in an EU programme,
e.g. participating country, target group or sector of project, status of applicant
organisation etc.
This is the time period during which expenses can be incurred and paid for
by a grant.
Act of adopting new countries into the European Community and EU.
The Euro (€) is the official currency of 16 of the 27 member states of the
EU. The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium,
Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
Means the results of the synergy which emerges from European cooperation
and which constitutes a distinctive European dimension in addition to actions
and policies at the member state level.
EU Programme through which citizens have the opportunity to be
involved in transnational exchanges and cooperation activities, contributing
to developing a sense of belonging to common European ideals and
encouraging the process of European integration.
The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European
Communities) is the executive branch of the EU. The body is responsible
for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's
treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union.
142

AESAEC – Glossary
European Economic Community
(EEC)
European Parliament (EP)
European Union (EU)
EU Programme
EU Project
Evaluation
Exploitation
Feasibility
Flexisecurity
Formal education / learning
Future Workshop
GIVE - Grundtvig Initiative on
Volunteering in Europe for
Seniors
Good practice
Grant agreement
International organisation existing from 1958 to 1993; precursor to the
EU.
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution
of the EU. Together with the Council of the European Union it forms
the bicameral legislative branch of the EU's institutions and has been described
as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world. The Parliament
and the Council form the highest legislative body within the EU.
The EU is an economic and political union of 27 member states (stand
2009), located in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was
established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the
foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community.
EU fund specially dedicated to specific target areas, groups, activities etc.
Currently there are more than 450 different EU programmes in existence.
According to special regulations of eligibility and by following standardised
processes, organisations as well as individuals can apply for financial
support by submitting a proposal (EU project).
Activity funded by an EU Programme, usually on the basis of a submitted
proposal.
Quality management by controlling, monitoring and an adjustment process
focussing on the appropriate development of project at all levels, e.g.
product development, co-operation of partners, time management, dissemination
activities etc; continuously applied at a high level, evaluation is
an essential precondition for any successful project implementation.
Sustainable use of and deriving benefits from the results of an EU project,
e.g. by implementing and using its products, changing policies and regulations
etc; this is the main aim of every project. (see also dissemination,
impact, valorisation).
Addresses the issue whether or not the project objectives and aims can
really be achieved.
A social and economic model which is a combination of the easy “hire and
fire” of workers and high social benefits – including paid education - for
the unemployed.
Education / learning which takes place in schools, universities or training
institutions and leads to a diploma or certificate. (see also informal education/learning
and non-formal education/learning).
The future workshop is a future technique developed by Robert Jungk,
Ruediger Lutz and Norbert R. Muellert in the 1970s. It enables a group of
people to develop new ideas or solutions for social problems. A future
workshop is particularly suitable for participants who have little experience
with processes of creative decision- making.
New initiative implemented from 2009 onwards by the European Commission
consisting of a scheme of grants to support senior volunteering projects
between local organisations in at least two countries participating in
the Lifelong Learning programme.
The most efficient (requiring the least amount of effort) and effective
(best results) way of accomplishing a task, based on repeatable procedures
that have proven themselves over time for large numbers of people.
Contractualisation of the grant award, setting out the terms and conditions
and the financial rules that apply; the agreement is signed by the beneficiary
of a project as well as by the funding body.
143

Grundtvig
Holocaust
Hosting organisation
Human Rights
Impact
Informal education / learning
Innovation
Intellectual Property Rights
Interculturalism
Leadership
Legal representative
Lifelong learning (LLL)
Lifelong Learning
Programme (LLP)
Long distance relationship
Sub-programme of the Lifelong Learning programme, focusing on all
forms of general learning (in contrast to vocational, school or university
learning).
The Holocaust is the term generally used to describe the genocide of millions
of Jews during World War Two, a programme of systematic statesponsored
extermination by Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler, its allies and
collaborators.
Organisation receiving a volunteer, guest, visitor etc. during an exchange
or mobility action / project; responsible for general preparation work,
accommodation and work / placement related needs. (see also sending
organisation).
“Basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled." Examples of
rights and freedoms which have come to be commonly thought of as human
rights include civil and political rights, such as the right to life and liberty,
freedom of expression, and equality before the law; and economic, social
and cultural rights, including the right to participate in culture, the right to
food, the right to work, and the right to education. The Human Rights are
stated in the non-binding Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
from 1948.
The effect of the project on its wider environment and its contribution to
the wider sector objectives summarised in the project’s overall aims, and
on the achievement of the overarching policy objectives of the EC. (see
also dissemination, exploitation, valorisation).
Can be found everywhere, e.g. in families, in the workplace, in NGOs, in
theatre groups, or can also refer to individual activities at home, like reading
a book, surfing the internet etc. Although totally unstructured important
skills and know-how can be acquired through informal learning. (see
also formal education/learning and non-formal education/learning).
New way of doing something. It may refer to incremental and emergent or
radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes or
organisation. In many EU programmes a certain level of innovation is a
basic precondition for a proposal to be funded.
Bundle of exclusive rights over creations of the mind, both artistic and
commercial.
Denotes the relationship between two or more cultures. The term indicates
that there are differences between cultures but also that there are nevertheless
opportunities for exchange between cultures.
Used to describe the handling of a team, such as an international project
group; although based on participation of all project partners, usually
there is one team leader in each group, mainly the promoter or coordinator.
Person legally authorised to enter into legal and financial commitments on
behalf of the organisation to which he / she belongs.
Lifelong, voluntary and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge and skills for
either personal or professional reasons. As such, it not only enhances social
inclusion, active citizenship and personal development, but also
competitiveness and employability. LLL is a basic concept of the EU’s
education policy and is therefore promoted by a specific Lifelong
Learning Programme.
EU Programme dedicated to all areas, forms, activities, organisations and
individuals dealing with any kind of learning (see also formal learning,
Grundtvig, informal learning, Lifelong learning, non-formal learning).
Paraphrase for a transnational group cooperating in a project although
144

AESAEC – Glossary
mostly operating from their home counties.
Lump sum
Member States of the EU
Milestone
Mobility
Monitoring
Multiplier effect
National Agency
National Agency
Network
Networking
Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs)
Non-formal education / learning
Non-verbal
communication (NVC)
Participative Democracy
Grant based on a pre-defined flat rate amount calculated on the basis of
different indicators, e.g. number of persons involved or days spent in connection
with an EU project.
One of the 27 sovereign states that have acceded to the EU, currently
composed of twenty republics, six kingdoms and one grand duchy.
Within the framework of project management a milestone is the end of a
stage that marks the completion of a work package or phase, typically
marked by a high level event such as the completion of a deliverable item,
the publication of a document, a transnational meeting or a public conference.
Spending a period of time during an EU project in another Member
State in order to undertake study, work experience, other learning or
teaching activity, or related administrative activity.
Successful guidance and steering of an EU project by continuous
evaluation of all relevant levels and objects; to gain best possible results
the monitoring should be carried out by experts not directly involved in the
project implementation, i.e. external experts.
Replication by other people or organisations of a project's approaches,
methods and services, particularly where the potential exists for their
onward transfer to a further group of people or organisations.
Official bodies set up at the national level (in each of the eligible countries)
responsible for the coordination and implementation of a variety of
EU programmes on behalf of the EU and / or the EACEA.
The National Agencies are official bodies located in each of the countries
responsible for the management of certain parts of the EU's programmes in
the fields of education, culture and audiovisual at the national level.
Formal, semi-formal and informal connection of natural (individuals) or
legal (organisations) persons that share values, interests, activities etc.
Activities to build up and maintain networks and / or to cooperate with
networks.
Term that has become widely accepted as referring to a legally
constituted, non-governmental organisation created by natural or legal
persons with no participation or representation in its operation by any
government. In many jurisdictions these types of organisations are defined
as "civil society organisations" or are referred to by other names. The
number of NGOs operating internationally is estimated to be around
40,000.
Includes optional, often semi-structured education / learning within study
circles, projects or discussion groups advancing at their own pace, with no
formal examination and recognition at the end. (see also formal education/learning
and informal education/learning).
Usually understood as the process of communication through sending and
receiving wordless messages. NVC can be communicated through gesture
and touch, by body language or posture, by facial expression and eye
contact. (see also verbal communication).
Sometimes also called "direct democracy”; a process emphasising the
broad participation of constituents in the direction and operation of political
systems. Representative democracy tends to limit citizen-participation
to voting, leaving actual governance to politicians. Participatory democracy
strives to create opportunities for all members of a political group to
make meaningful contributions to decision-making and seeks to broaden
the range of people who have access to such opportunities.
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Practitioners
Project coordinator
Project management
Project outcomes
Project partner
Promoter
Quality management
Redundancy
Relevance
Individuals and / or organisations who / which benefit from an EU project
by usage of its outcomes and results.
Usually the co-ordinator and the beneficiary of a project is one and the
same; in some programmes it is possible to have a beneficiary and a coordinator,
which provides management and administrative support to the
beneficiary.
Handling of a process or an activity achieving a certain aim or result by
following a described procedure (work plan); usually this process starts long
before the funded period of an EU project with the writing of the application,
recruitment of a project group and drawing up contracts, and also
lasts beyond the funded period with reporting and finalising administrative
issues. This process also includes several levels, such as product development,
evaluation and dissemination.
Results of an EU project which should show effects on the project group,
stakeholders, target groups or the general public; such outcomes can
include published products, awareness raising, training, conferences, created
networks etc.
Person or organisation who / which is member of a project group but is not
the beneficiary.
beneficiary
evaluation
In pedagogical terms it is the repetition of content or information in order
to increase its sustainable transfer to learners / target groups.
In EU project management terms, the appropriateness of objectives and
aims to the real problems, needs and priorities of the target groups that
the project is supposed to address and to the physical and policy environment
within which it operates.
Sending organisation
Organisation sending a volunteer, guest, visitor etc. during an exchange or
mobility action / project; responsible for selection of participants, preparation
of the mobility and cooperation with the hosting organisation.
Skype
Social cohesion
Stakeholder
Synonym
Syntax
Teamwork
Text
Free internet communication / telephone source (www.skype.com)
Social cohesion is a term used in social policy, sociology and political
science to describe the bonds or "glue" that bring people together in
society, particularly in the context of cultural diversity.
In this setting, and in a very broad sense, a person or organisation with a
legitimate and / or obvious interest in a given situation, action or EU
project etc, e.g. political decision makers, target groups, end users,
funders, media etc.
Different words (or sometimes phrases) with identical or very similar
meanings.
In linguistics this term is used to refer directly to the rules and principles
that govern the sentence structure of any language.
A joint action by two or more people, in which each person contributes
with different skills and expresses his or her individual interests and
opinions to support the unity and efficiency of the group in order to
achieve common goals.
Indicates a distinct cohesive expression in written language. Texts require
to be presented through a script. Various cultures use different alphabets.
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AESAEC – Glossary
Think tanks
Valorisation
Vegan
Verbal communication
Volunteering
Usually an organisation or group that conducts research and engages in
advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economy, science
or technology issues etc. In this context it also refers to a group of people
creating project ideas to improve the situation in the above mentioned
areas.
Originally a French term, the concept of valorisation is now widely accepted
within the EU project management community as the process of
dissemination and exploitation of projects outcomes with a view to
optimising their value, enhancing their impact and integrating them into
training systems and practices at the local / national level as well as at the
European level.
Veganism is a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for
food, clothing or any other purpose.
Communication based on the usage of written or spoken words. (see also
non-verbal communication).
All forms of voluntary activity, whether formal or informal. It is undertaken
of a person's own free-will, choice and motivation, and is without concern
for financial gain. It benefits the individual volunteer, communities and
society as a whole. It is also a vehicle for individuals and associations to
address human, social or environmental needs and concerns, and is often
carried out in support of a non-profit organisation or community-based
initiative. Thus voluntary activities add value to society, but do not replace
professional, paid employees.
147

We All are Europe
The members of the AESAEC project group are responsible for the content:
Austria, www.auxilium.co.at
Denmark, www.fritid-samfund.dk
Austria, www.vhsstmk.at
DK
Spain, www.asael.es
AT
SI
RO
Romania, www.sec.ro
ES
IT
Spain
Italy, www.formazionenet.eu
Slovenia, www.univerza3.si
www.aesaec.eu
The AESAEC project (Project No 1417572008LLPATGRUNDTVIGGMP) has been funded with support
from the European Commission, represented by the Education and Culture DG.