Creasse Newsletter #4
CREASSE: from learning pathways to lasting impact: the project’s results
The CREASSE journey is drawing to a close: here are some numbers, the ideas and the impact on rural Europe!
Among the approximately 200–300 unique participants, 47 business ideas were developed, microcredentials were awarded, and individual mentoring sessions and final pitching events were held.
Among the approximately 200–300 unique participants, 47 business ideas were developed, microcredentials were awarded, and individual mentoring sessions and final pitching events were held.
After several intense months of co-creation, on-the-job training, discussion and transnational networking, the CREASSE (Creative and Social Entrepreneurship for Rural Areas) project has reached its final stage.
Whilst in our previous newsletter we told you about the launch of the Pilot Learning Experience based on the phased model of the Learning Stations, today we can celebrate together an extraordinary transformation: from learning to real and sustainable impact in rural communities across Spain, Italy, Hungary, Cyprus and Albania.
At the heart of this final phase was the impressive capacity-building programme, which succeeded in awakening the entrepreneurial spirit of young people, aspiring entrepreneurs and groups at risk of social exclusion, by providing practical skills in the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE).
Capacity Building in numbers: a shared achievement
The results gathered across the entire European consortium bear witness to the success and scope of the initiative:
- 575 participants attending the workshops and 210 unique participants involved in the training programmes (far exceeding the initial target of 100).
- 39 thematic workshops held at transnational level, led by 25 internal and external facilitators.
- 47 collaborative business ideas conceived and developed
- 97 mentoring sessions with a focus on business strategy, sustainable finance, branding, legal structures, fundings and a wide range of knowledge about what is needed to develop your own SSE business idea.
- 123 participants who completed the programmes and obtained recognition of their skills through micro-credentials and European certifications.
Thematic Workshops & Final Pitching Events: ideas take to the stage
The thematic workshops covered key areas: from interpersonal and environmental skills to the use of generative Artificial Intelligence for business ideation, right through to financial management and cooperative governance.
The programme culminated in the Community Pitching Events, where aspiring entrepreneurs publicly presented their business ideas to juries comprising experts, local investors and key players in the Social Economy ecosystem:
- Around more than 180 participants and 50 stakeholders from the Social Economy ecosystem attended the pitches;
- More than 15 jury members assessed the projects presented based on their potential for social impact, rural innovation and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
- 13 selected business ideas delivered their official pitches, receiving awards, start-up support and visibility to help them develop into sustainable businesses.
The Alliances Mapping and Open Access Resources: a legacy for local communities
To ensure that the Social Economy ecosystem continues to grow even after the project has ended, CREASSE is providing practical tools that are accessible to all:
- The Social Economy Alliances Mapping
- 146 Social Economy organisations and bodies across Europe have been mapped and linked online (50 in Albania, 33 in Spain, 23 in Cyprus, 20 in Italy and 20 in Hungary), creating a genuine transnational bridge between cooperatives, associations and support organisations.
Downloads and dissemination of training materials:
Almost 10,000 downloads (9,842) of resources produced by the project!
The CREASSE Handbook has totalled over 5,520 downloads in 5 languages (English, Spanish, Italian, Albanian and Greek).
The Practical Toolbox has exceeded 880 downloads, alongside over 3,400 views of the national reports on the Social Economy.
Focus on the regions: the value of national activities
Each partner has adapted the CREASSE methodology to address the specific challenges of their own context:
Spain (Extremadura / Cáceres – Acción Contra el Hambre):
The initiative in Extremadura stood out for its extraordinary energy and level of participation. Through 12 workshops held at key innovation hubs such as Garaje 2.0 and the Valhondo Building, a total of 118 unique participants were involved. The programme facilitated the creation and development of 20 business ideas, supported step by step through 57 personalised mentoring sessions and culminating in the award of 73 micro-credentials. The final milestone was celebrated with a Pitching Event attended by 64 participants, during which five selected projects took to the stage in front of 37 stakeholders and experts from the ecosystem.
Italy (Basilicata / Matera – Materahub):
In Matera, the community’s response involved 44 formal enrolments in the programme. The training activities focused directly on the core of entrepreneurial skills and the application of the Sustainable Creative Business Canvas, offering aspiring businesses tailored support. The programme culminated in the Final Pitching Event, an open forum that brought together over 30 participants, interested members of the public and representatives from the third sector in Basilicata.
Hungary (Transdanubia Region – CTRIA):
The Hungarian consortium successfully completed a comprehensive series of seven face-to-face workshops, involving 20 unique participants, with significant female representation and leadership. This collaborative effort resulted in five well-structured business ideas, and 12 official micro-credentials were awarded. The impact on the local area was further amplified by the Multiplier Event, which saw the active participation of no fewer than 56 delegates and local institutional representatives.
Albania (Tirana and rural areas – Partners Albania):
An intensive programme comprising nine workshops transformed the Albanian context into a veritable laboratory for social entrepreneurship, giving rise to 18 new business ideas. Of these, no fewer than eight were admitted to an advanced acceleration phase, supported by 22 individual mentoring sessions (totalling 44 hours of specialist support) and enabling 18 participants to receive their micro-credentials.
Cyprus (Nicosia and rural districts – SYNTHESIS):
With the aim of laying the foundations for the creation of new sustainable enterprises, SYNTHESIS centred its series of seven workshops on the regulatory framework and funding opportunities available to the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). The initiative provided targeted training to 29 unique participants, equipping them with the essential tools to develop impactful projects in rural and peri-urban communities across Cyprus.
Multiplier Events: looking beyond CREASSE
Over the past few weeks, the partners have organised national and European Multiplier Events (with over 150 participants in total), providing opportunities for political and methodological discussion to present the results to institutional stakeholders, sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and promote the integration of the CREASSE training model into local programmes for employment and rural development.
Let’s stay in touch!
The CREASSE project is coming to an end, but the community and the networks that have been established will continue to thrive:
Explore the Alliances Mapping and success stories on our website;
Download the Handbook and Toolbox for free in the Resources section;
For any future enquiries or to forge partnerships with consortium partners, visit the Contacts page and the other sections of the creasse.eu website.
Thank you to all the participants, mentors, SSE organisations and trainers who have made it possible to turn the potential of rural areas into reality!
The CREASSE Consortium
Acción Contra el Hambre (Spain) | Materahub (Italy) | CTRIA (Hungary) | SYNTHESIS (Cyprus) | Partners Albania (Albania)
