<< Background >>The project is composed of interlinked activities resulting in the production of a pack with resources and methodologies adapted to the targets to be used by VET providers, social animators and tourism organisations, proposing a new multilevel and engaged learning process, mediated by real testimonies and life stories and narratives of those who have succeeded in business and who have successful companies in low-density territories.The project is intended for social educators, trainers, animators that will embrace a final target facing the greatest difficulties in finding employment, with priority being given to:* adult people 50 +, whether graduates or not, with or without training, and who are unemployed or underemployed* job seekers from urban areas that want to try new life experiences in rural areas * job seekers in rural areas.The stakeholders of the project will be Schools, Universities, Companies, Community Centres, Social and collective Associations, Professional Associations, Tourist Bodies, Vocational Training Centres, Tourism Schools, Local Development Associations, Regional and local authorities and Local Creative Industries. All these players will be involved in the project activities and events, not only by testing the results, but also acting as multiplier agents during and after the term of the project.The partners estimate that the course and its resources will reach unemployed people, VET providers, schools and other institutions in the partner’s countries.By achieving its aim, the ENTRUST project will be a huge step towards a more ambitious objective of fostering entrepreneurial mindsets, innovation and business creation and by improving the economic situation of unemployed and underemployed seniors. By creating their own job opportunities, based on traditional occupations/crafts at risk of disappearing, cultural heritage and authentic rural activities, these targets will assure a more positive individual situation as well as more sustainable low population territories. Given current gaps in the provision of effective solutions to reduce unemployment amongst people aged 50+, ENTRUST presents a training strategy for senior entrepreneurship.At the conclusion of the project, participants will understand how to:•Investigate whether their enterprise idea is feasible and undertake suitable market validation research;•Use ideation, creativity, innovation and business development tools so as to develop the necessary thinking and skills required to become an entrepreneur and to commence a new enterprise/business with a tourism/cultural and heritage focus and incorporating elements of sustainability;•Develop and manage an enterprise in a logical fashion;•Incorporate sustainability principles in the development of tourism business with a social and/or cultural heritage focus.<< Objectives >>ENTRUST is a training & development programme where people aged 50+ will be supported in bringing an idea for a sustainable tourism business from concept to commercialisation.While no prior knowledge is required, the project targets senior entrepreneurs and those over 50 who:•Are interested in researching the potential for a new sustainable tourism business idea with a social and/or cultural heritage focus;•Have retired from their previous business/career but now want to establish a new enterprise;•Who have been made redundant from a previous related position & now wish to establish their own business;•Have identified an opportunity to improve upon existing products/services in the area of sustainable tourism business with a social and/or cultural heritage focus;•Believe in the concept of active ageing & who wish to create employment and wealth creation opportunities for themselves and others;•Challenge their own skills & cognitive abilities while also contributing to the economy and their communities;•Want to sustain the social, cultural & heritage fabric of their respective regions, particularly those in rural communities;•Provide an economic/entrepreneurial underpinning in support of the conservation of cultural and environmental heritage in rural areas with tourist potential.Project’s specific objectives: 1. Promote a blended training package, and develop a programme where people aged 50+ will be supported in bringing an idea for a sustainable tourism business from concept to commercialisation, towards social sustainability, especially in low population territories;2. Create interactive tools with a view to connecting and engaging this generation of people aged 50+ years in low population territories throughout Europe;3. Provide people aged 50+ with an interactive learning platform containing relevant training and support material;4. Deliver guidelines for VET providers on using the developed materials and resources in their practice in support of the creation of business ideas based on the use of traditional tourism, culture and heritage activities at risk of disappearing.<< Implementation >>The project is managed via a global plan Project Management plan - PM. The project management methodology will ensure that project activities lead to the achievement of project objectives and delivery of the planned results.Methodological StructureMethodology combines related practices, methods and processes that determine how to better plan, develop, control and deliver the project during its implementation until its successful completion. It is a systematic, controlled, evidence-based approach, describing each step in depth, so that the project team knows what to do to implement the work according to the target group's schedule, budget, and specification.- Definition of the need of a target group- Established a common language- Cost estimates are complete, accurate and reliable- The products use a common methodological approach- Most conflicts are detected/resolved early- Deliverables and expected solutions are implemented quicklyActivities to be carried out under Project Management:In addition to evaluation, monitoring and quality assurance, project management will include:*Dissemination & exploitation, sustainability and impact*The dissemination strategy will provide information about the project and results and will create awareness amongst the target groups to encourage their use of the outputs as well as encouraging decision-makers to consider ENTRUST in policy-making.DisseminationThe 1st meeting of the project will result in a plan based on regular campaigns, online visibility, participation in public events and cooperation network, close to the target public and stakeholders.Website is created and maintained for another 5 years after the end of the funding period.Website, in the 4 partner languages, includes: Landing page; Home: attractive image, vision, languages and social media; Project: history and context, goals, transnational meetings, photo and video gallery, partners; Generic presentation of the outputs and the availability of links to the platform, in the 4 languages.Channels and promotional material are as diversified as possible and partners take every opportunity to present the project at public events and use their networks for dissemination cooperation.Newsletters and brochures: 4 marketing campaigns using newsletters with updated information about the project, activities and achievements, issued by MailChimp, or similar platform.ConferenceAlso planned are 2 flyers: 1 at the beginning for project promotion, including goals, partnership agreement, operational plan for project development, dedicated social media and project dissemination plan, and a final flyer to promote the ENTRUST package.Exploitation, Sustainability and ImpactThe 3rd meeting presents an Exploitation, Sustainability and Impact plan to ensure the sustainability of the project after its completion, and will address:- IPR - Agreement on Intellectual Property Rights: a multilateral agreement on intellectual property clarifying the public and common rights of use of the products originated by the project.- Stakeholders support statement: at the end of the project, each partner identifies stakeholders organisations who will agree to make sustainable use of the ENTRUST package. An online version is available- Guidelines and detailed agenda for the Final Conference- Make the package available to key actors and stakeholders to persuade them to adopt the project results. Distribution at the final conferencesThe Reports to be submitted to NA is supported by Interim and Final Reporting of Dissemination & Exploitation, Sustainability and Impact, with input from all partners. Summary of all the evaluation activities, as well as the results achieved, will be made.<< Results >>R1 - Course / curriculum – Design and developmentThe project curriculum is a methodological document and guides the development of Course (R2), and Platform( R3) activities. Its development is preceded by knowledge transfer, literature review and target group survey. It supports the understanding the associated problem through theories, frameworks and other structures that exist in the literature and that allow the practical implementation of the course (R2) and platform (R3) that will support it.R2 – CourseThe course is an excellent and innovative opportunity to empower and develop the capacities of adult educators and trainers to ensure their role in linking the needs of learners from diverse social backgrounds to share key values such as their contribution to social cohesion and the preservation of heritage and culture, and to prevent and combat depopulation in rural areas. Based on a participatory, holistic and learning-centered strategy, adult educators will have the opportunity to participate in a unique learning experience in a diverse and supportive environment in a creative process, enabling them to learn by doing, through new methodologies mediated by documentaries of good practices, well adapted to the target audience needs. Documentaries will be used to break down stereotypes and inspire new life stories. The subject of this result is divided in 2 parts: the content-based part, including opportunities to learn from best practices in the field. The second part is activity-based, combining the interactive tools provided on the platform, allowing participants to create new ideas and work collaboratively.R3- PlatformThis intellectual output provides the development of the ENTRUST platform and the programming of e- tools (self-assessment, collaborative network, creative lab).The platform will be built from an open-source platform, such as Moodle, which allows the creation of custom learning environments. It will be user-centered, offering the creation of management and personal profiles through a simple process of sign-up and supporting the evolution of the learning process. The platform should use gamification techniques, which make the learning experience more appealing, involving the participants more. Some of these techniques include:- Progression: moving gradually to more complicated learning material, from theoretical content through analysis of documentaries to the development of self-assessment and job creation actions; - Challenges: problem-based exercises, which the learner should resolve to progress towards training completion; - Meaningful choices: give participants the possibility to create their own trail/pathway; - Social interaction: collaborating with peers for solving common problems using the interactive tools, exchanging ideas in a forum or at the collaborative network; - Achievement: collecting points for the completion of certain learning paths, culminating in the award of a completion certificate path.R4 – Guidelines - Learning / teaching / training material – Manual / handbook / guidance materialGuidelines for VET Providers introduce the ENTRUST rationale / approach for the target audience and illustrates how to use the assets in the ENTRUST pack (Curriculum, Course, e-tools within the e-platform, etc.). It also presents the session plans for the modules and units of the training program to be applied in full and suggestions of activities that adult educators/trainers can use in their training activities, taken from the Course. The requirements for receiving a Certificate of achievement on the training end will also be presented. These guidelines aim to explain the nature of the ENTRUST training material and to encourage VET providers to use them. It will explain how trainers should guide and support learners throughout the blended learning course. It will also give recommendations for adopting the ENTRUST material to face-to-face training sessions if needed.