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The last pilot course of the “ECVET for the Creative Industries” project took place in Rzeszów, Poland on the 12^th-16^th of June. It was hosted by the Polish project partner INNEO – local centre for training and research, which specialises in entrepreneurship and ICT training. The event was organized in KWADRAT – Subcarpathian Creative Space. It’s a coworking office as well as an incubator and a venue of creative and IT meetings, networking events and programming courses. It is a very important spot on the map of Rzeszów, which is said to be a “city of innovation”.

About the Polish “Entrepreneurship in Creative Industries” course

On the contrary to training courses in UK, Ireland, Spain and Italy – the Polish course was organised as a weekly recurring event. The participants spent 3 hours almost each week in the period of 3 months attending the course. This form of training was most suitable for Polish students; it also facilitated the process of completing the assignments and giving regular feedback by a tutor.

The course had a similar structure to other training courses organized in the framework of EfCI project. The knowledge was divided into 4 units, each of them concerned different aspects: personal brand and online presence, communication and negotiation, business planning as well as creative entrepreneurship in Europe. However, the resources were adapted to match the Polish context, with the special emphasis on local education system, law regulations, social and market trends and financial possibilities.

Young people with skills, degrees and big dreams

Since Poland is a country where formal education is considered to be of great importance, most of the participants were young people with university degrees. Some of them were still students, the others were working in industries not related to their degrees. The course was supposed to deal with their weaknesses and insecurities, since Polish students tend to have great professional skills and theoretical knowledge, but lack in entrepreneurial skills and self confidence.

The responses of students were very optimistic throughout the duration of the course. They all agreed that the aspects taught during the course were highly practical and useful for their future professional development. More than half of the participants are also applying for LRN’s “Level 3 in Entrepreneurship for European Creative Industries” qualification.

Project partners teaching about creative industries in their countries

During the last day of the training course EfCI project partners contributed to the training by presenting information about the creative industries in UK, Spain, Ireland and Italy. The participants were highly interested in hearing about their professions in different countries, comparing the problems and opportunities of their colleagues around Europe.

The joint staff training event as well as the course itself was considered a success by the participants. In their evaluation questionnaires students stated that the programme of the course should become more popular in the future because it is a perfect response for the imperfection of creative education system. All of them said that whey would recommend the course to their friends if another edition were organized in the future.

The 4th pilot week course of the EfCI project in Creative Industries has been hosted by 3Si – a centre in Seville that works to support the social, economic and cultural integration of people as part of local and European employability, training and education programmes – in Seville at Lab Seville – LAB is a space created by Alejandro Rojas, a professional of graphic design. The space was designed by him with the intetion of being a place for entrepeneurs, students and creative people, where they can share their work, knowledge and in this way the culture of Seville can be promoted.

European partners and univesity lecturers for Creative Industries

The training activity has been promoted together with the partners from Capacity Ireland, Capacity London, 3Si (Spain), Studio Inneo (Poland) and Materahub (Italy) taking part in teaching activities for the Level 3 Certificate in Entrepreneurship for European Creative Industries.

The course has been run by 3 tutors that are teachers of design in Universities in Seville. They have a broaden experience in the sector of Creative Industries and they work also as photographers (Diego Gallego, Alfonso Aguilar and Alejandro Rojas).

Transversal skills for a bright career

The 8 participants of the course, have had the opportunity to learn about different topics that will help them in their future jobs and careers. Some of the students involved are currently at University finishing their degrees in marketing and architecture. Some others, are trying to set up their own bussiness or trying to find a job in different sectors.
For this reason, it was very helpful for them to use the tool delivered by Materahub, the“Creative Project Canvas”, that helps artists and creatives to reflect and detail their own idea/project and make it sustainable.

The third pilot week course of the EfCI project has been hosted by Capacity Ireland in Dublin at Guinness enterprise together with the partners from 3Si (Spain), Studio Inneo (Poland) and Materahub (Italy) taking part in teaching activities for the Level 3 Certificate in Entrepreneurship for European Creative Industries.

Getting ready for a three month work experience in a host creative company

The course started with the introduction of the programme linked with Seville (3Si organization) where participants are going to have a work placement’s experience in an host creative company for three months.

The “Creative Project Canvas”, a useful tool to overview your business idea

The week covered also the topics of different Units providing an overview of the whole course, mainly related to the business planning for Creative Industries. The italian partner Materahub introduced a very useful tool called the “Creative Project Canvas” that helps creatives to reflect and detail their own idea/project and make it sustainable.

Sharing knowledge to achieve the same goal

The adaptation of the course for Creative Industries is the main goal of the EfCI project and it is really challenging for each partner to see how it works the learning approach in a different country and how they can contribute for the delivering of the course as an exchange learning’s process.

Helping aspiring and new entrepreneurs to realize their ambitions in the cultural and creative industries has always been our main goal. The Creative Speed ​​Up, a path of acceleration and internationalization for entrepreneurs in the sectors of culture and art, served to help ten young people create jobs and contribute to the economic, social and cultural growth of their territory.

The Creative Speed ​​Up was created alongside local experts and trainers such as Stefania Clemente, community manager for the Comincenter, Nicola Martulli, chartered accountant, and Raffaele Vitulli, trainer, mentor and project manager of Materahub, with the international partners of the ECVET for Creative Industries project for creative industries, which aims to develop skills and qualifications for entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries throughout Europe.

Use your own talent for a business enterprise

The creatives and artists who took part in the Creative Speed ​​Up derive from a different educational and professional path not necessary related to what each of them would do (or would be) in the future: writers / actors, cartoonists, future tourism operators, political science students with a passion for humanitarian organizations and volunteer, video maker and startupper who want to teach others how to live a “zero waste” life.

All of them, however, are united by a single great idea: to use their artistic and creative talent to start a business. In order to respond to these demands, the entrepreneurial education course at Comincenter was customized to their needs.

Analysis of uncertainties, perspectives and economic sustainability

The training week allowed participants to analyse and share uncertainties and prospects, working together on the creation and strengthening of their professional profile, focusing at the same time on financial and legal analysis, essential to turn an idea into an economically sustainable business able to produce wealth.

Through the definition of “SMART” objectives (elements, measurable, achievable, realistic and with a planned deadline), young people were accompanied towards the construction of their business plan, starting from the Creative Project Canvas, an instrument created by Materahub and other European experts which, thanks to a visual language, allows artists and creatives to simplify their business model.

4 months abroad to learn from experienced experts

International trainers introduced participants to the reality of cultural and creative enterprises in other European Countries, proposing case studies, sources of ideas and reflections. In addition, they presented one of the main objectives of the Creative Speed ​​Up: a 4-month experience, in an EU Country, financed by the Erasmus program for Young Entrepreneurs, alongside an experienced entrepreneur who will help the participants to test their business idea , hosting them in their own business and sharing experiences and strategies. In addition to this, the students will be supported in the candidacy of their business project in different national and international competitions, such as the Creative Business Cup, of which Materahub is an Italian host.

A comparison with the artistic and entrepreneurial ferment of Matera

Finally, the training week just ended offered the participants the opportunity to get to know and confront the artistic, cultural and social ferment that Matera is rediscovering at the moment, induced by many young people who have decided to stay or return with the care of make our city better from the point of view of opportunities.It is in this perspective that was proposed a visit to the art studio of Raffaele Pentasuglia, heir of the papier-maché tradition of Matera, as well as the after class event about the constitutive path of the IAC-Center for the Integrated Arts, a place of culture of inclusion, and the C-FARA co-working experience.

Here is the story of the Creative Speed ​​Up realized in collaboration with TRM

The pilot course in Poland

Unlike the pilot courses in other project partners’ countries, the Polish pilot course is not connected to any other initiatives. Therefore, since most of the participants are working or studying, the training will be organized to take place weakly, from March/April to June 2018. There will be 10-12 Wednesday afternoon meetings, and the last of them will be organized together with the Joint Staff Training Event.

Latest achievements

For now the recruitment process has been quite advanced. There are 10 participants chosen out of many applications. The details and preferences among the participants are currently being settled, but the venue for the training is already booked. The most probable date for starting the course is the 4^th of April.

One of the project outputs was investigating the potential for accrediting and recognising the new qualification in the partner’s countries. The members of Polish organization, INNEO, took part in a seminar called “validation and quality assurance in the Integrated Qualifications Register”.

Polish Qualification Register

It is worth noticing that Poland is in the middle of modernization of education system. The register has been created recently and is still in the process of changes and gaining recognition. The new system is based on the previous qualifications operating in different areas. The integrated system consists of elements that already function in Polish society and its economy, as well as new instruments (market qualifications).

The most significant elements of the system are the Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) and the Integrated Qualifications Register (IQR), which is a compendium of all qualifications included in the integrated system. These qualifications are also assigned a level in the Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF level).

The seminar

During the 2-days seminar that took place in Cracow, 29-30 January 2018, the staff members of INNEO were informed about the possibilities and procedures of introducing our qualification into the National Register. The procedures are complicated, but worth an effort. Our Polish partners are now familiar with the all the administrative requirements and are willing to investigate the possibilities to a full extend.

Matera, Italy – 23rd-24th of November 2017

During the transantional meeting of the project, on November 23 and 24 in Matera (Italy), Materahub – the host organization – has organized a visit at C–FARA, a collective space of professionals, creatives and collaborators who wants to share experiences and knowledge building innovation in different fields of study.

What is C–FARA?

C–FARA was born in 2013 in Matera in a charming and welcoming place close by Sassi, the cultural Unesco heritage since 1993 and its aim is to help integration and spread culture in every form through design project dimensions towards the valorization of public spaces.

This concept represents a new cultural enterprise model where people and spaces can connect each other.

C-FARA has currently worked in two different projects:

• C–FARA residency: based on the use of studio/atelier/laboratory for artists and creatives that want to work and create ideas, researching and collaborating within the organization and other professionals such as architects, designers, art curators, ingeneers.
• Materamare 1.0: about the accessibility and fruition of the city and the region as well by mapping routes and improving the logistic to make it accessible for disable people.

About the visit

The visit at C–FARA was really interesting for partners as it was the opportunity for them to know more about the city of Matera, get an insight of how the network of creative people work together in this area and what inspired them to open an enterprise.

London, United Kingdom – 11th-14th of September 2017

The EfCI project incorporates a series of Joint Staff Training Events that provide opportunities for Creative Industries course tutors to travel to the partner organisations to participate in observations and joint teaching activities with their peers. The first of these events was hosted by Capacity London with tutors from 3Si, Studio Inneo and MateraHub taking part in teaching activities for the Level 3 Certificate in Entrepreneurship for European Creative Industries.

The event was timed to run alongside the induction and first days of training for newly enrolled Capacity London students who will be working towards the Level 3 Certificate in Entrepreneurship for European Creative Industries. Tutors from 3Si, Studio Inneo and MateraHub worked alongside the new students to observe and take part part in classroom sessions and interactive workshops designed to enable the students to achieve the following learning outcomes:

• Understand different styles of professional profiles and use this knowledge to write their own
• Understand the importance of a coherent personal brand identity
• Understand how to communicate effectively with clients
• Understand the importance of professional client meetings and client briefs
• Understand how to deal professionally with challenging situations with clients

Welcome to the official website of the project ECVET for Creative Industries.
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