TOOLKIT RCL (Rural Creative Labs): Where young adults meet arts, entrepreneurship and digital tools to reinvent rural areas

Aims of the tool

RCL aims to increase the sense of initiative and entrepreneurship mindset in young adult population living in rural areas by investing in new digital and creative/artistic tools, the capacity building of adult facilitators and creating transnational opportunities for learners at European level.

Description of the tool

The project's main objectives were to promote the exchange of good practices and methodologies among NGOs/entrepreneurship/digital learning centers and other local entities from 3 EU countries and to design quality transnational training and networking opportunities to empower young adults and educators living in rural areas.
RCL also wanted to Increase soft skills, entrepreneurship and digital competence in rural young adults and educators as well as to contribute to the sense of belonging as European Citizens.

RCL involved 3 organizations from 3 different EU countries: HIESE- IPN incubator (Portugal), FabLab Lèon (Spain), FARE Cooperativa Sociale (Italy).

The main output of the project has been the RCL Toolkit. The aim of this toolkit is to compile the knowledge gained throughout the project and outline a methodology that can be replicated in other rural regions. It includes ready-to-use activities and best practices that will be available as open-access resources for future adult educators to create their own bootcamps and training programs for young adult learners. The bootcamp concept is highly flexible and adaptable, making it valuable for addressing various critical topics in rural areas, such as upskilling, NEET training, design thinking, and entrepreneurship.

The training content is grounded in open educational resources (OERs) developed and curated by partners to align with the specific learning objectives of each module. The RCL Toolkit aims to equip professionals and educators working with young adult learners in rural areas to enhance their technical and transversal skills through the core principles of design thinking methodology. Additionally, it offers training materials that support the target group in developing essential skills critical for strategic growth and future opportunities. These skills encompass entrepreneurship, creativity, teamwork, initiative, digital communication, and long-term vision.

The RCL Toolkit is freely available and downloadable here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WwMJNp0McWW5XoqJ5_TL6Orblk6De7eY/view