The project „Paths of cooperation – support for entities implementing international cooperation” is a grant project supporting Polish organisations and consists in the awarding support beneficiaries of projects co-financed from the European Social Fund, regardless of the operational program in which they implement standard designs . The goal of the project is to develop and implement 210 solutions that, thanks and in international cooperation, will allow institutions participating in the project, to improve and create new opportunities to respond to problems in the field of professional activation, lifelong learning, creation and implementation of public policies (or other specific areas covered by thematic objectives 8-11 ESF). International cooperation is supposed to help institutions to get new perspectives, enrich their knowledge and skills and use partner’s experience.
The project is coordinated by Fundację Fundusz Współpracy (FFW) (Poland), having as partners Asociatia Habilitas – Centru de Resurse si Formare Profesionala (Romania), Fondazione Democenter-Sipe (Italy) and Stichting Bussiness Development Friesland (Netherlands).
Profits from international cooperations
Apart from financial support (grants up to PLN 100,000), the project provides for a number of activities supporting the beneficiaries of ESF projects before joining grant competition, during the implementation of international projects and after their completion. The project approaches the subject in an innovative way -international cooperation, placing great emphasis on animation and incubation activities of new projects as well as support throughout the implementation period grant for the dissemination and networking of all grant recipients, including through the construction of a special network of project beneficiaries of international cooperation in the field of the ESF. This network, strengthened by cross-referencing seminars and a special database of projects and grant recipients will allow for project durability and establishing new partnerships to implement, among others international projects in the future.
An important aspect of the „Paths of cooperation …” project is to involve foreign partners with vast experience in cooperation, establishing partnerships and implementation of international projects. The partners will share their experience and help in the process of foreign partner selection to projects, as well as building a strong network of beneficiaries of international projects
Stages of project
The Leader recruits the participants ( organizations carrying out national projects financed from ESF) and prepares them to add the international cooperation component to their projects. Then there is a call for proposals and grants for international cooperation component are awarded to the best applications. Altogether over 3 years 210organisations will be awarded with grants up to 100,000 PLN each.
There are many ways and possibilities of developing the international cooperation and working on solution, e.g.:
- consultations, staff exchange, internships and study visits;
- transfer of good practices between partners;
- research and analytical activities;
- preparation, translation and publication of studies and reports;
- international workshops and online training seminars;
- testing innovative solutions;
- organization of conferences, seminars, workshops and meetings;
- developing and conducting training and other forms of formal or non-formal learning;
- developing tools and methods;
- development of programs / models increasing access to employment or activating disadvantaged people on the labor market, e.g. the unemployed, NEETs, 50+, women, the disabled and others.
Beneficiaries of the grants are obligated to adopt the result of implementation and international cooperation.
The project website is: https://www.sciezkiwspolpracy.pl/paths-of-cooperation/