Activating RIEs for community- led development and empowerment

Grant agreement no. 101084377 Project full title Empowering rural communities to act for change Deliverable No. 4.1 Activating RIEs for communityled development and empowerment WP4 Grant Agreement no.: 101084377 Project title: Empowering rural communities to act for change Contractual Submission Date: 30/02/2024 Actual Submission Date: 30/04/2024 Responsible partner: UNIBO Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 2 Project duration 01/09/2023 - 31/08/2027 Deliverable number D4.1 Deliverable title Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment Type1 R Dissemination level2 PU Work package number 4 Work package leader UNIBO Author(s) Alessia Bertuca, Benedetta Cavalieri, Claudia de Luca, Caterina Selva (UNIBO) Main Contributors Xavier Domínguez, Santi Fuentemilla (IAAC), Francesco Pilla (UCD), Diana Valero (JHI) Internal reviewers AEIDEL, UU, Simona Tondelli (UNIBO) Keywords Community-led development, Community empowerment, Rural Innovation Ecosystems, Co-development, Participation, Inclusion RURACTIVE has received funding from the European Union under the Horizon Europe grant agreement No. 101084377, from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the UK Research and Innovation Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency REA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 1 Type: Use one of the following codes (in consistence with the Description of the Action): R: Document, report (excluding the periodic and final reports) DEM: Demonstrator, pilot, prototype, plan designs DEC: Websites, patents filing, press & media actions, videos, etc. 2 Dissemination level: Use one of the following codes (in consistence with the Description of the Action) PU: Public, fully open, e.g. web SEN: Sensitive, limited under conditions of the Grant Agreement Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 3 Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 4 Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 RURACTIVE GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................................................ 6 LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................... 7 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 8 2. INTRODUCTION AND KEY PRINCIPLES ............................................................................................................... 11 2.1 RURACTIVE KEY PRINCIPLES: PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION ................................................................................................... 12 3. INCLUSIVE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNITY-LED CO-DEVELOPMENT ............................................... 16 3.1 STEP 0: GETTING STARTED ................................................................................................................................................... 18 Phase 0.1: Getting familiar with the Guidelines ............................................................................................................. 20 Phase 0.2: Identifying preliminary Rural Development Drivers and territories ............................................................. 22 Phase 0.3: Starting to set up the RIE .............................................................................................................................. 24 3.2 STEP1: STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFICATION .................................................................................................................................. 27 Phase 1.1: Brainstorming ............................................................................................................................................... 29 Phase 1.2 Stakeholder analysis and assessment ............................................................................................................ 36 Phase 1.3: Prioritizing ..................................................................................................................................................... 42 3.3 STEP 2: STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT ................................................................................................................................... 44 Phase 2.1: Setting the communication messages and channels as part of the Local Communication Plan (LCP) ........ 46 Phase 2.2 Enrolling Local Task Force (LTF) ..................................................................................................................... 49 Phase 2.3: Involving Stakeholders .................................................................................................................................. 51 3.4 STEP 3: EMPOWERMENT .................................................................................................................................................... 54 Phase 3.1: Enrolling Community Trainers and ensuring active participation ................................................................ 57 Phase 3.2: Co-development activities............................................................................................................................. 59 Phase 3.3: Presenting the Local Action Plans ................................................................................................................. 67 4. MONITORING THE CO-DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ............................................................................................... 68 5. ETHICS CONCERNS FOR EACH STEP OF THE METHODOLOGY .............................................................................. 70 ANNEX I: SUPPORTING MATERIAL FOR STEP 1. STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION ..................................................................................... 77 ANNEX II: LOCAL COMMUNICATION INPUTS .................................................................................................................................. 82 ANNEX III: ETHICS INSTRUCTIONS ................................................................................................................................................ 84 ANNEX IV: HANDBOOK ............................................................................................................................................................. 90 Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 5 List of figures Figure 1. Inclusive step-by-step Guidelines ............................................................................................ 16 Figure 2. Timeline of the Guidelines ....................................................................................................... 16 Figure 3. STEP 0 timeline ........................................................................................................................ 19 Figure 4. Rural Innovation Ecosystem structure..................................................................................... 21 Figure 5. Rural Development Drivers - RDDs .......................................................................................... 23 Figure 6. STEP 1 timeline ....................................................................................................................... 28 Figure 7. Stakeholder domains and RDDs .............................................................................................. 30 Figure 8. Three I matrix – Influence, intertest and inclusion ................................................................. 39 Figure 9. STEP 2 timeline ........................................................................................................................ 45 Figure 10. STEP 3 timeline ...................................................................................................................... 56 Figure 11. Enrolling Local Champions process and timeline .................................................................. 57 Figure 12. Stakeholder database - version 1 (screenshot) ..................................................................... 77 Figure 13. Stakeholder database - version 2 (screenshot) ..................................................................... 78 Figure 14. Phase 1.1 Brainstorming - Miro Board. Part I (screenshot) ................................................... 79 Figure 15. Phase 1.2 Analysing - Miro Board. Part II (screenshot) ......................................................... 80 Figure 16. Phase 1.3 Prioritizing – Miro Board. Part III (screenshot) ..................................................... 81 Figure 17. Power Point utilized for the analysis ad prioritization of stakeholders ................................ 18 Figure 18. Sample email to engage LTF members .................................................................................. 82 Figure 19. Sample email to engage stakeholders in the RIE................................................................... 82 List of tables Table 1. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 1. Vision and Challenges ......................................... 62 Table 2. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 2. Learning from Others .......................................... 64 Table 3. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 3. Fine tuning .......................................................... 65 Table 4. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 4. Co-tuning ............................................................. 66 Table 5. Schematic guidelines of the Local Action Plan presentation meeting ..................................... 67 Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 6 RURACTIVE Glossary Dynamos (Ds): 12 rural pilot areas, in 7 EU, 2 Associated Countries and Switzerland where the RIEs will be established. RURACTIVE Dynamos: D1-Northern Ostrobothnia, FI, PP: UOULU; D2Sdburgenland, AT, PPs: BAB, WAB; D3Diputacion Zamora, ES, PPs: DZ, CARTIF, D4North-East Scotland, UK PP: GBIZ, JHI; D5-Andalucia, ES, PP: BALAM; D6Zagori, GR, PP: EMZ; D7Zakarpattya, UA, PP: FORZA, D8Fiastra Valley, IT, PP: BF; D9Zadar, HR, PPs: URB, CZAD; D10Abruzzo, IT, PP: BORGHI, D11Gotland, SE, PPs: RG, UU; D12Törbel, CH, PP: BFH. Rural Innovation Ecosystem (RIE): communities of people, places and practices that share interests in one or more specific RDDs to be established in Dynamos’ areas. Rural Development Drivers (RDDs): Set of drivers that guide rural development. They include Sustainable multimodal mobility, Energy transition and climate neutrality, Sustainable agrifood systems and ecosystem management, Nature-based and cultural tourism, Culture and cultural innovation, Local services, health and wellbeing. Stakeholder: An institution, organization, group or individual that has some interest or impact in one or more of the RDDs of the project, either as possible contributors to the co-development and implementation of solutions, or as a beneficiary of such solutions. Groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation: Stakeholders at risk of exclusion due to factors like physical disabilities, age, ethnic origins, religious believes and other intersecting aspects. Historically, these groups have been underrepresented and largely excluded from decision-making processes, especially in rural areas. These groups encompass, but are not limited to: 1) Young People (aged 18-29 years); 2) Older people over the age of 65-75 (varying based on national or local retirement age criteria); 3) People with long-term physical, mental, intellectual disabilities, or sensory impairments; 4) Migrants, and individuals belonging to linguistic, ethnic, and religious minorities; 5) Long-term unemployed: individuals who have been jobless and actively seeking employment for at least a year; 6) LGBTQIA+ community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual and more based on sexual orientation or gender identity). Beneficiaries: local communities, including specific groups at risk of exclusion, that will benefit from the solutions developed by the RIEs. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 7 Local Task Force (LTF): A group of selected stakeholders that are most actively involved in the RIE, consisting of stakeholders that have specific expertise or interest in one or more RDD or that can benefit the most from the project co-development activities. List of Acronyms and Abbreviations CARTIF: Fundación Cartif EA: Ethics Advisor EURICE: European Research and Project Office GmbH F6S: F6S Network Ireland Limited IAAC: Institut d’Arquitectura Avançada de Catalunya IE: Innovation ecosystems JHI: The James Hutton Institute LAP: Local Action Plan LCT: Local Community Trainer LCP: Local Communication Plan LTF: Local Task Force LWS: Local Workshop M: Month RDD: Rural Development Driver RIE: Rural Innovation Ecosystem UCD: University College Dublin, National University of Ireland UNIBO: Alma Mater Studiorum_Università di Bologna WP: Work Package Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 8 1. Executive Summary This report aims at setting key principles, methods and step-by-step indications to support rural communities, and more specifically RURACTIVE Dynamos, to establish, activate and maintain local Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) and to undertake a participatory and inclusive community-led codevelopment process. The process detailed in this document will assist Dynamos in developing Local Action Plans (LAP) supporting just, sustainable and smart transition of rural territories. RURACTIVE will make this transition successful, by encouraging the various forms of innovation (Digital and technological innovation, Technical innovation, Social, organizational and governance innovation, Financial and business models innovation) to enable the establishment of RIEs that enhance inclusive, participatory and community-based transition. Within RURACTIVE, two key principles guide community-led rural development: participation and inclusion. This document aims to explain in theory and in practice how to embed these principles in the community-led co-development process toward a sustainable and smart transition of rural communities in Europe and beyond, using the 12 RURACTIVE Dynamos as open laboratories to test the methodology. Aware of the rich diversity of rural areas, this methodology embeds flexibility as a general guiding norm, giving freedom to the different territories to apply and tailor the methodology based on previous projects and experiences, current synergies, policies, objectives, and available funds and resources. This methodology is structured as step-by-step guidelines and it is composed of four steps that are defined as follows: • Step 0 Getting started: includes familiarizing the Dynamos with the concepts and the steps of the step-by-step guidelines, identifying the RDDs and the territories where the LAP will be implemented, and identifying the place/s where to run the RURACTIVE activities at local scale; • Step 1 Stakeholder identification: defines the actions needed for brainstorming, analysing and prioritizing local stakeholders according to the 6 RDDs and the four core categories (Policy, Research, Industry, Users). This step also includes the first identification of the Local Task Force (LTF), intended as a group of selected stakeholders who have specific expertise or interest in one or more RDDs or that benefit the most from the project co-development and who will take an active role in the setting up of the local RIEs; • Step 2 Stakeholder engagement: includes actions, tips and strategies to engage local stakeholders. In conjunction with the LCP, this step ensures that an inclusive communication of the project is developed to be able to attract and engage diverse type of stakeholders throughout the process. • Step 3 Stakeholders empowerment: this step entails two main streams of activities that will empower local communities: i) capacity building and training of local communities in Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 9 conjunction with WP3; ii) workshops and laboratories to co-develop place-based solutions with the local communities. Each step details inclusivity tips which are intended as suggestions to properly undertake an inclusive participatory process and minimum requirements to be achieved in terms of types of stakeholders to be involved to ensure representativeness, always keeping in mind the diversity of the rural territories. Specific attention will be dedicated to personal data protection in accordance with the EU GDPR and in close cooperation with the RURACTIVE Ethics Advisor (EA). Minimum requirements regarding the two key principles (inclusion and participation) and the integration of the three RURACTIVE crosscutting priorities (Climate change mitigation and adaptation, social justice and inclusion, and biodiversity) are integrated throughout the methodology. Moreover, this methodology defines and describes in detail the four steps to identify, engage and empower local stakeholders, civil society, and groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation, describing modalities and needed input and output of the various steps. This deliverable does not just present the co-development process, but also delineates collaboration methods between partners, mentoring activities, and it necessarily connects with most of the project’s WPs and tasks. Indeed, the establishment of 12 RIEs and the development of the relative Local Action Plans, gathering all the knowledge developed in the other WPs is one of RURACTIVE main objectives. Dynamos will be supported throughout the establishment of the RIEs and the co-development process of their Local Action Plans (LAPs) as well as trained on the methodology through the Knowledge Transfer events (WP3) by UNIBO and UCD as WP4 and WP5 leaders. Indeed, while the development of this methodology belongs to Task 4.1, the implementation of it will happen during Task 4.2 and 4.3. More specifically: - Within Step 0, Dynamos will familiarize with these guidelines and the ontology of the project defined in WP2 – see Del 2.1 ‘Conceptual and Operational Framework’. Moreover, Dynamos will start the screening of local policies, to get familiar with target and objectives of their territories and identify potential synergies. - As for Step 1 ‘Stakeholders identification’, the establishment of the RIEs will create synergies with the work developed in Task 3.3 related with the selection and empowerment of the Local Community Trainers that will be selected and recruited following guidelines and specification from Task 3.3, but he/she will be part of the Local Task Forces and will be responsible for the digital literacy training for elderly in the Dynamos RIEs. - As for Step 2 ‘Stakeholders engagement’, this task relies on the contents defined in the Local Communication Plans (LCP) (7.2), that are considered strategic documents to support the local stakeholder's engagement. - As for Step 3 Stakeholders’ empowerment: 1) Dynamos will build upon the knowledge developed and collected in WP2 (Task 2.1 and Task 2.2), using the solutions catalogue as the basis for the solutions’ co-development in the Dynamos territories (see Step 3 of the methodology) 2) this and the following tasks (4.2 and 4.3) strongly interact with WP5 (Task 5.1), Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 16 3. Inclusive Step-by-Step Guidelines for community-led co-development The following Step-by-Step Guidelines aim at supporting Dynamos and inspire all interested rural communities to set up Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) and to implement an inclusive community-led co-development process for enabling cross-sector collaboration. They describe modalities, needed inputs and outputs of the various steps. WHO ARE THESE GUIDELINES FOR? These guidelines are for Dynamos and all actors potentially interested in undertaking a community-led development process towards a just, smart and sustainable transition in rural areas. These actors are defined in RURACTIVE as Dynamos. WHAT DO THEY DESCRIBE? The guidelines describe the four main steps to be taken to implement a community-led co-development process, namely: • STEP 0 – GETTING STARTED: the step that prepares Dynamos to undertake the process to activate RIEs. It includes three main phases: getting familiar with the RIE concepts and Guidelines, selecting RDDs and geographies, starting to set up the RIE. Figure 1. Inclusive step-by-step Guidelines Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 17 • STEP 1 – STAKEHOLDERS’ IDENTIFICATION: the identification of the stakeholders that are important for the RIEs activities. It includes three phases which are brainstorming, analysing and prioritizing stakeholders. • STEP 2 – STAKEHOLDERS’ ENGAGEMENT: the reaching out to and involving of the previously identified stakeholders. It includes three phases: preparing the information, enrolling the LTF and involving the stakeholders. Stakeholders’ engagement is a continuous process that is activated whenever a new stakeholder might show interest in the process. • STEP 3 – STAKEHOLDERS’ EMPOWERMENT: the active collaborative involvement of stakeholders to define common goals and pathways through their participation into a set of workshops and activities. It includes three phases: Enrolling Local Community Trainers, the Codevelopment Activities and Presenting the Local Action Plans. Monitoring is a fundamental step of the proposed guidelines; it is a continuous process that accompanies the four identified steps. To monitor the effectiveness of the process and to update UNIBO AND UCD on the timing, a list of documents and reports has been identified to evaluate the success degree of accomplishment of each step (see Chapter 5 Monitoring the Co-development Process). At the beginning of the description of each step, at least one monitoring report is reported. This methodology builds on a number of approaches already tested in different EU projects including RURITAGE, RESCUEME, TEXTOUR, WECOUNT, POLIRURAL and other initiatives 8 , aimed at establishing local participatory process and to encourage co-creation and co-development between stakeholders both in urban and rural areas. Departing from principles of participation and inclusion in rural areas, the RURACTIVE methodology tailors tested approaches with the aim of engaging Dynamos and all relevant stakeholders for developing, implementing, and monitoring smart, place-based solutions to foster the innovation process. Moreover, as detailed in Fig.2, this methodology has been developed in coordination with all other WPs and partner, to align project activities and RIEs local initiatives. Indeed the fig. shows both the foreseen activities to be implemented at local level by the Dynamos (above the timeline) and the relevant tasks and activities at project level (below the timeline). 8 See for example: European Network for Rural Development, Stakeholder Involvement - https://ec.europa.eu/enrd/networking/stakeholder-involvement_en.html and EU RURAL REVIEW No 19: Improving stakeholder involvementhttps://ec.europa.eu/enrd/sites/default/files/publi-enrd-rr-19-2015-en.pdf Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 18 It is important to specify that the proposed inclusive community-led co-development process is iterative, meaning that the steps can overlap in time and there is always the possibility to go back to the previous stage if something needs to be reconsidered. The following sections of the deliverable are written as direct guidelines for the reader to act on. Except for the introductory part of each step where objectives and main outcomes are specified, the different phases of each step are written in a way that directly addresses the Dynamos. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 16 Figure 2. Timeline of the Guidelines Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 18 3.1 Step 0: Getting started STEP 0: GETTING STARTED ensures that all Dynamos have a strong understanding of the foundational elements necessary to start the process of activating the RIEs. As shown in Fig. 3, Step 0 consists of three main phases: • Phase 1: Getting familiar with the Guidelines – M6. • Phase 2: Identifying Dynamos’ RDDs and territories – M7. • Phase 3: Starting to set up the RIE – M7. The outcomes of Step 0 are: • When relevant, consideration of stakeholders’ identification and engagement processes and co-development projects previously carried out on the territory of the Dynamos. • Selection of the RDDs that Dynamos would like to work on and related territories ( including policy analysis at the Dynamo’s level). • Identification of the RIE coordinator, person or organization responsible for coordinating all the RIE activity. • Identification of the RIE site(s), venue(s) where periodic workshops will take place. Monitoring Step 0: • Brief report summarizing the main Step 0 outcomes (RIE coordinator, RDDs selected, geographies defined and RIE site(s) identified). Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 19 Figure 3. STEP 0 timeline Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 20 Phase 0.1: Getting familiar with the Guidelines This phase is for you to familiarize with the concepts and the steps of the Step-by-Step Guidelines. This is to be prepared before undertaking the process of stakeholders’ identification and engagement (Step 1 and 2). You are asked to get familiar with the structure of the RIE, to be aware of the importance of participation and inclusion, the two key principles behind the methodology (see chapter Key Principles), and to understand the comprehensive process of the Step-by-Step Guidelines. Understanding RIEs Whitin RURACTIVE, communities and organizations that aim to foster a just and sustainable transition for rural areas by developing smart, community-led, tailor-made, place-based and inclusive solutions, are encouraged to follow these Step-by-Step Guidelines. The process relies on setting up RIEs which are communities of people, places and practices that share interests in one or more specific Rural RDDs – namely Sustainable multimodal mobility; Energy transition and climate neutrality; Sustainable agrifood system and ecosystem management; Nature-based and cultural tourism; Culture and cultural innovation; Local services, health and wellbeing. In RURACTIVE, each RIE unlocks the innovation potential of rural communities by developing two to four solutions related to the chosen RDDs and transversally integrating climate change mitigation and adaption, biodiversity and social justice and inclusion. Each RIE assumes the following structure: • RIE community: pool of stakeholders engaged in the project that represent the civil society in its entirety, including groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation such as young people, older people, people with disabilities, migrants and minorities, long term unemployed, LGBTQIA+ populations. The community will be as gender balanced as possible, meaning that at least 40% of women must be present and other gender minorities should not be discriminated against (gender balance target – see chapter Key Principles). The number of stakeholders to be reached to form the RIE community is around 20-25 people. • RIE coordinator: a person or an organization responsible for coordinating all the RIE’s activities. In RURACTIVE a reference person in each Dynamos’ partner act as coordinator (in case a Dynamo is made by only two partners they can both be referencing persons or they can take turns, depending on their agreement). • Local Task Force (LTF): group of four to seven people selected from the pool of stakeholders with prominent influence/interest that works in co-developing solutions related to multiple RDDs and supports RIE coordinator in identifying local challenges and needs. Each RIE has one core LTF. The LTF must comply with the gender balance target set meaning that it should include at least 2 to 3 women. • RIE territory: geographical area of application of the solutions that are co-developed within the RIE. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 21 • RDD geography: geographical area that includes the territory where the solution are codeveloped and will be implemented and the locations of the pool of stakeholders involved in the co-development project. Its size and position depend on type of the solution and on the stakeholders involved. The number of RDD geographies corresponds to the number of RDDs chosen to be addressed; the overlapping of RDD geographies makes up the RIE geography. • RIE site(s): venue(s) where RIE community, RIE coordinator and LTF meet to attend workshops, discuss, and co-develop innovative solutions. The RIE structure is illustrated in Figure 4. Figure 4. Rural Innovation Ecosystem structure Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 22 Phase 0.2: Identifying preliminary Rural Development Drivers and territories Once you have become familiar with the framework you should reflect upon the RDDs you would like to work on, based on two criteria, described below: (1) the participatory processes previously undertaken in the territory and (2) the policy analysis conducted within Task 2.5 (Policy analysis at Dynamo level for the integration of new solutions within current strategies). In this phase, we also ask you to refer to Del 2.1 ‘Conceptual framework for innovation’ where you can find a detailed explanation of each RDD, the three crosscutting and the type of innovations considered in RURACTIVE. Indeed, familiarizing with the ontology of the project is a necessary pre-condition to get a clearer idea of the potential place-based solutions you will be co-develop with your stakeholders. Considering previous projects and relations with stakeholders Each community has different dynamics and interactions with its territory. You may have previously undertaken a stakeholder identification and engagement exercise or process in your geographical area, and you might have already co-developed innovative solutions. It is strongly recommended that you verify whether similar procedures have already occurred in your territory, to start the process of the step-by-step Guidelines consistently with existing practices already in place. In the case that similar processes have taken place, you should identify stakeholders previously engaged, investigating their interests and skills. You can, for example, ask yourself: • Which stakeholders were involved? How were they contacted? How were they motivated to get involved? • What were the co-development projects about? What were their objectives? • What kind of processes or methodology were used? This can help you in strengthening existing relations within the community and might facilitate the undertaking of the next steps of the methodology (Step 1: Identification and Step 2: Engagement). It is important to note that, if some participatory processes and stakeholders' engagement have already taken place in your area of interest, the first steps of the Step-by-Step Guidelines (Step 0, Step 1 and Step 2) could be carried out differently than it would happen for communities going through this process for the first time. Considering the policy analysis The policy analysis undertaken at local level within Task 2.5 (Policy analysis at Dynamo level for the integration of new solutions within current strategies, M06-18) aims at collecting and analysing the strategies and the plans relevant to territories of the RIEs in relation to the RDDs and the cross-cutting Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 23 priorities of RURACTIVE. According to the local policies collected, you can better understand the main challenges and opportunities of your territory and choose more easily the RDDs that you would like to work on. Later on, the knowledge of local strategies creating synergies, leveraging additional fundings and contributing to the achievement of local objectives and targets. Specific guidelines on how to conduct the local policy analysis will be developed and presented by UNIBO in the frame of Task 2.5. RDDs selection The pre-selection of RDDs (Fig. 5) relies on your expertise and knowledge of the processes happening in your community and it is in no way binding. Once stakeholders are engaged, this decision can be reconsidered depending on the interaction with the RIE community. You should also reflect on the territories where the future solutions will be applied and on the location of the stakeholders that will be involved, in coherence with the RDD selected. Based on the outcomes of the two investigations, you can define which RDDs have already been explored or are at the core of specific policies and plans, which RDD can be improved, and which have never been considered, facilitating the selection of RDDs and the definition of the related territory of intervention. Based on the results you should choose to work on two to four RDDs. Since some RDDs are strictly interlinked with each other, this choice won’t exclude developing solutions that touch upon or have reverberations in other RDDs. In the case that you have already developed solutions in one or more RDDs, you might choose to act on the same or on different RDDs. Figure 5. Rural Development Drivers - RDDs Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 30 Figure 7. Stakeholder domains and RDDs Within your list of stakeholder, you can further identify two types of stakeholders: transversal stakeholders and RDDs specific stakeholders. Some stakeholders are transversal, as they can be listed as relevant for all or multiple RDD, either because they influence local politics, policies and local development or because they strongly relate to the crosscutting priorities of climate, biodiversity and social justice. Some examples are municipalities, regional offices, schools and educational institutions. Often, transversal actors can support long term and policy impacts. Other stakeholders are RDD specific, as they are only or mostly relevant for one RDD and not for all of them. The list of RDD specific stakeholder typologies is not exhaustive but constitutes a blueprint for you to check that no-one is left behind when listing the stakeholders and compiling the stakeholder database. When compiling the Stakeholders Database remember to always list your transversal stakeholders in each relevant RDD of your choice. Taking all these suggestions into consideration, you can now start thinking and working on the identification of the stakeholders and groups to involve in the process of RIEs activation. It is highly recommended to start identifying stakeholders departing from: • Previous collaborations • Dedicated databases (e.g agricultural companies census, tourism providers portal, etc.) Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 31 • Internet and social media • Local multipliers (e.g. people or stakeholders that are very well known in a specific RDD that can support in developing a coherent list of relevant stakeholders) • Previous innovation projects that happened in the area related to the specific RDD It is important to remember your investigation of previous innovation projects and the communities of stakeholders that were involved at the time that you carried out in Step 0. Some of the stakeholders in your list might be actors you have already established relationships with within your local community, and therefore communicating with them might be easier and faster. This can also give you an idea of the actors that showed the most engagement in the past and that could possibly also contribute more actively or with more interest to the activities of the RIE. It can also help you to understand which groups or individuals where never involved before in an innovation project and you may need to reach out to in different modalities. It could also be possible that other entities in your territory are carrying out stakeholder engagement processes in the same period that you are performing similar activities. That can create opportunities for synergies (e.g. both processes aim at developing new innovative energy solutions) and/or challenges (e.g. stakeholders fatigue in joining all the activities organized) that should be carefully taken into consideration. We suggest that you start thinking first about entities, associations, organizations that you could collaborate with. This is specifically valid when you think of the Policy, Research, Industry/services/ investors typologies of stakeholders and when considering groups at risk of social exclusion. Think also of individual stakeholders but remember that putting them in the stakeholders’ database will require extra care because of privacy and sensitive data concerns (see paragraph: Compile the Stakeholders Database). Please consider that EU GDPR rules (i.e. informed consent) apply whenever personal data of individuals are collected, not data of institutions or organizations. Before inserting any personal data in a table, check legal conditions (i.e. informed consent as of art. 14 GDPR), also liaising with your DPO and/or the Coordinator. Consider groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation in your community. While brainstorming potential stakeholder to involve in the activities of the RIE, remember to take into consideration groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation. In line with the definitions and categorization outlined in the Key Principles, it is crucial to properly identify, engage, and empower all community members, especially those facing social exclusion. This includes groups such as young people (aged 18-29), older individuals (over 65-75, varying according to the local retirement age norms), people with physical and mental disabilities or impairments, migrants, and ethnic, linguistic, and religious minorities, the long-term unemployed and LGBTQIA+ populations. It's important to note that additional or different social groups may be relevant in various contexts, and you should Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 32 broaden your view to consider also lesser-known groups or groups that haven’t shown interest before in co-development projects because they might have been excluded from relevant information. Remember that gender concerns are to be integrated as a transversal focus. Rural women must be included in all phases of the process, and to ensure this you will be later asked to respect specific targets and quotas in the composition of the RIE community. To gain a deeper understanding of social exclusion or underrepresentation processes in your community, consider conducting a community assessment. This assessment serves as a crucial step in ensuring that your stakeholder identification process is as inclusive and informed as possible. Begin by taking into consideration the available data concerning the demographic composition of your community. This includes factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, language, and socioeconomic status. This step back is foundational to identifying potential underrepresented groups. Consider also social challenges, economic disparities, and environmental concerns and issues that your community face, to pinpoint the groups most affected. Employing an intersectionality lens while looking at social exclusion process in your area is the key. People belong to multiple identity groups simultaneously, and these intersections can result in unique experiences of privilege and exclusion. For instance, someone's experience as a young woman from an ethnic minority may differ significantly from that of an elderly man from the majority group. By acknowledging these intersections, you can better comprehend the multifaceted nature of social vulnerabilities within your community. This initial community assessment will feed in and be better refined into the Dynamos’ Baseline elaborated in the framework of WP5. Before passing to the next phase, you need to identify and select one to three groups at risk of exclusion that you want to engage in the co-development of solutions for each RDD. Check again your list of stakeholders, reflect on who might be missing from your list and why. Reassess and repeat the process aiming to identify further potential missing stakeholders until you can identify at least one group at risk of exclusion. Reflect on the process and write down the challenges (e.g. group particularly disengaged/disenfranchised) or reasons for their absence (e.g. absence of migration in a specific community). Remember also that rural women should be represented in your stakeholders list and make sure that you have considered gender concerns (see key principles) while brainstorming. Please remember that when identifying groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation you are dealing with very sensitive data. Always refer to groups or organizations and not to individuals and make sure to fallow the EU GDPR rules and suggestion provided by RURACTIVE Ethic Advisor in the chapter Compile the Stakeholders Database. INCLUSIVITY TIPS FOR STEP 1 - PHASE 1: Ensuring the inclusion of women and the groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation in your area, requires a strategic approach that could benefit from the identification of local associations, intermediary organizations or local influencers. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 33 • Associations: Local associations such as elderly clubs, youth clubs, religious collectives, sport clubs and groups, and women's organizations, play a pivotal role in connecting and identifying such social groups within your area. These associations often have established trust and relationships within the community, making them key allies in the identification process. • Intermediary organizations: such as cooperatives, second chance schools, charities, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs): These organizations are essential in bridging the gap between larger development initiatives and grassroots communities. They could be organizations working with unemployed people, people with disabilities, people at risk of poverty, LGBTQIA+ community and others. They can act as intermediaries to identify, connect, and empower excluded groups, especially those that may be considered "hard to reach" due to various factors such as social stigma, geographical isolation, or lack of awareness. It is useful to collaborate closely with these intermediary organizations during the identification process. • Local influencers: local influencers are stakeholders actively involved in the activities of the community or particularly influential among them. They have some degree of influence in the community and can help spread the word, inform, and reach others that might be otherwise hard to persuade or lack trust. They could include the local librarian, or a parent in the parent association of a school, or a local religious or spiritual leader, or the responsible of a local influent organization. They also include digital influencers active on social media, who can share their stories, experiences, and insights with other stakeholders, and act as intermediaries to overcome resistance. The influencers can serve as a valuable source of information, connection, and networks that can facilitate both the identification (Step 1) and engagement (Step 2) of these groups. To provide specifics on where and how to effectively identify the social groups you selected, consider the following: • Women: collaborate with charities and NGOs that promote female-led entrepreneurship and training, and women's associations. • Young people: Collaborate with nearby universities, evening and second chance schools, youth organizations, and sport clubs to identify young people (18-29 years old) in your community. Additionally, explore social media pages and online platforms that are commonly used or managed by youth groups • Older people: Engage with senior clubs/groups, senior centres, retirement homes, and healthcare providers who cater to the elderly population. These entities can provide valuable insights into identifying and connecting with elderly individuals. • People with disabilities: Partner with local disability support organizations and healthcare facilities that offer specialized services to identify individuals with disabilities that might have an interest in the project. • Migrants and minorities: Connect with cultural or religious organizations that serve migrant and minority communities in the village. These organizations can help bridge connections and provide access to these groups. • Long-term unemployed: Collaborate with employment agencies, job centres, and vocational training institutions that specialize in re-skilling and up-skilling programs. Additionally, partnering Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 34 with local NGOs and community organizations that focus on economic inclusion and workforce development can provide direct access to this group. • LGBTQIA+: Collaborate with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups, community centres, and social service organizations that focus on LGBTQIA+ issues. Engage with online platforms and social media groups that are popular within the LGBTQIA+ community for both support and networking. Participating in local Pride events or other community gatherings can also be an effective way to connect with LGBTQIA+ individuals. Recognize Local Community Trainer 10 During the stakeholder identification phase, you are encouraged to engage in a process of recognizing individuals or groups (organizations or informal collectives) who possess digital competences and the attitude of changemakers – the so called RURACTIVE Local Community Trainer (LCT). These persons/organization might be trainers, educators, professionals, or working around various digital skills. The ideal profile for a LCT includes: • Highly motivated individuals: those who are eager to learn and acquire new concepts. • Knowledge sharers: persons who are not only willing to acquire knowledge but are also enthusiastic about disseminating it within the community. • Availability and autonomy: Individuals who are readily available and can work independently. • English proficiency: Confidence in both written and spoken English is crucial for effective communication and learning across European areas (e.g. like in the context of RURACTIVE). • Educational skills: the ability to teach and facilitate learning experiences is key. • Collaborative attitude: Trainers should be approachable and adept at working collaboratively. • Maker skills: some experience in design, digital fabrication and coding is valuable. The identification of possible LCT is an integral part of the RURACTIVE project. They will be engaged in training activities planned in WP3, Task 3.3. As you embark in the stakeholders’ identification phase, it is important you start reflecting on these characteristics to identify suitable candidates. To identify potential LCTs, considering exploring the following: • Educational institutions, universities or training centres in your area could be a fertile ground for finding such talents. 10 In RURACTIVE Local Community Trainers are defined in line with : Schmidt, A., Guy, J., Dominguez, X., (2021), Pop-Machina Circular Maker Academy: Building circular maker capacity through training (Deliverable 3.4). Leuven: Pop-Machina project 821479 - H2020 Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 35 • Digital learning platforms (on-line courses and e-learning platforms) are excellent resources to find individuals with the necessary skills. • Social media platforms and professional networks (such as LinkedIn), or specialized forums and groups on other social media, can be useful for identifying individuals, collectives or organizations operating in your area with these skills set. • Additionally, you may also want to look into local tech meetups, community workshops, and innovation hubs including makerspaces, hackerspaces and fab labs 11 , as these places often attract individuals with a passion for technology and community development. While your efforts to identify a suitable LCT in your area are crucial, the WP4 and WP3 coordination teams will support you. Do not worry if your search proves challenging, IAAC will assist by launching a dedicated call to attract appropriate candidates. Compile the Stakeholders Database When compiling the Stakeholders Database remember to consider that EU GDPR rules apply whenever personal data of individuals are collected, not data of institutions or organizations. You should be aware that you can freely insert the names of organisations, bodies, companies, etc. in a table as they are not personal data (i.e. [email protected] or the phone number of an institution's reception). Different considerations need to be done whenever names and personal phones are collected. This may be lawful both if the data are collected directly from the person with informed consent and also where data are further processed for purposes not incompatible with the original ones, BUT the individuals (data subjects) must be timely informed in compliance with art. 14 GDPR (i.e. information to be provided in case of the indirect collection of personal data from third parties). You have been provided with two Stakeholders Databases: one that is personal to be used and kept by your Dynamo only and one that is shared on the RURACTIVE SharePoint. It is important to notice that no one of the RURACTIVE projects partners will have access to your local Stakeholders Database, which will contain personal and sensitive data, but only to the version uploaded on the RURACTIVE SharePoint. The version uploaded on SharePoint will not contain any personal data. Once you have included the potential actors to be engaged in the Stakeholders Database you can use the database to proceed with the following analysing and prioritizing phases. The excel database will be your point of reference during all the activities of the RIE. STAKEHOLDER DATABASE INCLUSIVITY CHECK: After compiling your stakeholder database, check to ensure that no one has been inadvertently left out. Ask yourself the following questions: 11 For an overview of makerspaces, hackerspaces and fab labs in Europe see: https://cop-demos.jrc.ec.europa.eu/eumakerspaces-map , https://fablabs.io/labs/map, https://www.makery.info/en/map-labs/ Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 36 • Does my stakeholders' list reflect a diverse range of generational perspectives? Have I ensured representation from different age groups, including young, middle-aged, and elderly stakeholders? • Have I incorporated stakeholders from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds? • Is the rich cultural and ethnic diversity within my community represented in the stakeholders’ database? • Have I considered stakeholders with varying levels of education and skill sets? • Have I excluded stakeholders with diverse abilities? Does the list include representation of people with disabilities? • Have I actively reached out to intermediary organizations and explored the most appropriate channels for stakeholder identification? Phase 1.2 Stakeholder analysis and assessment The ANALYSING AND ASSESSING phase is the second phase within Step 1: Statehooders’ identification. In this phase, you build on the list of stakeholders identified in phase 1.1 to consider and assess potential interest and reasons for taking part into the RURACTIVE project activities and the benefits stakeholders could gain when participating in the co-development process. In this phase you should reflect around the reasons to involve specific stakeholders and prioritize them to engage in the project activities by considering the three Is: assessing their level of Influence (estimated impact), level of Interest and specifically considering Inclusion as a prioritizing factor. Understand the reasons to involve After having identified typologies of stakeholders for RDDs as well as transversal stakeholders and having selected societal groups at risk of exclusion, you can proceed in understanding why you would want to involve a certain stakeholder in the project and the reasons why the stakeholder would want to be involved. In version 2 of the excel database, you can add next to the details on the typology of stakeholders, columns with reasons to involve them, and reasons why they might wish to engage with the co-development activities. Ask yourself the following questions: • Why would I want to involve this stakeholder? How could the activities of the RIE benefit from their presence and engagement? Do they have a particular expertise that could be very useful? Are they part of a group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation and could bring in their perspective? Do they have a specific interest in the RIE because of their community activities or business? • Why would the stakeholder want to be involved? How could the activities of the RIE be advantageous for the stakeholder? Which benefits could the project bring them? Is the stakeholder usually active in the community? Are they part of a group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation, and could they benefit from the activities? Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 37 You should also explain why not engaging with some stakeholders when that is relevant. By understanding the reasons to involve the stakeholders, you can better understand the needed expertise and resources for each RDD, what strength a stakeholder might bring to the table and what impact they could have on the project. By considering the reasons why a stakeholder might want to be involved, you can start to understand how a stakeholder could benefit from the solutions codevelopment process and in so doing start to understand which group could gain the most benefits from the project. Understand interest, influence and inclusion priority To assess how stakeholders could make useful contributions and positively influence the project, and whether they will be affected by the outcomes, it is useful to consider stakeholders in relation to their relative levels of interest and influence in each RDD or in all of them. Nevertheless, in RURACTIVE these factors should always be considered in relation to the inclusivity principles regarding groups at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation. Therefore, RURACTIVE utilizes a 3 factors matrix, or Three I Matrix, that includes not only the influence and interest domains but also the transversal characteristic of inclusion priority based on the RURACTIVE principles outlined in the introduction to this Deliverable. This means that priority in involving stakeholders in the co-development activities will be assessed not only by considering high level of interest and influence but also by considering groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation. You can start assessing stakeholders by considering the two domains of influence and interest. Within RURACTIVE stakeholder influence is defined as: high: the stakeholder has direct impact over policies, processes, resources and activities and has the power to modify or deliver impact; low: the stakeholder has no impact over policies, processes and resources. Stakeholders’ interest is defined as: high: the stakeholder is directly, personally or as part of a group, affecting and affected by the RDD; low: the stakeholder is not affecting or affected by the RDD. You can plot your stakeholders in the matrix according to their potential interest and influence in crosscutting priorities or RDDs. Moreover, you should also consider whether stakeholders should be included in the RIE activities in a low or high degree based on the inclusivity principle referring to their belonging to a group at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation. The aim of addressing inclusivity is to identify stakeholders who are at risk of exclusion or underrepresented within each local context and in terms of specific RDDs, to prioritize them in the engagement and empowerment steps. Inclusion priority is defined in relation to the stakeholders previously identified and as: Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 38 high: the stakeholder belongs to group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation and personally or as part of a group, may directly totally or partially benefits from or supports the co-development of the place-based solutions within your RIE; low: the stakeholder does not belong to group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation and its involvement is not a priority in terms of inclusion In the matrix that you can use as board to perform this exercise (see Fig. 8 as an example) you can place a dot on the stakeholders that have a high degree of inclusion to make sure that you consider this characteristic while selecting the stakeholders you want to collaborate with. To support this process, we suggest to “push up” the labelled stakeholder into a higher level of involvement (collaborate and involve), despite its initial position in the matrix. When assessing interest, influence and inclusion priority go back to the reasons you wanted to involve the stakeholder and the reasons why the stakeholder might want to be involved that you have previously assessed. Remember also that some stakeholders might be potentially negatively impacted by some of the activities of the project, and this should be taken into careful consideration in your analysis and assessment in order to avoid or limit to the minimum negative impacts on certain stakeholders. The following Fig.8 provides an example of what the matrix looks like and how the assessing phase can be carried out. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 39 Figure 8. Three I matrix – Influence, intertest and inclusion The four boxes represent a level involvement in the RIE’s activities, from the lowest level (inform) through the middle levels (consult) to the highest level (involve and collaborate): • Stakeholders in the collaborate box (high interest –high influence) are those with which it is likely to be most beneficial to engage. They may be able to supply relevant information, permissions, resources, or useful skills and capacities to the co-development activities or may be profoundly impacted by the outcomes. When a stakeholder is characterized by a high degree of inclusion priority (colour coded with a red dot) they should be actively collaborating with the activities of the RIE. Stakeholders in the collaborate box are to be engaged right away as they are the ones that will be most actively working in the co-development activities of the project. They are also the main aspirants to become part of Local Task Forces. • Those in the involve box (high interest – low influence) are very supportive towards the project co-development activities but they might lack the capacity to deliver impact. In RURACTIVE, stakeholders in this box, that are also characterized by a high degree of inclusivity (colour coded with a red dot), play a fundamental role in the innovation process and become Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 46 Phase 2.1: Setting the communication messages and channels as part of the Local Communication Plan (LCP) EURICE will oversee development of the Local Communication Plan (LCP), a document describing the communication activities tailored to get the local community involved. This task is part of WP7 and will start with the identification of the Local Communication Manager (LCM), a person of the RIE community in charge of managing the project communication at local level and supported by EURICE in WP7. This plan will be the foundation of communication with local stakeholders and it will follow the inclusivity tips for Step 2 (see below). It aims at sharing the goals and the vision of RURACTIVE, supporting the engagement phase in identifying appropriate communication messages and tools to be used, inviting local actors to join the local multi-actor RIE, and communicating the activities and the workshops, both of which will take place in Step 3. The communication set will also inform potential stakeholders on future local activities and workshops specifying preliminary timing, outcomes and kind of involvement required. To be clear in the communication and inform potential stakeholders on the kind of commitment required for this project, it is advisable to define when and where future local activities and workshops will take place before starting the preparation of the information set. While this information will be detailed in the LCP, local communication should include the following: • Integrate in the Dynamos’ webpage general information about RURACTIVE in local language, the role of the RIE in the project, how the RIE will function (e.g. location, coordinating entities, activities), and the potential benefits for the local territory and the stakeholders. It will be used to inform potential stakeholders and provide them with information about the project. If the Dynamos do not have a webpage, they may refer to the social media page – see below. It is recommended to add link to the official website page of the RURACTIVE project, which is in ENGLISH. • Social media account/s: depending on the diverse pre-conditions of the Dynamos, they may choose to open a new social media account related to the project or they may use the channels they already use. This will be further developed and defined in the LCP. • leaflet, flyer, posters or roll ups, designed by EURICE and translated by the Dynamos providing general information about RURACTIVE, the role of the RIE in the project, how the RIE will function (e.g. location, coordinating entities, activities), and the potential benefits for the local territory and the stakeholders. It will be used to communicate with potential stakeholders informing them about the project. It can be used both in printed and electronic forms and it can be sent by email, posted on social media and hung up in public spaces of the local area. • radio/tv/ local newspapers: depending on the diverse context Dynamos may choose to use local radio/television to provide general information about RURACTIVE, the role of the RIE in the project, how the RIE will function (e.g. location, coordinating entities, activities), and the potential benefits for the local territory and the stakeholders. This will be further detailed in the LCP. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 47 The background knowledge for such an information set can be prepared within Task 7.2 (Local Rural Communication), and further adapted and translated to local languages by the LCM supported by Dynamo and the Local Task Force. Below, important inclusivity tips to be considered to accomplish this phase are listed. INCLUSIVITY TIPS FOR STEP 2 - PHASE 1: During the STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT STEP, it is critical to craft a thoughtful communication strategy that ensures clear, direct, and effective dialogue with all stakeholders. This approach is fundamental to guarantee that no one is overlooked during the stakeholder’s engagement step. Keep in mind that some stakeholders such as the groups at risk of social exclusion you identified, have historically been excluded, misrepresented, or not been properly considered in similar initiatives, so reaching out to them may require additional effort. Here are some specific tips to follow: • Develop a comprehensive communication strategy that is complete, accessible, and multichannel to effectively reach diverse groups. Utilize various communication channels, media, tools, and messaging tailored to specific target groups. For instance, use social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to engage with young people, and consider local press/radio announcements for reaching older adults. All communications should be accessible for every kind of ability. Be sure it is accessible in audio, video, and written formats. • Make it clear that the participation in RURACTIVE RIE’s activities is inclusive and open to all community members in the communication material you develop. Mention that the collaborative process welcomes participation from all community members. Be specific when communicating about activities, mentioning that they are tailored for specific demographics, such as youth, the elderly, migrants, people with disabilities, etc. Declare the commitment to ensuring gender balance and gender equity in decision-making processes to be carried out. For instance, you might include a statement like: "The call for participation welcomes individuals of all genders, ages (18 to 99 years), both long-standing and new residents, including migrants, as well as people of diverse abilities and professions”. • Recognize that cultural barriers can impact participation, leading to the underrepresentation of certain groups. Be culturally sensitive in your outreach, respecting local customs and values. Address these cultural aspects when communicating with different community's members. Use language that avoids reinforcing negative stereotypes or stigmas. Ensure that communication is respectful and inclusive. Employ inclusive language in communication materials, refraining from expressions or language that may diminish the experiences or reinforce stereotypes based on gender identity, age, personal or social conditions, ethnicity, or religious affiliation. • Be mindful of linguistic differences and provide translations or access to translators when necessary to ensure effective communication with all community members. Offer information materials and communication in multiple languages, especially in linguistically diverse communities. Consider also the possibility of communicating in local dialects or local languages when it is appropriate and when it could grant wider accessibility to information and engagement. Try to avoid jargon and to communicate in layman's terms, using plain language and avoiding unnecessarily complex words and phrases. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 48 • Gender equity in communication: Use appropriate professional titles for each interlocutor, avoiding gender-specific or biased terminology. If the language allows, consistently use feminine forms for roles, titles, and professions alongside their masculine counterparts. Avoid using different communication styles or tones when addressing different genders. Treat all interlocutors equally and respectfully. If appropriate to the context and if the language allows, include the option for people to state their preferred gender pronouns when communicating (e.g. in email signatures) and ask for pronouns if necessary. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 49 Phase 2.2 Enrolling Local Task Force (LTF) Getting in touch with LTF potential members Based on the database of stakeholders and their assessment and prioritisation in Step 1, you should start getting in touch with stakeholders that have been prioritized and identified as possible members of the LTF and enrol them right away as supportive figures for Step 2: Engagement. The stakeholders identified to collaborate with are those with which it is likely to be most beneficial to engage as members of the LTF. They may be able to supply relevant information, permissions, resources, or useful skills and capacities to the co-development activities or may be profoundly impacted by the outcomes. According to the context of your territory and the RDDs you have selected, you can consider engaging also stakeholders falling into the involve and consult boxes as part of the LTF. To ensure representativeness and equity in the composition of the Local Task Force, specific inclusivity requirements are called for: • Gender balance: the ideal gender target is a distribution of at least 60% for one gender and 40% for another. In RURACTIVE this means that at least 2-3 members of the LTF should be women. • In addition, strive to have at least 1 representative within the LTF who belongs to a group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation. This inclusion ensures that the perspectives and needs of socially excluded communities are integrated in the design of the solutions. Please do consider groups at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation as the potential target/users of the co-developed solutions with respect to the selected RDDs. This may facilitate the choice of the societal group to be integrated in the task force (e.g. older people for mobility solutions). The identification and enrolment of LTF is the prior step for the establishment and the consolidation of the local multi-actor RIEs. The Local Task Force members should be approached directly, and sufficient efforts should be invested in engaging them into the project. To get a first contact with this stakeholder, it is recommended to follow three stages: 1. Use the contact information that you have gathered in your local Stakeholders Database and send an email, phone or text them to briefly explain to them the main objectives of the project, why their participation would be beneficial for the project and the local community and what they can gain from their participation. The email (or the phone call or text message) must be in local language, it should provide some simple general information about the local RIE and invite the stakeholders contacted to become members of the LTF. The email (or text message) can also contain link to the webpage, link to the social media pages and/or the leaflet/flyer attached. In the annexes to this Deliverable there is an email example in English language, that needs to be translated and tailored according to local stakeholders. 2. Organize a first informal informative meeting with interested stakeholders. Stakeholders who make themselves available to join the LTF will be invited to join a first informal information Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 50 meeting, attended only by you (Dynamo), RIE coordinator and possible LTF members. At this meeting, you are asked to present your organization and the project’s goals and features, specifying the role and the effort of the LTF in terms of activities, calendar and outputs. To get possible LTF members more involved and dedicated to the project aim, you should provide a list of benefits for people who decide to join the LTF (e.g. a short paragraph of the LTF member’s organization published on the official project website, a certificate of attendance signed by the Project Consortium, etc.). 3. Ask those who agree to participate to sign a commitment of intent. After the presentation, stakeholders confirm their willingness to became official members of the LTF, leaving their contacts and signing a commitment of intent. This is an informal document declaring the commitment of the stakeholder to be an active part of the LTF, that will be drafted by Dynamos and the components of the LTF highlighting needed collaboration and potential benefits. If the minimum number of 4 persons interested in joining the LTF is not reached and/or the inclusivity requirements are not met (at least 2 to 3 members should be women), you are warmly invited to get in touch with other potentially interested stakeholders until the initial conditions are fulfilled (see paragraph Compose the RIE Local Task Forces under Step 1). Recruiting potential Local Community Trainer/s Local Community Trainer (LCTs) have a crucial role in the LTF and in the overall RIE empowerment step. Indeed, they will be trained during the co-development phase, to be then able to train local communities around digital skills. IACC, partner leader of Task 3.3 - Supporting Dynamos in overcoming the digital divide, will train the LCTs and will support the whole process of improving the digital skills of the community. As detailed in paragraph 3.2 (Step 1 – Phase 1) LCTs should have both technical competencies and great soft skills and motivation. For this reason, the recruitment of these individuals/organizations follows two parallel steps: • Launch an Open Call through your communication channel to recruit a LCT, with the support of IACC. The Open Call describes the requirement to become a LCT (detailed in step 3.2). • Make initial contact with possible people/entities identified in Step 1 to make them aware about the Open Call, explaining the role and commitment of this person in the local RIE and the project activities, and to inform and invite them to participate to the recruitment process. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 51 Phase 2.3: Involving Stakeholders Once LTF are established, the stakeholders’ involvement phase should start. Check the stakeholder database together with your LTF. In detail, examine the list of identified stakeholders and their related interest and influence to allow LTF members to suggest new stakeholders that might be included and/or fix some features of existing ones. When considering the Stakeholders Database, be aware of following personal data processing guidelines (see Chapter 6 of this Deliverable). Once the Stakeholders Database is checked, start contacting the listed stakeholders, departing from the prioritized stakeholders (see prioritizing phase), and using the communication materials and the appropriate channels (see setting the communication messages and channels and the LCP). This phase focuses on getting in touch with stakeholders to make them aware of RURACTIVE project and to get their willingness to participate inviting them at the first local event: the RURACTIVE Open Day. The process involves contacting each potential stakeholder, previously identified, setting out the terms of reference for the RURACTIVE project and clarifying the expectations for each stakeholder in terms of activities, calendar, key steps and outputs. This phase ensures that the contact for each stakeholder is the most appropriate for the needs of the project activities and clarify any other aspects regarding RIEs activities and communication. Remember that during the engagement phase you might want to reconsider some of the outcomes from step 0 and 1 (e.g. the stakeholders database, RIE site(s)). While engaging LTF and other stakeholders of the RIE you can learn from people about what issues are present in your context and therefore flexibly adapt your previous selections to address their needs and preferences. With the support of the LTF and the LCM, involve and engage stakeholders in the RURACTIVE RIE, inviting them to the first RURACTIVE Open Day and starting to make them familiar with the project. In accordance with the four levels of involvement defined in the analysing phase of Step 1, use different level of communication for each type of stakeholder following the steps below: • Reach out to stakeholders identified as persons to inform through the communication channels defined in the LCP: social media, radio/tv/local newspapers, public calls, webpage, contacts with local organizations and influencers, etc. Rely on channels that already exist in your geographical areas because at the beginning of the project implementation, the local stakeholders will have little awareness about the project-level communication channels and if communication is conducted via the channels that are familiar to them, it will significantly increase the credibility of project information. Furthermore, informal communication with the members of local groups is very helpful, (i.e. simply asking them the best way/channel to reach out to their organizations/institutions). The LCP will be the main reference document in this step. • Contact stakeholders identified as people to involve and/or consult through direct contact: as detailed for the LTF the process should follow various steps depending on the type of Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 52 stakeholders and including emails, text messages and direct phone calls – whenever details are available. • Reach out to stakeholders you want to collaborate with through direct contact (emails, text messages and direct phone calls) and organizing personal informal meetings. To widen the RIE community and involve interested people that were not included in the stakeholder database, follow these additional steps. • Reach out to stakeholders leveraging on the knowledge and experience of the members of the LTF. • Reach out to stakeholders through direct visit and through intermediary organizations: engagement of the Dynamos in popular community locations (e.g. bars, squares, places of worship, local associations, etc.) and leave leaflets, brochures and other materials with defined contact points for getting further information. • Organize smaller info meetings in popular and strategic community locations (e.g. pubs, squares, places of worship, local associations, etc.). Keep in mind to get in touch with groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation identified in the previous step and adapt your communications methods according to the needs of each group (follow Inclusivity tips for Step 2). INCLUSIVITY TIPS FOR STEP 2 - PHASE 3: During this phase, it is crucial to put an extra effort to ensure that stakeholders that have historically been excluded from similar initiatives are properly reached out. Here are some tips to follow: • Leverage local associations and intermediary organizations: Utilize local associations and intermediary organizations (e.g., cooperatives, youth groups, schools, local sport and recreational centres), as those contacted for Step 1, as valuable sources of information and contact points for connecting with excluded and underrepresented communities. These organizations often have established trust within the community and can facilitate the connection and engagement with specific community's groups especially the hardest to reach. • Engage local influencers: After having identified local influencers, leaders, or respected individuals within specific communities in Step 1, involve them in the engagement process. Their endorsement can enhance trust and participation, especially among those who might be skeptical. • Community engagement events: Organize community events, fairs, and public meetings where you can directly engage with and identify stakeholder groups. • Gender-specific engagement: Recognize that women may be more willing to participate if the facilitator or contact person is a woman. Encourage diverse gender representation in engagement roles, including RIE Coordinators. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 53 In the annexes to this Deliverable there is an email example in English language, that needs to be translated and tailored according to local Dynamos and recipients. Organise the RURACTIVE Open Day The RURACTIVE Open Day is the kick-off of the activities at a local level, and it represents the official introduction of RURACTIVE to the local community. his occasion allows stakeholders concerned to get aware of the aims and the features of the project and to eventually ask questions to the coordinating entities. At the Open Day, the RIE coordinator presents the RIE goals and features, the Dynamo organization, and the members of the LTF. It is important to highlight that the composition of the LTF may also be flexible, thus if other stakeholders express their willingness in participating to it, you should consider this possibility. During this event, sufficient effort should be put in specifying the role and the effort of the stakeholders involved in terms of activities, inputs, and outputs. An almost definitive calendar of future activities is shared. It is suggested to end your presentation with a questions and answers session, to allow participants to clear doubts and ask questions. Specific event organization logistics and communication will be further defined in the Dynamos’ LCPs. During the event and after its end, stakeholders are asked to confirm their willingness to participate in the activities of the RIE. To do so, interested people can leave their personal contact details signing a letter of consent (see annexes to this Deliverable). Information gathered by the RIE coordinator will update the stakeholder database. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 54 3.4 STEP 3: Empowerment STEP 3: EMPOWERMENT aims at supporting Dynamos in empowering and activating the stakeholders that have been identified and engaged with in the previous steps. The empowerment phase involves two core sets of activities: 1) the co-development and co-implementation of the Local Action Plans (LAP) and 2) the training and capacity building. Within this document and for the remit of RURACTIVE, we will limit the description of Step 3 to the definition of the main steps to undertake the codevelopment of the LAP, including the Local Workshops (LWS), while the co-implementation will take place in WP5, and the training and capacity buildings are at the core of WP3. The co-development phase will start approximately around M12 and will last around 9 months involving various activities to support local RIEs in the co-development of LAP. Fig. 10 summarized the core interconnections of the diverse activities, showing, at the same time, the activities that will take place at a ‘project level’ and those that will take place in the Dynamos territories. Specifically, the main project activities that provide input and assistance to Dynamos are summarized below the timeline. These activities cross all project WPs and more specifically: • WP2 includes core project activities related to setting up the whole conceptual and operational framework and will collect existing place-based solutions that may be used as ‘inspirational examples’ to be tailored in Dynamos’ territories. For this reason, the Solutions Catalogue, available in M14, will be incredibly useful for rural communities that would like to learn from others about how innovations have been implemented in other communities and as a specific tool to be used during the LWS2. Moreover, WP2 will develop a framework to support Dynamos in undertaking a local policy analysis that will allow them to align their LAP with existing policy and to leverage potential additional funding from local opportunities, ensuring the long-term suitability of their LAP (WP5). • WP3 is mostly concerned with creating capacity and skills to empower rural communities. In this direction Task 3.3 will define a program for identifying, selecting and training LCTs that will then train local communities around digital skills and that will have a crucial role within Dynamos LTF. Moreover, MOOC created within Task 3.4 will be tested within Dynamos RIE to tailor their contents to the current needs of local community. • WP4 is the WP where this deliverable is embedded, and it is fully dedicated to supporting Dynamos towards the co-development of their LAP. This WP also integrates the Open Call for Innovators. • WP5 includes not just the co-implementation and the co-monitoring phase but will also define the Dynamos’ baseline collecting data around socio-economic, cultural, demographic, environmental and climate indicators as defined in Task 5.1. These baselines will be at the base of WS1. • WP7 defines projects’ communication, dissemination and exploitation activities and their tasks are therefore crucially related with the Dynamos LAP co-development and co-implementation. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 55 More specifically, for what concern the co-development phase, Task 7.1 is responsible not just of producing audio visual material to boost local communication, but it is primarily in charge of assisting Dynamos in developing their Local Communication Plans as a crucial tool for Step 2 (Engagement) In all this process UNIBO will follow the Dynamos with one-to-one mentor activity. Moreover, some technical partners such as IACC and F6S will also have quite a crucial role in this step, supporting different activities. To ensure active and effective participation of stakeholders, the engagement step in RURACTIVE has three phases: • Phase 3.1: Enrolling Local Community Trainers and ensuring active participation • Phase 3.2: Co-development activities • Phase 3.3: Presenting the Local Action Plans The outcomes of the stakeholder's empowerment step are: • Solutions to be implemented selected for each RDDs, • Local Action plans developed Monitoring Step 3: • short reports for each dedicated events organized by the Dynamos Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 62 Table 1. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 1. Vision and Challenges LWS 1. Vision and Challenges Local Workshop Short description Co-development of scenarios and visions to define challenges, needs and objectives. Dynamos and LTF will co-produce scenarios together (e.g. socioeconomic, climate demographic) to be discussed with the RIE community to develop visions, achievable goals and targets, as well as the challenges to be targeted by the vision. *This LW is a critical step in the co-creation of solutions as it is setting the challenges that will be used by F6S to launch the Open Call for Innovators. At the end of the workshop (1 week) the LTF – with support from the Dynamos representatives - will refine the outcome of the activity to fill in the required challenge template for the Open Call. Only completely and correctly presented challenges by the indicated deadline will be incorporated in the Open Call (i.e. it is not possible to make alterations to the Open Call material when the call is live). When September 2024 (M13) Where RIE site(s)*keep in mind accessibility Who RIE communities (Dynamos, LTF, other stakeholders) Goals 1. to make stakeholders aware of their current situation and of their vision for the future 2. to support the RIE Community and TPs in developing a common vision, objectives and in identifying challenges. Expected results and outputs for other WP 1. Scenarios co-creation (LTF, JHI) 2. RDD recalibrated 3. Challenges selected (from proposal and new challenges emerging from local context and needs) 4.Challenge template filled in for each Dynamo challenge to be integrated in the Open Call (RDD, identification of strategic objectives, challenge description) 5. Strategic objectives identified 6. Qualitative inputs to the baseline (T5.1, CARTIF) Needed inputs and connections with other tasks Dynamos and LTF: Scenarios (demography, society, economy, climate) F6S: list of objectives/categories to be selected and challenge template (with example filled in to take as a reference) to later fill in, setting the terms of reference for the Open Call; introduction slides on the Open Call and challenges definition, to support the moderation. T2.4 (WP2, AEIDL) First outcome of policy analysis T5.1 (WP5, CARTIF) Minimal Baseline developed Role of LTF to help in the scenario construction and to ensure completion of the Challenges template for the Open Call Type of event and logistics Full day workshop with breaks (5 hs) Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers (including printed template), pens, tables and chairs, camera, computer, WIFI connection Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 63 Others: healthy snacks, coffee breaks and lunch (catering) Communication and Dissemination of the event EURICE can support with design of materials and templates, dissemination on all project-level communication channels, guidance for dissemination on dynamo local communication channels if necessary. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 64 Table 2. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 2. Learning from Others LWS2. Learning from Others Local Workshop Short description This WS will allow RIEs to explore possible solutions to be implemented in their territories related to the RDDs chosen. Dynamos and LTF will pre-select solutions that may be relevant for their territories for each RDD in the form of cards to be discussed with the RIE community. From the RIEs discussion, Dynamos will get a list of potential solutions to be tailored, either coming from the Solutions’ catalogue, possible brand-new solutions coming from the RIEs’ stakeholders. When December 2024 (M16) Where RIE site(s)*keep in mind accessibility Who RIE communities (Dynamos, LTF, other stakeholders) *By M16 Local Community Trainers join the LTF Goals 1. to inspire stakeholders by looking at the good practice ad lessons learnt collected in the RURACTIVE Catalogue 2. to support the RIE community in identifying the solutions they want to develop in each RDD Expected results and outputs for other WP 1. Solutions identified 2. Initial alignment of solutions with local policies 3. Alignment of solutions with gender ad inclusion principles 5. Qualitative inputs to the baseline (T5.1, CARTIF) Needed inputs ad Connections with other tasks Dynamos and LTF: Outputs of LW1 JHI: Indications for gender and inclusion UNIBO: Indications for climate T2.5 (WP2,JHI) Solutions catalogue T2.5 (WP2, UNIBO) Initial Policy analysis T6.3 ALM Initial version of the decision support system Role of LTF Pre-selection of solutions related to the selected RDDs between the ones collected in the RURACTIVE catalogue of solutions (WP4) Type of event and logistics Half day workshop with breaks (3.5 hs) Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers, pens, tables and chairs, camera Others: healthy snacks and coffee breaks (catering) Communication and Dissemination of the event EURICE can support with design of materials and templates, dissemination on all project-level communication channels, guidance for dissemination on dynamo local communication channels if necessary. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 65 Table 3. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 3. Fine tuning LWS3. Fine tuning Local Workshop Short description This WS will allow RIEs to refine the selected solutions (LW2) to define their viability, including their economic and financial one, according to the key principles ad key aspects of RURACTIVE (including inclusion, participation, climate mitigation and adaptation, social justice and biodiversity) and to develop a clear understanding of how to implement the selected solutions (e.g. with the help of a modified business Canva). This will lead to a first draft of the LAP. *The Local Community Trainer will participate to the workshop, and they will propose specific actions of the LAP such as the trainings. When February 2025 (M18) Where RIE site(s)*keep in mind accessibility Who RIE communities (Dynamos, LTF, other stakeholders) *By M16 Community Campion join the LTF Goals 1. to make stakeholders aware of the different elements necessary to implement the solutions 2. to define a sustainable business plan 3. to draft a preliminary Local Action Plan Expected results and outputs for other WP 1. Solutions broken down into feasible elements ad steps 2. Initial alignment of solutions with local policies 3. Alignment of solutions with gender ad inclusion principles 5. First draft of Local Action Plan Needed inputs ad Connections with other tasks Dynamos and LTF: Modified business Canva, outputs of LW1 ad LW2 JHI: Indications for gender ad inclusion UNIBO: Indications for climate Role of LTF Creation of the modified business Canva Type of event and logistics Half day workshop with breaks (3.5 hs) Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers, pens, tables and chairs, camera Others: healthy snacks and coffee breaks (catering) *LW3 and LW4 could be carried out in the same day Communication and Dissemination of the event EURICE can support with design of materials and templates, dissemination on all project-level communication channels, guidance for dissemination on dynamo local communication channels if necessary. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 66 Table 4. Schematic guidelines of Local Workshop 4. Co-tuning LWS4. Co-Tuning Local Workshop Short description Presentation of the solutions proposed by the innovators to the RIE community and collection of feedback from the community. When February 2025 (M18) Where RIE site(s)*keep in mind accessibility Who RIE communities (Dynamos, LTF, other stakeholders) *By M16 Community Campion join the LTF Goals 1.to present stakeholders with the outcomes of the first stage of the Open Call for Innovators, via a pitching session and technical presentation 2.to collect feedback from the RIE community on the solutions presented by the innovators* - such feedback will be an integral part of the decision criteria when assessing the solutions to be selected and financed by the cascade funding in stage 2 (after M19), for deployment with the local communities. (F6S) Expected results and outputs for other WP 1. Solutions from Innovators presented, and feedback collected Needed inputs ad Connections with other tasks Dynamos and LTF: outputs of LW1 ad LW2 F6S: outcomes of the Open Call for Innovators, including presentation of the solutions proposed Role of LTF Moderators Type of event and logistics 1.5 hs Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers, pens, chairs, camera Others: healthy snacks (catering) *LW3 and LW4 could be carried out in the same day Communication and Dissemination of the event EURICE can support with design of materials and templates, dissemination on all project-level communication channels, guidance for dissemination on dynamo local communication channels if necessary. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 67 Phase 3.3: Presenting the Local Action Plans This phase consists in one final event to present the LAP and launch the implementation phase at local level. Table 5. Schematic guidelines of the Local Action Plan presentation meeting Presenting the Local Action Plans Short description Presentation of the Local Action Plan to the whole local community. When April 2025 (M20) Where RIE site(s)*keep in mind accessibility Who RIE communities (Dynamos, LTF, other stakeholders) and all interested other actors of the local community Goals 1.to present to the RIE community and all interested local actors the LAP 2. to collect feedback on the LAP 3.to present the implementation phase (Task 5.2, UCD) Expected results and outputs for other WP 1. LAP and solutions to be implemented presented 2. Feedback on the co-development process shared 3. Activities and timeline of Task 5.2 presented 4.Feedback on the LAP collected Needed inputs ad Connections with other tasks Dynamos and LTF: LAP, feedback on co-development process UCD: Activities and timeline of the implementation phase (Task 5.2) Role of LTF Moderators, feedback collectors (preparing the questionnaire) Type of event and logistics Half day event (3.5 hours) Needed equipment: projector, chairs, camera Others: lunch (catering) *consider carrying out the event on a weekend or at a time that allows greater participation from the local community Communication and Dissemination of the event EURICE can support with design of materials and templates, dissemination on all project-level communication channels, guidance for dissemination on dynamo local communication channels if necessary. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 68 4. Monitoring the codevelopment process Monitoring activities aim at assessing the RURACTIVE co-development process from M1 to M20. Activities will include reports, and other material that Dynamos will be asked to produce and deliver to RURACTIVE partners by M20. All this material will be the backbone of the LAP in each Dynamo. The following paragraphs describe the monitoring activities for each step of the Step-by-Step methodology. STEP 0 - GETTING STARTED The getting started step will be monitored through a report summarizing the main outcomes of Step 0, including: • the indication of the RIE coordinator, the selected RDDs, and the identified RIE site(s); • the territory identified for the collection of data to feed the baseline (WP5). STEP 1 - STAKEHOLDERS’ IDENTIFICATION Stakeholders’ identification will be monitored throughout each phase with: • The Stakeholders Database Version 1 compiled by Dynamos (MILESTONE 9: Internal Stakeholders Database, M 12). Personal data regarding stakeholders will not be contained in the database shared for the purpose of monitoring, as well as in any other report. • a report summarizing the main outcomes of Step 1, including: o The Stakeholders Database Version 2 compiled by Dynamos (MILESTONE 9: Internal Stakeholders Database, M 12) (see Annex II). Personal data regarding stakeholders will not be contained in the database shared for the purpose of monitoring, as well as in any other report. o A Power point utilized for the analysis ad prioritization of stakeholders (see Annex II); o An indication of the composition of the Local Task Force; o An indication of the composition of the RIE community with the supposed different degrees of engagement (collaborate, involve, consult, inform) STEP 2 - STAKEHOLDERS’ ENGAGEMENT Stakeholders’ engagement will be monitored throughout each phase through the materials produced for communication, including the information set. Moreover, a report assessing the agenda and the activities carried out at the info day will be drafted. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 69 STEP 3 - STAKEHOLDERS’ EMPOWERMENT Stakeholders’ empowerment will be monitored throughout each phase through short reports for each dedicated events organised by the Dynamos. Reports will be drafted including relevant information about the activity carried out, such as number of participants, the team and their roles, the methodology and material used, a description of the main ideas and outcomes generated, the agenda of the event, the tools used for event dissemination, etc. Each report will contain: • The event agenda. • Information about the participants, i.e. stakeholder groups attending the event, with specific attention to the groups at risk of social exclusion, invitation criteria and number of attendants. Signature lists will be kept by Dynamos at their premises and will not be shared with any other partner. Similarly, personal data will be not mentioned in any of the reports. • A short description of the overall structure of the local workshop including the process followed. • A short description of the key emerged objectives, good practices, ideas, experiences, suggestions. Moreover, quantitative assessment for the monitoring of RURACTIVE activities will be carried out. Quantitative assessment deals with the number of events organised and the number of stakeholders engaged. The table below reports a draft indication of the minimum number of indicators that will be monitored for each Dynamos’ activities. Activities Indicators Local Workshops Number of participants Number of local associations involved Number and type of methods/tools Members recruited within the RIE Number of active participants (per gender) participating in the RIE activities Number of passive participants: • Number of people following the project on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter/X pages Furthermore, after the organisation of dedicated co-development local workshops, the participating stakeholders will be asked to fill in a short questionnaire to provide feedback about the organisation of the workshops, to get input for the organisation of the following meetings and, if relevant, about the organisation of other tailored activities. These assessment questionnaires will be anonymous and stakeholders taking part into the activities will be encouraged to compile them after the organisation of the activity. The questionnaires will be made available either in print form at the workshop venue or as Google Forms. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 70 5. Ethics concerns for each step of the methodology The following section is an identification of the ethics issues emerging from each step of the proposed methodology for activating RIEs, which have been discussed with the RURACTIVE ethics advisor. Such issues would mostly pertain to the involvement of humans and the protection of personal data. It contains indications on how to deal with the recruitment of volunteers, the collection and processing of personal data, including special categories of data, of RIE stakeholders as well as templates for gathering informed consent, which we strongly suggest Dynamos to use and customise. STEP 0: GETTING STARTED DESCRIPTION: it ensures that all Dynamos have a strong understanding of the foundational elements necessary to start the process of activating the RIE, identifying one or multiple RIE sites where to run the meetings, brainstorming around the main Rural Development Drivers (RDD) to act upon with the solutions, selecting a RIE coordinator. Ethics issues • This phase will be run by Dynamos alone, there is no need to collect any data. We have identified no specific ethics issues to be addressed concerns in this phase. STEP 1: STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFICATION DESCRIPTION: This section of the guidelines aims at supporting Dynamos in selecting and categorizing different stakeholders and to determine those groups that are more important for the Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) activities. It provides indication on the procedures to be followed locally to identify the community of stakeholders. 1. Phase 1 Brainstorming--> DESCRIPTION: Identify all potential stakeholders and stakeholder groups including vulnerable groups at risk of exclusion and under-representation. 2. Phase 2 Analysis and assessment--> DESCRIPTION: Analysing and assessing the stakeholders by reasons for engagement and impact on the project, interest, influence and inclusivity aims. 3. Phase 3 Prioritization--> DESCRIPTION: Prioritizing the stakeholders that are most important for the RIEs and composing the RIEs Local Task Forces. Ethics issues Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 71 • The recruitment and selection criteria of volunteers should be consistent at project level and consider the specificities of each community. Each partner should thus follow the coordinator’s instructions, particularly as concerns gender balance, the involvement of vulnerable persons and the processing of personal data. • When filling in the Stakeholders’ Database (Stakeholders’ Database first and second version for Dynamos only), only entities should be considered (organizations, cooperatives, ...). It might happen that individuals are also considered. In the case of entities, associations and organizations Dynamos can already fill in some boxes with the publicly available information about them without contacting them. For example: name, address or the email contact of people in a research institution or a local cultural association. In the case of an individual, they will have to first contact the individual stakeholder, via phone, email or other means of communication and inform them about the project activities. Before contacting the individuals, in particular if they are not direct contacts, such as friends or family members, best efforts should be made to provide first at least some basic information about data processing. The individuals should ideally be contacted by someone who already is in touch with them, avoiding surprise calls by extraneous persons. A pre-defined short text can be agreed for phone calls and text messages. For these latter it could include basic information and a link to the RURACTIVE web site, where data protection information can be found. Before adding their names to the first version of the database (no personal data) they need to go through a first step that ensures informed consent by the stakeholder to be put down in the database. During the phone calls, it should be clearly said that, if they wish to be involved, their express consent would be needed for privacy reasons and then agree on the best way to manage it, i.e. send an e-mail with the data protection information attached and get a positive reply, or set up a form to be filled in with the data protection information and a square to be flagged for consent. Very important! It should be very easy to withdraw consent, so the person should be able to send a simple e-mail or easily contact the persons in charge of the database. Whenever an individual is first contacted by e-mail, the data protection information should be either attached or very easily accessible, for example with a standard sentence at the end and a link to the RURITAGE data protection information on the web site. A VERY important aspect: it should be possible to document, to demonstrate that the individuals have been informed. This should be managed according to the concrete situation, e.g. in person with a printed document, via e-mail with messages to be securely stored, etc. • When thinking of Local Community Trainers that are individuals/organizations with both social and digital skills and that will take a specific active role within the local RIE, individuals will also be directly involved. Dynamos can think about who they might be but before marking down their names, community champions who are individuals need to be informed and give express consent. How to manage that depends on the situation, i.e. phone call, e-mail message, etc. The same considerations as above would apply. Some basic information should always be given, with an informal approach and simple language, to clarify who will collect the data and what would be done with them and tell how to get the full information. They should also be told, Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 78 Figure 13. Stakeholder database - version 2 (screenshot) Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 79 Figure 14. Phase 1.1 Brainstorming - Miro Board. Part I (screenshot) Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 80 Figure 15. Phase 1.2 Analysing - Miro Board. Part II (screenshot) Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 81 Figure 16. Phase 1.3 Prioritizing – Miro Board. Part III (screenshot) Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 82 Annex II: Local communication inputs Below are two samples of email to engage LTF members and RIE community stakeholders (Figure 17 and Figure 18). Figure 17. Sample email to engage LTF members Subject Line: The EU-funded project RURACTIVE is looking for you! / The EU-funded project RURACTIVE is inviting your participation! Hi [contact’s first name], We are [Dynamo name and info]. We are partners of RURACTIVE (https://www.ruractive.eu/), a EU-funded project that will develop smart, community-led, tailor-made, place-based and inclusive solutions in 12 pilot cases around Europe, including our area [Dynamos geographical area], to drive a just and sustainable transition of rural areas. Brief description of the local RIE, the RIE coordinator, RDDs chosen and geographies. We found your name [define specific source], and [personalized compliment]. Since you are [e.g. expert in mobility; representative of the citizens; researcher; etc.], we would like you to join this project as active member of our Local Task Force. It is a group composed by four to seven people that will have an important role in co-developing innovative solutions and in identifying local challenges and needs. Such involvement will occur between September 2024 and April 2025, and hands-on workshop participation. Would you be willing to take part in shaping the future of [Dynamos geographical area] or at least hear more information? We invite you to reply to this email or to call us on *phone number* to get all details. Thanks for your time. Regards, [Dynamo name] Figure 18. Sample email to engage stakeholders in the RIE Subject Line: The EU-funded project RURACTIVE is looking for you! Hi [contact’s first name], We are [Dynamo name and info]. We are partners of RURACTIVE, which is a EU-funded project that will develop smart, community-led, tailormade, place-based and inclusive solutions in 12 pilot cases around Europe, including our area [Dynamos geographical area], to drive a just and sustainable transition of rural areas. Here [link] you can find our website page with more detailed information. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 83 [Brief description of the local RIE and RDDs chosen]. We would like you to join this project as an active member of our Rural Innovation Ecosystem! If you are interested in this project or simply want some more information, we invite you to attend the RURACTIVE Info Day that will be held [meeting address and day]. You can also call us on *phone number* or write us *email address*. Thanks for your time. Regards, [Dynamo name] Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 84 Annex III: Ethics instructions The following pages contains some basic notes you may use as a support when managing contacts with stakeholders. Consider that they are basic, standard and not exhaustive. You should customise them based on your specific case and local legislation. Please check that all applicable rules – even if not mentioned here – have been complied with. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 85 Vulnerable subjects and data protection Some notes on how to manage their involvement in the RURACTIVE project DISCLAIMER These are basic notes you may use as a support when managing contacts with stakeholders. However, please remember that they are basic, standard and not exhaustive. You should customise them based on your specific case and national legislation. Please check that all applicable rules – even if not mentioned here – have been complied with. This section is not to be intended as legal advice. THE RULES ON PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION When you involve stakeholders in the project, you necessarily have to process some of their personal data. In doing this, you must comply with the EU and national rules on data protection. The most important legislation you should refer to is the EU General Data Protection Regulation, you can find the full text here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679&from=En Here you can find useful information https://ec.europa.eu/justice/smedataprotect/index_en.htm and a general overview. Personal data: a) are exclusively those of natural persons, not of legal persons, b) include both “common” data, such as name, telephone, address, as well as “sensitive” data (e.g. data concerning religious or sexual orientation, ethnic origin or health). You should pay special attention when processing these latter. Please always remember to check your national legislation on data protection, which may provide specific rules to be applied. HOW TO MANAGE THE INVOLVEMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS First contact If you contact a stakeholder for the first time (for example via e-mail): Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 86 1) Legal person (company, public body) The name and type of a legal person, as well as contact details of a company or institution are not considered personal data (e.g. [email protected]), so, as a general rule, you can use them 12 . 2) Natural person (individual) If you have found the person’s contact details on the Internet and use them to write an e-mail, you should provide also a brief description of data processing containing the fundamental information (e.g. who will process the data, what data will be collected, for what purposes, for how long, who may have access to them, what are the person’s rights). Please provide also a link to your full text privacy information, which may also be on your web site. This may be placed, for example, at the bottom of your e-mail. If you have received the e-mail contact from a partner, or from any other source (e.g. a mailing list, a database), please check first that the contact has been lawfully acquired and lawfully communicated to you and that the person may in fact be lawfully contacted. Then, please remember to provide data protection information as explained above. Participation to events The first aspect that you should consider is transparency: stakeholders should be informed about what is going to happen with their data before their involvement, before their data are recorded, not after. The very first time that a person registers at an event (e.g. via an on-line form, or directly at the meeting), you should provide him/her a data protection information with all the content foreseen the law 13 . This may be quite lengthy and complex, so you may provide a stratified information: a brief information with all the relevant details and a link to the full information. Please keep the whole information available for participants and print some copies so that you can provide them to stakeholders upon their request. Please pay particular attention to the consent to the use of the participant’s image: you should take pictures of participants and video-record or interview them only if they have expressly provided their consent thereto. 12 The protection afforded by this Regulation should apply to natural persons, whatever their nationality or place of residence, in relation to the processing of their personal data. This Regulation does not cover the processing of personal data, which concerns legal persons and in particular undertakings established as legal persons, including the name and the form of the legal person and the contact details of the legal person. (GDPR, whereas No. 14). 13 Please check in particular art. 12, 13 and 14 of the GDPR. Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment 87 Consents should be separated! You cannot get one single consent for everything (e.g. participation to events, newsletter, video recording, etc.)! WHAT TO DO NEXT Once you have lawfully acquired the stakeholders’ data you should adopt adequate technical and organisational measures to protect them. Security is fundamental, especially if you have collected special categories of data. You should use data only for the purposes for which they have been collected, and communicate them only to those entities listed in the data protection information. You should be able to promptly and efficiently manage requests from data subjects (e.g. updating of data, withdrawal of consent, request for cancellation of data, etc.). SOCIAL GROUPS AT RISK OF EXCLUSION Groups at risk of exclusion that may be included in RURACTIVE activities (e.g. elderly, migrants, refugees, person with disabilities) may have difficulties in understanding data protection information documents, data protection rules, etc. Providing non-understandable information equals to not providing information at all. It is not a formal but a substantial matter. Thus, you should always take special care: 1) They may have linguistic difficulties, so please verify they fully understand what you are telling them. 2) They may have difficulties in reading, so consider providing information in large characters as also information via audio or any suitable means in consideration of the specific disabilities. 3) Check the documents together with them, stimulate them to ask questions and provide all the explanations they need. 4) Please also consider asking information from possible associations these persons may belong to. Below you can find further guidance concerning the involvement of persons at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation. 4 GLOSSARY Dynamos (Ds): 12 rural pilot areas, in 7 EU, 2 Associated Countries and Switzerland where the RIEs will be established Rural Innovation Ecosystem (RIE): communities of people, places and practices that share interests in one or more specific RDDs to be established in Dynamos’ areas. Stakeholder: An institution, organization, group or individual that has some interest or impact in one or more of the RDDs of the project, either as possible contributors to the co-development and implementation of solutions, or as a beneficiary of such solutions. Beneficiaries: local communities, including specific groups at risk of exclusion, that will benefit from the solutions developed by the RIEs. Local Task Force (LTF): Group of selected stakeholders between the ones that have specific expertise or interest in one or more RDD or that can benefit the most from the project co-development activities, that are most actively involved in the RIE. Cross-cutting priorities: Climate change mitigation and adaptation, social justice and inclusion, and Biodiversity ABBREVIATIONS and ACRONYMS LAP = Local Action Plan LCT = Local Communication Trainer LCP = Local Communication Plan LTF = Local Task Force LWS = Local Workshop Rural Development Drivers (RDDs): Set of drivers that guide rural development. Sustinable multimodal mobility Local services, health and wellbeing Energy transition and climate neutrality Sustainable agrifood systems and ecosystem managemen Nature-based and cultural tourism Culture and cultural innovation 5 INTRODUCTION This practical handbook aims at guiding you in implementing the step-by-step Guidelines to establish the Rural Innovation Ecosystem (RIE). It is a tool that complements but does not replace the main document of the Guidelines (Deliverable 4.1) - for more in-depth topics and insights refer to it. This guide sets key principles, methods and step-by-step indications to support you in undertaking a participatory and inclusive community-led co-development process, aimed at developing Local Action Plans (LAPs) around the 6 Rural Development Drivers (RDD), integrating crosscutting priorities and supporting just, sustainable and smart transition of rural territories. The RIE methodology is composed of four steps defined as follows: • Step 0 Getting started • Step 1 Stakeholder identification • Step 2 Stakeholder engagement • Step 3 Stakeholders empowerment Each step details inclusivity tips as the ones above. Each step details inclusivity tips which are intended as suggestions to properly undertake an inclusive participatory process and minimum requirements to be achieved in terms of type of stakeholders to be involved to ensure representativeness, always keeping in mind the diversity of the rural territories. 6 KEY PRINCIPLES social groups historically excluded or underrepresented in rural development decision-making processes. These groups at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation are listed in Table 1. The RURACTIVE approach is also inherently transversal to gender, embedded across every stage of stakeholder identification, engagement, and empowerment. This involves the integration of a gender mainstreaming strategy, ensuring that gender concerns are considered throughout all phases of solutions development, thus rendering the solutions both gender-sensitive and gender-responsive. The intersection of gender with other social vulnerabilities and risk factors is also a key consideration. RURACTIVE places significant emphasis on women, acknowledging their critical role in the development and sustainability of rural areas. Despite their substantial contributions, women often encounter barriers to full participation in decision-making processes, and their roles and contributions are frequently underestimated. Therefore, RURACTIVE’s approach goes beyond ensuring fair representation and participation of women; it aims to unlock women-led innovation, tapping into the unique perspectives and capabilities women bring to rural development. RURACTIVE proposes the implementation of an innovative participatory approach for activating Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs), empowering local communities and involving them in co-developing local solutions. In this approach, participation and inclusion are two key principles embedded in the co-development, co-implementation and co-monitoring of local solutions. Why PARTICIPATION? The RURACTIVE methodology “Activating RIEs for community-led development and empowerment” goes beyond current rural participation approaches by engaging communities and relevant stakeholders for the identification of challenges, with the aim of developing, implementing and monitoring smart, place-based solutions. Why INCLUSION? RURACTIVE is dedicated to including and empowering all members of rural communities in the transition towards sustainable, balanced, and inclusive development, with a particular focus on 7 GROUPS AT RISK OF EXCLUSION AND UNDERREPRESENTATION 18 - 29 years old They suffer from unemployment, difficult access to education and training, obstacles to set up new businesses, and lack of basic service, often causing young people migration to bigger towns and cities. Young people Over 65 – 75 They often face isolation, social exclusion, and difficult access to basic services. Older people People with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others The lack of specialized support services for them is a major barrier to their independent living in rural areas. People with disabilities Migrants and linguistic/ethnic and religious minorities Migrants residing in rural areas and mostly working in temporary and precarious agriculture job. They are mostly left out from decision making processes and practices Migrants and minorities People who are out of work and have been actively seeking employment for at least a year Long-term unemployment in rural areas is worsened by limited job options and poor infrastructure, which hinders skill acquisition and perpetuates joblessness and social exclusion. Long-term unemployed Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual and more. These terms are used to describe a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity Historically, they have encountered disparities stemming from stigma and discrimination. Notably, individuals in rural areas have reported experiencing discrimination related to their gender identity or sexual orientation. Consequently, many from these areas relocate to urban environments seeking a more accepting atmosphere where they can freely express their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQIA+ KEY PRINCIPLES 8 RURAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM opment project. Its size and position depend on the solution itself and on the stakeholders involved. The number of RDD geographies corresponds to the number of RDDs chosen to be addressed; the overlapping of RDD geographies makes up the RIE geography. • RIE site(s): venue(s) where RIE community, RIE coordinator and Local Task Forces meet to attend workshops, discuss, and co-develop innovative solutions. The people of the RIE, described in the following page, are: • RIE coordinator • Local Communication Manager LCM • Local Task Force LTF • Local Community Trainer LCT • RIE community • Local influencer The process of the methodology relies on setting up Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) which are communities of people, places and practices that share interests in one or more specific RDDs. In RURACTIVE, each RIE unlock the innovation potential of rural communities by developing two to four solutions related to the chosen RDDs and transversally integrating climate change mitigation and adaption, biodiversity and social justice and inclusion. Each RIE consists of practices, places and people. Practices coincide with the implementation of RDDs solutions at local level. The places of the RIE are: • RIE territory: geographical area of application of the solutions that are co-developed within the RIE. The territory of application of the solution might not coincide with the RIE geographies. • RDD geography: geographical area that includes the territory where the solution linked to a specific RDD is applied and locations of the pool of stakeholders involved in the co-devel- 9 RURAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM 10 RIE Coordinator: A person or organization (Dynamo or local stakeholder) responsible for coordinating all the RIE activity PEOPLE OF THE RIE A person or organization responsible for coordinating all the RIE activity RIE coordinator A person of the RIE community in charge of managing the project communication at local level and supported by EURICE in WP7. Local Communication Manager LCM Pool of stakeholders engaged in the project that represent the civil society in its entirety, including groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation. At least 40% of the traditionally less represented gender in the rural community must be present. RIE community Individuals or groups (organizations or informal collectives) who possess advanced digital competences and the attitude of changemakers, trained and followed by IAAC in WP3. Local Community Trainer LCT A group of selected stakeholders that are most actively involved in the RIE. It consist of stakeholders that have specific expertise or interest in one or more RDD or that can benefit the most from the project co-development activities. Local Task Force LTF One or multiple stakeholders actively involved in the activities of the community or particularly influential among it. Local Influencer RIE Coordinator: A person or organization (Dynamo or local stakeholder) responsible for coordinating all the RIE activity 11 INCLUSIVE STEP BY STEP GUIDELINES Step 3 – Stakeholders’ empowerment: the active collaborative involvement of stakeholders to define common goals and pathways through their participation into a set of workshops and activities. To monitor the effectiveness of the process, a list of indicators has been identified. The indicators are quantifiable measures used to evaluate the success of the steps. At least one indicator is reported for each step. It is important to specify that the proposed inclusive community-led co-development process is iterative, meaning that the steps can overlap in time and there is always the possibility to go back to the previous stage if something needs to be reconsidered. The following guidelines aims at supporting you to set up the Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) and to implement an inclusive community-led co-development process for enabling cross-sector collaboration. The guidelines describe the four main steps to be taken to implement a community-led co-development process, namely: Step 0 – Getting started: the step that prepares Dynamos to undertake the process to activate RIEs. It includes three main phases: getting familiar with the RIE concepts and guidelines, selecting RDDs and geographies, starting to set up the RIE. Step 1 – Stakeholders’ identification: the identification of the stakeholders that are important for the RIEs activities. It includes three phases which are brainstorming, analysing and prioritising stakeholders. Step 2 – Stakeholders’ engagement: the reaching out to and involving of the previously identified stakeholders. It includes two phases: connecting and engaging. Stakeholders’ engagement is a continuous process that is activated whenever a new stakeholder might show interest in the process. 12 13 STEP 0 - GETTING STARTED Step 0 (M6 - M7) ensures a strong understanding of the foundational elements necessary to start the process of activating the RIEs. It consists of three main phases: Phase 0.1 - Getting familiar This phase is for you to familiarize with the concepts and the steps of the Guidelines and to be prepared in undertaking the process of stakeholders’ identification and engagement (Step 1 and 2). You are asked: • to get familiar with the structure of the Rural Innovation Ecosystem (RIE) - see previous pages on RIE, • to be aware of participation and inclusion, the two key principles behind the methodology - see previous pages on Key Principles, • to understand the comprehensive process of the step-by-step Guidelines - read and understand the whole methodology. with the Guidelines, Phase 0.2 - Identifying RDDs and territories and Phase 0.3 - Starting to set up the RIE. Phase 0.1 - Getting familiar with the Guidelines RIE Coordinator: A person or organization (Dynamo or local stakeholder) responsible for coordinating all the RIE activity RIE Coordinator: A person or organization (Dynamo or local stakeholder) responsible for coordinating all the RIE activity 20 resentation processes in your community, consider conducting a community assessment. This assessment serves as a crucial step in ensuring that your stakeholder identification process is as inclusive and informed as possible. Begin by taking into consideration the available data concerning the demographic composition of your community. This includes factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, language, and socioeconomic status. This step back is foundational to identifying potential underrepresented groups. Consider also social challenges, economic disparities, and environmental concerns and issues that your community face, to pinpoint the groups most affected. Employing an intersectionality lens while looking at social exclusion process in your area is the key. People belong to multiple identity groups simultaneously, and these intersections can result in unique experiences of privilege and exclusion. For instance, someone’s experience as a young woman from an ethnic minority may differ significantly from that of an elderly man from the majority group. By acknowledging these intersections, you can better comprehend the multifaceted nature of social vulnerabilities within your community. This initial community assessment will feed in and be better refined into the Dynamos’ Baseline elaborated in the framework of WP5. Before passing to the next phase, you need to identify and select one to three groups at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation that you want to engage in the co-development of solutions for each RDD. Check again your list of stakeholders, reflect on who might be missing from your list and why. Reassess and repeat the process aiming to identify further potential missing social categories until you can identify at least one group at risk of exclusion. Reflect on the process and write down the challenges (e.g. group particularly disengaged/disenfranchised) or reasons for their absence (e.g. absence of migration in a specific community). Remember also that women should be represented in your stakeholders list and make sure that you have considered gender concerns (see Key Principles) while brainstorming. Ensuring the inclusion of women and the groups at risk of social exclusion and underrepresentation in your area, requires a strategic approach that could benefit from the identification of local associations (e.g. sport clubs, religious collectives, etc.), intermediary organizations (e.g. cooperatives, charities, NGOs, etc.) and local influencers (e.g. local librarian, spiritual leader, etc.). To provide specific on where and how to effectively identify the groups you selected, consider to collaborate with associations promoting female-led entrepreneurship, senior clubs, local disability support organizations, religious minorities organizations, employment agencies and/ or LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups. Phase 1.1 - Brainstorming 21 During the stakeholder identification phase, you are encouraged to engage in a process of recognizing individuals or groups (organizations or informal collectives) who possess advanced digital competences and the attitude of changemakers – the so called RURACTIVE Local Community Trainers. These Champions might be trainers, educators, professionals, or experts in various digital skills. The ideal profile for a Local Community Trainer includes: highly motivated individuals, knowledge sharers, availability and autonomy, English proficiency, educational skills, collaborative attitude and maker skills. The identification of possible Local Community Trainers is an integral part of the RURACTIVE project. They will be engaged in training activities planned in WP3. As you embark in the stakeholders’ identification phase, it is important you start reflecting on these characteristics to identify suitable candidates. To identify potential Local Community Trainers, considering exploring educational institutions, digital learning platforms, social media platforms, professional networks and local tech meetups/ workshops. Should your search of Champions prove challenging, WP3 and WP4 leader will assist you by launching a dedicated call to attract appropriate candidates. Stakeholder database - first version STEP 1 - STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFICATION 22 Phase 1.2 - Analysing In this phase, you build on the list of stakeholders identified in phase 1.1 to consider and assess potential interest and reasons for taking part into the RURACTIVE project activities and the benefits stakeholders could gain when participating in the co-development process. In this phase you should reflect around the reasons to involve specific stakeholders and prioritize them to engage in the project activities by considering the three Is: assessing their level of Influence (estimated impact), level of Interest and specifically considering Inclusion as a prioritizing factor. You can start understanding why you would want to involve a certain stakeholder in the project and the reasons why the stakeholder would want to be involved. In version 2 of the stakeholder database, you can add next to the details on the typology of stakeholders, columns with reasons to involve them, and reasons why they might wish to engage with the project activities. Ask yourself and answer the following questions: • Why would I want to involve this stakeholder? How could the activities of the RIE benefit from their presence and engagement? Do they have a particular expertise that could be very useful? Are they part of a group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation and could bring in their perspective in? Do they have a specific interest in the RIE because of their community activities or business? • Why would the stakeholder want to be involved? How could the activities of the RIE be advantageous for the stakeholder? Which benefits could the project bring them? Is the stakeholder usually active in the community? Are they part of a group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation, and could they benefit from the activities? By understanding the reasons to involve the stakeholders, you can better understand the needed expertise and resources for each RDD, what strength a stakeholder might bring to the table and what impact they could have on the project. By considering the reasons why a stakeholder might want to be involved, you can start to understand how a stakeholder could benefit from the solutions co-development process and in so doing start to understand which group could gain the most benefits from the project. To assess how stakeholders could make useful contributions and positively influence the project, and whether they will be affected by the outcomes, it is useful to consider stakeholders in relation to their relative levels of interest and influence in each RDD or in all of them. Nevertheless, in RURACTIVE these factors should always be considered in relation to the inclusivity principles regarding groups at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation. Therefore, RURACTIVE utilizes a 3 factors matrix, or Three I Matrix, that includes not only the influence and interest domains but also the transversal characteristic of inclusion priority. You can first start assessing stakeholders by considering the two domains of influence and interest. Within RURACTIVE stakeholder influence is defined as: • high: the stakeholder has direct impact over policies, processes, resources and activities and has the power to modify or 23 deliver impact; • medium: the stakeholder has little or no direct impact over policies, processes, resources and activities but has the power to influence impact; • low: the stakeholder has no impact over policies, processes and resources. Stakeholders’ interest is defined as: • high: the stakeholder is directly, personally or as part of a group, affecting and affected by the RDD; • medium: the stakeholder is partially, personally or as part of a group, affecting and affected by the RDD; • low: the stakeholder is not affecting or affected by the RDD. You can plot your stakeholders in the matrix according to whether they have a high or low interest in, and high or low influence on the RURACTIVE project’s activities. Moreover, you should also consider whether stakeholders should be included in the RIE activities in a low or high degree based on the guiding inclusivity principles and their belonging to a group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation. Therefore, after you have filled the matrix with stakeholders evaluating interest ad influence you can go on to consider RURACTIVE inclusion priority. The aim of addressing inclusivity is to identify stakeholders who are at risk of exclusion or underrepresented within each local context and in terms of specific RDDs,to prioritize them in the engagement and empowerment steps. Inclusion priority is defined in relation to the stakeholders previously identified and as: • high: the stakeholder belongs to group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation and personally or as part of a group, directly benefits from the co-development activities of the project in the RDD; • medium: the stakeholder belongs to a group that is at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation and, personally or as part of a group, could partially benefits from the co-development activities of the project in the RDD; • low: the stakeholder does not belong to group at risk of exclusion and underrepresentation and them benefitting from the co-development activities of the project in the RDD is not a priority. STEP 1 - STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFICATION 24 Matrix phase 1.2 - Analysing 25 Having a high degree of inclusion priority means that within RURACITVE the stakeholder is “pushed up” into a higher level of involvement (usually collaborate and involve) despite their relative position in the matrix. Start by colour coding your stakeholder with a red dot and make sure that in your considerations they are the ones that you potentially want to engage the most. When assessing interest, influence and inclusion priority go back to the reasons you wanted to involve the stakeholder and the reasons why the stakeholder might want to be involved that you have previously assessed. Remember also that some stakeholders might be potentially negatively impacted by some of the activities of the project, and this should be taken into careful consideration in your analysis and assessment. The four boxes each represent a level involvement in the RIE’s activities, from the lowest level (inform) through the middle levels (consult) to the highest level (involve and collaborate): • Stakeholders in the collaborate box (high interest – high influence) are those with which it is likely to be most beneficial to engage. They may be able to supply relevant information, permissions, resources, or useful skills and capacities to the co-development activities or may be profoundly impacted by the outcomes. When a stakeholder is characterized by a high degree of inclusion priority (color coded with a red dot) they should be actively collaborating with the activities of the RIE. Stakeholders in this box are to be engaged right away as they are the ones that will be most actively working. • Those in the consult box (low interest – high influence) are highly influential but might not have so much interest in the project or low capacity and resources to engage actively in the activities of the RIE. When a stakeholder in this box has a high degree of inclusion priority (color coded with a red dot) it should be involved. Stakeholders in the consult box are to be informed right away. • Those in the involve box (high interest - low influence) are very supportive towards the project activities but they might lack the capacity to deliver impact. In RURACTIVE, stakeholders I this box that are also characterized by a high degree of inclusivity (color coded with a red dot) play a fundamental role in the innovation process and become influential by being actively engaged and allying with other stakeholders. These are often the ones that have been historically excluded from projects because of the low level of influence and may also be considered ‘hard to reach’, and that might need special attention to secure their engagement and to empower them. They must be engaged right away when according to the inclusivity principles, they have a high degree of inclusivity. • Those in the inform box are stakeholders who have little interest in or influence over research outcomes. When they are characterized by a high degree of inclusivity (color coded with a red dot) their interest might be aroused by being informed right away and by paying special attention to test their possible engagement. Remember to always take into consideration the inclusivity principles and make sure that the collaborate box contains the groups at risk of exclusion, as well as including an adequate representation of rural women. At the end of the phase, update the stakeholder database (2nd version). STEP 1 - STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFICATION 26 Stakeholder database - second version 27 Phase 1.3 - Prioritizing It is a crucial phase as it determines which stakeholders should be more involved based on the character and value of their potential contribution. It is important to better allocate resources, build strategic partnerships, and effectively meet the needs not only of those who have the most significant impact on the project’s outcome but also of the groups at risk of exclusion that the co-development process wants to address and of the solutions’ beneficiaries. Based on the previous phase of analyzing and assessing, you have determined relevant stakeholders for each RDD, including stakeholders with relevant expertise, with high interest and high priority degree of inclusion. Within this macro group of identified stakeholders you can select the ones that you consider most relevant for the RIE community composition. Start by looking at the stakeholders that you might want to collaborate with (the ones in the collaborate box), then consider the ones that you want to involve. You can later address the ones that you might want to consult and inform as they will be less actively involved in the activities of the RIE. You can select as many stakeholders as you think is useful, but you should have at least more than 15. In general, the prioritization of stakeholders should focus on RDD relevant expertise, gender equity and empowerment of groups at risk of exclusion. You can consider: expertise, benefits, selected vulnerable groups, level of interest and influence and inclusion priority. Whitin the list of stakeholders that you have prioritized for the RIE, you can now select who will be asked to take part as a member of the RIE Local Task Force (LTF). It is composed of four to seven stakeholders selected between the list of stakeholders that will work on different smart, and community led solutions related to multiple RDD and support Dynamos in identifying local challenges and needs. It is the core working group of the RIE community and is composed as follows: • the coordinator; • 1 member of a socially excluded group; • 1 Local Community Trainer; • 3 to 4 other prioritized stakeholders. You can choose the members of the LTF among the stakeholders identified as people to collaborate with, but you could also consider choosing stakeholders falling into the consult/involve box. Try to ensure that in the composition of the LTF there is, when possible and depending on the local context, one member for each selected RDD and one member for each of the four stakeholders domains. The stakeholders that will be part of the LTF will formally ensure their availability and participation in all the activities of the RIE by signing a letter of commitment. They will also support the RIE coordinator or coordinators effectively in contacting and engaging other stakeholders (Step 2) and in setting up the activities for stakeholders’ empowerment (Step 3). STEP 1 - STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFICATION 28 This second section of the step-by-step guidelines aims at connecting and engaging stakeholders that have been identified in the previous step. On one side, it provides indication to make stakeholders aware about the RURACTIVE project, including its aims, objectives and methods, and, at the same time, it gives practical guidance on stakeholder recruitment to start activating local multi-actor RIEs, ensuring participation. To ensure effective participation of stakeholders, the engagement step (M10-M11) has three phases: Phase 2.1 - Setting the communication messages and channels as part of the Local Communication Plan (LCP), Phase 2.2 - Enrolling Local Task Force and Phase 2.3 - Involving stakeholders. STEP 2 - STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT Phase 2.1 - Setting the communication messages and channels as part of the Local Communication Plan This phase is coordinated by the Local Communication Manager (LCM), a person of the RIE community in charge of managing the project communication at local level and supported by EURICE in WP7. The LCM will oversee development of the Local Communication Plan (LCP), a document describing the communication activities tailored to get the local community involved. This plan is the foundation of communication with local stakeholders, it must be written in the local language and follow the inclusivity tips for Step 2. It aims at sharing the goals and the vision of RURACTIVE, supporting the engagement phase in identifying appropriate communication messages and tools to be used, inviting local actors to join the local multi-actor RIE, and communicating the activities and the workshops, both of which will take place in Step 3. While this information will be detailed in the LCP, local communication should include the following: • Integrate in the Dynamos’ webpage general information about RURACTIVE and the local RIE • Arrange social media account/s related to the project • Prepare leaflet, flyer, posters or roll ups, designed by EURICE and translated by the Dynamos providing information about RURACTIVE and the local RIE • Use radio/tv to provide information about RURACTIVE and the local RIE in the project 29 36 37 ported by IAAC, running from M21 to M25. Ensuring the engagement and active participation of local champions, local influencers ad relevant figures within the RIE community in the co-development activities greatly contribute to establish trust ad support the participation efforts of stakeholders through the moths. Moreover, local influencers could make sure to keep a high level of attention towards the activities of the co-development process, stimulating members of the RIE ad making sure that people are less prone to drop off. Facilitation is also an important aspect of STEP 3. Providing the necessary skilled and trained resources, such as facilitators and moderators, to facilitate and animate the local workshops ensures the effective participation of stakeholders. Facilitators should guide the activities impartially, by promoting open communication and collaboration and ensuring that all participants are heard, particularly those traditionally underrepresented, and their contributions are valued. They should also support the efficacy of the activities in reaching the set objectives and outcomes of each workshop. Good facilitations ensures that the participating members of the RIE community feel valued and acknowledged and trust that their presence is never a waste of time but always an effort towards shared goals of the RIE community. STEP 3 - STAKEHOLDERS EMPOWERMENT 38 Phase 3.2 - Co-development activites The core activities of Phase 3.2 are four Local Workshops, to be carried out between M13 and M18 in the RIE community. Specifically, this phase will include four local workshops whose outputs will constitute the core skeleton of the LAPs: • LWS1: Vision and Challenges workshop where RIEs will set up a common vision for the future of their territories and will integrate the baseline defined in WP5 with the integration of local stakeholders around their main local challenges and needs. The clear definition of these challenges and needs will be at the basis of the development of the LAP and of the Open Call for Innovators coordinated by F6S and integrated in Task 4.4. The vision for the future of the RIEs will be co-developed with the support of forecast and scenario planning techniques. • LWS2: Learning from Others Workshop where RIEs will use the Solutions Catalogue (WP2) to identify, tailor and develop potential new solutions to tackle their challenges and needs. This workshop will produce a shortlist of possible solutions to be included in the LAPs. • LWS3: Co-tuning Workshop where RIESs will be presented with the ideas of possible solutions developed by the innovators selected through the first stage of the ‘Open Call for Innovators’ (Task 4.4). Innovators will showcase and pitch their ideas to the RIEs in a face-to-face or hybrid workshop and get feedback by local community members around how to cotune those. This step will support the decision of the RURACTIVE Evaluation Committee around which innovators should be invited to stage 2 and fully develop their solutions with support from the RURACTIVE Innovators Programme and the FSTP (see the Open Call for Innovators). • WS4: Fine-tuning Workshop where RIEs will work upon the shortlisted solutions coming from WS2 and will define detailed Action Plans to co-implement and co-monitor each solution Throughout the process the role of the LTF will be to support you in defining the main content of the WS and to elaborate the outputs in between the different workshops. Remember, the best way to offer an open and inclusive experience is to gather information about your stakeholders’ needs before organizing events and workshops. Identify potential barriers, commitments, or needs that could hinder their participation in advance and tailor your interventions accordingly. The following pages provide simple fact sheets on the co-development of the Local Workshops. 39 During the planning and execution of local workshops, it is crucial to employ facilitation and organizational practices that are as inclusive as possible. Following earlier steps, you have identified and mobilized a representative, inclusive, and balanced pool of stakeholders, considering diverse genders, ages, ethnicities, languages, abilities, and occupations. Now is the time to ensure inclusion and accessibility for everyone during the activities’ implementation. Take into consideration that common reasons that prevent people to attend such kind of initiative include: care-giving commitments, dietary restrictions or needs, incompatible work schedules, or lack of personal transportation. Timing Not only space but also time significantly influences participation. In Step 0, you already reflected and made choices to ensure the accessibility and inclusivity of your RIE Site. Now, it’s important to reflect inclusively on the timing of your events as well, ensuring they are compatible with work commitments and caregiving responsibilities. Logistical adjustments for accessibility If your RIE site is not 100% accessible to everyone, communicate this in advance and consider corrective measures. Make necessary logistical adjustments, such as installing ramps for wheelchair access, ensuring ramps have a slope of no more than 5-6%, and clearly signposting the path to barrier-free access. Reserve parking spots for people with disabilities. Services for families Provide support services to facilitate work-family balance, such as on-site childcare and nursing areas. Consider setting up a supervised room for children or breastfeeding-friendly areas. Be accommodating and meet the needs of parents with young children. Food allergies and preferences Be proactive and responsible regarding food intolerances, allergies, or dietary needs/preferences when organizing meals, catering, or coffee breaks. Gather information on potential allergies, intolerances, or specific needs beforehand and provide necessary solutions. Aim to make menus available with clear allergen labelling. For pre-packaged or pre-prepared food, include lactose-free, gluten-free, and other allergen-free options, as well as vegetarian and vegan choices. Translations and audio-visual support Assess the need for translators or audiovisual support materials. Environmentally friendly providers For any providers you select, whether for catering or other services, prioritize the choice of environmentally responsible suppliers and local providers. For example, prefer those who avoid using plastic. Phase 2.2 - Co-development 40 Short description Co-development of scenarios and visions to define challenges, needs and objectives. Dynamos and LTF will co-produce scenarios together (e.g. socio-economic, climate demographic) to be discussed with the RIE community to develop visions, achievable goals and targets, as well as the challenges to be targeted by the vision. When September 2024 - M13 Where RIE site Who Dynamos, Local Task Force and other stakeholders Goals 1) to make stakeholders aware of their current situation and of their vision for the future; 2) to support the RIE Community and TPs in developing a common vision, objectives and in identifying challenges. Expected results and outputs 1) Scenarios co-creation; 2) RDD recalibrated; 3) Challenges selected (from proposal and new challenges emerging from local context and needs); 4) Challenge template filled in for each Dynamo challenge to be integrated in the Open Call for Innovators; 5) Strategic objectives identified; 6) Qualitative inputs to the monitoring baseline. Type of event and logistic Full day workshop with breaks (5 hours) Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers (including printed template), pens, tables and chairs, camera, computer, WIFI connection Others: healthy snacks, coffee breaks and lunch (catering) Estimated budget and eligible cost If you need to rent out your location the estimated budget ranges between 500 euros and 1000 euros. If you are not paying for your RIE site you can consider a maximum amount of 300 euro for catering and materials. LWS1 - Vision and Challenges Local Workshop 41 STEP 3 - STAKEHOLDERS EMPOWERMENT Short description This WS will allow RIEs to explore possible solutions to be implemented in their territories related to the RDDs chosen. Dynamos and LTF will pre-select solutions that may be relevant for their territories for each RDD in the form of cards to be discussed with the RIE community. From the RIEs discussion, Dynamos will get a list of potential solutions to be tailored, either coming from the Solutions’ catalogue, possible brand-new solutions coming from the RIEs’ stakeholders. When December 2024 - M16 Where RIE site Who Dynamos, Local Task Force and other stakeholders Goals 1) to inspire stakeholders by looking at the good practice ad lessons learnt collected in the RURACTIVE Catalogue, 2) to support the RIE community in identifying the solutions they want to develop in each RDD. Expected results and outputs 1) Solutions identified, 2) Initial alignment of solutions with local policies, 3) Alignment of solutions with gender ad inclusion principles, 4) Qualitative inputs to the baseline. Type of event and logistic Half day workshop with breaks (3.5 hours) Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers, pens, tables and chairs, camera Others: healthy snacks and coffee breaks (catering) Estimated budget and eligible cost If you need to rent out your location the estimated budget ranges between 500 euros and 1000 euros. If you are not paying for your RIE site, you can consider a maximum amount of 300 euro for catering and materials. LWS2 - Learning from Others Local Workshop 42 Short description This WS will allow RIEs to refine the selected solutions (LW2) to define their viability, including their economic and financial one, according to the key principles ad key aspects of RURACTIVE (including inclusion, participation, climate mitigation and adaptation, social justice and biodiversity) and to develop a clear understanding of how to implement the selected solutions (e.g. with the help of a modified business Canva). This will lead to a first draft of the LAP. When February 2025 - M18 Where RIE site Who Dynamos, Local Task Force and other stakeholders Goals 1) to make stakeholders aware of the different elements necessary to implement the solutions, 2) to define a sustainable business plan, 3) to draft a preliminary Local Action Plan. Expected results and outputs 1) Solutions broken down into feasible elements ad steps, 2) Initial alignment of solutions with local policies, 3) Alignment of solutions with gender ad inclusion principles, 4) First draft of Local Action Plan. Type of event and logistic Half day workshop with breaks (3.5 hours) Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers, pens, tables and chairs, camera Others: healthy snacks and coffee breaks (catering) Estimated budget and eligible cost If you need to rent out your location the estimated budget ranges between 500 euros and 1000 euros. If you are not paying for your RIE site you can consider a maximum amount of 300 euro for catering and materials. LWS3 - Fine tuning Local Workshop 43 STEP 3 - STAKEHOLDERS EMPOWERMENT Short description Presentation of the solutions proposed by the innovators to the RIE community and collection of feedback from the community When February 2025 - M18 Where RIE site Who Innovators, Dynamos, Local Task Force and other stakeholders Goals 1) to present stakeholders with the outcomes of the first stage of the Open Call for Innovators, via a pitching session and technical presentation; 2) to collect feedback from the RIE community on the solutions presented by the innovators* - such feedback will be an integral part of the decision criteria when assessing the solutions to be selected and financed by the cascade funding in stage 2 (after M19), for deployment with the local communities. Expected results and outputs 1) Solutions from Innovators presented and feedback collected. Type of event and logistic 1.5 hours workshop Needed equipment: projector, boards, post it, papers, pens, chairs, camera Others: healthy snacks (catering) Estimated budget and eligible cost If you need to rent out your location the estimated budget ranges between 500 euros and 1000 euros. If you are not paying for your RIE site, you can consider a maximum amount of 300 euro for catering and materials. LWS4 - Co-tuning Local Workshop 44 Phase 3.3 - Presenting the Local Action Plans This phase consists in one final event to present the Action Plan and launch the implementation phase at local level at M20 - April 2025. Short description Presentation of the Local Action Plan to the whole local community When April 2025 - M20 Where RIE site Who Dynamos, Local Task Force and other stakeholders Goals 1) to present to the RIE community and all interested local actors the LAP, 2) to collect feedback on the LAP, 3) to present the implementation phase (Task 5.2, UCD) Expected results and outputs 1) LAP and solutions to be implemented presented, 2) Feedback on the co-development process shared, 3) Activities and timeline of Task 5.2 presented, 4) Feedback on the LAP collected Type of event and logistic Half day event (3.5 hours) Needed equipment: projector, chairs, camera Others: lunch (catering) *Consider carrying out the event on a weekend or at a time that allows greater participation from the local community Estimated budget and eligible cost If you need to rent out your location the estimated budget ranges between 500 euros and 1000 euros. If you are not paying for your RIE site, you can consider a maximum amount of 300 euro for catering and materials. Presenting the Local Action Plans RIE Coordinator: A person or organization (Dynamo or local stakeholder) responsible for coordinating all the RIE activity