Centralised actions, a closer look

You might be familiar with the majority of funding available through the Lifelong Learning Programme such as Leonardo Mobility, Transversal Study Visits or a Grundtvig Partnership, however there is also funding available through the LLP that is managed directly by the European Commission. This funding is often referred to as centralised actions.

Applying and running a centralised action can often be the next step for promoters that have run successful large scale co-operation projects such as Transfer of Innovation. Usually running over three years and involving at least three partners these centralised actions need an experienced and dedicated partnership to ensure a successful project, one that doesn’t just bring benefits to those immediately involved but also has a wider impact for all of Europe.

The Isabel project

One of these projects is the Isabel (Interactive social media for integration, skills bartering, empowerment and informal learning) project, funded by Key Action 3 to raise awareness, and enhance learning experiences, through Information Communication Technology. The Isabel project is co-ordinated by Roy Smith of MRS Consultancy in the UK, an experienced promoter who has worked on many projects funded by all actions of the LLP. It was this experience which was an incentive, and a help, during the project:

We have worked on many projects with the help of LLP, particularly working with disadvantaged groups and individuals. The experience from these projects has been invaluable both in working with the target learners but also working with other partners, less experienced in this kind of project work.

Centralised actions all work to maximise the benefit of project outcomes at a European-wide level. This can not only be helpful to learners within a range of communities but also to other promoters running LLP projects. For example, the Isabel project is working with ten partners from six European countries to encourage individuals to become more active in their communities through community reporting and social media.  For the individuals involved it is the chance to acquire new skills and knowledge but it is also the chance for other organisations, and LLP projects, to adapt the approaches used to their own communities and widen the impact of the Isabel project.

The project is about learning. Participants have acquired all kinds of skills and knowledge to tell stories in different ways, using different media and distributing them in all sorts of platforms from newspapers to Facebook, Twitter and radio. But we are also committed to spreading that learning and making it available to as many people as possible. Organisations can get involved through looking at our website and through the facilities such as the Virtual Learning Bus and the Isabel Handbook to bring community reporting to their communities.

Running a centralised action requires forward thinking to ensure its impact is sustained after the project’s end. For the Isabel project this has been through the establishment of two networks, the European Network of Community Reporters and the Institute of Community Reporters (working at a UK level), as well as through local initiatives in each country, both of which will enable other organisations to adopt similar working models and enable more individuals to widen their online skill-set.

Take the next step

The work of centralised actions can help organisations, of any scale, maximise the benefits of their LLP project. Each year the European Commission publish a compendia of projects that have been funded and this is a great starting point to not only find out who to contact but also to be inspired for future ventures. There is more information on centralised actions, and what you can do, available to download from the European Commission’s LLP Infoday 2013.

You can find out more about the funding we manage that is available through Leonardo, Grundtvig and Transversal by visiting our websites. Our online Information Day also includes information on the centralised actions presented by Gillian McLaughin, Head of LLP Coordination Sector at the Executive Agency, at our London Info Day.