Master the Network. Efficient partner search and management

Master the Network. Efficient partner search and management tackles a crucial topic in order improve  the  quality  of  the  initiatives developed  in  the  frame  of  Erasmus+:  partnerships. It will take a close look at the role of the partners, their rights and duties and will offer a space to share good practices in the search and management of new partnerships. Moreover, it will provide the participants with communicative tools to improve the involvement of the partners through the whole process and solve conflicts that may appear.

MAIN  AIM 

To  improve  the  quality  of  the  projects  developed  in  the  frame  of  youth  through  the  search,  selection  and  management  of  European  project  partners  with high  quality  standards  and  criteria.   

OBJECTIVES 

· To  take  a  close  look  at  the  role  of  partners  in  Erasmus+  projects,  specifically at  their  rights  and  duties. 

· To  share  the  main  ways  to  search  for  partners  and  reflect  on  good  practices  in  this  field.     

· To  think  about  the  key  dimensions  in  an  effective  cooperation  in  the  frame  of  Erasmus+.   

· To  get  to  know  in  depth  the  partner  agreement,  a  key  tool  for  an  effective  cooperation  between  international  partners.   

· To  improve  the  partners'  involvement  in  the  visibility  and  the  dissemination  and  exploitation  of  results  of  the  project.   

· To  make  the  participants  familiar  with  the  main  digital  tools  in  project management. 

· To  provide  the  participants  with  the  required  resources  to  solve  conflicts  with  partners  in  the  frame  of  an  Erasmus+  project.   

· To  share  the  best  practices  and  methods  and  exchange  innovative  ideas  connected  to  the  aim  of  this  training  course.   

· To  reflect  on  the  experience of the  learning  process  by  using  the  frame  of  key  competences  and  Youthpass.   

· To  explore  the  Erasmus+  Youth  in  Action  programme  and  its  different actions  as  a  tool  to  support  the  objectives  of  this  training  course.   

CONTENTS  STRUCTURE 

In  order  to  achieve  these  objectives  the  following  sessions  are  proposed:

Introduction to Erasmus+ Programme:  An initial session to offer a theoretical frame and balance the level of knowledge among the participants.

The role of partners in the frame of Erasmus+ projects / The ideal partner. These two sessions are an introduction to the role of the partner in the frame of European projects (specifically in Erasmus+: Youth in Action) and its ideal features in order to be able to search for partners with more defined objectives and criteria. Partners' responsibilities in the frame of these projects will be analysed in detail. These sessions will also give importance to the creation of a network and the need for good management.

Key resources in the partner search. This session goes through the main resources and tools  for achieving our aim. We will work with platforms such as OTLAS, the EVS database, Youthnetwoks or Facebook groups. Finally, the session Analysis of good practices in the partner search will give an opportunity for the participants to share examples of good practices  in the partner search in their own organizations. 

In Key aspects for an effective cooperation with international partners we will explore the main relevant dimensions in the frame of a European project in general and more specifically in Erasmus+ Youth in Action. Aspects such as document safekeeping, insurances, mobility management and project finances will be addressed.

The Partnership Agreement: a key element for the project is a session to analyse in depth the key document for the success of an international project: the partnership agreement. The session will also provide recommendations on how to fill it out and adapt it to the reality of an Erasmus+ project.

CASE STUDY is a practical session in which participants will have to develop a draft of a partnership agreement starting from proposed cases based on real projects.

The session Partners involvement in visibility and DEOR will offer the opportunity to participants to explore different strategies to maintain the motivation of the partners in these phases of the project, exchange good practices based on their experience and look at ways to include them in the partnership agreement.

Digital tools in the management of international projects will focus on the use of IT tools to make the work with international partners easier: Trello, Dropbox, Google Docs, Google Hangouts, etc. will be some of the resources we will analyse with pieces of advice for their effective use. There will be space for the participants to share their own tools and recommendations for more effective work.

Conflict resolution between organizations will prepare the participants to face the possibility of conflicts with partners during the projects and provide them with resources to manage them effectively. The second part of the activity, CASE STUDY, proposes different conflict situations based on real cases for the participants to analyse in groups and try to propose different solutions.

The session Partners cooperation assessment: methodology and design of improvement proposals  addresses the systematic assessment of the cooperation with partners and the development of  methodologies for improvement.

The Agora Space is a session for the exchange of knowledge connected with the topic of the training course or other topics that have emerged during it. Participants will be responsible for this self-managed activity.

There will be other sessions to provide the participants with the required frame to develop an effective learning space:

A. COMMON SESSIONS. These sessions will address the introduction of the participants, the improvement of their team work competences, the establishment of activity rules and the closing of the activity.

B. LEARNING PROCESS. These activities will help to analyse, reinforce and assess the learning process experienced by the participants throughout the training course: reflection groups, learning assessment, etc. Youthpass will be a key element during these activities.

The intercultural dimension of the activity will be given by the presence of different cultures involved and the promotion of a high level of interaction among the participants.

METHODOLOGY:

Master the Network will use the methodology of experiential learning. Participants in this activity (youth leaders and youth workers) will go through the whole participation cycle to gain knowledge, skills and attitudes in first person.

Throughout the whole activity methodologies based on the principles of non-formal education will be used to facilitate a structured but flexible frame for the development of the learning process and to guarantee the highest participation. We will use techniques such as open space, free and structured debates, role playing, theatre, world café, etc.