The Leadership Training Programme 2024-2026
A peer-to-peer learning concept for Rural Social Enterprises
Peer-to-peer learning
In 2024 the MERSE project partners recruited in total 12 rural Social Enterprises from the five participating NPA regions to participate in the about 1,5 years of leadership training in the Leadership Training programme to pilot new procedures and transfer practices and develop a peer-to-peer learning concept for Rural Social Enterprises.
About the programme
Why did we decide to run a Leadership Training programme and how does it work? Read more about that, and get to know our facilitators here.
The aim of the Leadership Training Programme in the MERSE project is to pilot new procedures and transfer practices and develop a peer-to-peer learning concept for Rural Social Enterprises. The programme is targeted to the social enterprise facilitators who are provided tools to support rural social entrepreneurship development in their regions.
In 2024 the project partners recruited in total 12 rural Social Enterprises from the five participating NPA regions in MERSE to participate in the about 1,5 years of leadership training in the Leadership Training programme. The design and implementation of the programme concept was procured and provided by an external expert, Social Enterprise Academy, Scotland.
The methodology of the training is based on a peer-to-peer methodology and a comparative cross-border approach which enables participants to learn from their peers’ own experiences and contexts to find new solutions to societal challenges. When completing the programme the participating “facilitators” will have tools and procedures to be able to support rural Social Enterprises.
The distribution of the training programme will partly be online and partly on-site over the course of 1.5 years. It will provide training, tools and methods for facilitating the support of social enterprise development, based on the needs of rural social enterprises across the five project countries.
The following criteria was determined for the recruitment of participants:
a) You are motivated to support rural communities through facilitation in your local context.
b) You can commit to the in-person and online dates as specified in the programme.
c) You are committed to continue learning alongside your peers across five counties, - attending Online Connect Session quarterly for 1 year after the programme.
d) You are prepared to work towards and complete our fully funded Facilitation Skills Qualification, accredited by Glasgow Caledonian University (SCQF level 9, 10 credits)
e) You have previous experience from social entrepreneurship and enterprises in rural setting and has a tax number for your organisation.
If there were several enterprises who wanted to participate in the program, the MERSE partners in each country selected the ones in their region they consider most suitable based on the purpose of the MERSE project and the implementation of the leadership programme. The non selected social enterprises were offered to participate as one of the social enterprises that will receive in-depth support by the facilitators participating in the leadership training programme. In testing the concept and tools during the leadership programme period about 15 social enterprises will receive in-depth support in business development and impact communication from the 12 facilitators.
Kick-off in Galway, Ireland October 2024
During one week in October, the Leadership Training programme started up in Galway, Ireland. Read more about it here.
The Leadership Training Programme startedMeet the facilitators
Who are they and what do they work with? Here you can read more about the participating facilitators.
Caroline Ní Nualláin, Ireland
Manager, Comharchumann Forbartha Mhúscraí development cooperative. Cork, Ireland. Mission statement: “Tradition, Language, Future – To provide a community development service to the entire community in the Múscraí Gaeltacht in the interest of the local area, with the continuance and preservation of the Irish language, and promotion of tradition central to all aspects of our work.” Gteic is a digital hub. Projects operating from the Gteic under the auspices of Múscraí Development Cooperative: Renewable Energy, Cultural Tourism, Language Planning, Techspace.
Roseann Ní Ghallachóir, Ireland
Roseann Ní Ghallachóir, Manager of CDP na Rosann CTR. Misson Statement: To overcome the effects of disadvantage in the Rosses area by actively promoting participation, equality of opportunity and social inclusion through building awareness, abilities, facilities and supporting local community development initiatives.
Eileen Davis, Ireland
The Center to Commemorate the Emigrant & Diaspora Na Gaeltachta. I work in a community based social enterprise which was founded, built & being developed by a voluntary community development group. Funding through the department of the Gaeltacht with match funding from our own efforts.
Heiðrún Björk Jóhannsdóttir, Iceland
Artist and handcraft co-working space Netagerðin, Ísafjörður, Iceland. Netagerðin's mission is to provide a collaborative space where artists and designers can gather to share ideas, develop their projects, and bring their visions to fruition. It strives to be a cultural and artistic center in the community, promoting creativity and teamwork. Community Membership organisations that exist for a particular purpose and trade commercially with the goal of operating to reinvest profits into the community - community enterprises, community centres, housing cooperatives, community interest organizations, certain smaller shops, and sports clubs.
Anna Þórarinsdóttir, Iceland
Galdrasyning Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft. Hólmavík, Iceland. The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft is a non-profit organisation responsible for operating its exhibitions, events, publications, and more. We strive towards educating, researching and innovating, and to be active in our Strandir community. The museum in Holmavik has expanded over the years and now fills both of the old warehouses by the harbour. Over the last few years, a restaurant has been added and therefore guests can stop for a longer period of time and visit the shop without entering the exhibition. The exhibition visitors have grown in numbers in line with the increasing number of international guests to Iceland. The most visitors we have received in one year is 19 thousand. In the Museum’s first years, most visitors were Icelandic but that has changed drastically and now, 70% of our guests come from other countries.
Birta Ósmann Þórhallsdóttir, Iceland
Skrida, Patreksfjörður, Iceland Skrida is a publishing house and print workshop with a social mission to enrich the conversation and interest in literature in the countryside, as well as to offer an open space for all who wants to create and are interested in arts and bookmaking. Another social mission is to make bookmaking sustainable, by making all the books in the hometown instead of printing it somewhere else, and to recycle and reuse all paper leftovers for something new
Veronica Schanke Reinås, Norway
Eikra Gård, Hell, Norway Eikra Gård is a project, a dream and a goal we have been working towards for many years. Our vision is to create a place where everyone, regardless of ethnicity or background, can feel welcome and safe, be inspired and motivated by the interaction between people and animals and integrate into society in a natural way.
Jarle Selven, Norway
Velferdsbygget, Hasselvika, Norway. We are a group of friends who remember the Velferdsbygget (Welfare Building) in its glory days, when it was full of life and excitement here: Canteen, large hall with various activities for young and old in the town, Nice music room that the young people in the village could use. Billiards, table tennis and games machines in the hall. We have many good memories from here, and our intention is that this offer will be revived here in Hasselvika. That is why we have now started a company together, bought back the building and started the restoration. Our bylaws are also such that all income must go back to renovation, maintenance and operation of the building, so we do this for the town and not to make money.
Tiia Muotkavaara, Finland
Pohjoisesta luonnosta Oy, Pelkosenniemi, Lapland, Finland. Pohjoisesta luonnosta Oy is a family business based in Lapland. Tiia is responsible for providing the company's expert services and her husband Mika mainly provides tourism services. They also operate as an herb, mushroom, and berry shop with a concept that no one else has. They have a social enterprise mark granted by Suomalaisen Työn Liitto.
Tiina Varjamo, Finland
Perheiden Paikka, North Karelia, Finland. Perheiden paikka is an association that carries out long-term low-threshold child protection work. Currently, they offer project-based support for separation and domestic violence. They also provide meeting place services and professional support person services. They operate from two locations in North Karelia.
Thomas Andersson, Sweden
Byggis, Fåker, Sweden. Thomas runs a trade in recycled building materials and fixtures and furniture through Byggis in Fåker. The company works for increased circularity and reduced environmental impact through the reuse of furniture and building materials. Thomas is also the vice chairman of Coompanion Sweden and Coompanion Jämtland Härjedalen, which are individually considered social enterprises. He is also a leader in the community center in Fåker, which lives on sold services and arrangements to keep the community center running.
Emma Ruzicka, Sweden
Studion Åre, Åre, Sweden. Studion Åre – a workshop, meeting place and shop for creativity and local brands. Always with a focus on modern craftsmanship, local production and sustainability. We are a collective of companies, craftsmen and non-profit forces who, through our small-scale productions based on circular business models, workshops, lectures and events for the public, work to strengthen the sustainable cultural offer in Åre.
Photos from the programme
Kick-off meeting 14-18 October 2024 in Galway, Ireland.
