Giulia Parola, project lead at the ECSF, recently participated in an exciting three-day event, which took place on the Atlantic São Miguel island in the Azores. The event, organized and hosted by the CRESAÇOR Regional Cooperative for Solidarity Economy, brought together experts, StayOn project partners, local politicians, and members of CRESAÇOR cooperative to discuss community-based solutions for NEETs in rural areas.

WorldTea at Museu do Tobaco da Maia (April 3rd):

The StayOn event kicked off with a lively WorldTea gathering at the Museu do Tobaco da Maia on April 3rd. In line with the WorldCafe format, participants discussed policy proposals developed by participants in the StayOn community-based model in small table groups. The conversation revolved around three main topics: agripreneurship, rural mobility, and future skills.

International Conference at Museu do Tobaco da Maia (April 4th):

Nearly 100 participants convened at the Museu do Tobaco da Maia the following day for an international conference. Attendees included StayOn project partners, CRESAÇOR representatives, cooperative members, local politicians, and local NEETs. The conference featured keynote speeches from the EEA & Norway Grants Director and the Azores Regional Director for Youth. Additionally, roundtables discussing NEETs in rural Europe and the StayOn project provided insights and testimonies from local NEETs. The event concluded with a memorable performance by a talented violist.

StayOn Internal Workshop at CRESAÇOR Premises in Ponta Delgada (April 5th):

The final day of the StayOn event featured an internal workshop held at CRESAÇOR’s premises in Ponta Delgada. The project partners received an update on the StayOn project and discussed the future outlook of the initiative.

The StayOn event in São Miguel island was a fruitful opportunity for stakeholders to come together and discuss community-based solutions for pressing issues and opportunities in agripreneurship, rural mobility, and future skills. The lively atmosphere and engaging format allowed for the exchange of ideas and fostered a sense of collaboration among participants. It will be exciting to see how the insights and proposals generated at this event will contribute to the ongoing success of the StayOn project and promote positive change in rural communities throughout Europe.