From Local Learning to European Impact: Workshops and Ideathons in the CommUnity Project 

CommUnity is an Erasmus+ project designed to strengthen the role of adult entrepreneurs as drivers of inclusive and resilient communities.

Introduction: a European approach to adult entrepreneurship

CommUnity is an Erasmus+ Small-Scale Partnership in Adult Education (KA210-ADU), designed to strengthen the role of adult entrepreneurs as drivers of inclusive and resilient communities. Like other KA210 projects, it focuses on cooperation, exchange of practices, and accessible innovation in adult learning across Europe.

The project brings together partners from Italy, Belgium, and Norway to explore how entrepreneurship can contribute not only to economic growth, but also to social inclusion, well-being, and community development.

Learning through place: the Italian workshop model

One of the core elements of the project was the organisation of three workshops in Italy, each embedded in a different territorial context.

Rather than adopting a purely classroom-based approach, the CommUnity methodology was built around experiential learning, allowing participants to engage directly with real environments and communities.

• In San Paolo di Civitate, participants explored rural development and community-based tourism, analysing how small businesses can counter depopulation and support local identity.

• In Taranto, the focus shifted to urban regeneration, where entrepreneurship intersects with social inclusion and environmental challenges in complex urban settings.

• In Lecce, participants engaged with culture, public history, and creative industries as drivers of both economic activity and social cohesion.

This multi-context approach enabled adult learners to compare different models of community welfare and understand how business strategies must adapt to local realities.

From learning to action: the role of ideathons

Building on the workshops, the project introduced ideathons as a bridge between learning and implementation.

These sessions transformed knowledge into action by guiding participants through a structured process:

• identifying local challenges

• developing value propositions

• designing business models

• presenting solutions collaboratively

The ideathons were not just creative exercises, but applied learning environments, where participants worked in teams, tested ideas, and received feedback from peers and facilitators.

In Italy, the ideathon in Lecce represented a synthesis moment, where insights from tourism, regeneration, and culture were translated into concrete entrepreneurial ideas.

The Norwegian experience: inclusion and innovation

In Norway, the workshops took a complementary approach, focusing more explicitly on social inclusion and systemic barriers.

Participants explored key challenges such as:

• access to employment and professional networks

• integration of migrants and newcomers

• mental well-being in entrepreneurial environments

Through collaborative sessions, they developed solutions that combine business innovation with social impact — for example, platforms for social integration or tools supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Why this matters for adult education

The CommUnity experience highlights several key lessons for adult education practitioners:

1. Learning must be contextual: Adults learn more effectively when training is connected to real-life environments and challenges.

2. Entrepreneurship is a social practice: Business education should go beyond profit-making and include social responsibility and community impact.

3. Co-creation enhances engagement: Collaborative formats like ideathons foster participation, ownership, and practical skill development.

4. Diversity strengthens learning outcomes: Working across countries and contexts allows participants to develop broader perspectives and transferable competencies.

Conclusion

By combining workshops and ideathons, CommUnity demonstrates how adult education can move from theory to practice.

It shows that when learners are placed at the intersection of local realities, collaborative learning, and entrepreneurial thinking, they can become active agents of change — not only in their businesses, but in their communities as a whole.

From Local Learning to European Impact: Workshops and Ideathons in ...