NATURALLY BUILDING Capacity in Rural Development

MAICh wished to explore NB as a driver of sustainable rural development & the use of VE training to increase key green skills & employability. With NB VET expert partner Cob, they recruited Blatol...

MAICh wished to explore NB as a driver of sustainable rural development & the use of VE training to increase key green skills & employability. With NB VET expert partner Cob, they recruited Blatology, a new Serbian NGO with extensive theoretical NB knowledge seeking to develop NB training capacity in the Pčinja district, with >500 villages of ancient earthen houses but no local capacity for their repair & maintenance. NBCaRD would devise a tailor-made blended-learning ToT programme to fast-track Blatology’s ability to train in the NB skills required by Pčinja district inhabitants to repair & maintain their houses & increase their employability. Initially online, the ToT would incorporate two intensive workshops in Greece & Serbia allowing Blatology to observe & implement training practices & augment their organizational and operational capacity while locals are trained in NB skills & theory. The Serbian trainees will then be supported & encouraged to work with Blatology to further develop & disseminate NB skills in a regional skills-building initiative. The ToT would create training resources & provide insights into the use of NB training for sustainable rural development & of training requirements in this & other similar regions.

A tailor-made ToT program addressing all aspects of the organization of short-term intensive VE Trainings in applicable NB skills was developed & deployed. The ToT training curriculum included an initial online theoretical training & two residential workshops providing experience of training practicalities & the instruction methods used by a highly experienced NB VET provider, allowing the ‘fast-track’ maturation of Blat as NB trainers. In the workshops >30 local trainees received comprehensive instruction in NB techniques to enhance their employability & were encouraged & supported to practice, extend & share their NB skills. In the Pčinja region an initiative to reintroduce NB skills into the villages was begun by Blat & local trainees. Training evaluation assessed the participants’ experience & training effectiveness, & provided recommendations for future trainings. Creation of multilingual website (www.nbcard.org) & learning material repository showcases the project, NB resources & the forum. Outreach activities in the Pčinja district informed of the project & revealed training needs & forged links with Romanian regions successfully using renovated traditional buildings to drive sustainable rural development via agrotourism.

Blat received comprehensive blended-learning training in the organization & execution of VET trainings in NB, via online instruction & two intensive training events. 21 unemployed people in Greece completed an extensive 8-day training & constructed a complete NB dwelling, enhancing their skill repertoire & employability. Outreach in the Pčinja district culminated in visits to 21 villages, raising awareness of the NBCaRD aims & objectives & recruiting local trainees. 10 Serbian trainees received intensive training in the techniques required for the repair, maintenance & improvement of typical local NB. Trainee satisfaction with both trainings was high. The Evaluation Report provides recommendations to improve future trainings. Blat + local trainees have established a local NB training initiative, to continue to learn & train others. The website showcases the project, NB learning materials, forum, & activities. Dissemination raised awareness of the value of NB skills training & established a network of interested individuals & organizations, & recruits for future trainings. Regional outreach forged links with authorities & organizations using renovated traditional buildings & landscapes to support sustainable rural development.