Community Catalysts for Transformative Economy

We are living through historic times of rapid and turbulent global change. The world is currently facing the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is in fact the third epidemic in the past decade. Every year we face new climate challenges, trade wars, we have economic crises every 10 years that are becoming a permanent phenomenon. Urgent needs emerge from this complex and dynamic situation: the need for a fairer, more equitable and more resilient society and the need for regenerative stewardship of the environment combined with transformative economic practices that lead to regenerative and dignified livelihoods.
At the international level, the UN proposed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 in 2015, and adopted the interpretation of the SDGs from the perspective of resilience in 2016. (Stockholm Resilience Center, 2016). The knowledge about these developments at local level is not widespread enough, it is needed to connect these two levels.
Developing methodologies and tools to catalyze SSE-s operating in urban and rural territories to design systemic responses in overcoming the crisis and reaching long lasting positive changes in their own operation mode and in handling the problems of their community to realize the true potential of the transformative economy. By the toolkit that contains useful, practical tools and the course curriculum the project contributes significantly to strengthening and developing the transformative economy.
CCRES is a consortium created between 6 partners, coming from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Hungary and the United Kingdom. One representative of the private sector (a cooperative), the third sector (four associations) and the public administration (one university). In addition, 4 of the partners are operating in rural communities, in bioregions with different geographical and cultural characteristics, from the peripherals of Europe, which ensures the linkage to the local realities. One partner is a notable member of the international professional
community, their network ensures our access to the level the most progressive professionals and groups of developers internationally. In this way our project covers the whole verticum from the local/regional, national, European and international levels.
The project is aimed at the following target groups, with the following needs:
1. social entrepreneurs - stabilizing their economic activities and ensure their long term environmental, social and economic sustainability.
2. formal and informal communities, individuals who are looking for alternative economic practices - widen the field of their knowledge, getting familiar with the theoretical frameworks of the transformative economy, motivation in starting new initiatives.
3. academic community - researchers with concern for the effectiveness of the processes of change and transition.

Participatory research on transformative economy through case studies in 4 countries (O1)
- The co-production of a methodological guide on transformative economy (O2), the quality of which allows us to scale our impact on generating positive social change
- The co-design and co-development of a toolkit (O3) and the framework and materials of a course for transformative catalysts (O4)
- Joint creation and facilitation of an online learning platform on transformative economy (O5)
- 5 local seminars and 1 international conference for making the project results available and known in the professional communities and for the wider audience (E1-E6)
Finally, the community of professionals we are creating aims to be European in scope.