As part of the European CONNECT-R project, dedicated to structured dialogue and the mobilization of young people in rural areas, the partner teams recently co-constructed a Project Management Guide to clarify together the rules, roles and responsibilities that will govern the implementation of the project.
This type of document is not new in the MFR ecosystem: it has already been used within the framework of the project VET 4 Change, a European program for the exchange of practices aimed at strengthening the capacity for dialogue in rural areas, by combining vocational training and the active participation of young people.
With these experiences, this pilot guide constitutes a widely transferable good practice, which responds to a simple but essential problem: how to enable teams from different countries, cultures and organizations to collaborate in a fluid and structured manner over several months?
Le Project Management Guide is a living document. It brings together the key elements of project management, including:
- The project organization chart (who does what?),
- The distribution of responsibilities (general coordination, evaluation, dissemination, etc.),
- Internal communication methods,
- Administrative and financial rules,
- The dissemination strategy (tools, target audiences, timetable, etc.),
- And in some cases, the project evaluation grid.
Its role is twofold: reassure by clarifying expectations and fluidize exchanges to avoid misunderstandings along the way. It also serves as a common reference throughout the project.
The implementation of this guide is ideally done at the kick-off meeting, preferably in person when it is possible to bring the partners together. This time for discussion is an opportunity for the coordinator to propose a first version of the document. But it is up to the collective to negotiate, complete, and validate it. guide should not be imposed, it must reflect the realities of each structure, while respecting the requirements of the Erasmus+ program. This step allows the foundations of trust to be laid and each partner to be involved from the start.
The project is done CONNECT-R, which has seen its second steering committee (COPIL) close since the official launch of the program. The partners jointly validated the content of the Project Management Guide, laid the foundations for smooth coordination, and began the concrete implementation of the first activities. The document, available in the shared collaborative space, will serve as a common compass throughout this European adventure.
Image by Thomas G. from Pixabay
