The partner Zemgale Planning Regional/ Municipality of Jekabpils/ Latvia; Powiat Pszczyna/ Poland, Trebic/ CZ Respublika, Vänersborg/ Sweden and district Landkreis Anhalt-Bitterfeld have joined forces with the aim of improving the language and European skills of trainees and VET staff.These skills are necessary to work in a European context with an intercultural opening of management.The intercultural opening of management is a process of human resources and organizational development, which aims to guarantee an equal and unhindered access of all citizens to services and offers a country provides.The intercultural opening is an important part of community policy on the country level.Given the fact that even in large rural areas the proportion of people with a migration history has reached a considerable scale and will continue to increase, it involves a challenge that concerns many county administrations directly.The main aims of the project are:- to indicate the opportunity to work in European administration- to increase the ability and self-confidence to work abroad- to demonstrate input for an active participation in the process of internationalization in the administration The main aims of the project are: - to indicate the opportunity to work in European administration - to increase the ability and self-confidence to work abroad - to demonstrate input for an active participation in the process of internationalization in the administration That means: - Job-Shadowing - comparing different kinds of vocational education - getting to know and comparing different structures, procedures and cultural conditions - motivating participants to work and learn abroad - motivating tools for life long learning - improving the ICT skills through use of modern means of communication - improving languages skills, particularly in real situations - improving the intercultural skills Aims: intercultural aims: - to influence the participants in the readiness of international work (to be ready to go abroad) - to show the opportunities on the European labor market - to get over languages barriers, prejudices and reservations - to build an openness for intercultural process - to understand diversity of culture as a resource (to use these resources ) Aims/ methodic aims: - participants increase languages skills, particularly increase their English language skills (expansion of vocabulary, expressiveness, business English, increase basic Latvian, Czech, Swedish and Polish vocabulary) - to improve ICT skills (MS-office work program, multi media systems) - participants get to know different kinds of work procedures - networking - participants increase engagement, flexibility, ability to compromise, responsibility, team work, cooperation, confidence and discipline The project will present the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld as an attractive and cosmopolitan employer, not only for staff but also trainees and regionally interested. A total of six trainees for administrative clerks, specializing in municipalities, took part in a 3 or 4 week job shadowing in Poland or in Latvia. The project was divided into three flows, which were adapted to the training plans of the trainees. A total of 4 participants were trainers and educational staff from the youth welfare office of the district. These take part in one-week job shadowing.Appropriate internal and external communication measures were carried out in order to communicate the results of the project to a broader target group beyond the directly involved partners.With regard to the evaluation of the project and the planning of future mobility projects, continuous monitoring is carried out.Overall, the project had a high local and European added value, both on a professional and personal level. The increase in competence of those involved, especially with regard to foreign language and intercultural competence, teamwork, getting to know other ways of working, reflecting on their own work and constructively critical examination of their own work is unmistakable. At the European level, new, innovative results were obtained through the joint discussion, which are to be implemented in the home administration.New friendships and new networks developed, Europe got a face in administration.

The PentaHelix project is focusing on developing and testing a new approach for integrating multi-governace planning for sustainable energy, both horisontal and vertical, togeheter with a close interaction with key stakeholders in energy efficiency and sustaianble energy solutions such as the industry and business, building sector, NGO's, academia and individual citizens or relevant associations. The project aims at developing a peer-to-peer online platform for SECAP development that can be used for multiple public authorities in joint planning and implementation. This will enable the integration of different administrative levels and geographical planning areas as well as enhance the cost efficiency in the entire planning and implementation process based on economic of scale and closer cooperation and exchange. In addition regional PentaHelix Task forces will be established, involving key stakeholder and target groups, that will serve as a driver for a wider scope of the SECAPs as well as bringing in valuable insights and identification of potential measures, system solutions and a better understanding of drivers and barriers for a more sustainable society as a whole, in each specific region. This PentaHelix approach will be developed and tested in 8 pilot municipalities in Norway, Croatia, Belgium, Spain and Latvia. Each region is unique in terms of demography, economy, urban development, climate conditions and industrial/ businesss structure. Together these pilot areas consititutes a large number of inhabitants and potential mitigation of CO2 and energy savings. To further enhance the impact of the project a broad replication and dissemination strategy and actions will be rolled out in many countries in the EU. This will be mainly carried out towards neighboring regions as well as the network of ERRIN with it's many member organisations. Targeted dissemination actions will be implemented. 11 partners from 5 countries will do this during 36 months.