Open School for Village Hosts

New projects, and new livelihoods, are sprouting up among Europe’s multitude of small villages and the regions around them. We call the people who start and lead such projects: Village Hosts. The Open School for Village Hosts invites applications from rural pioneers, across Europe, to join its first training programme.

Deadlines

Applications deadline: 20 January 2023. Selection completed and applicants informed by 31 January 2023

Who can apply?

The trainees in OSVH will be individuals or groups already active in their village and territory, or with a clear intention to return. The Open School for Village Hosts open to 40 rural pioneers, social innovators, and enterprising local officials, regional planners, farmers, researchers, farm advisors, engineers, developers, elected officials. Local citizens with unique and valuable knowledge – based on local history and ecology – will be welcome. Must have an overall comprehension of english.

How to apply | Selection process

To apply, please fill in this form. The selection process will be as ethical and diverse as possible. OSVH project managers will make sure to guarantee a fair and inclusive choice.

Training programme

The Open School for Village Hosts invites applications from rural pioneers, across Europe, to join its first  training programme. It begins in March 2023, and lasts six months. Upon completion, you will have gained new skills, new connections, and the detailed plan for a pilot project ,in your region, that is suggested by you.

The six main subjects to be covered in the course

1. Design a strategic vision
2. How to discover and map opportunities and resources
3. Storying of place
4. Curate activities and encounters
5. Assemble cooperation platform & new business models
6. Design a pilot project

The skills and qualities involved as Village Host

An unusual combination of knowledge, skills and qualities are needed to be an effective Village Host. Village Hosts need ‘hard’ capabilities such as digital skills, or business planning. But as collaboration experts – people who connect people – a Village Host’s most valuable skills are often so-called ‘soft’ ones: hosting, convening, facilitating, animating, and co-ordinating. A Village Host needs to be an effective communicator and storyteller, and also know how to connect with the diverse members of a region’s community – from farmers, to local officials.

The benefits to you of participation in the course

On completing the course, you will be comfortable in the role as a community host and convenor. You will be confident when approaching potential funders and government officials. You will have learned about new tools and resources. You will leave with the plan for pilot project in your own region. You will be a member of a 40-strong Peer Learning Circle with members across Europe. Participants in the course will gain a rich collection of stories and inspiration for use in their future work. 

Who will do the training?

The Open School for Village Hosts will source its trainers from several contexts: experts nominated by project partners; independent tutors and experts who are active online as independents; and above all a peer community of people who are already doing similar work. The OSVH platform will support the work of trainers with a curated collection of tried-and-tested online resources.

What will be required of you as a participant?

The course is free, but you need to commit time, presence and attention for three phases:

March, April 2023

Online training – about three hours a week for two months (see below).

Initial preparatory work is done individually or in groups for 40 people in total. Guided by lectures, and preparatory reading, you will investigate a situation local to you – the place, the issues, the actors, and the relationships between them. You will receive digital feedback on the task.

May 2023  

Five day in-person training in Grottole, Italy (travel, accommodation and meals covered by us). 

20 people will be selected and will attend lectures, workshops, and group assignments.

Once back home the 20 people will peer to peer share their knowledge with the rest of 20 participants.

June-August 2023

Develop your local pilot project (three months) and online peer to peer sharing and learning.

Reporting and reflection individually or in groups (digitally on the platform).

Validation/Accreditation

Upon completion of your plan for a pilot project, you will be given a Certificate of Completion.

Selection completed and applicants informed by 31 January 2023

For more info please write to info@villagehosts.eu

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