The project BADGES has aimed at valorising the huge lifelong learning potential of European cultural and natural heritage sites.Nowadays the concept of lifelong learning is strictly connected with the validation of non-formal and informal learning and the relevance of recognizing the entire scope of knowledge and experience held by an individual, irrespective of the learning context is widely remarked. Despite the growing interest and the European institutions’ strong commitment to promote validation systems in different learning situations, there are contexts, such as the heritage and cultural sites, where concrete experiences of competence validation are rather few and scattered.BADGES developed a fully fledged methodology to support both cultural and natural heritage sites in offering learning enhancement experiences to their visitors, and the opportunity to have the new knowledge and skills acquired during the learning experience recognised and validated.BADGES developed:•a methodological frame for competence based informal and non-formal learning in cultural and natural heritage•a CPD Programme for cultural and natural heritage staff capacity for developing and organizing validated informal and non-formal learning at their sites•a European system for issuing electronic badges as a certificate for competence development•and eventually created a community of interest around this topic and support the creation of a ‘badging culture’ as part of an approach to personal and professional development and to employabilityThe main target groups of the project are:-Professionals working in museums, other heritage or cultural organisations, natural parks, archaeological sites that will be able to issue the badges linked to their mission.-People visiting cultural sites, nature parks, historical sites, etc. that can be invited to make the most of the experience by getting a badge.The project started with a research on:•Good practices in European cultural and natural heritage sites•Heritage professionals’ needs in terms of educational methodologies•Successful examples of electronic badges usageThe results of this study laid the basis for setting up the core components of the BADGES methodology.An inventory of relevant competences was identified, relating to transferable social, personal and organisational competences (SPOC) that may be acquired in the specific learning contexts and also field competences connected to the cultural and natural heritage topics. The description of the competences followed the LEVEL5 validation system, a well proven methodology to validate social and personal competences acquired in informal and non-formal learning. For each competence, a framework will be set up along the dimensions of knowledge, skills and attitudes. A validation system was set up considering the stages: Identification, Assessment and Documentation of competences and their Certification with Badges.The Badges issuing system is based on an open learning space (the LEVEL5 learning suite) consisting of different OER components Mahara (e-Portfolio and Moodle as open source Learning Management System. The system is connected to the LEVEL5 software which issues certificates as qualified badges since it is build on a specific taxonomy.The BADGES approach creates a transferrable learning system that connects the competence framework with individual learning pathways in heritage contexts.All the components of the BADGES methodology were transferred to a group of recruited professionals working in the field of cultural and natural heritage that will be invited to attend a European short-term course. After the course the participants designed and offered a competence based learning pathway to the visitors of their heritage sites. Though this activity was not funded anymore the application of the BADGES methodology in real-life cases gave important feedbacks to fine tune the products developed.The project main outputs were wrapped up in the BADGES Toolkit which is freely available. In order to maximise the impact of the project the partners put in place a structured valorisation strategy which is based on the coupling with the REVEAL network to ensure the continuity of the activities, the exploitation of the BADGES products. The valorization strategy includes the mission of the BADGES community, descriptions of the products and services and the network strategy and organisation. This way the qualified badging system and the whole CPD approach shall be valorised for cultural and natural heritage institutions throughout Europe in promoting the learning experience among their visitors.During numerous national and European events the project was highly recognized by heritage professionals and was widely disseminated to the European Community of professionals working at cultural heritage sites and those stakeholders who consider cultural heritage education as an enrichment of their adult education.

"The DELPHI project wants to emphasise and strengthen the role of European cultural heritage in non-formal learning, in inclusion processes, in finding European value frames and in creating a European identity. To this end the project focuses on professional development in Heritage Interpretation (HI). HI is the art to create a relation between the elements of a heritage site, a collection or an intangible cultural asset and the meaning making and value frames of the visitors. Heritage Interpretation creates cognitive and emotional links between the visitors and what they can discover on-site. DELPHI focuses on European aspects and European value elements which can be discovered in local heritage. This should help interpreters to better frame heritage within European contexts and to bring the European idea alive for local communities. The project also focuses on the learning aspect.The products developed in DELPHI within the two years include the following:- A Stocktaking Report on approaches in HI and existing (digital) learning materials and projects.- A detailed Competence Framework, refering to EQF-Levels 4-7. Describing key competences in the fields of European Identity, Social Sustainability, Regional Development and creating a learning experience- A modular blended learning CPD Course for Heritage Interpreters and Adult Educators including all learning ressources, webinar schemes, eLearning modules and a one week face-to-face workshop concept- A Toolkit for the further use of DELPHI Materials in different training contexts. The Toolkit allows trainers to develop a course for three different target groups (Heritage Interpreters, Community workers, Adult Educators) and on different competence levels (EQF 4-6)- Two fully fledged Learning Pathways on the learning platform ""OWL"" addressing Adult Educators to apply skills of the Heritage Interpretation for Adult Education and for the implementation of European Values in Adult Education. - A Validation-System allowing course participants to self-validate their competence development.- 12 demonstrative local projects developed by the trained professionals during the project, providing examples of good practices both for heritage interpreters and for adult educators.The modules and course concept was developed on the basis of the Competence Framework that indicated the areas of skills, knowledge and attitudes that need to be covered in order to gain the intended competence growth and reach the course objectives. The 18 participants testing the DELPHI pilot course developed projects out of their participation by applying their gained knowledge to their professional environment. After the course and the evaluation of the course all the material has been compiled within the DELPHI Toolkit which includes sound information on how to apply the competence orientered learning materials to own training concepts. The project activities and outputs were disseminated widely during the project. Potential beneficiaries were involved as associated partners, as participants, in the stocktaking report and in expert interviews which helped to further develop and improve the products. To promote the project outcomes - mainly the DELPHI Competence Framework, the Toolkit, modular Course design and transfer potential - the partners organised an online conference and used newsletters and further distribution channels to reach potential users. The project consortium included 7 partners from Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy and United Kingdom and an associated Partner. Research Institutes worked together wirth training and consultancy providers. Each partner brought specific expertise and resources to the project and benefited in turn from the other partners` contributions. All DELPHI Products are available in English and can be downloaded or accessed from the DELPHI homepage which will continue to operate."