The project supported the involvement of young people from peripheral areas in the local and rural development and sustained their business expertise. Young people, 20/camp (4 sent by every each of the partner organizations, age 18-30) from Latvia, Hungary, Romania (Transilvania) and Finland worked together in small groups (around the topics such as local culture, agriculture, bioproducts) for a week. The main goal was that during the week, in workshops leaded by professionals and by the help of local experts, they can develop different local projects or enterprises. The Innovation camps were held in every each of the partner countries (4 altogether) and were supported by local experts in businesses. As an outcome we hope the method will be recognized as a very practical way of youngsters involvement in rural development and will be used by many organization besides the partner organisations. We do believe the method fits rural development and helps young people to get involved in the local operation and improve their expertise in businesses and multiculturalism. We collected the experiences and made a guide book, available online and in printed form and created a video as well about the project. The participating organizations were local action groups (Finland, Latvia, Hungary) and a youth organization from Transylvania.

"Main objective of the project Rural SKILLS is the development and consolidation of specific competences (knowledge, skills and attitude) in rural development operators, aiming at creating new pathways for employment with non-formal and informal learning activities in the field of rural development and LEADER methodologies and in leading LAG’s strategies. The overall objective of the project is also to promote transnational cooperation between LAGs (Local Action Groups), to enhance the dissemination of their methodology, its different instruments and applications and good European practices. Local Action Group is a broad-based local private-public partnership whose aim is to improve the long-term potential of the local area and who has the ability to define and implement a development strategy for the area. LAG MontagnAppennino leaded the project other six LAGs were involved in the partnership, two from Portugal LAG CoraNE and LAG ADRAT, one from Croatia LAG Valleys and Hills of Medjimurje, one from Hungary LAG Kiskunok Vidékéért Egyesület, one from Latvia LAG ""Zied zeme"" and one from Belgium LAG Vlaamse Ardennen, in addiction to the The Institute of Restoration and Environment (IRMA S.L.) from Spain which will be responsible for the communication and dissemination tasks. The project was addressed and involved LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators, rural development operators and workers, rural development experts, local authorities staff and office workers, regional authorities staff, Managing Authorities staff, students, young workers and managers in the field of agriculture, crafts, commerce and tourism, citizens of rural areas, trade associations. The activities of Rural SKILLS included the sharing of objectives and strategies of the various local development strategies of the LAGs involved and analysis of local, regional and national legislation for the 2014-2020 EU program among the Consortium. The partners involved visited the area and the organizations involved with a delegation of its staff and other rural development operators selected (youth, public administration, local associations). Rural SKILLS organized 5 joined training activities for the LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators and LAG’s Managing Authorities staff about regional and national legislation for the 2014-2020 LEADER program, local development strategies, animation methodologies and innovative communication tools for rural development. The project achieved a good impact on the local communities and territories, specially on the target groups this project refers to, which are LEADER managers and operators, LAG managers and administrators, rural development operators and farmers, rural development experts, local authorities staff and office workers, regional authorities staff, LAG’s Managing Authorities staff, students of schools and universities, young workers and managers in the field of agriculture, crafts, commerce and tourism, citizens of rural areas, trade associations. Participation in public project presentation meetings and the involvement of local actors have lived up to expectations so far. This has been reached both through the study and analysis phases, the phase of sharing practices and methodologies analyzed and during the Short-term joint staff training events by transferring them to realities involved in the rural development and LEADER policies. Rural SKILLS provided local projects with a new dimension, since they provide stakeholders with alternative and novel opportunities to look for and solve issues in innovative ways. Exchange of good practices have been capable of producing different types of added-value: are linked to the territory and the respective local development strategies of the partners. These projects help to meet the needs and challenges addressed in the strategies of the LEADER areas. New visions and new dimensions will support and promote new ways of working. The project has been innovative at LEADER European Network level because is one of the first Erasmus+ which involve all LAGs, because the objectives mainly relate to innovation and openness to the outside world of the target groups, openness and mutual cultural enrichment allow LAGs to discover the importance of their diversity, while creating references and a common language which, in turn, promote the establishment of new forms of education and new training paths especially because the next program period 2020-2027 is behind the corner."