Planning for Real in Europe

The Planning for Real Unit has been successful in gaining European funding under the Leonardo da Vinci ‘Lifelong Learning Programme’ (Transfer of Innovation). The two year project which began in October 2013 will see the Planning for Real team work alongside partners from France, Italy, Poland, Turkey and the UK.

The renowned Planning for Real (PFR) methodology will be adapted and transferred into the partner countries. Eight lead facilitators (two from each of France, Italy, Poland and Turkey) and 40 local support facilitators (10 from each partner country) will be trained in the technique by the Planning for Real Unit. The facilitators will go on to lead their own community engagement programmes. Through these programmes the PFR methodology will be tested in a number of different scenarios, focusing on community development/action in France, culture/museums in Italy, spatial planning in Poland and open spaces and parks in Turkey. Local communities will use the PFR methodology to help them address issues that relate to their own local area, their needs and experiences.

As the project progresses we will refine the PFR methodology and resources in order to develop a transferable European PFR product, suitable to be used across different European countries and in different contexts. The project will also lead to the development of an international network of trained PFR facilitators.

We are currently developing the training programme for the lead facilitators who will come over to attend a two-day training course in the UK in June 2014. This modular programme will focus on facilitation skills as well as the PFR methodology so that participants feel confident in cascading the PFR training to local support facilitators in their own country later this year.

This article was posted in News.