Implementing CASPER locally in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

On July 4th 2023, France Active Nouvelle-Aquitaine organized their first local stakeholder workshop in Limoges, France.

During the workshop, stakeholders were acquainted with the objectives of CASPER, the learnings conducted from our project partners in our first interregional meeting in Savonlinna, Finland, and brainstormed on how to implement CASPER locally and expectations for its future.

Problems Identified

A key issue identified in the workshop was the need for increased involvement of local authorities in the CASPER initiative. This is crucial for expanding citizen participation in policy-making, which is a core aim of CASPER. Additionally, the workshop highlighted the importance of establishing effective local governance specifically for the project. This involves setting up a smaller monitoring group to ensure that the broader stakeholder group's activities align with the official CASPER proposal.

Another significant concern raised was the need for tangible outcomes from the project. Participants emphasized that the initiative should lead to concrete changes in local policies and improvements in the quality of life, underlining the necessity for more diverse institutional participation in the workshops.

Potential Solutions

• Expanding stakeholder involvement: Inclusion of various local representatives, like citizen groups, the Economical Social and Environmental Council (CESER), the University of Limoges, and business incubators, to broaden the scope of participation.

• Ensuring tangible results: Encouraging diverse services within institutions to participate in the workshops, emphasizing the need for effective collaboration for tangible outcomes.

• Formation of a monitoring group: A smaller group, comprising members from France Active Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, and leaders in the social economy field, is to be established. This group aims to ensure alignment between the broader stakeholder group’s work and the official CASPER application.