- The project, funded by the Erasmus+ programme, aims to promote a more sustainable textile industry committed to current environmental challenges.
- It will help with the transition to the labour market in the neighbourhoods of San Cristobal de los Angeles in Madrid (Spain), and Thessaloniki in Greece.
- It is led by the Spanish non-profit association Educación, Cultura y Solidaridad, and formed by a consortium between the Greek entity Envolve and the Finnova Foundation from Belgium.
Offering training and job opportunities to people with more difficulties in accessing a job, with a special focus on women in San Cristobal de los Angeles in Madrid (Spain) and Thessaloniki (Greece). This is the main objective of the new European project TEXTIL4ALL Opportunities in the textile sector for people and the planet, funded by the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE) through the ERASMUS+ programme, with a budget of 60,000 euros and a duration of 19 months.
Led by the Spanish non-profit association Educación, Cultura y Solidaridad, and formed by a consortium between the Greek entity Envolve and the Finnova Foundation from Belgium, TEXTIL4ALL focuses on the textile sector, which faces much criticism for its environmental impact and lack of social responsibility. The initiative has two main objectives: to provide access to training and employment and to promote a more sustainable textile industry committed to current environmental challenges, tackling issues such as «fast fashion» and its negative consequences.
Women between 30 and 50 years old
Training adult women in search of opportunities improves their job prospects and has a beneficial effect on the community. At the same time, it promotes gender equality and boosts the local economy. By funding the education and training of these women, society as a whole is encouraged to promote equality and development while at the same time strengthening the social fabric and improving the individual lives of each of these women.
About 70 people, mostly women, aged between 30 and 50, will participate in this project. As a requirement the chosen participants must be facing difficulties in accessing training and employment opportunities due to socio-economic factors. Furthermore, companies from the textile sector in Spain and Greece will participate in the project with the aim of raising awareness and collaborating with them in the promotion of sustainability and the creation of future employment agreements with the project participants.
Three activities
The project comprises 3 main activities that will take place over the next 19 months.
The first activity of the project, development of the training material on textiles and entrepreneurship, will last 8 months and will cover everything from the start of the project to the preparation of the training materials to be used in the second activity. The training will focus on textile sustainability, employability and the development of entrepreneurial skills in the industry. Current statistics of the textile industry will be examined and awareness of the harmful impact of mass production on fashion will be emphasised. Adults will be taught how to enter the labour market in a more sustainable industry. The courses are structured around issues including talent identification, excellent learning, healthy design, circular economy and European solutions.
In activity 2, Implementation of textile training and entrepreneurship, ten seminars will be held between September and March. These courses aim to educate participants in textile-related topics, enabling them to integrate more easily into the labour market. They will be held in both countries, with a total of 20 workshops, and will be offered in different formats, such as trips to specialised centres, classes and courses, to make them more lively and attractive. In addition, online meetings will be scheduled to follow up on the workshops, review their implementation and address any potential problems.
The identification of stakeholders and the organisation of networking events to link participants with the business community constitute the third activity of the project. The objectives are to make the initiative more visible, to raise awareness of sustainability among companies in the textile industry and to improve the employability of the participants. In addition, it aims to forge long-term partnerships and alliances with various organisations to expand the project’s influence. Meetings and activities will be held throughout the duration of the project to promote and disseminate its objectives, enabling many groups to become involved and support the sustainability of the project even after its completion.
About Educación Cultura y Solidaridad
Educación Cultura y Solidaridad is a non-profit association whose mission is to promote the integral development of people so that they can be the protagonists of their own history and collaborate in the construction of social subjects, promoting participation and local development for a fairer and more inclusive society. To this end, it carries out socio-educational intervention actions with people and groups with greater difficulty of inclusion, promoting their empowerment. The Centre is consolidated and recognised in San Cristóbal de los Ángeles (Madrid) as a reference point for families, children and young people from different backgrounds and young people at risk of exclusion, to whom it offers the possibility of socio-occupational and academic reintegration.
About Elliniko Vraveio Epicheirimatikotitas (Envolve)
Envolve is a global organisation that supports entrepreneurship and innovation. Envolve Greece is part of Libra Social Social Responsibility, with initiatives offering educational and entrepreneurial opportunities, including support for RSL’s activities in response to the refugee crisis. Envolve is a member of the Ecosystex network (part of the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing) and offers programmes that provide support for entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprises.
About Finnova
The Finnova Foundation is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit organisation created in 2009 with the aim of promoting innovation both regionally and locally across Europe, and internationally through partner countries. Finnova focuses especially on innovation in the fields of new technologies or new business models related to environmental sustainability and social inclusion.
