The Vital project is based primarily on the execution of ‘best practice’ pilots in the associated regions and locations. These pilots are the main input for the Rural Power Pack's content. To make the projects mutually comparable, we started to align our projects by putting them into uniform project formats (see “best practice” projects). This project format focuses on thorough problem analysis and leads to specific solutions for defined problems encountered in the region. In all project cases studies, the impact of the project results for the region as a whole was estimated by discussing and verifying the results with other (local) stakeholders. This is known as the Co-operative Agreement Approach. Next, a key question list was added to each of the formats, containing information on the applicability, transferability and sustainability of the project results. Additionally, links to related innovative best practice examples from elsewhere were included and finally, tools derived from the project were formulated.
The inclusion of project results in uniform project formats demonstrated that there was a lot of common ground between project outcomes in the three work packages. For example, projects focussing on the empowerment of SMEs by using broadband applications (work package 1), can easily be connected to those projects executed in the field of education or services (work package 3) that also use broadband applications. So by comparing project results, broad overarching themes were created which offer a more complete solution for the problems encountered!
Based on this knowledge the best practice projects delivered in Vital Rural Area were arranged in seven themes:
- Innovative approaches to education
- Broadband and digital services
- SME empowerment and entrepreneurship
- Good governance
- Community building
- Welfare and lifestyle
- Profiling and branding
To open up opportunities to connect the projects to other networks and programmes, key words for each project were developed and added to the project formats. This is a useful communication tool, which can connect our partnership with other networks and projects.