Aligning Local Practice with Cross-Border Learning: Enhanced ERA Project Trainings
As part of the Enhanced ERA project, each of the six participating regions – Lahemaa and Soomaa (Estonia), Kymenlaakso and Åland (Finland), Gauja (Latvia), and Söderhamn (Sweden) – organised local training programmes alongside the cross-border online and international face-to-face intensive trainings. These local sessions were conducted between November 2024 and May 2025 and played a vital role in contextualising entrepreneurship education with region-specific knowledge and challenges.
While most regions held their local sessions in person, Åland – due to its geographic spread across islands – opted primarily for online formats to ensure accessibility for all participants.
The goal of the local trainings was twofold: to introduce participants to locally relevant business knowledge and to strengthen collaboration through clustering and peer learning. Local experts and entrepreneurs were invited to share their insights, helping participants connect theoretical knowledge with real-world application.
The content covered a wide range of practical and strategic topics, including:
- Business models in partner countries and related tax systems
- Support structures for new entrepreneurs via local development agencies
- Gap analysis: what exists in the region and what is lacking
- Cultural and natural heritage as a business resource
- Product and service development tailored to rural and protected areas
- Brand creation, marketing, and sales strategies
- Branding and packaging of local food, crafts, wellness, heritage and nature-based services
- Creating product cards
- Effective use of social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook)
- Excursion planning, storytelling, and guiding techniques
- Building networks, activating local communities
- Visitor management and satisfaction
- Mental health and resilience in entrepreneurship
Participants especially valued the practical aspects of the training and the chance to explore what already exists in their local area, identify what’s missing, and find ways to contribute meaningfully to their communities. The workshops fostered a deeper understanding of local networks, resources, and opportunities—essential building blocks for launching sustainable rural businesses.
In summary, the local training programmes were a vital complement to the broader cross-border learning activities of the Enhanced ERA project, equipping emerging entrepreneurs with place-based knowledge and empowering them to turn local potential into long-term value.
