• Training and mentoring in design thinking: design thinking is a five-stage problem-solving process: at Stage 1, participants learn how to empathise with the people affected by an issue; at Stage 2, how to define the challenge; at Stage 3, how to develop ideas; at Stage 4, how to test the ideas; and then finally, at Stage 5, how to materialise the solutions. Training and mentoring were delivered by a contracted team led by community design specialists, supported by local volunteers, through a series of free facilitated courses formed around a local challenge. Training was conducted online and in person. In total, across the region, there were 1 364 active training programme participants, and a total of 3 092 hours of group training were delivered.
• Identifying and selecting relevant development challenges: training was determined by responses to an interactive online voting tool on the project website called a ‘Challenge Bank’. This enabled rural residents to submit their own ideas which they felt could be advanced through rural development projects. From there, a wide audience could view the challenge, agree, ‘like’ it, and perhaps get involved in addressing it. If a challenge secured enough interest, it was turned into a free, facilitated capacity-building design-thinking training course to help the group work through the selected challenge and reach a solution. Courses were structured as either ‘Sprint Challenges’ (shorter duration) or ‘Marathon Challenges’ (longer duration), depending on the suitability of participants and the co-trainer matched with the challenge.

The project covered a large number of themes, including biodiversity, climate action, youth development, agriculture, smart villages, health and wellbeing, connectivity / broadband, etc.

Key stakeholders involved the six Implementing Partners of the LEADER Programme in the border region of Ireland, supported by their respective LAGs, and the Department of Rural and Community Development in Ireland. Programme participants were diverse, and included rural individuals, school groups, community groups, farmers, and enterprises. This was complemented by the participation of the Southwest College as an academic partner to the Innovating Communities project.

• 1 364 people actively participated in the Innovating Communities training programme and 133 different challenges were addressed in the process.
• 878 young people have been trained in design thinking.
• Biodiversity, climate change and sustainability were prominent challenges deemed important by participants and addressed by the training (e.g. food waste and recycling courses).
• Economic concepts for new businesses and initiatives emerged from the process and were acted upon (e.g. one participant set up her own craft business).
• The integration of young people, women and minority groups was integral to the success of the project, representing a truly bottom-up, Community-Led Local Development approach, whereby everybody was given a voice.
• The project has led to an increase in resilience and digital literacy. As much of the training took place online initially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants adapted and transitioned to a digital way of interacting and learning.
• The project proved that the design-thinking approach is transferable across the EU and beyond. It is a systematic way of solving problems more effectively.
• Participants including young people have gained a range of skills such as, but not limited to, problem-solving, trial and error, communication, teamwork and perseverance. The training has helped to build capacity among young people to identify future challenges and capitalise on opportunities.
• The project has given rural stakeholders a voice, including minority groups which may not have otherwise been part of a formal group.

• The training used a ‘person-centred design’ approach to identify topics most important to an area. This was a very efficient and democratic means of solving the most pressing issues.
• Already-formed community groups facing a specific challenge were ideal candidates for this project, as opposed to one person with an idea, as this involved bringing a new group of interested participants together and gaining their commitment. The training was particularly suitable for those groups who wished to develop a strategic plan of action.
• As part of programme delivery, each LEADER Implementing Partner recruited and trained between five and seven local volunteer co-trainers to facilitate the training, alongside one of the designated contracted trainers. The local volunteer co-trainers proved very important in bridging any knowledge gaps between the challenge and participants, and the trainer and process itself. They also played a key role in ensuring the legacy of the project locally.