Contact us and we will be happy to listen and support you.
Mind the implementation gap
About us
Kalos is an independent research and action association that aims to increase the impact and sustainability of EU-funded projects.
We propose experimental and innovative actions to reduce the asymmetry of power between the key actors of a EU-funded project and promote the development of critical thinking on the design and management of European projects.
By adopting a diversified, multi-actor and interdisciplinary approach, Kalos aims to achieve an increasingly true understanding of the different territories, cultures, experiences and environments in which European projects are implemented and to find solutions based on a new understanding of complex situations.
The word Kalos, in ancient Greek, means "beautiful".
In Mediterranean languages, the concept of beauty is closely linked to that of goodness and justice.
Through a participatory, logical and responsible approach, Kalos pursues an ideal of beauty, as part of a European project, inseparable from the concept of truth, social utility and justice, which takes into account and respects the beneficiaries and their different contexts.
.
Mission
Kalos' mission is to promote the appropriation of knowledge and power by the initiators and key actors of a European project so that they can benefit from the opportunities in a democratic, fair and equitable way.
Accessing EU funding opportunities requires extensive methodological and technical knowledge, understanding and using complex tools and respecting deadlines.
During the implementation phase, when the project meets the contexts, locations and final beneficiaries, there is often a gap between what has been planned and what is actually done.
A lot of energy is wasted because diversity and differences are not recognised and respected at an early stage.
As professionals who, in their daily work in different roles and contexts, experience the design and implementation of European programmes and projects, we have identified the need to make this knowledge accessible, understandable and effectively applicable, as well as the need to preserve and reinforce the impact of the project at local level.
We wish to create, project by project, specific activities that can contribute to achieve a greater impact.
Our action aims to turn into an opportunity what is often perceived as an obstacle by coordinators, partners and other key actors in an EU-funded project by pursuing the following objectives :
Reinforcing skills and stimulating the growth of critical thinking
on European project design and management
Encourage the active participation of the main actors in a EU project
and, in particular, the end-users of project results
Giving a voice to the contexts in which EU project actions are done
and sharing the results of research and action for a more conscious EU
Our Actions
Kalos does not manage projects, but develops activities with specific objectives and in agreement with the stakeholders: coordinators, partners, other key players and beneficiaries of the project results, according to the context, roles, needs, level of knowledge and skills, objectives to be achieved and rights to be defended.
Among the proposed activities:
Analysis of the funded project
to understand the funding programme, the rules and the expected impact
Skilled support
the actors involved, throughout the duration of the project
Capacity-building
running in parallel with project activities, to maximise the impact of projects at local level
Capitalisation
experience of other EU-funded projects implemented by the players involved in the action
Creation of local hubs
areas for study and work where the main local players come into contact and redefine the objectives according to the context in which the project is being implemented
Developing new projects
using traditional European design tools and experimenting with innovative methods
The approach
Democratic ownership and experiential learning
EU-funded research and development actions are uneven in terms of substance.
Participating beneficiaries often start from different starting points in terms of knowledge of funding opportunities, European strategies and the priorities that underpin them, the rules of the game and the skills to use the necessary tools.
Aware of this problem, Kalos promotes a more equal participation of stakeholders within a European project, stimulating the growth of more critical thinking among key actors and the capacity of beneficiaries to receive the results, understand them, modify them and become the final owners, able to use them beyond the project.
We see experience as the starting point for learning, so our research and actions begin during the implementation phase of a project: it is essential to underline the importance of including these activities in all collaborative projects where different organisations, different countries and different target groups have to work together to achieve common objectives that are often not foreseen at the beginning.
Moreover, it is only when the project is underway that we can become aware of the specific problems and opportunities and be able to develop effective responses.
Experiential learning
concrete experience, reflective observation and active experimentationn activa
Our Vision
A more democratic European funding system
&
Respect for the diversity of the implementation context
Would you like to share experiences, join our initiatives or work together?
Thank You!
We'll be in touch soon.
The Kalos Team