The dissemination process already starts at the beginning of the project, and not only when results or deliverables are produced. In the ONE approach, dissemination and exploitation are strongly connected to the involvement of stakeholders. They can act as multipliers and support the anticipated impact. Thinking about impact in advance facilitates successful dissemination and exploitation.

DISSEMINATION STRATEGY

A ONE dissemination strategy contains key points such as the definition of target groups, key messages and dissemination tools, and it also defines the role of each partner for shared responsibility. Reporting on dissemination regularly throughout the lifetime of the project helps to keep partners focused on the topic. Additionally, dissemination can be fostered and wider target audiences can be reached if building synergies with other projects.

ONE Learning

Thinking early about how to reach our target groups was helpful to keep track of the dissemination work. However, a lot of things changed already in the first year, including the target groups and the value of our approach, since Covid-19 restrictions were extended. Dissemination needed to be discussed, refined and adapted throughout the project. We used a global social media approach in collaboration with another EU-funded project, and created CVC tools (Creative Virtual Collaboration) including a Listed group on LinkedIn in order to achieve a wider outreach.

How to succeed

For the successful dissemination of your project’s outcomes, you can

➜          plan your dissemination activities from the beginning of the project. Design them in accordance with the preferences of your target audience to make sure you maximise your impact. For example, if you are trying to reach young people, consider the social media platforms they like to use, the networks they follow, etc.;

➜           create synergies with other EU projects working on the same topic or with the same target group. You can, for instance, create common social media groups or pages to promote your projects;

➜          take advantage of existing dissemination platforms, such as social media groups, networks you might be part of, or platforms such as EPALE in the adult education sector; and

➜          share the responsibilities between all partners even if one partner takes the lead in dissemination. Establish a social media plan for posting on social media throughout the project lifecycle. This way, you make sure all partners feel responsible and that there is always activity on social media.

INVOLVE MULTIPLIERS EARLY

Awake the interest of multipliers by involving them from the beginning in consultations, testing or reviews. Their participation in focus groups in a mid-term meeting allows you to discuss initial ideas and gain new external views.

ONE Learning

The ONE partnership was enriched by user participation. Involving external stakeholders in focus groups helped us gain new perspectives on dissemination and exploitation strategies. Moreover, it fostered staff development and international virtual collaboration across institutions. The involvement of stakeholders as testers provided a critical mass for dissemination and exploitation.

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

The Multiplier Event, the pinnacle of dissemination, needs to be closely aligned with the needs and interests of your target group. Make the multiplier event a lasting memory by including some cultural experiences that will help to generate impact.

ONE Learning

Within the ONE project, we already learned quite a lot about the target groups for our multiplier events. We identified needs and interests of the different groups via consultations, reviews and focus groups. To incorporate this in the ONE multiplier event will still be a challenge.

How to succeed

In case the Multiplier Events needs to be online or hybrid and it seems hard to reach target groups and to activate the participants:

➜          Make use of the opportunity to reach out even further – go viral! Use TED-Ed, for example, and make use of social media channels to share the outcome of your project even wider.

➜          Enable virtual networking via informal short sessions or small games.

➜          Use quick feedback tools like polls or Mentimeter to get participants engaged.

IMPACT YOUR OWN ORGANISATION

Create a sustainability and exploitation strategy and hold sustainability workshops to ensure exploitation and impact within your own organisation. Both measures help raise awareness within your organisations and commit to your targets.

ONE Learning

In the ONE project, we recognized, for instance, the lack of acceptance and compatibility of digital signatures or that we are not sustainable enough yet. On the upside: All such aspects triggered discussions, raised awareness, opened up fields for (organisational) learning and initiated changes within our organisations.