How to involve and keep young people? How to be socially innovative at local level? How to adjust Transnational Innovation Lab and its Dynamic Learning Package to the local needs? How to sustain and finance? How to set local operation and management teams of Innovation Labs and Dynamic Learning Package?

These were the topics discussed by NGS experts using the Knowledge café method on the second Transnational Expert Workshop in Maribor, Slovenia. At the end of the session café hosts (Nowa, SDA, IMP, PRIZMA) summarized the outcomes of the discussion.

Thus NGS experts defined 4 approaches for reaching young people:

• ICT tools/platforms – chatbot, webinars, hubs, online platforms (CRM) and fab labs
• Using existing youth programs (entrepreneurial courses, Sport Youth Academy,…)
• Focusing on specific areas of strengths with future potentials
• Using the LIAG network

Some general advices about how to be socially innovative and successful on the local level:

• Celebrate success!
• Try to achieve tangible improvements in people’s lives.
• Turn problems into social innovation.
• Utilize properly European competitions like the European Capital of Culture, of Youth, of Sports, of Social Economy. They bring visibility, mobilize resources and can result in some sustainable results.
• Create and use your own competitions in this area.
• Promote young people from NGOs as role models.

Space and virtual activities are very important in adapting the Innovation Lab to the local context. Local Innovation Laboratory will mostly serve as a roof and network of organisations for implementing Dynamic Learning Package which will be mainly focused on (social)entrepreneurship, creative industries and innovative thinking.

For sustainable Innovation Laboratory good cooperation with the local authority is crucial, together with the universities as “in kind” support by sharing good and bad practice, new business ethic, as well as with public and private companies support as “providers” of social challenges.

For financing of Innovation laboratory crowdfunding, EU projects, private funding, commercial services, setting up a café as a generator of IL income are recommended.

Local Innovation Lab should be organized and managed as presented in the figure below. Management team should be engaged part or full time.