المحتوى متاح باللغة الإنجليزية

We often talk about what they do in the project, but rarely about who they are, these women and men who are behind the implementation of the InnovAgroWoMed project. 
Today, we are going to discover Jovesólides, member of the InnovAgroWoMed consortium in charge of the implementation of project activities in Spain, with our guest Lourdes Mirón, president of Jovesólides.
 

1-    Can you give us a brief description of your institution Jovesolides?

Jovesólides is a non-profit organization, focused on the social innovation field. We seek for more creative and constructive ways of thinking and acting in order to meet social needs. Specifically, we carry out education for development projects, aimed at promoting the commitment and solidarity of young people towards the sectors in need through formal and non-formal education, and political advocacy. On the other hand, we carry out actions to end up with the digital gap and promote digital literacy through training in ICT, especially in two social groups: the elderly and the unemployed. Regarding the unemployed people, we support them by promoting social entrepreneurship through training, coaching and assistance.

2-    What is the role of Jovesolides in the InnovAgroWoMed project’s consortium? 

Jovesólides is the entity in charge of carrying out this project in Spain, specifically in the Valencian Community, in all its phases and in cooperation with all the partners of the consortium. So far, Jovesólides has been making a comprehensive research by defining an overview of the Valencian context as one of the territories where the actions of the project will be implemented, which has lead to the design of a comprehensive training model to contribute to the reduction of the gender gap in the employability of the agri-food sector. Specifically, after a validation with various focus groups, Jovesólides will be in charge of addressing agro-ecological products as a value chain of the training and coaching program for 35 women, that will take place this year if circumstances are favorable.

3-    Who are the members of your organization involved in the InnovAgroWoMed project? What kind of profiles and functions do they have? 

I am Lourdes Mirón the president of Jovesólides, where I have collaborated since its foundation in 1999. Currently, I am also the president of the Valencian DNGO entity (Coordinadora valenciana de ONGD) and secretary in the Jovesolides International Network. In the InnovAgroWoMed project I will be the networking manager for local stakeholders alongside Boutaina El Hadri, coordinator of the CreActiva State Network and co-director of the Social Innovation Forum, which has a wide experience in international cooperation for development in different countries in Latin America and Morocco. Gemma Alaiz Crespo is the project coordinator in charge of the planning and management activities of the overall project, which has an academic background and professional experience in development and cooperation projects and international relations, being her last job in the DEVCO Section at the Delegation of the European Union in China. Alicia Carpio Obré is also on the team as she is the responsible for the research of this project. She has a master's degree in development and a PhD in Sociology and Social Anthropology, and she has also experience in social research in Europe and Latin America where she worked for the UN in Honduras and for the Spanish Cooperation Agency in Peru.
Josefina Aranda is our communication officer, which has solid experience as a journalist and community manager in various media and spaces. She also has academic and professional experience in gender and migration issues, being responsible for the design of campaigns and communication strategies. Amparo Pedraza will be the tutor of the training program, she has a master's degree in employment and intervention in the labor market and has extensive experience as a professional guidance technician with different groups. Amparo is specialized in working with groups of high social vulnerability such as long-term unemployed people, immigrants or women.

4-    What are your expectations of the project results?

From Jovesolides we deeply believe in the InnovAgroWoMed project as a powerful tool to boost local development in the region, improving the working conditions of women in rural areas of the Valencia region and empowering them towards sustainable entrepreneurship. We want these beneficiaries to discover their potential in the agro-food field and encourage women to position themselves in industries traditionally reserved for men. The work from Jovesólides and the exchange of good practices that cross-border cooperation involves with the ASALA, CAWTAR, CESIE partners and under the coordination of the University of Rome Tor Vergata UTV, makes us optimistic about the success of this project in Valencia.