On 22 November 2022 the PENELOPE Project - Innovative and pioneer cluster-based approach to foster and integrate gender mainstreaming strategies in European Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) - funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme was kicked-off in Aix-Les-Bains, France.

What is the purpose of the PENELOPE Project?
The project aims to develop, transfer, and implement innovative practices, following a cluster-based approach, to gender mainstreaming strategies in EU SMEs focusing on the critical factors for the advancement of gender-inclusive industries in the EU.
In order to accomplish this, PENELOPE will work towards
- defining specific guidelines for cluster organizations’ staff towards gender mainstreaming, promoting equality among women and men and contributing to a more modern, dynamic, committed and professional environment inside organisations;
- supporting SMEs in building their gender-inclusive cultures through innovative tools on gender equality strategies;
- facilitating online cooperation and blended learning opportunities among European industry clusters and SMEs to ensure successful gender mainstreaming in their everyday work, through new approaches to better support competitiveness and employment development, mainly at local and regional levels;
- developing a methodology for European clusters, following attractive training programmes based on participatory approaches and digital methodologies, in line with individual needs and expectations.

What will PENELOPE Project do?
- Identify good practices among EU clusters and policy makers at regional, national and European levels
- Develop a Guidebook of Tools for a pan-European Gender Mainstreaming Approach based on interviews
- Develop a training handbook and evaluation methods
- Create a set of video pills as useful resources and information sources on gender mainstreaming and on how companies can increase and keep female participation in the labour market
- Develop a Virtual Learning Environment, free of charge for five years, offering adaptive trainings that will tailor content for each user according to their previous learning achievements, profile, etc. using gamification techniques
- Piloting tests of training workshops
- A training guide methodology
- A guide for trainers and facilitators
- A training workshop toolkit
- And overarching, a very intense sharing and promotion of all activities, not only in the partners’ countries, but in the very broad European cluster community.

Who is behind PENELOPE?
Five highly dedicated partners from France, Spain, Romania and Austria are committed to bring in their experience, knowledge and expertise, and especially their networks into a collaborative process to develop innovative formats for capacity building of cluster managers, company managers, cluster policy makers, among other types of stakeholders.