What we do
The REPper project aims to showcase the wide horizons of the repair sector and the effectiveness of a systemic and cross-sectoral approach, to build innovation and trigger a deep cultural change in our life. By adopting this methodology, we will assess the results of our behaviour change campaign not only in terms of consumer engaged, but also through the entrepreneurial projects supported and the feedback on the training developed. Another objective is to increase the spread of repair culture through new startups and best practices, a culture that seeks to reduce existing gaps by intervening on each phase of the value chain, modifying habits and attitudes through nudging strategies.
The project is currently in its preliminary stage through a local/territorial mapping, to capitalise past and ongoing projects’ data and practices in the REPper territories to assess existing realities, market needs and shortcomings. This gap analysis will help pinpoint priority action areas, and this local mapping will be shared and implemented transnationally to model a common response.
Activities
1. Support and networking through national REPper Hubs
The REPper Hubs network is a transnational set of different, flexible and adaptable services dedicated to the repair culture. Through this multi-centred reality the project will enable the creation of SMEs in the repair sector that incorporate sustainable principles already in the business planning phase.
Building on the expertise of existing MCBO services “progetti d’impresa”, E-zavod business incubator “Business MOSAIC”, historic urban areas and crowdfunding hubs (projects Horizon 2020 HUB-IN and Interreg Central Europe CROWD-FUND-PORT) and through targeted transnational consultancy, REPper will inspire new entrepreneurs to embrace the repair sector by showing circular economy as a powerful business tool.
The goal is to build shared transnational models and offer a composite framework to develop circular roadmaps: going beyond a mere object to repair, to a circular model in which every production phase is an opportunity for businesses to cut costs, comply with sustainable policies, build resilience in their supply chains and meet investor and customer requirements.
2. Training and capacity building.
To strengthen green reskilling and upskilling, REPper will provide qualified training. A structured highly-qualified offer and a multi-stakeholder partnership, selected through shared guidelines, will aim at trainers, decision makers as well as public/private service providers and business centres, with specific incentives and modules designed to bridge knowledge, generational
and gender gaps among workers and companies in repair-related sectors.
The capacity building model will benefit from the opportunities to network with transnational experts and case studies, sharing ideas, technical expertise and transversal skills on environmental and social impacts, in order to incorporate the circular economy approach into local vocational training
circuits and curricula.
Furthermore, in a future step of the project, each partner could explore new expertise and models in collaboration with the activated communities: training must indeed embrace the aim of expanding the boundaries of green transition.
3. Nudging to repair.
REPper will also push for soft policies, the gentle approach of nudge theory specifically, to mobilise policymakers and civil society and act with the same methodology on both levels: decision-making and daily life. By combining the existing experiences of repair cafés, restart parties and repair at school at consumer level, as well as advocating for Green Public Procurement (GPP) through thematic roundtables, policy recommendation papers and actions to address multi-level decision-making, nudge campaigns and blueprint, we can raise awareness and knowledge, help develop a culture of repair and lead a long-lasting change.
This is not a top-down approach, but an organised participatory process to support introjected behaviours and common transnational virtuous practices, as part and parcel of our being social to inspire change into our society, towards circular economy and environmental sustainability.
