The executive training courses are developed to offer in particular civil servants the opportunity to get a more in-depth understanding of specific processes within the CC. The executive training courses themselves are not set up as a form of co-creation, although the focus of content of the courses will be co-designed with CCs, both during the Research Days and through broader surveys. The primary audience of the executive training courses are representatives of (local) governments; various modules may also be of interest to representatives of network organisations and social entrepreneurs. Executive training courses consist of five one-day sessions, spread over several weeks, possibly supplemented with an excursion. The meetings are led by senior academic staff and postdocs associated with the ECCO project. These courses will be a combination of “scientific deep dives” on several topics in the morning and hands-on trainings of soft skills in the afternoon, in collaboration with some CCs who provide the case-studies.

Potential topics of the scientific deep dives (to be selected by CCs):

• Introduction to citizen collectives as alternative governance form, e.g.:
  • Definition: understanding what CCs are, their objectives, and their significance, including their historical development over time
  • Case studies: examples of successful and unsuccessful CCs across various sectors (e.g., housing, energy, social well-being, work, care, food and mobility).
• Governance and organizational structures of citizen collectives, e.g.:
  • Governance models: different frameworks and structures for managing CCs, forms of decision-making processes, such as consensus building, participatory approaches, representation and voting mechanisms.
  • Legal considerations: understanding the potential of various legal frameworks to govern CCs.
• Community engagement and participation through citizen collectives, e.g.:
  • Stakeholder Management: identifying and engaging key stakeholders for CCs
  • Communication Strategies: effective communication within and outside the collective.
  • Development of engagement strategies: applying the knowledge via digital and traditional tools to enhance community participation and stakeholder dialogue.
• Impact measurement and evaluation of citizen collectives, e.g.:
  • Metrics and indicators: identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) for CCs.
  • Evaluation methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches to measure impact.
  • Understanding and applying feedback loops: Creating systems for continuous improvement based on community feedback.
  • Impact assessment of CCs: assessing the economic and societal contributions of CCs to local communities in various ways, using the tools developed in ECCO.

Potential methods to be used in the Executive Training Course:

• Simulation exercises: role-playing and scenario planning exercises.
• Scenario simulation: on the basis of the monitor data, the research of WP4 and the data provided on-site by the participating students, we should be able to provide, with specific models, to simulate different scenarios and their potential outcomes, helping civil servants to envisage future collaboration possibilities.
• Peer learning and networking: facilitate discussions and networking opportunities with peers. Connect civil servants with successful CCs in their field that want to share their best practices or advice. 
• Mentorship and feedback: ongoing mentorship and feedback from instructors and experts from stakeholders (governments, network organisation, financiers).
• Capstone project development: developing real-world projects within the course framework, on the basis of the CC-experience of the participants, applying the knowledge and skills acquired during the course. A capstone project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for the executive training course-participants, designed to encourage them to apply their knowledge, skills, and competencies in a practical, real-world context.