Advancing Women’s Employment Through Targeted Adult Education “ReBalance” is a 24-month Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in Adult Education that aims to promote gender equality by empowering women to access leadership roles and sustainable careers within the cultural and creative industries, while opening pathways into high-growth sectors such as technology and green industries. The project addresses persistent structural barriers that limit women’s career progression, particularly for those returning to the labour market after career breaks.
At the core of ReBalance is a structured learning model that combines leadership development, specialised skills training, mentorship, and policy advocacy. All participants begin with a Leadership and Advocacy programme designed to build confidence, strategic thinking, and the capacity to influence organisational and institutional change. Following this, participants choose between two tailored learning pathways: one focused on leading digital transformation and understanding AI-driven automation, and another centred on developing an entrepreneurial mindset, strategic business thinking, and sustainable enterprise creation. These pathways are designed to be flexible, modular, and responsive to adult learners’ diverse needs and life circumstances.
Beyond skills development, ReBalance places strong emphasis on mentorship and professional networking as critical enablers of women’s career progression. Mentorship Circles connect participants with experienced women leaders across Europe, fostering peer learning, cross-border collaboration, and long-term professional support. Career Showcases further enhance employability by increasing visibility, facilitating connections with employers and stakeholders, and highlighting women’s leadership potential within and beyond the cultural sector.
To ensure long-term and systemic impact, ReBalance integrates policy advocacy and knowledge sharing. Key outputs include an Advocacy and Policy Toolkit and a Digital Resource Hub that support gender-inclusive practices and extend the project’s benefits beyond direct participants. Through its integrated approach, ReBalance contributes to more inclusive adult education, strengthens women’s economic participation, and supports sustainable gender equality across Europe.
The overall objective of ReBalance is to advance gender equality by strengthening women’s access to leadership roles, entrepreneurial opportunities, and sustainable employment within the cultural and creative industries (CCI), while creating clear and supported pathways into high-growth sectors such as technology and green industries. The project responds to persistent structural barriers that limit women’s career progression, particularly for those re-entering the labour market after career interruptions or facing exclusion from decision-making positions.
ReBalance aims to equip women with the leadership, advocacy, and strategic skills required to influence organisational and institutional change. Through targeted leadership and advocacy training, participants will build confidence, decision-making capacity, and the ability to challenge gender-biased practices within their professional environments. This objective directly supports women’s representation in leadership and strengthens their role as change agents within their sectors.
A key objective of the project is to support career development and transitions by addressing skills gaps and mismatches. ReBalance provides two specialised learning pathways focused on digital transformation and entrepreneurial mindset, enabling participants to develop future-oriented competencies aligned with labour-market needs. These pathways are designed to be flexible and accessible, responding to the realities of adult learners with diverse professional backgrounds and life circumstances.
In addition, ReBalance seeks to strengthen women’s access to professional networks, mentorship, and visibility. Through mentorship circles and career showcases, the project fosters peer learning, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term support mechanisms that enhance employability and career resilience across national and European contexts.
Finally, the project aims to generate sustainable and systemic impact by translating learning outcomes and participant experiences into advocacy tools and policy recommendations. By developing an Advocacy and Policy Toolkit and a Digital Resource Hub, ReBalance contributes to gender-inclusive practices in adult education, cultural institutions, and labour-market policies at both national and European levels.
ReBalance will result in the strengthened leadership, digital, and entrepreneurial capacities of women participating in the project, enabling them to access higher-quality employment, leadership positions, and entrepreneurial opportunities within the cultural and creative industries and related high-growth sectors. Participants will gain increased confidence, strategic awareness, and practical skills to navigate career transitions, overcome systemic barriers, and engage more effectively in professional decision-making environments.
A key result of the project will be the delivery of structured and high-quality learning outputs, including a comprehensive Leadership and Advocacy training programme and two specialised learning pathways focused on digital transformation and entrepreneurial mindset. These learning pathways will provide women with future-oriented competencies aligned with labour-market needs, supporting both career progression and professional reintegration after career breaks.
ReBalance will also establish sustainable mentorship and professional support mechanisms. Through Mentorship Circles and Career Showcases, the project will create cross-sector and transnational networks that enhance participants’ visibility, peer learning, and access to role models. These networks are expected to continue beyond the project’s lifetime, supporting long-term career development and fostering a new generation of women leaders and mentors.
At an institutional and systemic level, the project will produce an Advocacy and Policy Toolkit that translates participant experiences and project findings into concrete recommendations for gender-inclusive practices in adult education, cultural institutions, and employment policies. This will be complemented by a Digital Resource Hub that makes learning materials, methodologies, and tools openly accessible, extending the project’s impact beyond direct beneficiaries and supporting replication across Europe
Finally, ReBalance will strengthen the capacity of the participating organisations through enhanced cooperation, knowledge exchange, and project management experience. This will contribute to more resilient partnerships, increased organisational competence in delivering inclusive adult education, and sustained European cooperation in the fields of gender equality, lifelong learning, and workforce inclusion.
