ImpactBOX Project Kick-Off: From Commitment to Implementation

From 17–18 March 2026, Brussels hosted the kick-off meeting of ImpactBOX, the three-year EU project (2025-2028) coordinated by LLLP, dedicated to strengthening diversity and inclusion in the education and training sector.

The project brings together LLLP members and some of their member organisations to create a significant impact that resonates from the international to the local level through their extensive network, membership, and partners in several EU and non-EU countries.

Partners gathered both in Brussels and online for this dynamic meeting, which provided an important opportunity to get to know one another, build team spirit, and align around a shared vision. This flexible setup ensured active participation and inclusive discussions across all teams, fostering connection and collaboration and laying a strong foundation for the journey ahead.

ImpactBOX supports the development of inclusive, digital, and sustainable practices to enhance approaches and operations within education and training organisations - recognised as multipliers - to create transformative change by addressing current inequalities and environmental challenges. The project will provide tools, resources, and training for educators and staff from civil society organisations and educational providers, helping them to strengthen their DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) strategies and practices.

Over the course of two days, the meeting created space for all partners to engage in discussions on the project’s key areas.

The meeting kicked off with introductory sessions outlining the project’s overview, timeline, key concepts, and aims of the project: building the capacity of educational and training institutions, enhancing the quality of organisational practices, promoting inclusive and diverse learning environments, and supporting organisations in assessing and improving the impact of their actions.

The partners examined the project's key milestones and main steps to clarify its structure and anticipated outcomes, followed by more detailed discussions on specific segments of the project, namely:

• Project management and quality assurance - overseeing project implementation, ensuring that requirements are met, establishing common guidelines, monitoring quality and engaging an external Advisory Board. From project management to communication, every aspect of the project reflects our values, fostering an inclusive and participatory environment where all partners are actively involved in all activities.

• Learning resources and materials on the e-learning platform for the project's four core themes: access and participation; inclusion and diversity; digital skills and inclusion in the digital age; and environmental sustainability, with inclusive practices focused on advancing social justice through a just transition, coordinated by ALL Digital. These modules are being designed with clear learning outcomes and structure to ensure they are manageable and impactful for diverse learners with different needs.

• Impact and sustainability led by the Global Impact Institute - the discussion included an inspiring brainstorming activity on the Impact Assessment Tool to support organisations to measure the impact of their inclusive practices - an interactive, practical tool to empower NGOs and education providers to reflect on and define their own Theory of Change. This tool will help evaluate their inclusion efforts and measure real transformation. It will focus on assessing inclusive practices and offering guidelines to support implementation

The day concluded with the workshop on the project's visual identity, including discussion of the communication, dissemination and exploitation strategy. Our approach to visual identity prioritises accessibility in line with well-established guidelines and standards, as well as inclusive language and visuals that celebrate diversity and challenge stereotypes.

On the second day, we revised the project's main milestones in 2026 and division of tasks within the consortium with the project “affiliated entities”, especially partners working at the national, regional and local levels to ensure a shared understanding within the consortium, and addressed more in detail:

• Capacity-building by training educators and practitioners in four key areas: fostering access and participation (especially for vulnerable groups), integrating inclusion and diversity in organisational culture and practices, using digital skills to support inclusive processes, and applying environmentally sustainable methods to strengthen inclusion and social justice. This part of the project, coordinated by Ceméa France, includes the design and implementation of webinars, an in-person transnational training, and adapted local training based on the needs of the local organisation involved.

• Advocacy and Communication by sharing key messages with target groups, communities, and the wider public, promoting project results, and engaging policy and decision-makers through an EU policy roundtable and policy recommendations at national and EU level, coordinated by SOLIDAR+ and co-led by LLLP.

The kick-off meeting demonstrated strong commitment and collaboration among all partners, and it was a pleasure to engage with such a dedicated partnership of organisations. We look forward to continued cooperation to achieve meaningful and lasting impact at organisational, national, and European levels.

Stay updated on the progress of the ImpactBOX project by visiting the LLLP website, and the project webpage.

For regular updates and ongoing activities, follow the project’s LinkedIn page ImpactBOX.

Join us as we move forward to the next steps and work together towards achieving meaningful and lasting impact.