The two-day transnational project meeting (TPM) of AlpSatellites’ partners took place on 30th and 31st of May 2023 in France (in the valleys of Queyras and Ecrins, in Abries, La Roche-de-Rame and Eygliers). The primary objective of this TPM was to advance the project and meticulously plan the upcoming phases. Co-organized by the French partners (AMU/ACSSQ), the event saw active participation from various stakeholders, remote workers and elected representatives from different territories. The TPM began with an introductory icebreaker, followed by a feedback from Lucéo users, a presentation of the coworking and co-living spaces, and an exchange with Italian/Austrian representatives on remote working.
Lucéo is a structure dedicated to providing accommodation and support for current and future company directors. It is a place where people can work, and exchange ideas and network.
A pleasant lunch in a local hotel showcased the innovative co-working and co-cooking services of the hotel, fostering a welcoming village atmosphere along the RN94 (a national road of the Hautes-Alpes) and Guillestre Mont-Dauphin train station. The afternoon focused on summarizing the first two phases of the project. The engagement and consultation phase envisaged the mobilization of local stakeholders to discuss their “appetite” for remote working; several topics were addressed including new coworking spaces, year-round services, housing, connectivity, and mobility. Furthermore, the research phase encompassed a rigorous scientific literature review and an extensive online survey, meticulously conducted across the three partner countries, to explore remote and co-working opportunities. The first day ended at Refuge de la Monta with a friendly meal and a presentation from Parc du Queyras officers about the Ristolas Mont-Visio National Reserve. On the second day the participants focused on preparing the following phases of the AlpSatellites’s project. Co-creation workshops will be held in September to design concrete solutions and services for remote workers and their families willing to live in the Alps. This important activity will form the foundation for a comprehensive feasibility and impact study, ultimately influencing regional policies and attracting vital investments. Overall, the TPM was a great opportunity to strengthen cooperation and for mutual learning. Angelo Benozzo, the scientific coordinator of the project, stated: «The second Transnational Project Meeting in France was a very constructive moment for all partners of Alpsatellites. By constructive I mean two things. First, I am thinking of the fruitful dialogue we had about the different areas of our “joint venture”. I felt that we made very good progress in exploring the need for coworking spaces and teleworking in three different geographical areas of the Alps. Since the beginning of the programme, all partners were able to involve and listen to the stakeholders of the project and their ‘voices’ were used to produce local knowledge. This important step was evident in the presentation of the first outcome of Alpsatellites (see https://www.alpine-space.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Alpsatellites-Disposables-2023-3-2.pdf ). Secondly, by the constructive moment I also refer to the possibility of strengthening the alliance of our team. The Queyras Social and Sporting Cultural Association (ACSSQ), which oversaw this TPM, organized two visits to two co-working spaces, which were inspiring and very useful. Moreover, ACSSQ managed to create a happy and relaxed atmosphere that encouraged the group to work together. This atmosphere helped us to review what we have done so far and to imagine what we still have to “produce”, but I feel that all the conditions are in place to successfully move on to our next milestone, which is (end of September, beginning of October) the mixed-methods research on the topic (A. 1.2) “Analysis of readiness levels for telework” In relation to this activity, we have found that the partners have been able to collect and collate both qualitative (through interviews) and quantitative (through questionnaires) data, and now it is time to go in depth. Finally, I want to remind that there was the space to properly discuss and design our current action (A 1.3) finalized to co-design solutions for co-working spaces».
