EMMA brings together local authorities, a university, a vocational training expert and a technology SME to help small and medium-sized municipalities manage volunteers safely and effectively during extreme weather events.

Why this partnership exists

Extreme climate events increasingly trigger large, spontaneous volunteer mobilisations. When municipalities lack shared protocols, training, and coordination tools, well-intentioned support can become difficult to manage—causing delays, duplication, and safety risks. EMMA was created to address these gaps with a practical, replicable training system and digital tools designed for municipal staff.

Consortium at a glance

EMMA is delivered by a 6-partner consortium spanning Spain, Italy, Denmark, Romania, and Greece, combining real municipal practice with research-based training design and technology development.

The partners

CONSORCI DE LA RIBERA (Spain) — Coordinator (Local Public Body)

A municipal consortium strongly connected to 47 municipalities in Ribera Alta and Ribera Baixa, with extensive experience supporting municipalities through training and EU cooperation initiatives, including past Civil Protection projects.

AYUNTAMIENTO DE CULLERA (Spain) — Municipal pilot & dissemination coordination

A medium-sized municipality with first-hand emergency management experience, contributing real operational needs and testing conditions. It leads key dissemination and platform/publication coordination activities to ensure results reach municipalities and stakeholders.

Municipality of Lake Plastira (Greece) — Municipal pilot & local engagement

A local public authority with experience in community activities and emergency contexts, supporting piloting, engagement with local stakeholders, and facilities for training activities.

Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (Romania) — Research & pedagogical framework (Higher Education)

A public higher education and research institution with national and international recognition, contributing academic rigour and training methodologies. It leads the methodological and evidence-building work that underpins EMMA’s training approach.

Consorzio Scuola Comunità Impresa (Italy) — VET & curriculum design

A non-profit VET organisation with strong links to municipalities and a long track record in identifying training needs and building targeted programmes. It leads the design of the EMMA curriculum and ensures alignment with vocational and adult learning best practices.

Telewander ApS (Denmark) — Technology & digital toolkit (SME)

A technology SME specialising in advanced solutions (AI, drones, IoT) and user-centred digital design. In EMMA, Telewander leads the development of the digital toolkit and contributes to dissemination and exploitation to support adoption at scale.

How we cooperate

EMMA uses a structured governance model to ensure quality, transparency, and steady progress:

  • Project Steering Committee (PSC): strategic direction, progress oversight, and alignment across all partners. 2025-1-ES01-KA220-VET-000363666…
  • Work Package Leaders: coordinate delivery and quality of outputs in each work package. 2025-1-ES01-KA220-VET-000363666…
  • Monitoring & quality assurance: led by the coordinator with a Coordination Committee and an Independent Evaluation Group, using quantitative and qualitative indicators and periodic reporting.
  • Working methods: shared digital workspaces for secure document sharing, task tracking, and communication (e.g., Teams/Trello/Drive), plus regular progress reporting and an internal newsletter.

Meetings

  • Nine partnership meetings are planned (six online, three in person) plus three Transnational Project Meetings (TPMs) at key moments of the project.

Associated partners

Beyond the core consortium, EMMA is supported by six associated partners (including municipalities and associations) who have signed letters of support and contribute to activities where external input is needed—especially for piloting, dissemination, and valorisation.

What the partnership delivers

Together, the consortium produces a complete, municipality-ready package:

  • Evidence base and EMMA Methodological Intervention Model (good practices, interviews, focus groups, and a co-designed operational model).
  • MOOC training programme with modular, multilingual learning content designed for municipal staff needs and continuous access.
  • Practical digital toolkit to support volunteer coordination and rapid deployment, including technology-enabled features to improve organisation and communication.
  • Dissemination, valorisation and policy recommendations, including a platform, newsletters, national events, and a final European event to enable uptake across Europe.

Sustainability and long-term collaboration

EMMA is designed to outlast its funding period. Partners commit to embedding outputs into regular practice:

  • Municipal partners integrate the training model and toolkit into disaster response frameworks and exercises.
  • The learning platform remains accessible, with ongoing updates supported by the academic and training partners.
  • The toolkit is maintained and enhanced, with partners pursuing further funding and expanding the network into a long-term European knowledge hub.

Join the EMMA community

Are you a municipality, civil protection organisation, volunteer association, VET provider or researcher?
Join EMMA to exchange practices, pilot tools, and accelerate adoption of shared protocols for managing volunteers in climate disaster relief.