When you’re completing your Erasmus+ application, how do you answer impact and sustainability questions to your best advantage and give yourself the strongest chance of acceptance? Read on to find out what TravelEdventures has to say!
Considered Tough Questions – But Are They?
Doubtless, the Impact and Sustainability questions are considered the most difficult questions to answer on an application form – but they needn’t concern you. It’s the wording that foxes so many people but actually, when you break it down and simplify the request – you will find you can complete the question with ease.
Never Ignore These Questions
Don’t be tempted to miss these questions out or to write as little as possible. Many applications are refused because of misinterpretation, lack of information or too brief an answer. Even if the rest of your application is well written – you could be penalised by not answering the Impact and Sustainability questions properly. We’ve seen many applications where the applicant has started with enthusiasm, been thorough with project objectives, defined definition and activities but then lost that impetus when they’ve reached the Impact and Sustainability section because it’s trickier.
What Are the Evaluators Looking For?
So, what are the evaluators looking for? In terms of “Impact” – it’s essentially where you’re showing what the long-term end result will be. What will your project leave behind? What difference will it make and be absolutely clear.
Write Your Answer in “Levels”
It’s best to consider the above on different levels, for example, on an individual level – what will your participants benefit from? Then consider it on a school level and go even further. How will the impact of your project affect your community? Your region and even on a national level – perhaps there will be impact there? Think about the ripple effect and write about it in stages so your application form is thorough. This shows you’ve really thought about the impact of your project.
It's The Small Gestures…
Don’t be scared of the Sustainability angle. It’s about showing anything that displays respect for the environment and positively ensures a healthier, more sustainable system for the future. You don’t need to present huge examples – it’s the small things that also count. For example, things that are considered sustainable include paper reduction, using virtual meetings rather than travelling to meetings or electronic mail rather than sending items in the post. You could outline where you’ll use public transport to reduce pollution or taking trains rather than planes or reducing your use of plastic – anything sustainable. Those are just a few examples of the types of activities you can include, they don’t need to be grand gestures!
Never Copy and Paste!
Don’t forget that there’s a scoring criteria for proposals and some evaluators receive hundreds of them. They don’t have hours to go through everything with a fine toothcomb, but they will grade you according to a system so it’s fair. Always answer questions thoroughly and to your best ability. Don’t copy and paste the same information from one section into another. Show you really care about your application and that will shine through, giving you the best chance of a positive result.
If you want any further help or need to know more about Erasmus+ or the UK’s equivalent, the Turing Scheme, contact the team at TravelEdventures by clicking here.
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