Hawk Stars NGO for Education, Innovation & Social Development

Hawk Stars NGO is a Portuguese non-profit organisation based in Pinhel, in the rural inland region of Portugal, working in the fields of education, innovation and social development. Our mission is to regenerate rural and low-density territories through a holistic model of social development anchored in education, capacity building, innovation, cooperation and community-based governance. With 3 years of experience in the Erasmus+ programme, we develop projects with and for young people, adults, professionals and local communities, especially those facing geographical, social or economic barriers, including rural youth, NEETs, migrants and people with fewer opportunities. Our work connects non-formal education, lifelong learning, youth participation, social entrepreneurship, digital skills, creativity, inclusion, local development and European cooperation. We believe rural territories should not be treated as peripheral spaces, but as living laboratories where new educational methods, participatory practices and social innovation solutions can be tested with real community impact. Hawk Stars is interested in joining or coordinating Erasmus+ consortia in the fields of Youth, Adult Education and VET, particularly projects focused on rural inclusion, active citizenship, employability, entrepreneurship, digital and media literacy, educational gaming, sustainability, community engagement and capacity building. As a partner, Hawk Stars can contribute with access to rural communities, local pilots in low-density territories, experience in non-formal education and youth project management, social entrepreneurship know-how, and connections with public and private stakeholders in the Guarda district, including municipalities, schools, universities, museums, associations and local companies. We are especially interested in partnerships where each organisation has a clear role, a direct contribution to the project and a genuine commitment to cooperation, learning and impact.