Overview
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The CROPS Training Series on Responsible Scaling in Citizen Science has been developed to support citizen science practitioners, coordinators, researchers, NGOs, municipalities, community organisations, intermediaries, and collaborative networks in navigating the opportunities and challenges associated with scaling citizen science initiatives.
The training series is grounded in research, practitioner engagement, and collaborative learning across diverse citizen science contexts in Europe. Its development was informed by an assessment of existing citizen science initiatives, including projects contributing to the five EU Missions, in order to better understand how citizen science supports societal goals and the different ways initiatives evolve, grow, transfer, or strengthen over time. Particular attention was given to identifying the practical, technical, organisational, and relational conditions that may support or hinder responsible scaling in different contexts.
The handbook was also informed by engagement with citizen science practitioners, stakeholders, and communities working across different thematic areas, alongside a survey of practitioner training needs related to scaling and long-term sustainability. In addition, existing citizen science training materials and resources available through the European Citizen Science (ECS) platform (citizenscience.eu) and related European initiatives were reviewed to identify gaps, recurring challenges, and examples of effective practice. Together, these sources informed the development of practical, reflective learning modules that support context-sensitive and participatory approaches to responsible scaling.
In addition to the CROPS training modules, the series is complemented by a curated collection of existing citizen science training resources selected in response to identified practitioner needs related to responsible scaling. Organised across thematic areas such as communication, partnerships, governance, sustainability, technical capacities, and institutional engagement, these materials provide additional examples, practical guidance, and opportunities for deeper learning. The curated resource collection can be accessed in the Curated Training Resources for Responsible Scaling in Citizen Science.
Rather than treating scaling as simple growth or expansion, CROPS understands it as a multidimensional, relational, and context-sensitive process. Citizen science initiatives operate within complex social, scientific, political, and institutional environments, where decisions around participation, governance, legitimacy, partnerships, sustainability, and institutional engagement shape how projects evolve over time.
The purpose of this training series is not to provide fixed formulas or prescriptive pathways for scaling. Instead, it offers a structured learning and reflection space through which practitioners can explore challenges, consider trade-offs, and strengthen decision-making in ways that reflect their own contexts, values, and ambitions. The training complements broader CROPS tools and protocols by helping practitioners interpret and apply scaling concepts in practice.
The CROPS Training Series combines newly developed resources with a curated collection of existing materials to support practitioners across different stages and forms of scaling. While many valuable resources already exist within citizen science, the series also gives particular attention to areas where practitioners reported continued challenges or limited support, including partnership development, engagement with public authorities and funders, and long-term project sustainability. Designed for flexible digital use, the training materials aim to support citizen science initiatives working across diverse organisational, linguistic, and transnational contexts.
The CROPS perspective recognises that scaling can follow multiple pathways. Some initiatives may seek broader geographical reach, while others focus on strengthening institutional embedding, deepening participation, or enhancing local relevance. In some contexts, remaining locally grounded may be the most appropriate and sustainable pathway.
For this reason, the training series emphasises reflection, ethical awareness, adaptability, and strategic decision-making. Rather than promoting growth for its own sake, it supports practitioners in identifying scaling pathways that are meaningful, realistic, and aligned with participatory values. The purpose of the training series is not to prescribe how citizen science initiatives should scale, but to strengthen practitioners’ ability to reflect on, interpret, and navigate scaling decisions within their own contexts.
The series is organised as two complementary training resources:
Training A (this course)
Building Strong Foundations for Responsible Scaling
Training A focuses on the internal foundations of citizen science initiatives. It supports practitioners in reflecting on project readiness, ethics, governance, adaptability, participation, and organisational sustainability and resilience.
Training B
Building Influence, Partnerships, and Institutional Alignment
Training B builds on these foundations by exploring how projects engage with external systems and actors. It focuses on legitimacy, communication, funding, partnerships, institutional engagement, and long-term influence.
Together, the two trainings provide a practice-oriented framework for responsible scaling in citizen science, complemented by a curated set of existing training resources.