Co-organised by the European Association of Mountain Areas (Euromontana) and the European Association for Innovation in Local Development (AEIDL), the event gathered 33 participants, including researchers, representatives from the European Commission, as well as from EU networks and civil society organisations working on social inclusion, social economy and sustainable rural development. The discussions led to a strong call for a more holistic vision to rural policy planning.

You can read more about the take-aways of the policy workshop on ESIRA’s website by clicking here.

As one of the foremost global gatherings for social economy research, the EMES conference showcased cutting-edge research addressing today’s most pressing social and territorial challenges. The event reaffirmed the pivotal role of the social economy in creating inclusive and sustainable societies.

The panel, titled ‘Enhancing social innovation through the social economy in rural areas’, brought together four research papers created as part of the ESIRA and SERIGO projects. They focused on how social economy organisations, social enterprises and grassroots initiatives were addressing persistent challenges in rural, remote and mountainous regions. The presentations focused on innovative models of elder care, the developmental impact of social economy organisations, intersectional approaches to rural vulnerabilities, and the effects of the de-democratisation of governance on social entrepreneurship in Hungary.

Rural regions across Europe continue to face demographic decline, reduced access to essential services, and widening socio-economic vulnerabilities. The ESIRA and SERIGO projects were designed to explore how social economy actors can strengthen resilience, inclusion, and quality of life in these contexts. The panel aimed to share evidence that cooperatives, social enterprises, and community organisations are creating innovative, place-based solutions. By bringing together comparative research and case studies from across Europe, the session contributed to a deeper understanding of how social economy initiatives can foster more inclusive, sustainable rural development.

In the session “Enhancing Social Innovation through the Social Economy in Rural Areas”, she will present the latest research findings from the ESIRA Horizon Europe project, alongside Sonia Marcos Naveira, Luis Antonio Marcos Naveira, Jacopo Sforzi, Giulia Tallarini, Marzia Bona, Marika Gruber, Judit Keller, Ágnes Németh and Giulia Galera. HÉTFA is a partner of the ESIRA project, coordinated by the University of Burgos.

The session will also feature the SERIGO project, a sister project of ESIRA. Both projects aim to strengthen resilience, social inclusion, and the well-being of vulnerable groups in rural Europe through socially innovative solutions driven by social economy actors.

Interested in joining us? We will see you at November 6, 11:15. You can find out more about the conference via this link.

Photo: EMES International Research Network

The gathering brought together representatives of ESIRA partners from across Europe, including Spain, Italy, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Lithuania, France, and Norway. Each partner presented the progress made and future plans, both within their respective work packages and within their Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) – the key mechanisms through which ESIRA develops innovative and inclusive solutions for rural areas.

Throughout the Assembly, participants exchanged knowledge and good practices, analysed methodological approaches for working with local communities and vulnerable groups, and planned the next phases of the project. A particularly valuable part of the programme was the opportunity to meet the Norwegian MAP group from the Innlandet region and learn about their work on social inclusion and local capacity-building.

Luca Koltai, Research Director of HÉTFA presented the monitoring process of the social economy initiatives supported by the project. Kinga Tóth, Deputy Research Director of HÉTFA presented the progress made in the work package led by HETFA, focusing on the research of the drivers of rural marginalisation and the opportunities of community-led social economy initiatives for social inclusion. The Regional Reports that summarise the research carried out under the work package are now available on the project website. The partnership will work on policy recommendations to support community-led social economy initiatives in the coming period. The first successful policy workshop will be followed by further workshops – follow ESIRA’s social media pages (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X) for the latest news on project events.

Opening the event, Sonia Marcos (University of Burgos), ESIRA’s project coordinator, gave an overview of the project’s objectives. Kinga Tóth (HÉTFA Research Institute) presented findings on the drivers of rural vulnerability that have been identified in ESIRA’s regions, such as ageing, depopulation, limited access to public and social services. Yet, she also highlighted the existing assets of rural territories, including strong traditions of cooperation and community-based initiatives, which form fertile ground for social economy development. Giulia Galera (EURICSE) then examined how the social economy can address these rural challenges. Social economy actors create and safeguard job opportunities, provide essential services for the community, while also strengthening social cohesion. However, as she noted, to unlock the full potential of the social economy, tailored policies that recognise the added value of the different components of the social economy are still needed In his contribution, Anders Bro (Region Örebro County / REVES) presented the five key building blocks identified by the European Commission as essential for effective support to the social economy: a clear vision with actionable goals, appropriate institutional structures, consultation mechanisms and stakeholder engagement, improved visibility and recognition, and robust monitoring and evaluation. Without these in place, the social economy will continue to face barriers in its implementation.

The event concluded with a policy panel discussion, “The future of social economy in territorial development policies”, featuring Ms. Anastasia Costantini (European Commission’s Directorate-general for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion ) and Mr. Ádám Karácsony (European Committee of the Regions). Ms. Costantini shared updates on the implementation of the Social Economy Action Plan and the upcoming mid-term review process. She underlined that social economy contributes to the competitiveness of the European Union in many ways, as well as to sustainable development and prosperity. Mr. Karácsony reflected on the Committee of the Regions’ ongoing support for the social economy and its role in fostering the “right to stay” in rural areas. He emphasised the need of cooperation between local communities and policymakers, as well as the need of more EU funds that support the implementation of social economy initiatives.

The event concluded with a clear message: social economy is a vital tool for breaking the cycle of rural decline, but it must be better recognised and supported in EU and national policies. In the coming months, ESIRA will organise more workshops, with the aim of creating policy recommendations that support social inclusion and the development of social economy initiatives in rural areas.

The General Assembly was launched by Luca Koltai, Research Director of HETFA. Kinga Tóth, Deputy Research Director of HETFA gave a presentation about the progress of the work package led by HETFA, focusing on the research of the drivers of rural marginalisation and the opportunities of community-led social economy initiatives for social inclusion. Overall, the two-day event provided an opportunity for Work Package leaders to present progress reports. Detailed overviews of achievements from the past months were delivered, highlighting reached results and challenges encountered.

A priority for the ESIRA project is to support innovative initiatives empowering marginalised social groups in rural areas through working with rural communities. Project partners work with Multi actor platforms (MAPs) throughout the project, which are community-led spaces, playing a vital role in nurturing social innovations and strengthening social economy initiatives. These spaces serve as incubators for ideas, providing a platform for individuals and groups to collaborate, share knowledge, and develop solutions to address social challenges. Representatives of each partner country shared their experiences with the first phase of the project, which focused on the successful establishing of MAPs. Specific strategies that have been implemented were shared, with each region offering insights based on local challenges and opportunities. These presentations allowed comparisons of approaches, exchange of ideas, and learning from shared experiences.

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Various kinds of information were discussed that are necessary for successful cooperation, such as the consortium structure of the project and the way and timing of the development of the planned activities. However, an equally important aspect of the meeting was the exchange of views on the difficulties and opportunities for development in rural areas. These professional discussions of the participants laid the foundations for 4 years of joint work.

Luca Koltai, Research Director at HÉTFA, presented HÉTFA’s work to the project partners at the beginning of the kick-off meeting. Kinga Tóth, Deputy Research Director at HÉTFA, presented the methodological and operational aspects of the work package coordinated by HÉTFA.