SIMPLE aims to identify, further develop and transfer social innovation practices that can improve the employability, skills and integration of people who have fled Ukraine. HÉTFA participates in the project as a partner and leads the work package responsible for assessing existing evidence and good practices and building the professional foundations of the new approach.

The Polish pilot was inspired mainly by BSI_4Women, an Interreg Baltic Sea Region initiative supporting entrepreneurship and the economic independence of refugee and migrant women. Instead of simply copying the original model, CTS kept its main elements and adapted the activities to Polish legal, fiscal, institutional and social conditions. Community-building and mutual-learning elements inspired by the SIREE Interreg project were also included.

Participants had different professional backgrounds and different levels of Polish language skills. They were also at different stages in developing a business idea. For this reason, the programme offered two complementary pathways. One focused on developing business ideas and preparing them for implementation. The other focused on assessing participants’ professional and entrepreneurial potential.

The programme combined group and individual support. It included workshops on running a business in Poland, business and career counselling, expert consultations, business idea development, e-government and digital training, practical work experience, networking and information about available support and funding opportunities. Entrepreneurship was not treated only as a way to start a company. It was also seen as a way to improve employability, independence and economic autonomy.

The evaluation showed positive changes in all areas assessed. Participants’ average overall self-assessment increased from 3.0 before the programme to 3.6 after its completion. Strong improvements were reported in knowledge about entrepreneurship and available support, the use of Polish in professional and business situations, confidence and the ability to act independently, and interaction with public institutions. By the end of the programme, participants also had a clearer understanding of the next steps needed to develop their professional or business plans.

All participants reported that they were satisfied with the pilot and would recommend it to others in a similar situation. The introductory business workshops, counselling activities and digital modules also received very high ratings.

The Polish experience confirms that effective support for refugee and migrant women needs to be comprehensive, personalised and available over time. Training alone is not enough to address the linguistic, institutional, financial, organisational and social barriers that participants may face. Future applications of the model should therefore include needs assessment, individual support pathways, specialist advice, language and digital support, networking, guidance in dealing with institutions and follow-up assistance.

The Polish pilot provides practical evidence for the SIMPLE project. It shows how European social innovations can be adapted to different local contexts and used to strengthen the skills, independence and labour-market participation of Ukrainian women.

SIMPLE is co-funded by the European Union under the ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative and brings together partners from Italy, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Croatia and Hungary to transfer and scale social innovation models that promote the employability and social inclusion of refugees from Ukraine, with a particular focus on women. More information is available on the SIMPLE project website: simpleinnovation.eu

Funding statement

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.

Our colleague investigated the short- and medium-term economic and labour market impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe’s NUTS 3 regions, as well as in municipalities and districts of Hungary. His analysis, based on literature review and regional statistical data, highlighted that the economic and labour market disruptions caused by the COVID-19 crisis were significant in 2020, but were followed by a rapid recovery from 2021 onwards. However, the crisis brought some long-term, structural changes as well. In Europe, a notable decline in youth employment, the spread of specialised forms of work, and the crisis of certain sectors were notable, whilst in Hungary the rise in long-term unemployment and the intensification of existing structural challenges (e.g. the depletion of labour market supply, the decline of low value-added jobs in the private sector) were specifically observable. These changes weakened the country’s resilience to subsequent shocks and caused problems primarily in (semi-)peripheral regions.

The training programme is part of the SIMPLE Capacity Building Strategy. While the Strategy is still being finalised, the training materials are already available so they can be tested during the final phase of the project. Project partners and stakeholders across Europe can use the materials and provide feedback. Their experience will also contribute to the final version of the Strategy. The programme builds on knowledge developed throughout the SIMPLE project, including lessons from the pilot activities in Italy and Poland and feedback from stakeholder consultations.

The programme includes four online modules:

• The first introduces the SIMPLE model, its Theory of Change and different ways to apply the model in new contexts. 
• The second focuses on building local partnerships and cooperation between stakeholders. 
• The third provides practical guidance on engaging employers and supporting economic integration. 
• The fourth helps organisations design services that are more inclusive, accessible and responsive to participants’ needs.

Each module is supported by an interactive self-assessment tool. Organisations can use these tools to assess their readiness in four areas: adapting the SIMPLE model, stakeholder collaboration, private sector engagement and inclusive service design. Based on the results, users receive tailored recommendations and are directed to the learning resources that are most relevant to them.

The training programme and self-assessment tools are available free of charge as Open Educational Resources. They are designed to support organisations that want to adapt and use the SIMPLE approach and to help make the project results useful beyond the lifetime of the project.

The training programme and self-assessment tools are available here:
https://simpleinnovation.eu/toolkit.php?lang=EN

SIMPLE is co-funded by the European Union under the ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative and brings together partners from Italy, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Croatia and Hungary to transfer and scale social innovation models that promote the employability and social inclusion of refugees from Ukraine, with a particular focus on women. Within the project, HÉTFA Research Institute coordinates the implementation of the research activities. 

More information:
https://simpleinnovation.eu

Funding statement

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.

Participants examined the conditions under which knowledge exchange can become a genuine process of professional learning. They noted that exchanges between organisations often foreground results and successful approaches, while implementation difficulties, adaptations made during delivery and lessons from less successful approaches receive considerably less attention. Open and substantive exchange may also be constrained by limited time and capacity, institutional interests and competition for funding. Participants therefore considered what forms of cooperation and exchange can foster the trust required for organisations to share these experiences openly and enable others to draw relevant lessons for their own practice.

Participants also examined how refugees can play a genuine role in shaping programmes rather than being limited to commenting on programmes whose main parameters have already been defined. The discussion addressed participatory methods, the systematic use of participant feedback, and the ways in which hierarchical and dependency relationships can restrict meaningful participation. Participants also highlighted that differences in living circumstances, social position, minority status and forms of vulnerability can significantly shape needs and the barriers encountered in social inclusion. Inclusive programme design therefore needs to start from these differences and the distinct needs arising from them. Meaningful participation, in turn, means enabling refugees in different circumstances to bring their own experiences and perspectives to shaping programmes that affect them.

The SIMPLE – Social Innovation Models to Promote Learning and Employability – project is co-funded by the European Union through the ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative. Its aim is to identify, adapt and support the wider use of promising social innovation practices that strengthen the labour-market integration and social inclusion of refugees from Ukraine, with a particular focus on women.

For more information, visit: https://simpleinnovation.eu

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency (ESFA). Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.

Evelin Verhas presented HÉTFA’s analysis of the methodological and contextual conditions that determine the transferability of good practices. Drawing on work carried out within SIMPLE (Social Innovation Models to Promote Learning and Employability), in which HÉTFA is a partner, she highlighted findings from the review of earlier social innovation initiatives. The analysis revealed a consistent imbalance in the available evidence: while project objectives and activities are typically documented in detail, implementation trajectories — including departures from initial plans, subsequent adaptations and participant experiences — are recorded far less systematically. Evidence on outcomes and impacts is often equally limited. This weakens the basis for assessing transferability, as it obscures which elements are integral to an intervention’s effectiveness and which are contingent on particular organisational, institutional or local conditions. The presentation therefore also considered how process and impact evaluation, coupled with systematic implementation documentation, can strengthen adaptive project management and organisational learning while providing a more robust basis for adapting good practices to new settings.

SIMPLE is co-funded by the European Union under the ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative and brings together partners from Italy, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Croatia and Hungary to transfer and scale social innovation models that promote the employability and social inclusion of refugees from Ukraine, with a particular focus on women.

For more information, visit: https://simpleinnovation.eu

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency (ESFA). Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.

The Study Visit at Istanbul University provided an opportunity for knowledge transfer among Turkish research managers and created a shared platform for exchanging good practices. Virág Zsár presented the development of the Research Management profession, the results of the RM Roadmap survey and the European Research Area policy context. Beáta Lázár introduced HÉTFA’s research management projects, including SECURE2, RM Framework and MAPIT Horizone Europe projects. The partners also met research managers working at Istanbul University and representatives of TARMA, the Turkish Research Management community. During the discussion on the relevance, benefits and challenges of professional associations, Virág Zsár – recently elected President of HUNARMA, the Hungarian Association of Research Managers and Administrators – shared experience from establishing the Hungarian association, thereby supporting the initiative of the Turkish colleagues.

The programme continued in İzmir, where Virág Zsár and Beáta Lázár delivered the final Future Studies Programme training. The first part of the HÉTFA-led programme focused on the challenges of organisational development and lessons learned from the project, followed by a workshop in which participants prepared institutional action plans for their Research Support Offices. Building on HÉTFA’s gap analysis, the training addressed research management strategy, processes, knowledge management, services and professional networks. At the Final Consortium Meeting, HÉTFA presented the results of Work Package 4 (the Future Studies Programme), including the training programme, study visits and short-term secondments. Partners shared their mobility experiences, evaluated the work of the two-year project, and prepared sustainability and future cooperation plans.

The Horizon Europe-funded MAPIT project aims to bridge the gap between innovative SMEs, research entities and European R&I networks, fostering sustainable international partnerships. By establishing digital innovation centres and upskilling R&I managers, MAPIT strengthens university-industry collaboration, promotes internationalisation and supports research entities in engaging successfully with Horizon Europe and the European Research Area.

HÉTFA is the leader of Work Package 4, responsible for the Future Studies Programme.

Learn more about the project here: https://mapitproject.eu/ 

The article shows that research on spatial diffusion increasingly combines different theoretical approaches and analytical methods. Empirical findings related to the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, information diffusion, and vaccination demonstrate that while the temporality of the studied diffusion processes could be described by the diffusion wave model, the spatial patterns of spread – such as hierarchical and neighbourhood-based diffusion – were only partly observed. The authors explain that this was partly due to the structure of the networks through which these phenomena spread, as well as the role of certain key actors in the diffusion process. The spread of these processes also contributed to the emergence of regional differences, reinforcing existing centre–periphery inequalities. The article further highlights that complex interactions could be observed between the spread of the pandemic, vaccines, and information.

The first day of the Seminar focused on the future of territorial cohesion, regional competitiveness, and resilience across Europe. Speakers emphasized the importance of innovation, knowledge exchange, and reducing cognitive distance to strengthen regional development, while ESPON projects explored global value chains, supply-chain resilience, and the specific challenges facing Mediterranean regions and islands. The second day highlighted regional capabilities, sustainable development, and science-based policymaking, complemented by workshops on digital transformation, the green transition, and housing and land-use challenges. The event concluded with a forward-looking discussion on ESPON’s post-2027 programme and the continued role of evidence-based territorial cooperation.

The Reality in Hungary

Moderator Gergely Katona (Baptist Diaconal Center, Social Notes) opened the discussion by presenting statistical data reflecting the current state of the sector. According to estimates, approximately 90,000 people work in the social welfare system in Hungary, but only 20% of them hold a college degree. Although official statistics show an average gross salary of around 582,000 Ft, workers tend to estimate it at around 400,000 Ft gross—due to the inconsistency of bonuses and other payments. Nationwide, there is a 20% labor shortage, which exceeds 40% in certain areas. Approximately 40% of those who earn a degree in this field do not find employment in the social sector even after graduation.

Resilience – more than flexibility

The central concept of the discussion was resilience. Dr. Szilvia Ádám (Semmelweis University) defined resilience as the ability that allows an individual or organization to recover—and even thrive—after a crisis. Erzsébet Kővári (Budapest Methodological Centre of Social Policy and Its Institutions) cited the COVID-19 pandemic, the refugee crisis, and the cost-of-living crisis as examples where effective communication and collaboration helped institutions. Dr. Zsófia Hídvégi (Hungarian Association of Supervisors and Supervisor-Coaches) emphasized from a neuroscientific perspective that humans are social beings, and thus connecting with others is an important means of calming the nervous system.

Why are colleagues leaving?

According to the experts, the reason for leaving the profession is not only salary, but working conditions, the lack of positive feedback and the workplace atmosphere. In 85–90% of supervision cases, the source of problems is not difficulties with clients, but collegial tensions and manager-subordinate relationships. The key to the solution lies in creating “psychological safety” – an environment where it is okay to make mistakes.

Supervision: not a luxury, but an essential in mental well-being

Supervision is an interprofessional reflective process that supports helpers’ mental well-being in four dimensions: me and my profession, me and my colleagues, me and my clients, and me and the system. The experts agreed that supervision should become part of professional socialisation. Erzsébet Kővári shared that at BMSZKI, centrally organised supervision has been available since 2020.

Good practices and personal strategies

Participants reported several forward-looking initiatives, including the BMSZKI and MOME collaboration, community psychiatry programmes, relaxation rooms for staff, and leadership training and resilience programmes. At the end of the discussion, the experts shared their own coping strategies: conscious self-care, grounding techniques, expanding reaction time, positive focus and supportive relationships all contribute to maintaining helpers’ mental balance.

The key takeaway of the roundtable discussion is that the sustainability of the helping professions requires “helping the helpers”. As we are taught on aeroplanes: we must put on our own oxygen mask first.

The podcast version of the Hunagrian discussion can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOClhaLRyA 

The two-day event, held for the first time under the motto “Where are we heading? Answers,” brought together more than 70 speakers and nearly 200 participants, both in person and online. The programme included six plenary sessions and 16 thematic panels. Representatives of academia, business, diplomacy, public administration and civil society discussed the developments shaping contemporary societies, politics, the economy and culture.

The SIMPLE panel focused on how public authorities, academia, business and civil society can work together more effectively to support refugees from Ukraine. Participants discussed how the different actors could define their roles and responsibilities more clearly, coordinate different forms of support and involve those directly affected from the outset in programme design. They emphasised that the knowledge and experience of refugees from Ukraine not only contribute to a better understanding of their actual needs, but can also serve as an important source of social innovation.

This cross-sectoral cooperation is also central to the SIMPLE project. HÉTFA is a partner in the project, which adapts proven social innovation models to local needs and tests them in practice. SIMPLE aims to support the labour-market integration and economic independence of refugees from Ukraine, particularly women.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.