INSPIRE supports inclusion of people in vulnerable situations in underserved areas
This March, partners of the INSPIRE project gathered in the historic city of Košice, Slovakia, for their fourth meeting. The two-day session focused on reviewing recent progress and defining the roadmap for the upcoming pilot phases.
INSPIRE is dedicated to fostering sustainable development in rural areas across Europe by prioritising social well-being and the inclusion of vulnerable groups. Through a combination of awareness-raising, capacity-building, and pilot deployments across seven diverse territories, ranging from coastal and mountainous regions to peri-urban zones, the project aims to advance social inclusion in a multi-dimensional way.
The Rural Social Inclusion Policy Dashboard
The Dashboard, INSPIRE's flagship technical tool, was presented during the meeting. Taking the form of an interactive platform, the Dashboard is composed of 3 instruments:
Policy recommendations derived from innovative pilot actions.
While the recommendations still need to be produced, you can already access the first two instruments of the Dashboard.
These two tools help identify specific rural area types, their related social well-being risks and trends by utilising filters and closed questionnaires, as well as to identify specific social economy initiatives across Europe. They will be updated in the coming weeks to include further information and resources.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
The project is currently developing a series of MOOCs, scheduled for launch in August 2026. These free, open-access training modules target a diverse audience, including rural residents seeking economic opportunities, social entrepreneurs, policymakers, NGOs, and the academic community. The courses aim to promote sustainable social economy practices and enhance economic resilience.
Register here to be informed about the release.
Finally, the project has officially established a Network of Interest, inviting policymakers, NGOs, social enterprises and many other actors to join forces in promoting social empowerment and disseminating the project’s results.