Problem addressed
The inclusion of disadvantaged groups (especially young people, women, and migrants) in the labour market is an issue that has been facing new and continuous challenges for years. Phenomena such as the recent migration crises or the automation of certain jobs, add to existing ones such as the gender gap, the digital divide, or the high rates of youth unemployment and young people out the education system. We are also facing a transition towards green jobs, with a great potential to generate jobs as Industry 4.0 has already started to do. Taking advantage of these trends to make them inclusive and facilitate the employability of population groups with greater barriers is a priority.
Across the EU, many organisations are working to create better ways of tackling unemployment and the exclusion and invisibilisation of disadvantaged groups from work. Against this background, in 2015, Action Against Hunger launched a European network to promote social innovation among social organisations, companies, public administrations, and relevant actors in the creation of a more inclusive European market. A survey answered by a total of 117 entities of the network showed their interest in participating in European projects with other members, having a platform for the exchange of experiences, as well as tools to search for partners and information on calls for European programmes to obtain funding.
Based on the survey results, the European Network of Innovation for Inclusion was designed. Since September 2017 this initiative has contributed to the construction of a more innovative social inclusion ecosystem and today has 474 member entities, helping different organisations to develop successful employment and entrepreneurship programmes and projects. Since its inception, the Network has focused on the most pressing employability needs and challenges, such as the gender perspective, inclusive digitalisation, and environmental sustainability. Moreover, the Network allows open access and participation, which favours smaller entities or those less familiar with participating in European projects to incorporate innovations in their interventions. Lastly, this networking model favours greater visibility of the Network's interests at European level, increasing the quality of the partnerships that arise within it.
Innovative solution
The European Network of Innovation for Inclusion is committed to building a more innovative social inclusion ecosystem, helping different organisations to develop successful employment and entrepreneurship programmes and projects through the exchange and piloting of good practices and their participation in European programmes.
Any entity committed to a more inclusive European labour ecosystem is invited to become a member of the Network for free. Apart from general members, there are also partners and coordinators, which are the point of reference of the Network in their home country and have a more active role in the development of its activities.
Sharing, joining forces, and collaborating in the search for solutions for greater social inclusion are the main goals. This is achieved by working along three axes built upon the cornerstone of innovation:
- AXIS 1: EXCHANGE AND TRANSFER OF GOOD PRACTICES.
The annual call for good practices identifies and makes visible the most innovative initiatives in socio-labour inclusion and inclusive entrepreneurship at European level. Two finalist and one winning practices are selected per category based on relevance, inclusiveness, innovative character, social impact, gender perspective, sustainability and transferability. These good and best practices are disseminated to facilitate their piloting in other organisations. Furthermore, study visits are conducted to delve into the best practices, and the winning organizations elaborate implementation guides which are shared by the Network to inspire other entities.
- AXIS 2: PARTICIPATION IN EUROPEAN PROGRAMMES.
Entities in the Network are encouraged to participate in European programmes related to inclusive employment and entrepreneurship. On the one hand, the Network gathers information about the expectations, interests, and profile of its members to analyse potential synergies and partnerships between them. This also involves sharing calls for partners among our members and arranging transnational working groups and training sessions. On the other hand, the Network identifies European calls for proposals and publishes updated information about them. Webinars are organized for the most relevant calls and networking sessions are carried out to generate partnerships.
- AXIS 3: STRENGTHENING OF THE ECOSYSTEM.
The Network disseminates information about events and activities by other European networks and entities on social media and its website. In particular, it boasts an innovation bank sorted by theme, aimed at facilitating the transfer and exchange of resources in the fields of social innovation and inclusive employment and entrepreneurship.
The Network also works on its representation and institutional relations through the establishment of both public and private alliances. As an illustration, an annual European event is organized annually. This Forum of Inclusive Employment and Entrepreneurship brings together experts and representatives of national and European institutions.
Key results and benefits
More than 470 organizations from 30 countries are members of the Network. Among them, there are public administrations, local authorities, foundations, associations, companies, and universities.
The European Network for Innovation for Inclusion offers its members:
- Updated information on European calls related to the social and labour inclusion of vulnerable groups and the possibility of seeking partner entities to present project proposals, encouraging alliance-building.
- To make visible the activities that are being carried out and that are of interest to the rest of the members. These activities are published in the resource bank on the Network’s web and on social media.
- To be inspired and discover other experiences for social and labour inclusion that allow them to reflect and thus improve their own programs. This is achieved through the organization of webinars, study visits, or working groups.
- To participate in the annual call for good practices, which aims to promote inspiration among organizations and professionals who work in socio-labour inclusion. Moreover, finalists and winners participate in the study visit and in the working group for each category.
- To attend the Network’s annual event: the Forum of Inclusive Employment and Entrepreneurship, which is open to the general audience and a great networking opportunity. On June 2023, the XI edition of the Forum was celebrated, engaging an audience of over 100 people in person and 400 views live.
Potential for mainstreaming
The European Network of Innovation for Inclusion promotes exchanges, collaborations, and partnerships between entities of different types and from different countries of the Union that are commonly interested in providing innovative solutions to social challenges. Since 2017, it has generated a total of 474 partnerships, which is the number of member organisations currently registered on its platform. Likewise, these entities have generated alliances among themselves for the creation of projects and collaboration in different areas.
Based on the experience gained managing this network since September 2017 and in order not to undermine its work and the number of entities committed to its activities, it is essential to continue building an increasingly broad and collaborative ecosystem in which to share and build innovative and inclusive solutions to current challenges.
Therefore, this Network continuously invites European entities to become members and join efforts to address the challenge of the socio-labour inclusion of disadvantaged groups through the implementation of innovative solutions. Members are also encouraged to become partners and coordinators to act as points of reference of the Network in their country, such as Materahub and Cardet. This has an undeniable impact on the strengthening of the ecosystem, contributing to the development of a more inclusive European market that can face some of the most pressing social challenges nowadays, such as those arising from the migrant crises, youth unemployment, the digital divide, or the gender gap.
