REGIOSTARS 2026: Six ESF+ projects among the finalists
The REGIOSTARS Awards 2026 have reached a new milestone, attracting a record 274 applications from across Europe. The annual competition celebrates the most innovative and impactful projects supported
From classroom to career: How a Portuguese vocational school prepares students for work
A vocational school in northern Portugal is helping students prepare for the labour market by combining classroom learning with practical training and workplace experience. The approach gives young
Józsefváros wins European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award
In 2026, Józsefváros, a district in Budapest, Hungary, received the European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award from the European Commission. This honour highlights the district’s commitment to
Social workers in Cyprus go door-to-door to fight poverty
Accessible, human-centred social services can be a lifeline for people facing poverty and social exclusion. In a new Make It Work episode, Euronews travels to Cyprus to explore how the country’s
ESF+ in Germany: Meißen Youth Station – A railway station becomes a place for young people
Watch the full video If you are in Meißen at the station, you will quickly see: For many young people, it has long been a meeting place. At the same time, there is a lack of freely accessible spaces
Building futures with the social economy in Poland
For people facing homelessness or addiction, learning new skills and entering the labour market can feel out of reach. Euronews’ new Make It Work episode explores how the Arte Cooperative in Bielawa
ESF+ welcomes Ukraine as a new participating country
Ukraine has joined the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) as a participating country. This will allow organisations from Ukraine to take part in projects funded under the ESF+ Employment and Social
€34.6 billion in cohesion policy funds reallocated to address EU's strategic priorities
Member States have successfully reprogrammed €34.6 billion in their 2021-2027 cohesion policy funds towards the EU's most urgent strategic priorities. These include boosting competitiveness, enhancing
Fighting poverty in the Azores region
The European Commission, together with the Azores 2030 Programme, and local authorities, hosted a conference in Ponta Delgada on poverty and social exclusion in the Azores. Regional leaders, academics
Investing in people pays off: lessons from the 2014–2020 ESF and YEI evaluation
A new evaluation confirms that EU investment through the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) helped millions of people improve their skills, find work and stay in