SOFIA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION was founded as non-profit organization with the decision 348
of the Sofia Municipal Council to work for the sustainable development of the capital.
SYNCLUSIVE: SYNERGY WITH S.M.ALL FOR SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE MOBILITY SOLUTIONS
On July 25, 2024, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the 4th Transnational Meeting “Vision and Projects” was held to tackle the challenges and opportunities in creating sustainable and inclusive mobility solutions for all. This event was organized within the S.M.ALL project, which focuses on addressing urban challenges by promoting and implementing sustainable mobility solutions. The project emphasizes the importance of safe home-to-school journeys, accessible routes, and tailored Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, particularly targeting vulnerable groups.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the collaboration between SYNCLUSIVE and S.M.ALL. The two projects discussed an opportunity for a new mobility service to be designed to assist vulnerable individuals in accessing the labor market more easily. This aims to bridge the gap for those who face mobility challenges, ensuring that they can commute safely and efficiently.
By this synergy SYNCLUSIVE and S.M.ALL hope to enhance their impact, making urban mobility not only more sustainable but also more inclusive for everyone.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094526
SYNCLUSIVE FIRST REVIEW MEETING
SYNCLUSIVE project had its first review meeting, organized by the EC project officer, the lead partner TNO, two external experts, and the project work package leaders. It took place at TNO’s headquarters in the Hague, Netherlands, on June 10th, 2024. The review meeting discussed SYNCLUSIVE work plan progress, deliverables and milestones, and evaluated them against the project objectives.
TNO presented the overall project achievements and status, whereas the work package leaders presented the technical and scientific progress at the work package level.
The experts evaluated the project as well structured and well managed, and its objectives successfully achieved within the timeline The first year implementation is important for the proof of concept. The process of social dialogue and governance is critical for today’s society. Аs work package leader for communication, dissemination, and exploitation, SDA presented the achieved in this area.
The experts offered their advice on enhancing our research and innovation project to ensure it effectively responds to new challenges and delivers impact for our citizens and target groups. Among the recommendations were to develop a strategic approach to engaging policy makers, to focus more on the dynamics of the social dialogue process, to make deliverables both concise, with a clear message, and provide the details experts would expect.
Stay informed about more news via our website, X, and LinkedIn channels!
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094526
SDA JOINS THE EU PACT OF SKILLS
SDA is a proud member of the Pact for Skills community which aims to mobilise a concerted effort for quality investment in up- and reskilling Europe’s workforce.
The Pact for Skills was launched on 10 November 2020. It aims to support public and private organisations with maximising the impact of their investment in upskilling and reskilling, so they can thrive through the green and digital transitions.
The Pact for Skills calls on national, regional and local authorities; companies; social partners; cross-industry and sectoral organisations; chambers of commerce; education and training providers; and employment services to work together and make a clear commitment to invest in training for all people of working age in the EU.
The Pact is the first of the flagship actions under the European Skills Agenda. It is firmly anchored in the European Pillar of Social Rights and supports the ambitions of the EU Industrial and SME Strategies.
Membership in the Pact is a new opportunity for SDA to adopt good EU practices for upskilling and reskilling, as well as to network with European organizations on a variety of topics. Currently, SDA is a consortium member of the SYNCLUSIVE project which is focused on helping vulnerable women 55+ improve their chances for sideward or upward mobility in the labor market. Taking part in initiatives of the PACT opens up possibilities to scale social innovations for the future of employment in Bulgaria.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094526
THE 2ND ANNUAL SYNCLUSIVE MEETING
The highly anticipated annual meeting for the SYNCLUSIVE research project took place from 21st to 22nd March 2024 in Helsinki, Finland, and it was a resounding success!
The meeting brought together a significant number of participants, exceeding 25 attendees from various esteemed institutions and organisations - research partners, living lab implementers, reflective partners and advisory board members. Throughout the event, the participants engaged in vibrant discussions, presented research findings, and exchanged valuable insights related to the labour market and the vulnerable groups, the realist evaluation method, the ENGINE model and the Living Labs in Sofia, Kokkola, Amersfoort and Portugal. The diverse range of perspectives and expertise contributed to the richness of the discussions, igniting new ideas and potential avenues for further exploration.
As we reflect on the success of this annual meeting, we are grateful for the dedication and hard work of everyone involved, including the host team of FIOH, speakers, presenters, and attendees. Their commitment and contributions played a crucial role in making this event such a success.
Moving forward, we are excited about the potential outcomes of the research that will materialise during the remaining nearly 3 years of the project and potential collaborations that may emerge. The next annual meeting is planned for March 2025 in Sofia, followed by the midterm workshop in Brussels in June 2025.
Stay informed about more news via our website, X, and LinkedIn channels!
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094526
SYNCLUSIVE PROJECT: SECOND NEWSLETTER
What’s new in the SYNCLUSIVE project journey?
Explore a dynamic lineup of events and developments designed to research, test and validate approaches for just labour market. Get to know more about the Living Labs action plans, the new research, and the synergies with other projects.
News from SYNCLUSIVE Living Labs
SYNCLUSIVE 4 Living labs are at the heart of the innovative approaches to foster labour market access and upward mobility for vulnerable groups. They are just finishing the co-creation of their action plans to be implemented during the next 36 months.
A framework with qualitative and quantitative indicators
SYNCLUSIVE has set a comprehensive framework to monitor activities and evaluate Living Lab interventions. The framework would also be useful to policymakers and social partners working on labour market inclusion of vulnerable groups.
News from sister projects
SYNCLUSIVE is proud to cooperate withCARE4CARE and PATHS2INCLUDEother Horizon Europe projects to achieve a higher impact on the EU labour market.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay tuned for more updates and insights on our mission to create inclusive opportunities in the labour market!
Subscribe for our newsletter here:
https://synclusiveproject.eu/?page_id=1514
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094526
THE SYNCLUSIVE PROJECT PRESENTED AT THE ARGENTUM - STRATEGIC COMPETENCIES FOR SILVER ECONOMY FINAL CONFERENCE
Representatives from the Sofia Development Association attended the final conference for the ARGENTUM – Strategic Competencies for Silver Economy project. Hosted by InnoGrowth with the support of the Sofia Municipality, the conference delved into innovative solutions and strategies aimed at addressing the needs of an aging population.
The conference provided a comprehensive overview of the project, summarizing the mapping and creation of an innovative cluster dedicated to the silver economy, presenting a training course designed to integrate innovative services for aging individuals, and addressing the topic of educating local governments and providing e-lessons to target groups, among other topics.
During the conference, Svetlana Lomeva, Executive Director of the Sofia Development Association, alongside other experts from the organization, presented the SYNCLUSIVE project and its main objectives and achievements to the event's guests.
SYNCLUSIVE and ARGENTUM share a similar group of beneficiaries in Bulgaria – the former focuses on ensuring fair access to the labor market for women above the age of 55, while the latter addresses the need for economic inclusion of a broader group of the elderly.
At the event, representatives of the ARGENTUM project participated in informational videos for SYNCLUSIVE and reassured that networking and collaboration are key factors in making a true impact on the subject of a fairer economy and greater access for vulnerable groups to the labor market.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094526