Transforming Ideas into Action: Joint Learning for a Strong Social Europe
Three ESF+ Communities of Practice on Employment, Education and Skills, Material Support, and Migrant Integration, organised the two-day joint on-site event ‘Uniting Efforts: From Material Support to Skills Development for a Strong Social Europe’, which took place on 12 –13 November in Helsinki, Finland.
At the event’s opening, Neringa Poškutė, Head of the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation, reflected: ‘This gathering shows that when we unite efforts, we not only address today’s needs – we also build the foundation for a stronger future under the ESF+. Together, we shape better solutions for the people, communities we serve and create an impact that none of us could achieve alone.’
Over two days, the event brought together over 90 participants from 24 EU Member States for engaging dialogue, interactive workshops, and insightful study visits.
Joint Events – Strengthening Partnerships and Synergies
Even though each ESF+ Community of Practice had different goals, during this event the strong partnerships between them were evident, united by a shared commitment to building a strong Social Europe. As Tomke Trávníčková, Chair for the ESF+ Community of Practice on Education, Employment, and Skills, reflected, ‘Throughout the discussions and exercises, cooperation emerged as the central theme, proving that when we work together, we create more than the sum of our parts.’
Tomke Trávníčková emphasised that ‘a holistic approach to addressing the needs of disadvantaged people delivers the best results; long-term impact is much harder to achieve when these needs are treated in isolation.’
Mary Xenou, Chair for the ESF+ Community of Practice on Material Support, highlighted the broader systemic benefits: ‘Collaboration among experts from the three Communities of Practice creates a powerful interdisciplinary framework for addressing the multifaceted needs of vulnerable populations. Strategies become more aligned, resources are used more efficiently, and social innovation flourishes through the exchange of knowledge across sectors.’
She further reflected on the added value beyond individual efforts: ‘The partnership among the three CoPs significantly amplifies impact by uniting expertise, methods, and insights that drive holistic outcomes and contribute towards transformative and stronger EU social change. Effective partnerships serve as catalysts, building trust and amplifying collective results, while enhancing the capacity to design integrated, forward-looking strategies that advance lasting social change.’
Amira Bieber, Chair of the ESF+ Community of Practice on Migrant Integration, underlined the practical benefits for participating organisations: ‘These events demonstrate that planning in a multidisciplinary and multi-perspective manner is essential. Only then can we tackle challenges in depth. She added that joint events also foster team building across CoPs and partner organisations, strengthening a culture of mutual support and learning: ’Material support addresses poverty affects the labour market and is largely linked to migration. Thus, it is not a ‘nice-to-have’, but an imperative to look at marginalised groups in society from various perspectives and search for solutions. If this can be done across different countries and different profiles, then it can only be a good thing.’
Implementing ESF+ in Finland: From Management to Results
The Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment acts as the Managing Authority for the Innovation and Skills in Finland 2021–2027 programme. It oversees management of EU funds, ensures that programme objectives are met, supports the monitoring committee, and supervises intermediate bodies.
Four Centres for Economic Development, Transportand the Environment (ELY Centres) serve as the main Intermediate Bodies, while the Finnish Food Authority manages material aid projects. These bodies handle all interactions with project participants, including publishing calls, selecting projects, approving funding, monitoring progress, and conducting audits.
ESF+ funding is available to educational institutions, organisations, research institutes, municipalities, companies, and legally recognised communities. Projects must align with programme objectives, such as supporting employment, developing competence, or promoting inclusion, and should benefit a wide range of actors. Successful projects promote well-being, generate innovations, create jobs, prevent marginalisation, improve employability, disseminate good practices, and foster cooperation, equality, and sustainable development.
Projects directly support people seeking employment, or those outside the labour market, by tailoring work tasks in collaboration with employers. Continuous learning and digital tools provide flexible educational paths, especially for under-represented groups. Those in disadvantaged positions are supported in integrating into society, education, and work, while young people benefit from open care, substitute care, and after-care services. In addition, people facing severe hardship receive food and basic commodities.
Notably, in Finland, material support is offered on a trust-based principle, whereby’ individuals receive assistance without any assessment of their income.
Key Success Factors and Practical Approaches for Integrating Material Support with Training and Employment Services
Ágota Scharle, Lead Thematic Expert for the ESF+ Community of Practice on Employment, Education, and Skills, observed several key success factors that contributed to the effective combination of material support with training and employment services. In particular, the Managing Authority encouraged implementing organisations – local NGOs in Finland – to adopt an individualised approach, engaging directly with participants while allowing flexibility to tailor activities to specific needs. Providers were selected by regional committees with detailed knowledge of applicants, and programme implementation was overseen by a monitoring committee with independent members to ensure quality and transparency.
She also shared insights into practical approaches, highlighting innovative practices such as replacing traditional food bags or hot meals with food vouchers. This approach reduces the stigma associated with receiving aid, enables recipients to purchase what they truly need, and ensures support is not limited by the amount of donations received.
To strengthen collaboration, the Finnish Food Authority established a centralised website detailing all government-subsidised aid activities. The platform allows providers to coordinate the timing and location of services, helps identify gaps in provision, and serves as a reliable information portal for people in need.
Building a Stronger Social Europe
The two-day on-site event concluded with a panel discussion: ‘Building a Stronger Social Europe’, moderated by Erika Borg, Lead Thematic Expert for the ESF+ Community of Practice on Migrant Integration. Six panellists from across Europe shared insights on how to make ESF+ interventions more integrated, impactful, and sustainable.
Reflecting on the study visits and discussions, panellists highlighted the value of a comprehensive ESF+ approach and the importance of translating good practices into daily work. A lively exchange with the audience explored whether programmes should adapt to different target groups, with panellists agreeing that flexibility and adjustments are essential as people’s circumstances evolve.
Individual stories were recognised as influential in shaping policy, though, on their own, not sufficient for national decision-making. The debate also emphasised the role of EU funding in reducing disparities in quality of life across countries. Panellists stressed the responsibility to use funds effectively and called for greater stakeholder involvement, improved alignment across the ESF+ Communities of Practice, and more adaptable funding mechanisms.
The session concluded with a forward-looking discussion, bringing together diverse expertise and creating space for future topics of shared interest.
In essence, the joint event in Helsinki, Finland, exemplified how shared gatherings foster collaboration, accelerate learning, and generate lasting value, transforming common ideas into concrete, actionable outcomes for a stronger and more inclusive Europe.