On 9th October, the INSPIRE project was officially launched in Brussels, marking the beginning of a major European initiative aimed at supporting the inclusion, wellbeing and growth of rural areas. With 18 partners from across Europe, including countries such as Ireland and Turkey, INSPIRE is set to enhance the integration of vulnerable groups in particular in Europe’s rural areas through social entrepreneurship and improved access to social services.  

Funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme, INSPIRE will run from October 2024 to September 2027. The project is focused on promoting sustainable and inclusive development in rural communities through a series of initiatives, including the establishment of “Smart Village labs”. These labs will provide governance frameworks, social inclusion strategies, and innovative solutions tailored to different rural settings, including coastal, mountainous, and peri-urban areas. As such, INSPIRE aims to empower local communities by improving their access to social services and supporting the growth of social entrepreneurship in these areas. 

The project’s pilot regions reflect Europe’s diverse rural landscape. In Ireland’s Eastern and Midlands Regions, the focus will be on unemployment and vulnerable groups such as the elderly and migrants, with particular attention on rural transport and healthcare services. In Poland, Dębowa Kłoda will address the challenges faced by agricultural workers, especially women and Ukrainian refugees. In France, the Bourgogne Franche Comté region struggles with declining populations and limited access to services, while in Slovakia, the Kosice region is developing new social farming enterprises to combat long-term unemployment and brain-drain. Greece’s Konitsa municipality, a mountainous area, is dealing with an aging population and refugee integration, while the remote Kythera Island is tackling youth out-migration and a lack of professional services. Finally, Romania’s Maramures and Suceava regions are facing challenges such as population aging and underinvestment in infrastructure.

As the project coordinator, WR will be responsible for the overall management and quality assurance of INSPIRE’s work. In addition, WR is spearheading the awareness raising activities to co-create the Smart Village labs, while also being responsible for measuring the impact of these labs, particularly in terms of social empowerment, the sustainability of social economy solutions, and improvements in social services. Lastly, WR is leading the creation of the INSPIRE Replication Toolkit, a guidebook that will help policy-makers replicate the project’s methodology, allowing other regions to establish their own Smart Village labs and enhance local services and social entrepreneurship. 

With its focus on community-driven solutions and inclusive development, INSPIRE aims to make a lasting impact on rural Europe by supporting vulnerable populations and fostering innovative approaches to social inclusion.