After the first in-person meeting of the year, held in Vilnius last March, the National Competence Centres (NCCs) for Social Innovation met in Prague on 13-14 May 2025. The event, organised by the Social Innovation Community of Practice (SI CoP), focused on strengthening collaboration in Europe.
The Prague event, entitled ‘Supporting Social Innovation: A Journey Through Two ESF Programming Periods ’, marked the second major meeting of NCCs in 2025. The aim was to strengthen their strategic role in the European social innovation landscape by encouraging the sharing of experiences, cross-border cooperation and co-creation of tools for the implementation of ESF+ co-funded projects.
In Vilnius, 108 participants from 25 EU Member States addressed key topics such as AI implementation, continuous reporting, strategic communication, and the valorisation of best practices. Local initiatives provided a practical framework for discussion.
In Prague, the focus shifted to the evolution of social innovation in the Czech Republic. Discussions highlighted pressing issues like mental health, gender inequality, housing exclusion, and energy poverty – described as “ticking social time bombs.”
These meetings emphasised the need for collaborative social innovation, supported by flexible funding, capable management authorities, and systemic strategies. This is the basis to transform complex social challenges into sustainable solutions.
The active participation of various NCCs and engagement with projects like @SEED2SCALE enriched the conversation, reinforcing a growing European network committed to impactful change.
By fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange, these events continue to shape a more resilient, inclusive, and innovative Europe.
