The HUB for European Projects for the Social Economy, launched in co-design with Weco Impresa Sociale thanks to the contribution of the Turin Chamber of Commerce and the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, aims to enhance the ecosystem’s expertise in European project design to seize the numerous opportunities emerging at the EU level within a policy framework supporting the social economy.

In 2023, the EU Council approved the Recommendation on developing social economy framework conditions, identifying the social economy as a strategic sector for achieving a socially and environmentally sustainable Europe. This builds on previous EU documents, primarily the Action Plan for the Social Economy adopted in 2021 and the inclusion of proximity and social economy ecosystems among the 14 industrial ecosystems for European economic recovery (Annual Single Market Report 2021). Among the various recommendations in the Council document that member states must incorporate into their national policies and legislation, the importance of territorial systems and their ability to act as pivotal points for financial opportunities is highlighted. The document discusses establishing national, local, or regional contact points for the social economy to act as ambassadors for the sector, promote the social economy, provide peer support, facilitate access to national and EU funding, and serve as intermediaries with national and regional authorities managing EU funds.

Similarly, at the United Nations level, the role of the social economy has become significant as a tool for achieving the SDGs, with the 2023 approval of the UN General Assembly Resolution “Promoting the Social and Solidarity Economy for Sustainable Development.”

In this context, the HUB for European Projects for the Social Economy seeks to foster a peer-to-peer capacity-building system for European project design with the objective of:

• Increasing the culture and capacity for European project design within the ecosystem.
• Attracting European funds for the ecosystem through partner participation in European projects.
• Disseminating existing skills and best practices within the Turin ecosystem at the European level.

On November 15, 2024, the Memorandum of Understanding was officially signed, consolidating the commitment of the Turin Chamber of Commerce, the City of Turin, the Metropolitan City of Turin, the University of Turin, and the Polytechnic University of Turin to collaborate on planning the HUB’s activities and achieving its goals. The first meeting of the Steering Committee, composed of a representative identified by each of the signatories, is planned.

The HUB’s main activities:

• Enablement and Activation
  Through capacity-building meetings, the HUB aims to raise awareness and train local entities on European programs and specific calls dedicated to the social economy. These meetings provide practical tools to activate new projects, increasing awareness and participation capacity.
• Support and Guidance
  Following the workshops, the HUB offers a structured project acceleration program, divided into five key steps that guide entities from the ideation phase to the actual application for European funding calls. The aim is not to replace entities in project design but to transfer methodologies and tools that make them autonomous and skilled in managing European projects.
• Networking and Development of European Networks
  Strengthening international relationships is essential for the success of European projects. The HUB works to expand and consolidate European networks, facilitating connections between strategic partners. Turin Social Impact supports these activities by leveraging a network of qualified stakeholders and providing assistance in finding partners for collaborative projects.

As part of the project launch, a survey was conducted within the Turin Social Impact ecosystem to map partners’ interest in participating and their experience with European project design. The results of the survey were presented during the Turin Social Impact partners’ assembly held on June 12, 2023.