How Interreg brings social innovation to people

Dive with us into the story of SEMPRE and SEMPRE Accelerators, successful examples of Interreg transnational cooperation, the results of which remain visible today.

Interreg aims for long-term results by funding projects that invent lasting solutions. Sometimes, however, project results resonate louder than we could have imagined. Whenever we see a tangible example of how Interreg funding is making a difference, we make it a point to share it with you. Today we invite you to listen to the story of SEMPRE—when an idea grew into a successful project, which in turn lead to its extension, SEMPRE Accelerators. The solutions of SEMPRE Accelerators continue to deliver visible results and are still expanding. We will break down for you the magic ingredients that resulted in these lasting solutions.

SEMPRE: breaking the circle of decline in rural areas

The challenge tackled by SEMPRE and SEMPRE Accelerators lies in the outward migration and economic downturn affecting rural areas in the Baltic Sea region. These areas are slowly deserted by qualified young people who leave for bigger cities and better employment opportunities. This outward migration is producing a vicious circle because less qualified people equals less activity. Those who remain are often vulnerable groups, including single parents, not in employment and training youth (NEET), the elderly, people with disabilities and migrants. These groups often rely on social services. Yet, rural service providers face significant challenges, such as a lack of funding, qualified staff, and effective tools to support. This situation deepens peripheral regional inequalities.

To break this cycle, SEMPRE and its extension stage project SEMPRE Accelerators revitalized social services and applied social innovation to anchor entrepreneurship in these areas. The project empowered individuals in need to participate actively in creating solutions they need to become more independent and self-reliant in the long term.

Involving the people affected: empowering people instead of helping them

It all started with the creation of local empowerment networks by the project partners. These networks were dynamic alliances bringing together local and regional businesses, business incubators, social service providers, public authorities, and educational institutions. Their purpose? To test empowerment tools—methods designed to assess needs, co-design services, and most importantly, foster cooperation between social service providers and the communities they served.

With these networks in place, the real work began. Partners tested various empowerment tools and learned from each other across regions and countries. From focus group discussions to problem-and-solution trees, these efforts led to the creation of 30 micro-projects addressing specific local challenges.

For example, SIVANs day care centre for dogs in Luleå in Sweden was set up by people facing challenging life situation, giving them future job opportunity while working with animals. Another initiative, AllDI, made a difference in German Dithmarschen by allowing a group of single parents to create a platform to network and communicate with each other. As SEMPRE progressed, some of these micro-projects grew into registered NGOs, social enterprises, and cooperatives, stepping in to fill roles traditionally held by social service providers.

SEMPRE Accelerators used this momentum, combining the lived experiences of vulnerable groups with the expertise of social workers. They transformed eight micro-projects into full-fledged social start-ups, making them real engines of empowerment. The “Hear me out” initiative from Danish Esbjerg gave voice to individuals with mental disorders. This project helped them by organising meetings, raising awareness with videos and interviews: they even recorded their own podcast series called “kitchen talks”.

Another inspiring initiative, the Stopover Coffee shop in Liepa in Latvia, employs members of disadvantaged groups from the neighbourhood, particularly youth and mothers struggling with finding their place on the labour market. It is a real social area for people to meet, work, and create. The coffee shop is operated by professionals, members of the local empowerment network and members of the disadvantaged communities themselves. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic hit all businesses, the “Stopover Liepa” Coffee Shop survived and continues to grow.

All the ingredients to last on the long run

The results from SEMPRE and SEMPRE Accelerators are still visible today – several years after the project ended. The micro-enterprises initially tested during SEMPRE and later turned into self-sustaining social start-ups during SEMPRE Accelerators continue to thrive. They have reached financial sustainability and the number of people directly involved grew from 50 during the project to 100 shortly after the end of the project.

These successes highlight the lasting influence of SEMPRE and SEMPRE Accelerators in the landscape of the Baltic Sea region. Beyond the tangible outcomes like social enterprises, the projects produced valuable resources to inspire people in other countries. This includes a handbook on user involvement in social services and recommendations for an inclusive social entrepreneurship ecosystem. They promote peer learning on an international level across borders, helping establish empowerment in social services as a common practice around the Baltic Sea.

Special thanks to Anna Broka, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Latvia, for invaluable input to the story. 

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