»NOTHING ABOUT US, WITHOUT US«: INTRODUCING THE ELEVATE PROJECT

As part of the Interreg Danube project ELEVATE, the Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia held its first stakeholder meeting on 29th September 2025 in Lukovica. The event focused on strengthening community support for older people and enhancing “Points for older people” through intergenerational cooperation.

The Municipality of Irig held a workshop for the ELEVATE project, bringing together local stakeholders to identify the key needs and challenges of elderly people, parents of children with developmental disabilities, and persons with disabilities.

On Tuesday, 23 September 2025, the first stakeholder meeting for the Đakovo region was held at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo.

From 26–28 September, Oslen Krivodol village hosted a vibrant gathering at the Volunteer’s House, a shared community space, initiated by the Ideas Factory Association.

The first stakeholder meeting for ELEVATE project took place on September 24, at the headquarters of the Local Food Bank Sector 6.

As part of the project ELEVATE – Elevate multi-level governance for inclusive communities, two regional Stakeholder Meetings were organised in August 2025 in Prešov and Košice on 5th and 6th August. The events were prepared in close cooperation with the Methodological and Coordination Centre of the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region (BBSK).

The ELEVATE model will represent an important step toward inclusive territorial development in the Danube Region. By combining practical governance tools, innovative financing mechanisms, participatory design and long-term sustainability planning, it will provide a blueprint for building resilient, inclusive and future-ready communities.

Across Europe, 17 project partners are planning on implementing pilot actions to strengthen social inclusion, support older people and foster intergenerational cooperation. Each region is planning on testing innovative approaches – from improved volunteer systems and accessible public spaces to new financial models and community-based services. Let’s check what each of us is aiming to achieve.

The ELEVATE project promotes inclusive development in the Danube Region by uniting public, civil and private sectors. Its main goal is to create and test a territorial planning model that involves older people and persons with disabilities in decision-making. Through pilots in 12 areas and capacity building it aims to improve services, strengthen social cohesion and boost local resilience.

On September 12, 2025, Tájkapocs Foundation organized the ELEVATE project workshop in Sümeg, where young people, mayors, and civil society representatives worked together in a collaborative setting.