Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Danube

Date of latest update: 2025-12-17

Description

Description (EN):

The quality of life of care-dependent persons and the opportunity for beneficiaries to remain in their home environment for as long as possible depends on what types and scope of support are available locally. However, local communities in the Danube Region (DR) cannot tackle major challenges in the field of homecare and community-based services by themselves anymore, e.g., serious shortages of care staff and volunteers, overburdened informal caregivers, lack of enhancing and integrating digital support systems in daily routines. Rural areas face even greater problems in providing comprehensive and sufficient services and support. Therefore, the project aims to build capacities & interregional collaboration structures of different kinds of public and private actors to initiate transformative impact on homecare and community-based services to improve the quality of living of care-dependent persons in rural and urban areas of the DR. To achieve this objective, we develop and test three types of capacity-building programs and related activities: In the framework of Governance and System Innovation Program (SIL) participants jointly develop solution to system challenges that prevent qualitative and effective delivery of services (AT 1.2). The Regional Innovation and Capacity-building Program (Accelerators) offers space and professional support to actors who already developed an innovative solution, which has the potential to be further enhanced, disseminated, and scaled. Both program types facilitate improved and intensified public-private cooperation on eye-level focusing to solve problems in the field. The Programs are jointly developed in AT 1.1, tested in 9 countries (AT 1.2/AT 1.3) (OT 1.1, OT 1.2, OT 1.3, OT 1.4). Results will be also discussed in different kinds of policy-dialogues. The third type of program and related activities aim to build capacities for and to strengthen transnational collaboration structures in the field homecare and community-based services in the DR. To enable the transnational work on homecare challenges that are relevant of 9 involved partner countries from Germany to Moldova, we develop specific approaches that also build on existing structures of territorial cooperation (CBC, city partnerships/networks): The Transnational Innovation Program enables 10 transnational teams to develop homecare and community-based solutions. A new Danube Region Policy Collaboration Platform for Rural and Urban Actors creates spaces for sharing results of Caring Communities’ project and mutual learnings on homecare sectors. Danube Region Social Innovation Summits aims to further diffuse Caring Communities’ results, to strengthen political support and to create a broader transnational community of public and private practitioners (OT 2.2, OT 2.3). All three capacity-building programs will be documented comprehensively in a way that they are replicable by others To achieve long-term impact of Caring Communities, a transnational academic team scientifically accompanies SPO1 & SPO2 activities. They aim to build an empirically proven research framework for the initiation of transformative impact in homecare and community-based services. Academia assesses practical work but also gives tools to practitioners to enable them to professionalize own evaluation and impact assessments. The research framework consists of (1) Formative Evaluation and (2) Social Impact Measurement Framework. (3) Research under different territorial conditions aims to provide analyses, data, and strategies to prepare the ground for innovative solutions in homecare and on systemic analysis of environments for homecare solutions. Results aim to give guidance to practitioners and policymakers how to further improve the situation of people needing and providing homecare in the DR (OT 3.1, OT 3.2). Our project is unique because it applies new ways and methods of collaboration between public and private stakeholders in the field of homecare and community-based services. Actors collaborate problem-focused on eye-level, leaving classic inter-institutional conflicts behind. We further develop interregional collaboration structures on long-term. Moreover, the European Care Strategy (2022) showcases the fact that we have similar challenges in Europe, but every country tries to solve it by its own. We need more transnational collaboration to tackle one of the big challenges of our time and to create more synergies. The project will contribute to the ambition of the strategy to realize more high-quality, accessible, and affordable services for care-dependent persons in the DR. The project also supports the implementation of the European Pillar in Social Rights, especially to the principle 18 long-term care, the EUSDR PA9 People & Skills and PA10 Institutional Capacity and Cooperation. The project shares the ambitions of Leipzig Charta and Territorial Agenda to create just societies, where care-dependent persons have access to qualitative social services.

Actual Achievements (EN):

Period 1 marked the successful launch of the Caring Communities project, a collaborative effort involving 18 different Project Partners and 7 Associated Partners dedicated to improving home care and community-based services across the Danube region through innovation and transnational cooperation. This project includes both long-standing collaborators from the D-Care Labs project and new consortium members, all working towards common goals. In Period 1 we focused on establishing effective project management routines and building collaborative structures. This included onboarding new partners and staff, setting up regular meetings and ensuring smooth communication channels. Important preparations were made for key upcoming activities, such as the 1st Danube Region Social Innovation Summit on 23 April, preparations for the pilot testing of the Accelerator Programmes (A1.3) and System Innovation Labs (A 1.2), and the matchmaking events for the Transnational Innovation Programme (A 2.1, A 2.2). We also began to foster regional partnerships and initiate policy dialogues to support project implementation and dissemination (A 1.4). The research team laid the necessary groundwork for their work packages (SPO 3). At the end of period 1, the project management structures are well established. We finalised all necessary contracts with the Danube Region Programme and the project partners, thus consolidating the legal framework for Caring Communities. The team at Diakonie Baden was completed and the project partners appointed their respective staff. We held a comprehensive three-hour internal kick-off workshop on 15 January to introduce project management structures, covering both substantive and financial management aspects. Our meeting schedule was structured with mandatory agenda-based project management meetings in week A and informal Lean Coffee sessions in week B, all conducted virtually. We implemented several key project management tools, including a SharePoint site hosted by the LP for centralised access to information and a project 'wiki' to standardise terminology. Steering and monitoring processes were established, highlighted by the first Digital Steering Committee (SCOM) meeting on 14 May, which facilitated strategic decision making and idea generation. Our communication strategy, developed in collaboration with the communication manager of Romanian partner FONT and Diakonie Baden, was effectively implemented. This included setting up social media channels on LinkedIn and YouTube, producing promotional materials (including general and activity-specific one-pagers), setting up information on the official website and preparing the first newsletter. To facilitate external communication, we have reduced the SOs to three keywords: Transformation (SO1), Cooperation (SO2), Evaluation/Recommendations (SO3). The LP also provided targeted advice to individual project partners on thematic and financial issues, with a focus on leveraging the support of larger, more experienced partners for smaller, newer organisations. In terms of thematic work, we organised the public kick-off event, the Danube Region Social Innovation Summit (A 2.4), which took place virtually on 23 April with around 200 registered participants. The Summit included a virtual exhibition of Caring Communities activities, networking opportunities and interactive elements, showcasing key contributions from project partners. We made significant progress in the Transnational Innovation Programme (A 2.1/ A 2.2) with project partner MOZAIK, preparing the matchmaking events scheduled for 9 July and 30 September. In addition, we started organising the inaugural event of the Danube Region Policy Collaboration Platform for Urban and Rural Actors in Home- and Community-based Services on 8 October, focusing on Germany's "Quartiersprojekte", with plans for further national events in subsequent periods, and drafted the concept for a LinkedIn group. Capacity building efforts were a key focus, with the establishment of the Transnational Centre for Empowerment and Opportunity, and the conceptualisation and design of the System Innovation Labs and Accelerator Programs underway to facilitate the launch of pilots from Period 2 onwards. In the area of policy dialogue, we held several meetings with key stakeholders, such as Nils Dahl and other national coordinators for the European Care Strategy at the German Ministry of Health, and Flaviana Teodosiu from the European Commission, to support ongoing discussions and collaboration. In general, we can say that the partnership is working effectively and in good spirit. All three pillars - Transformation (SO1), Cooperation (SO2), Evaluation/Recommendations (SO3) - have achieved their objectives according to the work plan. While Period 1 focused on setting up the project, managements structures, teams spirit and conceptual work, period 2 marked the succesful start of the implementation of the capacity building programs. Overall, Caring Communities has been running smoothly and according to the workplan. Despite the fact that the partnership is very heterogenous and consists of both long-standing collaborators from the D-Care Labs project and new consortium members the cooperation in the different activities has been working well. A true highlight was the onsite partnership meeting in October in Zagreb where the research team delivered their impact measurement bootcamp and the different capacity building programs held workshops. The project management routines and collaborative structures that have been developed in period 1 have been working well (obligatory biweekly project management meeting, biweekly voluntary lean coffee meeting, common file system on sharepoint). In SO1 all three countries (Hungary, Moldova and Serbia) started with the implementation of their System Innovation Lab - focusing on individual systemic challenges with the support of the research team. Six countries (Austria, Croatia, Germany, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Romania) started with the implementation of the Accelerator programs where individual solutions are supported to be further developed, consolitated or scaled. We also contintued to foster regional partnerships and policy dialogues to support project implementation and dissemination; a focus in period 2 was on the development and a roadmap to signature of a memorandum of understanding to create a network of partners that will continue once the Caring Communities project ends. (A 1.4). In regard to SO2 period 2 focused on two match-making events for finding and matching participants for the transnational innovation programm. DB organised and implemented the activity together with partner MOZAIK. Two online match-making events have taken place, and the most promising project ideas/candidates have been selected by a rather high-level jury. The selected participants will now participate in 5 international moduls in period 3 and 4. The process and results have been described in two deliverables. The Policy Platform (AT2.3) has been launched by Hungarian partner Töösz and the first two online workshops have taken place in October and December. The first one focusing on Germany, the second one on Romania. The research team has continued their work according to work plan and provided the first two deliverables (SO3). We held the second Digital Steering and Monitoring Committee Meeting in November followed by the first year review together with our policy officer. Our communication strategy, developed in collaboration with the communication manager of Romanian partner FONT and Diakonie Baden, was effectively implemented. This included social media channels on LinkedIn and YouTube, producing promotional materials (including general and activity-specific one-pagers), setting up information on the official website and preparing newsletters. The LP also provided targeted advice to individual project partners on thematic and financial issues, with a focus on leveraging the support of larger, more experienced partners for smaller, newer organisations. In general, we can say that the partnership is working effectively and in good spirit. All three pillars - Transformation (SO1), Cooperation (SO2), Evaluation/Recommendations (SO3) - have achieved their objectives according to the work plan. Overall, Caring Communities has been running smoothly and according to the workplan. Despite the fact that the partnership is very heterogenous and consists of both long-standing collaborators from the D-Care Labs project and new consortium members, the cooperation in the different activities has been working well. An outstanding highlight was the onsite Second Danube Region Social Innovation Summit and its side events in Ruse/Bulgaria in May 25, where the major part of the consortium and many stakeholders met in person. The project management routines and collaborative structures that have been developed at the start, have been working well: an obligatory biweekly project management meeting, biweekly voluntary lean coffee meetings as well as a common file system on sharepoint enhance a good exchange of knowledge and a shared standard. In SO1 all three countries (Hungary, Moldova and Serbia) started with the pilot test of their System Innovation Lab - focusing on individual systemic challenges, supported by the research team. Six countries (Austria, Croatia, Germany, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Romania) run the most relevant phase of their pilot test for the Accelerator programs, where individual solutions are supported to be further developed, consolitated or scaled. We also continued to foster regional partnerships and policy dialogues to support project implementation and dissemination: over 40 organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a network of partners that will continue to collaborate beyond the official end of the Caring Communities project (A 1.4). In regard to SO2 the Transnational Innovation Program (TIP) has started with its first three (out of five) onsite modules (Jan/Bosnia, March/Hungary and May/Bulgaria) and ten participating transnational teams. The Danube Region Policy Platform (AT2.3) has been continued with the next three online events, focusing on Hungary, Bulgaria and Moldova. SO3: The research team has continued their work according to work plan . We held the third Digital Steering and Monitoring Committee Meeting in May. Our communication strategy, developed in collaboration with the communication manager of Romanian partner FONT and Diakonie Baden, was effectively implemented. This included social media channel on LinkedIn, producing promotional materials, setting up information on the official website and preparing newsletters. The LP also provided targeted advice to individual project partners on thematic and financial issues, with a focus on leveraging the support of larger, more experienced partners for smaller, newer organisations. In general, we can say that the partnership is working effectively and in good spirit. All three pillars - Transformation (SO1), Cooperation (SO2), Evaluation/Recommendations (SO3) - have achieved their objectives according to the work plan. Recognition for the project has been received externally: Caring Communities was selected as flagship project of PA 10 of the Danube Region Strategy.

Project outputs: Pilot Test of 3 Governance and System Innovation Programs(EN)
Joint developed Solution of Governance and System Innovation Program(EN)
Pilot Test of 6 Regional Innovation and Capacity-building Programs for Bottom-up Transformative Changes(EN)
Joint Approach for Regional Innovation and Capacity-building Programs (Accelerators)(EN)
Partnership for Caring Communities(EN)
Pilot Test of Transnational Capacity-building Structures for Homecare and Community-based Services(EN)
Joint Developed Solution for Transnational Capacity-building Structures for Homecare and Community-based Services(EN)
Pilot test of research framework of capacity-building programs in the field of homecare and community-based services(EN)
Policy paper on integrated governance models for transformative social innovation in the field of home care(EN)
Website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/caring-communities

Thematic information

Health and social services Governance, partnership Rural and peripheral development

Priority: (VI-B_D_4) Priority 4 - A better cooperation governance in the Danube Region

Priority specific objective: ISO6.6. Other actions to support better cooperation governance (all strands)

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO6 (ISO1) A better cooperation governance

Type of intervention: 171 Enhancing cooperation with partners both within and outside the Member State

Partners (18)

Lead Partner: Das Diakonische Werk der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Baden e.V.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE 143610026

Department: Innovation and Sustainability

Address: Vorholzstraße , 76137 Karlsruhe, Germany

Department address: Vorholzstraße , 76137 Karlsruhe, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Other

Website: http://www.diakonie-baden.de

Total budget: EUR 517 268.60

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 413 814.88

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 103 453.72

Contractors:

Name: Beyond42
VAT registration or tax identification number: 21479900
Name: HÄRING HÄLLFRITZSCH PARTNER
VAT registration or tax identification number: Partnerschaftsregister 720225

Fundația Agapedia din Moldova

Name: Fundația Agapedia din Moldova

Partner’s ID if not PIC: National Tax Number: 1012620004147

Address: str. Lomonosov, 2009 Chisinau, Moldova

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.agapedia.de

Total budget: EUR 114 500.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 91 600.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 22 900.00

Savez općina i gradova Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine

Name: Savez općina i gradova Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 4200863940005 ID number

Address: Musala, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website (not verified): http://seeurban.net/association-of-municipalities-and-cities-of-fbih-amc-bosnia-and-herzegovina/

Total budget: EUR 40 000.01

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 32 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 8 000.01

Fondacija Mozaik

Name: Fondacija Mozaik

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 4200262940008

Address: Splitska, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Other

Website: http://www.mozaik.ba

Total budget: EUR 269 068.44

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 215 254.75

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 53 813.69

Contractors:

Name: Daorsina doo Sarajevo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 4228092530006
Name: Fab Lab doo Sarajevo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 4202763800004
Name: Mašta doo Sarajevo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 4201451880004

Republički zavod za socijalnu zaštitu

Name: Republički zavod za socijalnu zaštitu

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 104489843

Address: Terazije, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: http://www.zavodsz.gov.rs/

Total budget: EUR 30 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 24 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 6 000.00

Mreža organizacija za decu Srbije

Name: Mreža organizacija za decu Srbije

Partner’s ID if not PIC: Registration number 28159021

Address: Vizantijski bulevar, 18000 Nis, Serbia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.zadecu.org

Total budget: EUR 121 830.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 97 464.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 24 366.00

Contractors:

Name: IDM Consulting
VAT registration or tax identification number: 112948410
Name: Tur. ag. GALILEO TOURS Niš
VAT registration or tax identification number: 107503064

Pravni fakultet Zagreb

Name: Pravni fakultet Zagreb

Department: Department for social policy

Partner’s ID if not PIC: OIB: 38583303160

Address: Trg Republike Hrvatske , 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Department address: Trg Republike Hrvatske , 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.pravo.unizg.hr/

Total budget: EUR 117 981.73

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 94 385.38

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 23 596.35

ACT Grupa

Name: ACT Grupa

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 17942508126

Address: Ul. Josipa Bana Jelačića 4, 40000 Čakovec, Croatia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://act-grupa.hr/

Total budget: EUR 219 936.50

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 175 949.20

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 43 987.30

Consiliul Judetean Brasov

Name: Consiliul Judetean Brasov

Department: Social and Medico-Social Assistance Department

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 4384150

Address: B-dul Eroilor , 500007 Brașov, Romania

Department address: B-dul Eroilor , 500007 Brașov, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: https://site.judbrasov.ro

Total budget: EUR 37 515.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 30 012.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 7 503.00

Federatia ONG-urilor Sociale din Transilvania

Name: Federatia ONG-urilor Sociale din Transilvania

Department: Direcția de sănătate și asistență medicala

Partner’s ID if not PIC: National Tax No. 35222379

Address: Bisericii Romane 48, 500080 Brasov, Romania

Department address: Bisericii Romane , 500080 Brasov, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://socialngonetwork.ro/

Total budget: EUR 199 903.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 159 922.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 39 980.60

Contractors:

Name: PRIMA EXPERT SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 23332807

Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien (Caritasverband) gemeinnützige GesmbH

Name: Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien (Caritasverband) gemeinnützige GesmbH

Department: Care

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DVR 0921050, UID-Nr. ATU54953901

Address: Albrechtskreithgasse , 1160 Wien, Austria

Department address: Albrechtskreithgasse , 1160 Wien, Austria

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://www.caritas-wien.at

Total budget: EUR 231 994.35

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 185 595.48

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 46 398.87

Obshtina Bansko

Name: Obshtina Bansko

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N.a.

Address: Nikola Vaptsarov square, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website (not verified): https://bansko.bg/en/

Total budget: EUR 49 845.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 39 876.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 9 969.00

Institut po filosofia i sociologia pri Balgarska akademia na naukite

Name: Institut po filosofia i sociologia pri Balgarska akademia na naukite

Department: Department "Society of Knowledge: Science, Education and Innovations"

Partner’s ID if not PIC: UIC: 175906003

Address: Moskovska str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

Department address: Moskovska str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://ips-bas.org

Total budget: EUR 106 122.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 84 897.60

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 21 224.40

Sdruzhenie "Federatsia na socialnite sdruzhenia v Bulgaria"

Name: Sdruzhenie "Federatsia na socialnite sdruzhenia v Bulgaria"

Department: Lab for Social Innovations

Partner’s ID if not PIC: Unified identification code (UIC): 176323530

Address: Tserova gora str., 1612 Sofia, Bulgaria

Department address: Tserova gora str., 1612 Sofia, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://fssb.bg

Total budget: EUR 199 625.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 159 700.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 39 925.00

Szamossályi Község Önkormányzata

Name: Szamossályi Község Önkormányzata

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 442747

Address: Kossuth ùt , 4735 Szamossályi, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.szamossalyi.hu

Total budget: EUR 30 000.02

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 24 000.01

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 6 000.01

Települési Önkormányzatok Országos Szövetsége

Name: Települési Önkormányzatok Országos Szövetsége

Partner’s ID if not PIC: HU 19008707

Address: Damjanich u., 1071 Budapest, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.toosz.hu

Total budget: EUR 215 600.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 172 480.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 43 120.00

Grünhof e.V. - Verein für gesellschaftliche Innovation

Name: Grünhof e.V. - Verein für gesellschaftliche Innovation

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 06429/40932

Address: Belfortstraße , 79098 Freiburg, Germany

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://social-innovation-lab.org

Total budget: EUR 202 565.90

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 162 052.72

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 40 513.18

Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

Name: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

Department: Centre for Social Investment

Partner’s ID if not PIC: VAT-number: 32082/01782 identifier: DE811225433

Address: Grabengasse, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

Department address: Bergheimerstr., 69115 Heidelberg, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.soz.uni-heidelberg.de/centreforsocialinvestment-2/

Total budget: EUR 237 809.99

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 190 247.99

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 47 562.00

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Agapedia Moldova

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Association of Municipalities and Cities BiH

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Mozaik Foundation

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Republic Institute for Social Protection

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Network of Organizations for Children of Serbia

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Faculty of Law

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

ACT Group

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Brasov County

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Federation of Social NOGs in Transylvania

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Caritas Vienna

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Bansko

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Federation of Social NGOs in Bulgaria

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Szamossályi

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Töosz - Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Grünhof e.V. - Association for societal innovation

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

University of Heidelberg

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Diakonie Baden

Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Project acronym: Caring Communities

Project ID: DRP0200240

Project start date: 2024-01-01

Project end date: 2026-06-30

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

D-Care Labs (EN) | The D-Care Labs project established sustainable interregional innovation structures for the field of homecare (D-Care Labs). The innovation programs that cover the first phase of innovation process (incubators). They are starting from problem exploration and complete with a tested prototype, financial plan, and network. The programs enable social service providers, product developers and social start-ups to design and implement better and innovative homecare services and products. All 9 regional D-Care Labs developed approaches to ensure sustainability after project end. For this purpose, we build ecosystems of social investments (ensuring access to different kinds of social investors who provide financial, social, and human capital). The Caring Communities will capitalize for various reasons from the initiative: A trustful collaboration has been already established with a core of partners, which will be extended especially with more public partners. The partnership uses the analyses of the Transnational Strategy produced by D-Care Labs project as basis for different activities (e.g., focus areas of Transnational Innovation Program (AT2.1, AT2.2)). We will work on identified deficits: The SIL (AT1.2) works on system challenges that we have identified in the previous project. Moreover, we also realized that especially innovative solutions need further support in the later phases of the innovation process, to enhance, scale and disseminate it in wider territory. Furthermore, we saw a lot of potential deepening and widening transnational collaboration in the field of homecare, extending the transnational community (SPO2). In order to create real impact, also on policy changes, academic assessments are so important. Therefore, we decided to create an own working area for that purpose (SPO3). To summarize, the most important project we build on, is D-Care Labs. In the following, there are some more project examples, but list could be extended. (EN), HoCare (EN) | Ho-Care https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/hocare/ and HoCare 2.0 project https://programme2014-20.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/HoCare2.0.html funded by Interreg Central:
After the launch of the D-Care Labs project in 2020, the cooperation between that project and HoCare 2.0 project began to work together in Hungary. The National Directorate General for Hospitals, the Hungarian partner of the HoCare project, was included to the Budapest D-Care Lab's advisory group, and a successful tight partnership for better home care solutions was established. As the HoCare project gathered helpful best practices for home care services, this cooperation in caring communities might be strengthened even more—especially during emergencies like COVID-19 and especially in the area of digital solutions in service provision. The HoCare2.0 project aimed to deliver highly innovative, digital-based, customer-centred home care solutions for the elderly. The project targeted this area for innovation due to the ageing of European society. This process opened up a significant market – the Silver Economy – which still lacks solutions that are designed with the elderly. All the elaborated materials and collections could contribute and inspire the target group of Caring communities project. (EN), TRANSIT (EN) | Caring community research builds on the TRANSIT project which ran from 2014 to 2017 and collected data on critical turning points in social innovation networks. The result of the project was a theory (combining 12 theoretical propositions) that explained the transformation from local and regional social innovation initiatives, to social innovation networks and finally to broader social chance. The theory building was based on 20 case studies of transnational networks (including Ashoka, FabLabs and the Global Ecovillage Network). The TRANSIT project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration. We will use the methodological framework and some of the theoretical propositions to understand the transformation from local initiatives to broader social and policy change in the field of home care. (EN), SIED (EN) | The SIED project ran from 2019 to 2021 as an executive education program for European leaders of social service organizations, which allowed them to learn theories and methods to develop social innovation in different social services areas. The programme was developed with partners at Heidelberg University, Trier University, the University of the Basque Country, VID University in Oslo in cooperation with Eurodiaconia. Caring communities will built on the experience of an European learning community in the social service field and more importantly will apply methods to foster social innovation in the field of home care, which has been developed in the SIED project. SIED has received funds from ERASMUS+. (EN), POSITIVE (EN) | POSITIVE stands for Participatory Open Social Innovation Through Interlinking Valuable Ecosystems (funds of Horizon Europe). With the main purpose of bridging the gap between two ecosystems, the project addresses the above-mentioned challenges by driving external and internal factors through knowledge transfer, training, and cross-fertilization between the fields of technology and social innovation. Grünhof and other partners from three European countries are bringing together actors from both worlds: Tech and social innovation. We will use Grünhof's experiences of project for enhancing, scaling and disseminating digital homecare solutions within accelerator programs (AT1.3). (EN), TSI project on public finances (EN) | The Hungarian local government system has been marked by a strong process of recentralisation over the last decade. This has led to a significant reduction of financing of local governments by the State. The introduction of a ‘task-based’ financing system to cover the financial costs of activities carried out by the local government has not been reflected in effective changes to the State budget planning process. As a consequence, local governments face challenges ensuring the delivery of quality services and their sustainability. To address some of the challenges identified above, TÖOSZ from Hungary has requested and gained support from the European Commission together with the Council of Europe. The project is expected to strengthen the administrative and financial capacity of local authorities, to support efficient public spending, quality service delivery, sound financial management and sustainable integrated development planning at local level. In addition, the Project is expected to build capacities of local officials on good democratic governance, introduce effective benchmarking into local government practice, and design an online platform designed to measure the performance of municipalities against agreed indicators. The project was launched in September 2022, and despite some delays is on track for implementation. TÖOSZ as a beneficiary of this project will maintain the elaborated Local Finances Data Platform, which will be suitable for local governments to analyse their spending structure and further needs on public services, like home care services. This huge work of different experts will result important data and information for public service provision and help to innovate the home care sector and also the cooperation with key stakeholders. The method applied in the project was developed in Council of Europe which enable for other Danube countries to use and benefit from it. (EN), Start Something of Your Own (EN) | For the seventh year in a row, the ACT Group’s and Philip Morris Zagreb’s “Start Something of Your Own” programme is supporting Croatian microenterprises and entrepreneurs who channel their work into socially beneficial projects. This year, ten entrepreneurs were selected for a mentorship programme, followed by a grant, all to help them grow and develop their business. The aim of the “Start Something Of Your Own” programme is to empower entrepreneurs looking to have a positive impact on society and the environment, whether they are start-ups or established businesses that are developing new services, processes, business models or additional lines of business. The programme is recognised by entrepreneurs and garners ever more interest every year, with 361 applications submitted this year, of which 30 moved forward to the next round. The most important criterion for choosing the ten winners was their sustainability and potential for making a positive impact on society. Start Something Of Your Own serves as an accelerator building experience and knowledge for both entrepreneurs and other support organisations, demonstrating positive effects in building relations and cooperation among civil society, corporations and small impact entrepreneurs. Experiences of the project will be applied for TCEO (AT1.1) and the pilot tests of Acceleration programs of Caring Communities. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 941 565.54

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 353 252.41

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Documentation and Joint Learnings of TCEO trainings
Pilot Test of 3 Governance and System Innovation Programs
Competence development and capacity-building of involved actors
Pilot test of 6 Regional Innovation and Capacity-building Programs (Accelerators)
Competence development and capacity-building of involved actors
Regional partnerships of capacity-building programs
Policy dialogues
Ideas for solutions
Participants for Transnational Program
Pilot test of Transnational Innovation Program (TIP)
Homecare solutions
Capacity-building of participants and partners
Danube Region Policy Collaboration Platform for Homecare and Community-based Services
Danube Region Social Innovation Summit (DRSI) 2024
Danube Region Social Innovation Summit 2025
Danube Region Social Innovation Summit 2026
Formative evaluation concept and dashboard
Evaluation report
Synthesis report from nine case studies on the capacity building programs
Impact measurement framework for transformative changes in homecare and community based services
Impact analysis report for capacity building programs in system innovation and acceleration
Policy paper on integrated governance models for transformative social innovation in home care.

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyDanubeRegion The project partnership covers large parts of the Danube Region. The most relevant Priority Areas of the EUSDR are PA9 "People and Skills" and PA10 "Institutional Capacity and Cooperation". We already established cooperation with PA10, especially in the framework of the Danube Local Actors Platform. In Caring Communities, we plan to extend this collaboration, becaus D-LAP participants are also a target group of our project. In the past, we were also invited as speakers to workshops and events by PA10. We plan to continue this excellent collaboration. Our initiative actively contributes to the main aim of the PA: To improve public-private partnerships and institutional capacities.
PA9 "People &Skills" are also dealing with topics of social services, digitization and ESF funds. We would like to engage more especially in the ESF Managing Authority Network of the DR. One important financial program for implementing the European Care Strategy are ESF funds. Previously, the network initiated transnational ESF calls which are very interesting for our initiative.
In the past, we were also in exchange with PA8 "Competitiveness of Enterprises" and we discussed the opportunity of forming a new working group on social innovation. We will continue dialogue with these EUSDR stakeholders to see if part of our long-term sustainabilty approach could be horizontal working group (PA8, PA9, P10) on the topic of homecare and community-based service innovation.
TerritorialAgenda2030 The project contributes to the implementation of the European Territorial Agenda, focus area "Just Europe", which offers future perspectives to people with care needs, their relatives, professional and voluntary supporters. The focus is on enabling comprehensive services and support for people in need of care in the home environment in urban and rural areas and strengthening structures of cooperation with all relevant actors. The project builds on the successfully implemented Interreg project D-Care Labs, which created sustainable social innovation structures for outpatient care in 9DR countries. It became clear that in order to create sustainable improvements in the provision of services for people in need of care in the DR, (1) transnational cooperation structures for the development and scaling of social innovations in care must be designed and further strengthened. This is because countries have comparable problems (e.g., staff shortages), but there are hardly any structures of cooperation, as states, regions and municipalities are responsible. We are losing synergies and potentials (as well as the danger of e.g. taking skilled workers away from each other)! The project aims to strengthen transnational cooperation and at the same time to enable the adaptation of social innovations to place-based needs through capacity-building programmes. (2) We need regional innovation programmes that, support good, innovative solutions in further development and scaling (phase 2 innovation process, accelerators). But also forms of cooperation are needed that enable tackling of system problems (SIL). Both approaches should contribute to inducing transformative changes in the field of care. In doing so, we rely on the cooperation and mobilisation of all available societal forces (including the public sector at all levels, social services, volunteers, companies). The activities thus contribute to reducing regional disparities (including between urban & rural areas & countries).
Other Leipzig Charta
It also supports the ambitions of the Leipzig Charta which proclaims the need for providing reliable public services of general interest. Thereby, we are focusing on homecare and community-based services for the vulnerable group care-dependent persons of all age groups in cities but also rural areas (JUST CITY of Charta). Our initiative intends to create support structures to facilitate diffusion and learnings across the functional area of the DR.
Other European Pillar of Social Rights: Caring Community will contribute to several of the 20 principles. The most important one is principle 18: "Everyone has the right to affordable long-term care services of good quality, in particular home-care and community-based services.". Caring Communities aims to support the implementation of the principle. It also contributes to implementation of several principles of all 3 Chapters (e.g., gender equality, fair wages, inclusion of people with disabilities) in our thematic field.
Other European Care Strategy (2022):
The Strategy aims to improve long-term care. Long-term care should be of high-quality, affordable and accessible. How can Europe achieve to goal? From our perspective, "Caring Communities" together with already established D-Care Labs structures we can contribute as best-practice example how long-term care challenges can be solved.
LP is in exchanges with the EC team leader of the European Care Strategy Flaviana Teodosiu. We were informed that national coordinators have been appointed by the member states and they will arrange learning processes and peer-to-peer (starting in June 2023). We discussed about the possibility to present our initiative as a best-practice with the framework of such a coordinator meeting and to be invited as a speaker to a public workshop.
The EC staff person already attended as panelist the final closing event of D-Care Labs. We plan to invite EU representatives and national coordinators for AT2.3 (platform) and AT2.4 (summit).

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:

Programme Result Indicator:

ISI - Organisations with increased institutional capacity due to their participation in cooperation activities across the borders, Measurement unit: No. of organisations

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

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Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Danube

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-12-17

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

138 / 138 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

1 413 / 1 413 (100%)

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Caring Communities: Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

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Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

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