About FUSE
Food Unity and Skills Empowerment - A European Social Fund Plus project tackling long-term unemployment trough innovative training and employment support.
Programme
ESF+ Social Innovation+
Duration
September 2025 - September 2028
Partner Countries
Ireland, Spain, Italy, Slovakia
Our Mission
Supporting long-term unemployed people into work in the food and hospitality sector through training, mentoring and subsidised jobs.
Skills Training
Comprehensive 100-hour programmes covering food safety, practical cooking skills, and essential soft skills for employment.
Subsidised Jobs
Supported, time-limited employment placements with local employers as a bridge into stable, long-term work.
Community Partnership
Bringing together public bodies, employers, training providers and civil society to strengthen employment solutions.
What is FUSE?
FUSE is a three-year European project that addresses long-term unemployment by connecting who are out of work with real job opportunities in the food and hospitality sector. We combine two main approaches:
Shared kitchen incubators - practical spaces where people can learn, experiment and build skills in cooking and food production, alongside subsidised jobs programmes - supported, time-limited employment with employers in food, catering and hospitality, designed as a bridge into stable work.
The project focuses on people who have been unemployed for 12+ months and face multiple, including low qualifications, caring responsibilities, health issues, migration background, or living in disadvantaged or remote areas.
Key Activities
Training Programmes,
100-hour courses combining:
Basic food safety and hygiene
Practical skills (cooking, catering, butchery, food preparation)
Soft skills and digital skills (communication, teamwork, basic IT)
Individual Support
Personalized guidance including:
One-on-one mentoring and coaching
Personalised employment plans
Job search assistance and career guidance
Subsidised Job Placements
Creating supported employment opportunities with local employers in the food and hospitality sector, with ongoing support for both participants and companies throughout the placement.
Knowledge Sharing
Regional promotional events, mutual learning sessions, EU-level conferences, and production of guides, case studies and videos to support replication across Europe.
~600
Participants in training and support activities
120+
Subsidised full-time equivalent jobs created
1
Transferable model for EU replication
4
Countries building stronger employment networks
Our Partners
FUSE brings together leading organisations across Ireland, Spain, Italy and Slovakia, working collaboratively to tackle long-term unemployment and strengthen communities.
Latest from Our Blog
Stories, resources, and insights from the FUSE community
News
January 20, 2026
•
4 min read
FUSE: Turning Community Kitchens into Pathways to Employment Across Europe
Long-term unemployment remains one of Europe’s most persistent social challenges — even in...
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