Slovakia Stakeholder Workshop: Building Partnerships for Rural Employment and Skills
On 27 April 2026, partners New Edu, n.o. and the Rural Youth Parliament of Slovakia (Vidiecky parlament mladých na Slovensku – VPMS) co-organised a stakeholder workshop at the Žilina Self-Governing Region (Žilinský samosprávny kraj) as part of the FUSE – Food Unity and Skills Empowerment project.
The workshop brought together a diverse group of actors to identify and engage potential partners who can support FUSE activities on the ground in Slovakia. Participants included representatives from public administration, local governments, Local Action Groups (LAGs), academia and research institutions, civil society organisations, and regional development bodies.
Mapping the Ecosystem for Change
The event served a dual purpose: introducing the FUSE project to new audiences and opening a structured dialogue about the rural employment landscape in Slovakia. Discussions focused on who the key actors are in supporting local employment, stimulating local economies, and advancing food-based initiatives in rural regions.
FUSE targets regions with significant labour shortages in the food, gastronomy, and hospitality sectors, using tools such as shared kitchen incubators, practical skills training, mentoring, and subsidised work placements to create meaningful pathways to employment. The project is funded under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) with a total budget of €2,882,480, aiming to engage 600 long-term unemployed individuals across Ireland, Italy, Slovakia, and Spain, and provide 120 subsidised work placements.
Partnerships at the Heart of FUSE
A central theme of the Žilina workshop was the role of territorial partnerships — how local organisations, food incubators, and regional stakeholders can work together to create decent jobs and new opportunities for people in rural areas. The goal is not only to connect people to employment but to build a lasting, collaborative ecosystem where the needs of regions drive project outcomes.
New Edu and VPMS believe that the success of FUSE in Slovakia depends on the quality of these early-stage partnerships. Involving municipalities, community actors, educational institutions, and civil society organisations from the very beginning is essential to turning project activities into real, lasting results for rural communities.
Together, we are building the foundation for inclusive employment pathways in the food sector — rooted in local knowledge and driven by genuine collaboration.
