The ELEVATE project held its second partner meeting and study trip in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, from 21 to 22 October 2025.

The project partners of the ELEVATE project met on October 21–22, 2025, in Banská Bystrica (Slovakia) for the second partner meeting, hosted by the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region (BBSK). The aim of the meeting was to strengthen cooperation, exchange good practices among the project partners, and advance the development of inclusive models of territorial governance in the Danube Region.

Mr. Ján Michalský from the Department of Social Affairs and Social Policy of BBSK warmly welcomed all participants. Ms. Anita Molka, representative of the lead partner, the Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia (DCHS), provided an overview of the two-day agenda and highlighted its objectives.

The event began with a presentation by Ms. Carmen Stadelhofer from ILEU on the topic “Ageing Has Many Faces.” She spoke about the diversity of ageing processes, life situations, and social contexts, emphasizing the role of education, new media, volunteering, and network structures in promoting active ageing. She also underlined how cooperation among civil society, the private sector, and individuals can create an age-friendly environment that fosters social participation.

In the morning session, the horizontal partners Urbasofia, ISG Amabilis, and ZICER presented examples aimed at enhancing the partners’ knowledge and collaboration for inclusive territorial development. Ms. Irina Panait emphasized the importance of sound financial management. Ms. Damjana Pangerčič introduced Kind Life from Slovenia, an initiative promoting mental health and social inclusion of older people and people with dementia through education, intergenerational activities, and digital campaigns supported by sponsorships and donations. Ms. Nora Krstić presented “Accessible Zagreb,” a digital platform that improves accessibility and urban planning through co-design and cross-sector collaboration, serving as a model for other cities.

Later in the morning, all 12 pilot partners presented how good practices from other project partners had inspired their pilot ideas. This session, moderated by Mr. Milan Zbořil, focused on regional and local needs, mutual learning, and strengthening institutional cooperation.

Ms. Anamarija Fortuna from DCHS led a brainstorming session to set goals for 2026–2028 Ms. Anamarija Fortuna from DCHS led a brainstorming session to set goals for mainstreaming activities for 2026–2028. The partners will promote the ELEVATE model through various events and two international forums under the motto “Promoting inclusive co-creation” “Nothing about us without us.”
The afternoon sessions included a workshop on training and capacity building in the field of inclusive territorial development, moderated by Ms Irina Panait from Urbasofia. Mr Milan Zbořil presented best practices for participatory planning of social services at the micro-regional level. The partners then took part in a workshop on developing financial models, which focused on identifying stakeholders and designing robust financial mechanisms for sustainable initiatives. The meeting ended with a steering committee meeting.
The second day was devoted to a study visit. We visited the town of Kremnica, which offered valuable insights into how local communities in the Banska Bystrica region are addressing demographic challenges and improving the quality of life of their residents. The visit began at Kremnica Town Hall, where the partners were welcomed by Mr Pavel Kravec, Mayor of Trnava Hora. He presented the Kremnica micro-region (around 10,000 inhabitants) and its biggest challenges: an ageing population, the exodus of young people and support for disadvantaged groups. He pointed out that Kremnica is one of the first municipalities in the region to tackle these issues in innovative ways.
An important part of the visit was the Centre for Integrated Social and Health Care (CISZS), which was launched in April 2024 to improve long-term care for older people in the Banská Bystrica region. As a pilot model, it integrates social and health services under one roof to ensure accessible, high-quality care that helps seniors and vulnerable groups remain independent. The CISZS team provides health monitoring, medication management, social support and transport assistance. The model is currently active in the region and is being promoted for nationwide implementation. The partners were also welcomed by Martin Novodomec, Mayor of Kremnica, who presented the town’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
After the presentations, we visited the Radmera Centre, where staff guided us through the four facilities and told us about their progress despite initial funding challenges. The centre was established in 2018 with the purchase of a single-family home and grew through successive funding, including a €3 million grant in 2021, which enabled renovation and expansion. Today, it offers daily activities for older people and people with disabilities, as well as accommodation for 123 clients.
The CISZS initiative is based on the strong values of human rights, dignity and personal development. It empowers its clients to build self-confidence, discover talents and promote social inclusion, demonstrating how integrated care can transform communities and support older and vulnerable groups.
The ELEVATE project promotes cooperation between the public, civil and private sectors to build inclusive governance in the Danube region, involving older people and people with disabilities. The two-day meeting reaffirmed the goals of inclusive territorial development, mutual learning and strengthening cooperation to improve pilot ideas and create a scalable ELEVATE model.


FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE ELEVATE PROJECT:

Anita Molka, Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia, Slovenia

Lead Partner

Kidričeva cesta 1, Litija 1270, Slovenia

e-mail: anita.molka@razvoj.si, telephone: +386 1 8962 710

Jasna Presečki, Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia, Slovenia

Coordinator of Communication Activities

Kidričeva 1, 1270 Litija, Slovenia

e-mail: jasna.presecki@razvoj.si, telephone: +386 1 8962 713

List of partners in ELEVATE project:

  • Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia, Lead Partner
  • Municipality of Sevnica (SIovenia)
  • ISG, Amabilis (Slovenia)
  • Osijek-Barnaja County (Croatia)
  • Zagreb Innovation Centre Ltd. (Croatia)
  • Municipality of Irig (Serbia)
  • City of Cazin (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • Chamber of Commerce of Una – Sana Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • Táj – Kapocs Foundation for Collaborative Communities (Hungary)
  • Ideas Factory Association (Bulgaria)
  • General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection of 6th District of Bucharest (Romania)
  • Urbasofia S.R.L. (Romania)
  • Banska Bystrica Self-governing Region (Slovakia)
  • Kozodoj registered association (Chech Republic)
  • CoWorkLand eG (Germany)
  • Insitute for virtual and face-to-face learning in the area of adult education (ILEU) e.V. (Germany)
  • General Directorate of Medical and Social Assistance of Chișinău Municipality Council (Moldova)

More information about the ELEVATE project:https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate

More information about the Interreg Interreg Danube Region:https://interreg-danube.eu/

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