This report presents the collective lessons learned regarding support for social innovation in the Swedish program for the European Social Fund (ESF). The ESF is the European Union’s (EU’s) primary instrument for employment, education, and inclusion.
In the current programming period, ESF+ 2021–2027, all EU countries are expected to support social innovation in their national ESF programs. In the Swedish ESF program, a specific program area for social innovation has been established: Program Area E (PA E). This area funds projects aimed at developing innovative solutions to address current challenges in social inclusion, the labor market, and education.
The annual analysis reports aim to synthesize lessons learned at the project, program, and system levels. The first analysis report focused on the conditions for promoting innovative inclusion in the workforce and society through the national center of expertise. The second focused on the value added by a dedicated program area for social innovation within the ESF. This third analysis report focuses on how targeted, sustainable, and value-creating social innovations can be promoted through the ESF, based on the center of excellence’s collective lessons learned during 2022–2026. The report was authored by two researchers at the center of excellence and the center’s coordinator.
About the Competence Centre for Social Innovation
This report was prepared within the framework of Sweden’s National “ Competence Centre for Social Innovation ” under the European Social Fund. The Competence Center is operated by the Center for Social Innovation and Research ( Forum for Social Innovation Sweden ) at Malmö University, Coompanion Sweden, Famna, and the National Network for Coordination Associations, on behalf of the Swedish ESF Council and with funding from the European Union.
The Competence Center’s overall goal is to promote targeted, sustainable, and value-creating social innovations in the implementation of ESF+.