Mining regions in Europe have their own geographic, social, economic, cultural and even identity characteristics that have marked their past and that mark their present development after the reconversion policies. SIJMA (Social Innovation for Job and development opportunities in Mining Areas in transition around Europe) supports regional and interregional learning between 9 public and private organizations with a mining tradition and experience in social innovation in Spain, Greece, North Macedonia, Hungary and Germany to improve policy instruments that foster social innovation and creativity among young people to bring mining areas in transition to life and create development and employment opportunities.

Why social innovation?

Social innovation can make a big difference in addressing the problems of these areas as a source of innovative and dynamic approaches to solving social, demographic, labour, cultural and environmental challenges, mobilising civil society actors and promoting economic, social and environmentally sustainable development from the bottom up.

Lead partner: General Directorate of Employment and Labor Affairs of the Government of Principality of Asturias (Spain)

Partners: 

• Cives Mundi (Spain)
• Just Transition Institute Greece (Greece)
• Aufbauwerk Region Leipzig GmbH (Germany)
• Centre for development of the South-East planning region (North Macedonia)
• Center for Social Innovations Blink 42-21(North Macedonia)
• CTRIA - Central Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency Nonprofit Ltd. (Hungary)

Duration of the project: May 1, 2025 – July 31, 2029

The official project website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/sijma