Ricerca Progetti europei e internazionaliSONYA

Sustainable Care, Inclusive Communities

This Project is funded by the European Union – Horizon Europe programme, under grant Agreement n. 101177171

In response to the pressing need for sustainable and socially inclusive care solutions for Europe’s ageing rural populations, the EU-funded SONYA project was launched to explore innovative approaches within the social economy. By focusing on three European rural regions – Trentino (Italy), Serranía-Ademúz (Spain), and Vidin (Bulgaria) – SONYA aims to support high-quality, community-centred elderly care that also fosters decent work and combats social exclusion.

Launched in November 2024, SONYA operates at the intersection of care, community resilience, and EU social rights.

The project’s core objective is to co-create community-based solutions, empowering elderly individuals and their caregivers with a system that provides dignity, fair working conditions, and regional support.

By building on the knowledge and experience of social economy actors, SONYA develops tailored policy recommendations that promote sustainable, community-driven care models capable of scaling across the EU.

With a Horizon Europe grant of 2.965.081,25 euros, SONYA is coordinated by Rennes School of Business in collaboration with key European and international partners, including the Department of Legal Sciences at the University of Florence, the Institute for Philosophy and Sociology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Fundación de la Comunitat Valenciana El Olmo, the Federazione Trentina della Cooperazione, the Active Society Association, Zabala Innovation S.A., and Deakin Business School at Deakin University (Australia).

Together, this consortium will analyse existing care structures, develop policy solutions, and promote best practices, ensuring that the project’s legacy strengthens regional development and elderly care well beyond its four-year duration.

Project goals:

1. Innovative Care Models: Develop adaptable and community-centred models of elderly care that strengthen rural communities.
2. Empowering Workers: Enhance working conditions and create fair employment opportunities for caregivers in rural areas.
3. Policy and Practice Framework: Generate EU-aligned policy recommendations that support the social economy’s role in rural elderly care.

Timeline: 1 Novembre 2024 – 31 Ottobre 2028 (48 months)
Total Budget: 2.965.081,25 EURO
FIR Budget: 304.750,00 EURO