It all started with you nominating best regional EU-funded projects. We later asked you to vote for your favourites, and now we have them – the twelve winning projects in each Slovenian statistical region that will open their doors during the open EU project day event on 9 and 10 June 2017 to mark the EU Project, My Project 2017 campaign. In just 42 days more than 63,000 votes were cast for different projects that received contributions from the European Social Fund, European Regional Development Fund or Cohesion Fund in individual regions.
Here are the winners – the projects that will open their doors to visitors during the two-day open day event in June:
- Pomurska statistical region: ON-THE-JOB TRAINING is a programme that reaches out to unemployed individuals as most vulnerable individuals in the labour market by integrating them in on-the-job training programmes through work placements. Out of 444 individuals participating in the programme in Pomurje, as many as 374 individuals or 84 % of all participants landed a job soon afterwards, which is a remarkable success.
Podravska statistical region: REGIONAL HUB OF NGOS OF THE PODRAVJE REGION is a project that resulted in the establishment of a regional NGO hub as a permanent NGO support and development centre. The centre provides quality services that cater to the needs of the NGO sector which manifest in the lack of financial and human resources, managerial skills and decision-making capacities. In its role as a regional hub, the NGO centre fosters coordinated action of NGOs at the local and regional level, provides information and an array of support services, encourages social engagement of NGOs and their participation in the consultation processes and carries out awareness raising activities to make the NGO presence more visible and felt.
- Koroška statistical region: RAVNE, THE TOWN OF FORMA VIVA. More than 30 unique steel sculptures have been erected in the past five decades in the Koroška region. 31 steel masterpieces of world-renowned sculptors can be admired while taking a stroll in industrial parts of the town of Ravne na Koroškem, and other sculptures have been scattered across neighbouring towns in the Mežiška dolina valley. A number of them have been given a fresh look under restoration works, and landscaping works were carried out to improve their surroundings, information signs were set up informing visitors they are entering home to one of Europe’s largest steel art outdoor exhibitions and several art symposia were held. Thus, Ravne, the town of Forma Viva has emerged as a top cultural and tourist attraction region-wide and nation-wide.
- Savinjska statistical region: DRINKING WATER SUPPLY IN THE ŠALEŠKA DOLINA VALLEY – this environmental infrastructure project delivers safe, reliable and sustainable supply of drinking water to about 45,000 inhabitants of the Šaleška dolina valley. A major step forward was made in terms of conservation of natural resources and ecosystems thanks to the construction of the water distribution infrastructure which delivers safe drinking water, helps rationalise water supply through water leakage reduction measures, and creates favourable conditions for further tourism, entrepreneurship and agriculture development.
- Posavska statistical region: RESTORATION OF THE SEVNICA CASTLE SURROUNDINGS is a project that resulted in the renovation of the castle park and castle surroundings, reconstruction of the gardener’s villa, and restoration of the paths in the park, thus restoring the castle surroundings to their former glory. The castle itself is a major regional and national landmark attracting flocks of visitors and a perfect venue for various events and recreational activities, which opens up opportunities for the development of new cultural and tourism-related products.
- Jugovzhodna Slovenija statistical region: WASTEWATER COLLECTION AND TREATMENT IN THE KRKA RIVER BASIN - the newly constructed wastewater treatment plant serving 55,000 PE and improvements carried out on the sewer system have made the Krka River a much cleaner river.
- Osrednjeslovenska statistical region: ‘’INCLUDE & ACTIVATE!’’ The project targets persons with mental health disorders and mental disabilities, persons serving prison sentences scheduled for release, and persons participating in drug rehabilitation programmes and is being implemented in seven institutions across Slovenia. Under the guidance of experienced mentors – writers, poets, illustrators – participants dive into the world of literature, poetry and images to awaken their own creativity, skills, creative expression and writing and discover other untapped potentials, seek to improve digital literacy (by using e-readers and getting to know e-books) and gain public speaking skills. These activities improve their social skills which helps them successfully (re)integrate into society, and, in turn, into labour market.
- Gorenjska statistical region: CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABER NURSING HOME. The newly built nursing home offers integrated and high quality social and nursing care services to 150 residents.
- Primorsko-notranjska statistical region: PESCA, FOOD EDUCATION PROJECT promoted the consumption of local, traditional Slovenian and Italian products in school cafeterias.
- Goriška statistical region: RESTORATION OF TRAILS AND OPENING OF PANORAMIC PLATFORM AT THE CERJE MONUMENT. The project supported the restoration of trails leading atop the Cerje hill where Memorial to the defenders of the Slovenian homeland stands. The project brought together various institutions and groups in the Karst region to work closely together to preserve the natural, cultural and historic heritage and make the Karst region visible.
- Obalno-kraška statistical region: ADRIHEALTHMOB is a project which puts at the forefront of its agenda the accessibility of health and care services. The collected data and analyses investigating all travels made, purposes of travel and modes of transport used, taking into account the accessibility of individual services, will be the basis for planning health infrastructure underpinned by optimisation and rationalisation of cross border mobility for health reasons in individual areas, and by development of modern networking capacity to implement services of tele-medicine. The platforms in place allow the patients and health staff to be mobile and bring health and care services across the entire Adriatic region closer to the ones who need them.
- Zasavska statistical region: COMPETENCE CENTRE FOR HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT STEKLAR. In Steklarna Hrastnik, where 456 workers followed an on-the-job training programme, a 5 % production performance rise was recorded in the tableware line and in the Special line.
Congratulations to the winners!
The winning projects will be featured during the open day event taking place on 9 and 10 June 2017, more information about the programme and events will be available online at www.eu-skladi.si
Most votes were cast for nominated projects in the Gorenjska region, in Jugovzhodna Slovenija and in the Obalno-kraška region. The project Wastewater collection and treatment in the Krka River basin received even more than 12,500 votes! For other voting results go to www.eu-skladi.si/sl/aktualno/glasovanje-eu-projekt-moj-projekt-2017.
We are more than happy to see that those who nominated EU-funded projects recognised success stories of individuals, companies and organisations that received support from the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund or the Cohesion Fund. Countless examples of success stories are a proof that EU money makes a real and significant difference, makes life better for all of us. More than 5,700 projects have been delivered in the last decade and we are truly looking forward to seeing many new success stories being written. Numerous opportunities are being opened up right now via calls for proposals launched by different ministries. Check the latest funding opportunities at www.eu-skladi.si. Almost 30 calls for proposals are currently open – companies, job-seekers, public institutes, societies, various organisations and institutions, schools, research and higher education institutions, municipalities and others may apply for funding. Slovenia has more than EUR 3 billion available until 2023. More than 200 projects, calls for proposals or programmes worth over EUR 960 million have already been supported by the available funding – they all have one thing in common - creating growth and jobs.
The EU Project, My Project campaign is part of the Europe in My Region Campaign, a European Union-wide campaign launched by the European Commission encouraging citizens to discover European projects near them. In 2017, four different initiatives - project openings, a photo contest, a project hunt and a blogging contest - invite the public to visit projects, share images and experiences via social media. Thousands of EU projects open their doors mainly in May. For more information go to www.eu-skladi.si/sl/aktualno/glasovanje-eu-projekt-moj-projekt-2017
Discover, play and win awards given out by the European Commission - trips across Europe! Those of you who voted for your favourite EU-funded project under the EU Project, My Project campaign will enter a draw. The Government Office for Development and Regional Policy will give out practical prizes to 20 lucky winners selected in a draw on 17 May 2017.