The SIMPLE project (Social Innovation Models to Promote Learning and Employability) aims to improve the employability and social inclusion of Ukrainian women and other vulnerable groups affected by the war in Ukraine by identifying, adapting, and scaling innovative social solutions across Europe. The project, carried out in a transnational and multi-stakeholder partnership, builds on existing good practices and EUfunded initiatives to co-develop a model that can be transferred across different local contexts. Through a combination of analytical work, participatory stakeholder engagement, real-life piloting, and strategic dissemination, SIMPLE contributes to strengthening resilience, reducing inequalities, and supporting labour market integration through socially innovative and gender-sensitive approaches.
The methodology of the SIMPLE project is structured into interconnected steps, each building on the previous phase to develop an evidence-based and adaptable model that supports the employability of Ukrainian refugees through social innovation. The methodology follows the requirements of the call requirements as well as the application’s approach, further elaborated and discussed by partners at the Kick off meeting.
The first step in the methodology was to identify the sources of social innovation projects and practices that are worth to be taken into account as potential models for the SIMPLE Project. Also, the consortium broke into pairs of organisation to allow for synchronised yet collaborative work.
The next step focuses on developing a structured approach for identifying and selecting social innovation initiatives that are particularly relevant to migrants, refugees, and other disadvantaged groups. This involves defining a clear set of selection criteria and a transparent, evidence-based filtering process to ensure consistency and comparability across the consortium. In this context, specific keywords, filters, and descriptive features are applied—such as target group characteristics, type and duration of intervention, level of impact, and context (e.g., rural vs. urban). The actual selection of the social innovation practices for adaptation will be achieved in a three-round filtering and contextual analysis exercise.
Finally, the adaptability and transferability of the chosen social innovation initiatives are defined in a Theory of Change exercise.
The responsibilities for developing the methodology and conducting the assessment will be clearly divided among partners based on their thematic expertise and operational focus. A common timeline is agreed upon, including intermediate milestones for validation and review, to ensure the timely delivery of the compendium of selected practices and the foundation for the subsequent Theory of Change.
As in every research project, certain changes were initiated after the initial procedures and steps shed lights in certain areas for the need of mitigation procedures. These changes are also explained in this document.
The original concept was built on the following logical framework:
The WP2 runs in the first 6 months of the project, with deliverables due at the end of October 2025. The following timeline was foreseen:
Progressive filtering- narrowing selection model
The overall selection process follows a progressive narrowing model: we begin with a large number of initiatives and, step by step, narrow them down. At each stage, we look at the projects in more detail, applying more specific criteria to decide which ones move forward.
|
Phase |
Number of Initiatives |
Output |
|
Phase 0 |
~100–2000 |
database of mapped projects |
|
Phase 1 |
~100 → 50 |
pre-selected shortlist |
|
Phase 2 |
50 → 12 |
Case study template / shortlist |
|
Phase 3 |
12 → 2 |
selected Theory of change cases |
Timeline
|
Milestone |
Deadline |
|
Methodology Finalization (Deliverable 2.1) |
June 2025 |
|
Mapping and Part A/B Completion |
July 2025 |
|
Case Study Selection (50 → 12) |
September 2025 |
|
Theory of Change Selection (12 → 2) |
October 2025 |
Responsibilities
|
Role |
Task |
|
WP2 Leader (HETFA) |
methodology design, coordination, data collection management, quality control, facilitation of joint decisions |
|
All partners |
data collection, first-level screening, template completion, participation in joint review |
|
All partners |
joint decision-making for all selection rounds beyond formal screening |
This contextual analysis and needs assessment is conducted through a multi-layered desk research approach, combining a structured review of academic literature, policy documents, statistical datasets, and practical evidence from recent European initiatives. The analysis focuses specifically on the situation of Ukrainian refugees in Europe, with particular attention to women, older adults, and women with dependent children, reflecting the target groups of the SIMPLE project.
First, a systematic literature review is undertaken to identify key themes in migration studies, labour market integration, skill transferability, psychosocial adaptation, and gender-specific integration barriers. Sources include peer-reviewed academic publications, research institutions, international organisations (e.g., IOM, UNHCR, OECD, Eurofound), and national reports from the countries represented in the consortium.
Second, a policy and institutional review is performed to map the existing legal frameworks, integration instruments, labour market access regulations, and social innovation programmes relevant to Ukrainian refugees. Particular emphasis is placed on identifying supportive measures (e.g., recognition of qualifications, language training, childcare support) as well as structural gaps and fragmentation in service provision.
Third, comparative thematic analysis is applied to synthesize findings across countries and contexts. Attention is given to socio-economic profiles, employment patterns, skills and qualification structures, language proficiency trends, psychosocial factors, and the role of community networks and local service ecosystems. The analysis also integrates evidence from recent EU-funded projects to identify practical approaches, validated models, and lessons learned in refugee employability and social innovation.
The resulting structure of the report follows a problem-focused logic:
This methodology ensures that the needs assessment remains both evidence-based and applicable to the operational context of the SIMPLE project, providing a robust foundation for the selection and adaptation of social innovation practices in the subsequent work packages.
The review of previous initiatives starts with data collection and a general search across initiatives relevant to the SIMPLE topic.
The research will focus at selected databases in order to make a concentrated effort to find the relevant social innovation examples. In order to facilitate efficient use of consortium efforts, different teams will focus at different databases/resources for first-level screening of social innovation initiatives.
The participating organisations will pair up as follows:
Regarding the availability of databases and knowledge sources for previous social innovation projects, the landscape is very diverse. The challenge is that enough public information should be available about a project / social innovation initiative so that the target group, the activities, the key performance indicators, its effectiveness and impact may be estimated for the purposes of the SIMPLE project. There is no potential in social innovation examples of which only anecdotal evidence is available.
In Annex 1, the detailed instructions are available regarding the screenshots of the different European grant portals from where partners can gather information.
The identification and analysis of relevant social innovation initiatives within the SIMPLE project depend on contextual parameters that reflect both the specific objectives of the action and the broader policy frameworks within which it operates. While the primary focus lies on supporting the employability and entrepreneurial potential of Ukrainian women, the project adopts an inclusive and multidimensional lens in defining the scope of eligible and relevant practices. Particular attention is directed toward initiatives that address the needs of other vulnerable or underrepresented groups, including older adults, caregivers, and individuals who are inactive in the labour market due to structural or situational barriers.
In this phase, partners map the existing projects from their assigned databases, based on the filtering keywords we identified. Partners work in assigned pairs based on thematic or geographical expertise.
Previous projects and social innovation initiatives are to be first screened through via a set of filtering keywords that fit the project’s needs and have been agreed upon by the consortium. These filters are the following keywords for the first level of selection:
This list allows to – having been applied on the databases presented above – to have an initial starting base of social innovation projets that support migrants and refugees in their inclusion and employability.
Potential further keywords were also recommended but agreed that for a first level analysis, they may further narrow the list of projects. These are: urban/rural, Ukraine, minorities, disadvantaged.
In the search mode, first all 9 keywords – with their alternates included – should be applied on each database and then, if this results in a search too narrow (with limited number of results), keywords can be cut from the filtering exercise.
Potentially a 1000 project will be the result of this keyword-based approach, combining all these databases as resources. Social innovation related projects relevant for inclusion and employability of migrants may exceed 1000 according to our expectations. It is up to the search teams to select those that have sufficient information available and can be a basis of a more meticulous selection process. The aim is to end up with 50 projects within the whole consortium.
An evaluation template (“fiche”) is provided for filling out on the screened social innovation practices / projects. Part A focuses more on a general introduction and Part B on content-oriented issues.
Projects passing both Part A and B are eligible for the next phase. If the number of eligible projects exceeds 50, partners will jointly review the full list and, through a coordinated selection process agree on the 50 projects that will form the pre-selection shortlist. The selection will aim to ensure thematic balance, geographic diversity, and sufficient evidence for further assessment.
As the project progresses, a more detailed second-level screening will follow, focusing on the 12 selected initiatives. For these, a case study template is developed. This aims at identifying the transferability, and replicability of the selected initiatives, as well as puts the potential examples into perspective with the consortium’s capacities for implementation,
The practices sought are those that go beyond individual-level interventions and aim to respond to systemic challenges such as gender-based inequality, exclusion from employment and training pathways, lack of recognition of prior learning, and limited access to quality services. Preference is given to those approaches that integrate multiple layers of support—combining, for example, skill development, personalised mentoring, psychosocial assistance, and active labour market measures—and that are embedded in a broader strategy of social inclusion and empowerment. Furthermore, the project prioritises initiatives that reflect the principles of the quadruple helix model by engaging public institutions, civil society actors, the private sector, and knowledge providers in the design and implementation of solutions. This ensures that selected practices are not only contextually responsive but also institutionally grounded and participatory in nature.
Transferability and scalability are also key parameters guiding the selection process. The project seeks initiatives that demonstrate clear potential for adaptation across different local and national contexts, with particular emphasis on Central and Eastern European countries where comparable socio-economic conditions prevail. In this regard, attention is given to the presence of enabling factors such as flexible implementation frameworks, proper stakeholder engagement mechanisms, and documented experiences of replication or scaling. A further selection criterion is the existence of credible evidence of effectiveness or at least evaluability, ensuring that chosen practices can contribute meaningfully to the development of the project's Theory of Change and to the design of future interventions.
The case study templates therefore focus at :
The WP2 Working Group, with one representative from each partner, will meet to jointly discuss all the case studies. The goal is to reach a consensus on which projects should be included in the 12-case shortlist. If consensus cannot be reached, a voting process will be used to make the final decision. Once agreement is reached, the final list of 12 selected cases will be officially approved by the group.
The final selection is planned to be made at the next project meeting where the decision on the selected 2 out of 12 initiatives (and a potential reserve list) will be discussed and the Theory of Change developed for those selected.
The workshop at the second project meeting is conducted jointly by the WP2 working group and WP2 leader. Two cases will be selected for theory of change development.
- strategic considerations apply:
The final 2 Theory of Change cases will be selected by the WP2 Working Group using the same joint process. If relevant, the group may consult the Steering Committee inputs before final approval.
Changes in the methodology require that a more modular approach is taken in final selection of initiatives to be carried out.
The selection of social innovation initiatives followed the originally planned multi-stage framework; however, during implementation, several practical constraints and insights emerged that required methodological adjustments. These changes did not alter the overall purpose of the selection exercise, but rather ensured that the final set of initiatives included in the Compendium would be usable, transferable, and evidence-based, in line with the goals of WP2 and WP4.
(1) Availability and Quality of Documentation Became the Primary Filtering Criterion
In the initial planning, documentation was considered one of several evaluation criteria.
However, during the review it became evident that documentation quality was in practice the decisive factor determining whether an initiative could be meaningfully analyzed or adapted.
Many promising social innovation initiatives (including those funded under reputable EU programmes) lacked:
In numerous cases, available project webpages from Interreg, UIA/Urbact, Erasmus , AMIF or national programs contained only promotional summaries without operational substance. Other project websites had expired domains, offline repositories, or broken external links.
We attempted to mitigate this by:
Despite these efforts, projects without sufficient documentation had to be excluded, because without clear methodological descriptions, no transferable learning could be derived. Therefore, documentation availability became the single strongest determinant in progressing from the list of 50 to the final shortlist of 12.
This change reflects a practical necessity rather than a shift in conceptual approach.
(2) Distinguishing Between First-Wave Humanitarian Support and Longer-Term Integration Initiatives
During review, it became necessary to separate initiatives into two functional categories:
Because SIMPLE focuses explicitly on employability, participation in local economies, and social innovation, initiatives belonging to category (1) were not excluded, but were deprioritized unless they also included structured components that:
This distinction was particularly relevant for Ukrainian refugees, because the timeline of displacement (post-2022) means a large proportion of recent support initiatives remain in phase (1). For the purposes of SIMPLE, phase (2) practices are more relevant to WP3 and WP4 piloting activities.
(3) Target Group Relevance Considered as a Weighted but Not Deterministic Criterion
While the relevance of the target group (Ukrainian refugees, women, older adults, parents with children) was included as a criterion, it was not treated as a mandatory condition for selection.
The practical rationale is twofold:
Therefore, the target group criteria were weighted, but not used to automatically exclude otherwise well-documented and transferable initiatives.
(4) Scale, Length, and Resource Realism Assessed for Transferability
Another adjustment concerned the operational and resource scale of initiatives reviewed.
SIMPLE operates with:
Therefore, during shortlisting, we assessed whether core elements of each initiative were:
Large-scale initiatives were not excluded; instead, we extracted only the transferable modules, such as:
This preserves relevance while maintaining realism.
(5) Outcome of Adjustments
The final shortlist of 12 initiatives is thus composed of:
The Theory of Change (ToC) is a methodological framework used to describe how and why a desired change is expected to happen in a particular context. It articulates the causal pathway between activities and outcomes, links interventions to the needs identified, and makes explicit the assumptions that underlie expected results. In the context of SIMPLE, the ToC process provides a structured way to translate insights from the needs assessment and the review of social innovation initiatives into coherent, actionable pilot activities that can be tested and validated within the consortium.
The purpose of applying ToC in SIMPLE is threefold:
By making these causal assumptions explicit, the ToC approach reduces the risk of inappropriate transfer and supports methodologically sound adaptation rather than superficial replication.
The ToC development process will follow these steps:
This mapping will be carried out collaboratively with partners to ensure shared understanding.
The selected initiatives (12 in total) represent diverse approaches to employability, entrepreneurship, community engagement, and skills development. The ToC process will be applied individually to each initiative to extract:
Once these analyses are completed, initiatives will be grouped into thematic clusters (e.g., digital skills empowerment, entrepreneurship mentoring, community-based inclusion, etc.). These clusters will guide the design of SIMPLE’s pilot interventions in WP4, ensuring that the pilots are grounded in evidence-based change pathways rather than intuition or preference.
The ToC process will result in:
The Theory of Change model’s success will strongly depend on the proper application of monitoring tools and evaluation techniques for the realisation of the project as well, since the main aim is to prove transferability and adaptability of the initiatives, and in order to best serve as a basis for future adaptation, the piloting exercise, with their assumptions and activities are to be properly monitored and documented.
EASI 2014-2020, VP/2016/015 and VP 2020/003
For projets in EASI 2014-2020, VP/2016/015 and VP 2020/003 an overview and assessment is available in Commission documents such as the Final Assessment Study Assessing and disseminating the results of the social innovation calls financed by the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) 2014-2020 (https://www.cde.ual.es/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/KE0122172ENN.en_.pdf ) Some projects still maintain their websites, but some projects are not available as their sustainability period is already over. Individual search is needed.
Urban Innovative Actions
As for the Urban Innovative Actions, we identified three calls that can be relevant in terms of social aspects. https://uia-initiative.eu/en/uia-cities

Horizon projects
The Horizon projects – both Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe - are well-available via the Funding and Tenders website.

Erasmus, Erasmus
All Erasmus( ) projects are available to some extent via the Funding and Tenders portal.

The EPALE portal is also a useful source.

Interreg
As for INTERREG projects, a central portal is found at https://interreg.eu. Nevertheless, Interreg is not one donor rather a family and there are several subsequent portals for the different macroregional and cross-border Interreg programmes that may be relevant to this topic.
https://www.interregeurope.eu/search-approved-projects

Further relevant projects can be identified in some of the relevant macroregional Interreg programmes and the Ukraine-bordering CBC programmes. For example the Danube Region Programme (Interreg Danube) that covers Hungary, Slovakia, Romania (all border Ukraine) (Website: https://www.interreg-danube.eu).
These are direct EU-Ukraine CBC programmes under Interreg NEXT 2021–2027 and previous ENI CBC arrangements.
These programmes focus on cross-border cooperation in areas like social inclusion, emergency services, mobility, and institutional capacity.
CERV EQUAL
Regarding CERV EQUAL projects, the Funding and Tenders portal offers a list of previous projects. After narrowing the options for the 2021-2027 period, also narrowing for CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) the given year’s EQUAL projects are also available. https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/projects-results?order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=es_SortDate&isExactMatch=true&programmePeriod=2021 - 2027&frameworkProgramme=43251589&topicAbbreviation=CERV-2022-EQUAL .
The CERV EQUAL strand (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values – Equality, Rights and Gender Equality) supports actions that address discrimination, promote inclusion, and advance equal access to rights, making it highly relevant to projects targeting the integration and employability of migrants and refugees. By fostering rights-based, gender-sensitive, and community-driven approaches, the programme creates space for social innovation that enables vulnerable groups—among them migrant women or displaced persons. But CERV EQUAL does not directly target only migrant communities so keyword-based filtering is necessary to see if there are relevant initiatives.
Important to note that this is not the same as the Equal Initiative that run between 2000-2006.

The EEA and Norway Grants
Though the EEA and Norway Grants are not directly European Funds, their modus operandi is very well fit into the European project landscape and their focus is strongly connected to the social innovation related topics relevant for the current SIMPLE exercise. The website: https://eeagrants.org/archive/2014-2021/programmes, and filtering for the 2014-2021 period is important.

Part A – Basic Information
This section gathers essential factual data to ensure that each initiative is documented, traceable, and eligible for further consideration.
|
Field |
Description / Notes |
|
Initiative Name |
Full official name of the initiative |
|
Country / Region of Implementation |
Indicate where the initiative was implemented |
|
Lead Organisation |
Coordinating body (public, private, NGO, etc.) |
|
Project Period |
Start and end dates (YYYY–YYYY) |
|
Funding Source(s) |
E.g. Horizon 2020, ESF , Erasmus , national/regional funds |
|
Total Budget |
Total amount allocated (if available) |
|
Number of Beneficiaries / Participants |
Provide numeric data or approximate estimates |
|
Availability of Project Documentation |
Tick box: [ ] Final report [ ] Mid-term report [ ] Website [ ] Evaluation report [ ] Other: ……………………………………………………….. |
|
Access to Materials |
Public / Restricted / On request |
|
Language of Materials |
E.g. English, national language |
Initiatives without documentation will be excluded from further review.
Part B – Content-Oriented Assessment
This section explores the strategic, social, and operational relevance of the initiative in relation to the SIMPLE project's aims.
|
Field |
Description / Notes |
|
Target Group Definition |
Who was supported? Specify gender, nationality, age, status (e.g. migrant women, youth) …………………..……………………………….. …………………………………………………….. ………………….……………………………….. |
|
Size of Target Group |
Total number reached or planned (disaggregated by gender if possible) ……………………………………………………..….. |
|
Stakeholders Involved |
Describe actors involved, ideally classified via the quadruple helix model: |
|
– Public sector / authorities: ……………………………………………….. |
|
|
– Civil society / NGOs: ……………………………….. |
|
|
– Business / employers: ……………………………….. |
|
|
– Academia / research organisations: ……………………………….. |
|
|
Main Objectives of the Initiative |
Summarise the intervention logic (1–2 lines) ………………………………………..……………………….. ……………………………………………..………………….. ……………………………………………..………………….. |
|
Key Activities |
E.g. training, mentoring, placement, community building ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. |
|
Level of Innovation |
What makes the initiative innovative in its method, content, or delivery? ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. |
|
Evidence of Evaluation or Impact |
Is there a project or third-party evaluation? Tick box: [ ] Internal [ ] External |
|
Follow-up Activities / Sustainability |
Was the initiative scaled, continued, or replicated? Describe. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. |
|
Transferability Potential |
Is there evidence that this could be adapted to other contexts? Tick box: [ ] Yes [ ] No Reasoning: ……………….……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. ………………………………..……………………………….. |
We would like to acknowledge the contributions to this “Common Methodology” made by all of the SIMPLE - Social Innovation Models to Promote Learning and Employability consortium partners:
Hétfa Kutatóintézet KFT (HEFTA), Hungary – Renata Anna Jaksa, Author
CONTRIBUTORS:
CTS Customized Training Solutions sp. z o.o. (CTS), Poland
University Civitas (University Civitas), Poland
Adriatic Ionian Euroregion (AIE), Croatia
Institut de Haute Formation aux Politiques Communautaires asbl (IHF), Belgium
IDP SAS DI GIANCARLO COSTANTINO (ITALIAN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS) (IDP), Italy
Asociación IT Solutions for All (ITSFA),Spain
Hope Ukraine Foundation E.T.S. (HOPE UKRAINE), Italy
DISCLAIMER
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.
LICENCE
“Common Methodology” © 2025 by Hétfa Kutatóintézet KFT (HEFTA), CTS Customized Training Solutions sp. z o.o. (CTS), Poland, University Civitas (University Civitas), Poland, Adriatic Ionian Euroregion (AIE), Croatia, Institut de Haute Formation aux Politiques Communautaires asbl (IHF), Belgium, IDP SAS DI GIANCARLO COSTANTINO (ITALIAN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS) (IDP), Italy, Asociación IT Solutions for All (ITSFA),Spain, Hope Ukraine Foundation E.T.S. (HOPE UKRAINE), Italy – is licensed under:
Legal description – Creative Commons licensing: The SIMPLE - Social Innovation Models to Promote Learning and Employability project materials are classified as Open Educational Resources' (OER) and can be freely (without permission of their creators): downloaded, used, reused, copied, adapted, and shared by users, with information about the source of their origin.

To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.
Collaboration is at the heart of the SIMPLE project. We work with a diverse range of stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and civil society to achieve our goals. Our partnerships are crucial for establishing strong networks, sharing resources, and maximizing the impact of our initiatives for Ukrainian refugees.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.
Legal description – Creative Commons licensing: The materials published on the SIMPLE project website are classified as Open Educational Resources' (OER) and can be freely (without permission of their creators): downloaded, used, reused, copied, adapted, and shared by users, with information about the source of their origin.