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The industrial past is not a closed chapter: through social innovation, young people and community cooperation, new opportunities for development can open up in transforming mining regions.

The SIJMA project supports the transition of European mining and industrial regions that are forced to seek new development paths due to mine closures, labour market changes, demographic challenges and the emigration of young people. A primary objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of these regions to retain young people and to help create attractive local opportunities that offer long-term prospects for the young. To this end, the project supports the creation of new job creation and development opportunities by building on social innovation, community participation, the active involvement of young people, the strengthening of an entrepreneurial mindset and the sharing of good practices.

Who is it useful for?

The SIJMA is for those who treat the industrial transition not only as an economic transformation, but also as a social issue affecting young people, communities and local futures.

    • For young people
      It helps to ensure that former industrial and mining areas are not seen as a closed past, but as a potential site for their own future.
 
    • For local authorities
      It can provide new tools for the involvement of young people, civil society organisations, businesses and local communities.
 
    • For educational and vocational training institutions
      It provides a connection point between labour market needs, entrepreneurial skills and the vision of young people.
 
    • For businesses and industrial players
      He points out that retaining young people, social responsibility and strengthening the innovation ecosystem are also long-term economic interests.
 
    • For civil society organisations and community initiatives
      It provides an opportunity for them to play a more active role in shaping the social dimension of the industrial transition.
 
  • For policymakers
    It can provide international good practices and methodological experiences to support social innovation, employment and community resilience.

Why is this needed?

In transitioning mining regions, not only are new jobs needed, but also a new vision for the future, community self-confidence, and development opportunities that appeal to young people.

Many mining and industrial regions in Europe still bear the consequences of past economic restructuring. The closure of mines, the decline of heavy industry, technological transformation and the green transition are having a lasting impact on local communities. The challenge is not only how to create new jobs, but also how to retain young people locally, strengthen community participation and make those regions attractive once again whose identities were previously defined by mining and industry. This is particularly relevant for Central Transdanubia due to the Tatabánya-Oroszlány-Dorog industrial axis and the post-mining transition of Komárom-Esztergom County.

How does the project help?

SIJMA treats social innovation as a practical development tool: as a method that connects young people, local actors and new ideas.

The aim of SIJMA is to improve regional policy instruments that support social innovation, youth creativity, job creation and the development of transitioning mining regions. The main elements of the project are:

  • spatial analysis and stakeholder mapping;
  • identifying European good practices;
  • interregional study trips and workshops;
  • engaging young people and local stakeholders;
  • testing of social innovation and participatory methods;
  • development of policy proposals.
The project interprets the industrial past not as a burden, but as the basis for a new, future-oriented regional narrative.

Practical application

The project becomes tangible when a settlement with an industrial past not only wants to keep young people, but wants to rethink its own future together with them.

Let us imagine a rural industrial settlement where there are jobs, industrial tradition and technical know-how, yet many young people prefer to imagine their future in Budapest, abroad or in major innovation centres. In this situation, SIJMA can help uncover why young people are leaving, how they can be involved in shaping the region's vision for the future, and what social innovation ideas or community initiatives can strengthen local attachment. Thus, the industrial transition can emerge not just as a job creation issue, but as a more liveable, attractive and community-strong regional future.

Our role

The role of the WTRDA is to connect the social innovation opportunities of the Central Transdanubian industrial and post-mining regions with European good practices and local actors.

KDRIÜ is participating as a project partner in the SIJMA cooperation. The Hungarian focus is Komárom-Esztergom County, in particular the Tatabánya-Oroszlány-Dorog industrial axis. Its tasks include territorial analysis, mapping the stakeholder ecosystem, involving local actors, and formulating Hungarian policy lessons. The project is linked to the smart specialisation strategy of Central Transdanubia, specifically the themes of an inclusive society, the retention of young people, and social innovation. For KDRIÜ, the value of SIJMA lies in making the social, community, and youth dimensions of the industrial transition visible.

Partnership

The SIJMA partnership connects European regions that face similar issues in different ways: how to build a new future in transforming coal-mining regions. 7 project partners and 2 associated policy authorities are participating from Spain, Greece, Germany, North Macedonia and Hungary.

Managing partner:

  • General Directorate of Employment and Labour Affairs of the Government of the Principality of Asturias – Spain
Project 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
  • Centre for Social Innovations Blink 42-21 – North Macedonia
  • Central Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency Nonprofit Ltd. – Hungary
Associated policy authorities:
  • Region of Western Macedonia – Greece
  • District of Leipzig – Germany

Are you interested in the project?

For further information, please visit the official project page or contact the project manager.

Official project page

Programme

  • Interreg Europe

Full project title

  • SIJMA - Social innovation for job and development opportunities in mining areas in transition around Europe

Status

  • Under implementation

Maturity period

  • 1 May 2025 – 31 July 2029.

Project
ID

  • 03C1000

Project participants

István Hegedűs, Senior Project Coordinator of KDRIÜ

István Hegedűs

lead project coordinator

View profile

Results and related knowledge base materials

The results of SIJMA are truly useful when new regional cooperations are born from good practices, territorial analyses and youth-involving methods. The project results support the social side of the industrial transition, youth retention and community innovation.

    • Hungarian territorial assessment and strategic directions
      A summary of the industrial transition challenges and opportunities in Central Transdanubia, particularly Komárom-Esztergom County.
 
    • Collection of good practices
      European examples of youth involvement, community resilience, social innovation and job creation.
 
    • Stakeholder map
      Mapping of municipal, educational, labour market, business, civil and innovation stakeholders.
 
    • Thematic focus materials
      Priority themes: the role of women in industrial transition regions, retention of young people and future-oriented regional attractiveness.
 
    • Materials for workshops and study trips
      Presentations, summaries, methodological lessons and good practice demonstrations.
 
    • Policy development proposals
      Recommendations for strengthening social innovation, youth retention, female participation, and community resilience.
  Communication materials
Project brochure, newsletters, short videos, knowledge pill type learning materials, infographics and press materials.

Related communication content