The funding aims to give young people better conditions to finish school and shape their future, as well as to develop new forms of cooperation for social innovations that can meet labor market needs and other societal challenges, according to official sources. The municipalities in the county face challenges related to the labor market, skills supply, and young people's establishment in education and work.
Mikael Sandström, Director General of the Swedish ESF Council, visited Region Gävleborg to meet project leaders and see how European funds are translated into concrete development. During the visit, the region highlighted how project work is conducted around investments in young people's development, collaboration with civil society, and how innovation strengthens long-term competitiveness. Sandström said: "It is through the concrete examples – new labor market initiatives or new forms of collaboration – that it becomes clear what social innovations are and how they create value." The work is an example of how EU cohesion policy makes a difference where it is most needed, according to officials.
Two specific ESF-funded projects were highlighted. FUN Framtid supports high school students to increase school attendance and improve their chances of becoming eligible for upper secondary school. Gör't tillsammans develops support for social innovation so that civil society, the public sector, business, and academia can more easily collaborate on labor market issues, local development, and participation. The results of these projects may later be scaled or adapted to other regions, officials said. The specific amount of funding and measurable outcomes so far have not been disclosed, and the exact date of Sandström's visit was not specified.