16/10/2025
Advancing rural social inclusion – Next stop for the INSPIRE partners: Dublin, Ireland and the pilot rural area in Moate
The INSPIRE consortium
Our 3rd Project Meeting in Dublin
The third project meeting of the INSPIRE Project took place in Ireland, bringing together our consortium partners from across 11 European countries to review progress, exchange insights, and plan the next steps toward more inclusive and connected rural communities.
Hosted by The Wheel in Dublin on the 8th and 9th of October 2025, and coordinated by our project coordinator, White Research, the meeting, on the first day, combined strategic discussions on our progress, reflection on the project’s achievements so far, coordination of upcoming actions and overseeing the key milestones reached during the 2nd semester, which include the creation of a report on the Drivers and factors of social exclusion in rural areas: macro-, meso-, and micro-level, the Regional typology of European rural areas and the Network of Interest.
Atlas brainstorming groups
An engaging interactive session was also held to shape the upcoming INSPIRE Services & Social Economy Atlas on Rural Empowerment, an online repository showcasing services, initiatives, and social economy models from across rural Europe. Participants worked in small groups to brainstorm the Atlas’s key aspects, including search and interactive functionalities, language and accessibility, links to the project’s typology and policy dashboard, content depth and usability for policymakers, and long-term sustainability.
Field trip in Moate
On the second day, on-the-ground experiences took place, including a field visit to Moate, where participants met local organisations turning inclusion into everyday practice. These encounters showcased how local initiatives can make a tangible difference.
Among them were:
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Westmeath Libraries, supporting people with disabilities through accessible reading materials and digital services.
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New Horizon, offering language courses, life skills, and integration support for migrants and asylum seekers.
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Local community groups, working to improve access to social services and strengthen participation among residents in vulnerable situations.
Our presenters
Next Meeting
Looking ahead, the next INSPIRE project meeting will be hosted by PEDAL Consulting in Slovakia, and partners will have the opportunity to visit the Košice Smart Village Lab, one of INSPIRE’s pilots.
