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SILVER SMEs

What is the project about?

SILVER SMEs is a five-year INTERREG Europe project started in June 2018 and will last until 2023. SILVER SMEs aims to support regional policies in rural and mountainous areas by enlightening the potential for small- and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop new innovative products and services of benefit and joy for a senior population and for growth and competitiveness of the regions. The project will focus on SMEs development opportunities to produce goods and products for the retired (from 62 years old), especially those living in peripheral and rural areas.

Discover SILVER SMEs in brief in our project brochure and video presentation!

 

Who are the partners ?

SILVER SMEs gathers 9 partners across Europe. The project leader is the Spanish Province of Teruel. Here is the completed list of SILVER SMEs partners:

  • Provincial Government of Teruel (Spain)
  • Region Dalarna – The Regional Development Council of Dalarna County (Sweden)
  • Intermunicipal Community CIM Ave (Portugal)
  • Cork Institute of Technology (Ireland)
  • Soca Valley Development Centre (Slovenia)
  • Society for the Development of the Province of Burgos (SODEBUR) (Spain)
  • Eurasanté EEIG (France)
  • Regional Development Agency JSC (Poland)
  • Euromontana (France)

What are SILVER SMEs results?

In May 2021, SILVER SMEs published its results factsheet, presenting the main outcomes from the three first years of the project .

Best practices

For 3 years, SILVER SMEs’ partners exchanged regional experiences and inspiring initiatives that support both business creation and the quality of life of rural older adults. From housing to mobility, leisure activities, tourism and ICT, these examples can provide other rural and mountainous areas with inspiration to better cope with ageing. More than 70 good practices are available in SILVER SMEs’ database.

23 of these were deemed as best practices for their relevance to support SME creation in the sector of the Silver Economy in rural and mountainous areas. They are available in 3 thematic brochures on:

8 of our best practices are also briefly presented in videos!

Analysis of 8 regional contexts

At the beginning of the project, SILVER SMEs partners carried out regional SWOT analysis to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in their regions. Based on interviews of SMEs, social partners, researchers, and policy makers, these 8 regional analyses helped to understand the opportunities but also barriers to the development of the Silver Economy in regions. A composite SWOT analysis also synthesizes the specificities of our 8 rural and mountainous areas.

You can also find more on regional contexts and on the specificities of ageing in rural Europe by checking out the 9 interactive infographics of SILVER SMEs!

Policy recommendations

In January 2021, the European Commission published its Green Paper on Ageing – an initiative aimed at triggering a debate on demographic change and ageing in European countries. SILVER SMEs’ partners contributed to the European Commission’s consultation on the EU Green Paper on Ageing. The contribution provides recommendations on how to support ageing regions and how to these territories can adapt to demographic change by developing and supporting the Silver Economy sector. Read SILVER SMEs’ position paper.

Thematic seminars

Since 2018, SILVER SMEs organised 4 thematic seminars related to the business opportunities arising from ageing:

  • “Business opportunities linked to Active Ageing” on the 23rd of May 2019 in Tolmin, Slovenia. Access the report.
  • “Business opportunities linked to fragile and vulnerable ageing population” on the 24th of October 2019 in Zielona Gora, Poland. Access the report and presentations.
  • ”Business opportunities linked to dependent ageing” on the 5th and 6th of February 2020 in Cork, Ireland. Access the report and presentations.
  • “Senior Tourism and Accessibility » on the 2nd of September 2020 online. Access the report, recording and presentations.

Online conference on the challenges and solutions to cope with ageing in rural Europe

SILVER SMEs also organised its online mid-term conference “Challenges and solutions to cope with ageing in rural Europe: the role of the Silver Economy” on 21st April 2021 to reflect on demographic change and explore solutions with European and regional policymakers.

You can relive the conference by reading the event report and watching the recording!

 

For more information

Visit SILVER SMEs website for more information

If you are interested to follow the project results and outcomes, you can subscribe to the project newsletter !

You can also follow SILVER SMEs on the social media

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Euromontana sur Facebook

2 days ago

Euromontana
The Puigcerdà Declaration is out! 💥On #InternationalMountainDay we unveil the Declaration co-constructed with mountain communities during the 2024 European Mountain Convention ⛰️"We declare that our mountain economies must be prosperous, resilient and sustainable and we propose actionable recommendations to support our territories during the new EU mandate and beyond" says our President Laura Gascon HerreroRead the Declaration 📜 www.euromontana.org/outcomes/#declaration#MountainsMatter #IMD2024 ... See MoreSee Less
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3 days ago

Euromontana
Happy International Mountain Day! 🌄🌍Today, we say that #MountainsMatter and we show that there are solutions for a sustainable future in the mountains - for innovation, adaptation and youth 🏔️Let's spread inspiration for sustainable mountains ⬇️ Climate change adaptation 🌡️☀️ Dive into our study on adaptation in tourism and water management 👉 www.euromontana.org/climate-change-in-mountain-areas-meeting-the-challenge-of-adapting-water-mana...Youth 👩‍🦰 What do young people think about life in the mountains? Discover insights from our European survey 👉 www.euromontana.org/being-young-in-a-mountain-area-youths-needs-and-aspirations-in-2022/Innovation 💡 Boost social innovation in your mountains using the outcomes from SIMRA - Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas on and follow the exciting journey of our new ESIRA Project! 👉 www.euromontana.org/projects/#InternationalMountainDay #IMD2024 ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Euromontana
📢 Join us in Brussels on International Mountain Day to discover the Puigcerdà Declaration and debate it with representatives of various European institutions 💬 250 of you attended the European Mountain Convention in Puigcerdà to share your ideas for more prosperous, resilient and sustainable mountain economies ⛰️ Now, let's bring your messages to policymakers ! Programme & registration 👉 www.euromontana.org/shaping-the-future-of-mountain-economies-introducing-the-puigcerda-declaration/#MountainsMatter #IMD2024 #InternationalMountainDay ... See MoreSee Less
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