Natália Machado

SHINE 2Europe aims to promote inclusive communities to all citizens, by delivering services and support to the implementation of tech-Savvy, Healthy and INclusivE solutions (SHINE) in Europe, with a clear vision of fostering societal growth and inclusiveness, by sharing good practices, promoting active networking between different stakeholders and countries and developing relevant projects. SHINE's main goal is to promote inclusive societies for all. This includes gender, race, age, personal opinions and lifestyles, literacy, environment and sustainability, with shared responsibility between all citizens and within democratic values – and awareness raising, advocating for the most fragile citizens or calling up the public attention to all the needs for extra care and specific interventions. But goes also beyond. What we really foster is to help imagining a society that is already built taking into consideration the different needs of all citizens and creating holistic solutions that can help them to be happy and have a fulfilled life. In this concept we include: implementing social innovation approaches through stakeholder engagement, namely involving citizens in co-creating, experimenting and validating innovative ideas and products, favouring their involvement in public decision-making. creating training materials and tools that promote lifelong learning and self-development, peer-learning and enhanced literacy and skills in different target groups. advancing knowledge on inclusive, green, age-friendly and tech-savvy societies, promoting research and publications on these themes. strengthening organisations roles and initiatives that enhance inclusion, active and participatory citizenship, human rights, health and care for the frailest, quality education and training. promoting entrepreneurship, sustainable innovation and market outreach, through targeted impacts on different ecosystem layers, especially SMEs. on a higher level, working in strategies, policies and participatory approaches that lead to a better democratic process, empowering citizens and engaging the whole cycle of stakeholders. Bridging innovation, the digital world, health and wellbeing, social inclusion and a greener environment is mainly dependent on societal transformation and policy change. With all the differences between regions, countries and public systems, one size does not fit all. Policy change requires a complex, bureaucratic and long process, implies connecting a broad network of actors and moreover, implies finding public commitments, which is not simple or easy. SHINE’s team has a solid experience and a wide network of partners, both in national and international contexts, fostering the better way through to build policy claims. Moreover, the creation, development or adaptation of IT solutions is one of our key assets. Whenever it makes sense to provide an integrated solution for a societal challenge that can be adequately addressed by a digital product, e.g. an app, a game or a platform, SHINE has the expertise to deliver it too. What are the gains? We talk both languages and approach the different worlds - technological, societal and research and bridge the gap that so many times makes innovation fail in the final run.