As a part of the Social Affairs Forum 2026, cities are invited to submit their contributions for the parallel workshops. In line with the focus of the Forum ’Bridging generations: Cities driving inclusive work and skills for all’, the selected topics explore how cities can shape the future of work to be inclusive, sustainable, and family-friendly, ensuring that all residents can access opportunities and thrive in changing labour markets. 

 

Application form

If your city is interested in this opportunity, please download this document, fill in the form below and send it to carolina.picot@eurocities.eu and giammarco.frattoli@eurocities.eu by 16 March 2026.

 

Who can apply?

Cities that are actively working on initiatives related to the Forum’s themes listed below and are ready to share concrete experiences (well established practices, pilot actions, or approaches that are still evolving). Contributions may highlight achievements, challenges, lessons learned and areas for further improvement. Cities that are currently designing or testing new approaches and seeking inspiration or peer learning from other cities are also encouraged to apply.

Selected cities will present during the parallel workshops on Day 1 (5 May) or on Day 3 (7 May), depending on the format and topic selected for the workshop. Each presentation will serve as a starting point for structured peer exchange, allowing participants to reflect together on transferable lessons or to explore solutions collectively.

 

Topics

Several workshops will take place in parallel, each focusing on different areas. Six topics reflecting this ambition have therefore been selected.

Cities are encouraged to submit contributions on:

1. Inclusive employment for people facing barriers to labour market participation

This workshop looks at local policies and programmes in cities that support people facing structural barriers to employment across generations. It explores inclusive pathways into work, from first-job opportunities to tailored support measures. How can cities work with employers to create quality and sustainable employment opportunities accessible to everyone?

Guiding examples of targeted groups: Persons with disabilities; Long-term unemployed young people and adults; Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs); Migrants and refugees; People with low qualifications or limited work experience; People experiencing homelessness or housing instability; Informal carers; People exiting prison, hospitals or institutional care;

2. Family-oriented services for (single) parents and informal caregivers to access employment

This workshop looks at how cities can reduce care-related barriers to employment and promote more inclusive and gender-equal and intergenerationally fair labour markets. It addresses both support for (single) parents, including in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), and (informal) caregivers to access work, and how to recognise, value and improve working conditions in the care sector.  

Guiding examples of targeted groups: (Single) parents; Parents with young children; (informal) caregivers; Women facing multiple barriers to employment; Care workers in precarious or undervalued jobs; Workers balancing childcare and elderly care.

3. Skilling, upskilling and reskilling vulnerable groups

This workshop explores how cities can support workers and jobseekers to develop relevant skills for today’s and future labour markets. It focuses on education, training, upskilling and reskilling initiatives that promote inclusion, labour market integration, and help people access quality employment, including through lifelong learning and recognition of skills. 

Guiding examples of targeted groups: Low-skilled workers; Workers in declining sectors; Young people entering the labour market; Adults needing reskilling or career transitions; Migrants and refugees; Persons with disabilities.

4. Linking employment support with key services to promote long-term quality jobs and social inclusion

While the absence of employment can limit access to housing, healthcare, and other key services, often pushing people into stigmatised reliance on social assistance, having a job alone is not enough. Without integrated access to essential social services, people with overlapping vulnerabilities may still face barriers that undermine their stability, wellbeing, and long-term inclusion. This workshop explores holistic and integrated approaches that connect employment services with other essential social services. It builds on the understanding that employment can be a powerful gateway to autonomy, but only when people across all generations have access to the essential services that enable them to obtain, keep, and benefit from work (from youth to independent adulthood, mid-career transitions, or ageing).

Guiding examples of targeted groups: People experiencing long-term unemployment; People exiting prison, hospitals or institutional care; Young people transitioning to independent adulthood; Migrants and refugees with multiple support needs; People experiencing homelessness or housing instability; Older people facing health-related barriers to employment.

5. Cities as employers: inclusive, fair and attractive public sector careers

This workshop explores how cities, as employers, can lead by example in promoting inclusive and fair working conditions. It looks at inclusive recruitment, diversity and equality policies and measures to make public sector employment more accessible and attractive to a diverse workforce. 

Guiding examples of targeted groups: Persons with disabilities; People underrepresented in public administration, including migrants; Workers facing discrimination in recruitment or career progression.

6. A generational approach to work and reskilling

This workshop explores how cities can adopt a generational approach to employment policies in a changing world. It focuses on how cities support people at every stage of their working lives, from young people starting their first job, to mid-career transitions, and adapting work for an ageing workforce, in the context of the green and digital transitions.

It focuses on how cities can design age-centred labour market strategies that connect education, training, economic development and social inclusion. The session will highlight practices that facilitate smooth transitions into employment, promote continuous skills development, support career changes at all ages, and ensure access to quality work across the life course.

Guiding examples of targeted groups: Young people entering the labour market; Mid-career professionals (40-55 years old) seeking reskilling or career change; Professionals required to reskilling and upskilling in sectors undergoing adaptation to the digital and green transformations; Older workers and ageing employees; People at risk of labour market exclusion at different life stages.

 

Why should you apply?

The Social Affairs Forum is an opportunity for cities to learn together by sharing experiences, concrete practices, current challenges, and initiatives that are still in progress. If selected, your city will gain recognition and visibility at the European level for your work and commitment, as well as gain valuable insights into possible solutions or improvements from peers. By sharing your contributions, your city can inspire others to learn and transfer your lessons to address similar challenges in their contexts. At the same time, you will gain valuable insights to inform your daily work.

If your city contribution is selected, Eurocities can cover the travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for your city delegate to the Social Affairs Forum in Gijon under the EaSI grant, up to a maximum threshold as per guidelines of the European Commission for EU-funded projects.  Further information will be communicated to the selected cities.

How will the participants be selected?

Please note that the submitted good practices should be city-led or city-initiated, even if developed and delivered in cooperation with partners. We are also looking for recent initiatives (no more than 5 years old, or still in progress) which can demonstrate some promising results (outcomes or impact).

On this basis, city approaches/challenges will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Overall quality of the application.
• Relevance of the city initiative or the challenge to the topic of the workshop and the theme of the Social Affairs Forum.
• Quality of the lessons learned from its results and the process of implementation.
• Commitment to follow-up and implement new ideas from the workshop into your local context. 
• Geographical balance between participating cities.
• Potential for transferability or replication to other urban contexts.

 

What will be expected from you if selected?

• Participate in a preparation session (online) with Eurocities staff to inform the content of the workshop based on your social innovation or challenge.
• Prepare a structured presentation (PowerPoint) of your city initiative or challenge based on a template and guidelines to be provided by Eurocities.
• Delegate one or more representatives from your city to be present in Gijon and to present your approach and actively engage throughout the workshop discussions.
• Contribute to a follow-up with Eurocities to share your experience and evaluate how useful the workshop was, and if you are able to implement any of the suggestions developed during the session.