Author name: Fred

On 4 June 2026, Carina Dantas, CEO of SHINE 2Europe and partner in the HERA project, represented HERA at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Public Hearing SOC/831, titled “Reducing Barriers to Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Promoting Innovation and Providing Equal Opportunities for All.” Held in Brussels, the hearing brought together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and representatives of European organisations to discuss how inclusive entrepreneurship can be strengthened across Europe and how barriers affecting underrepresented groups can be reduced. The event featured a distinguished panel of speakers from the European Commission, academia, business associations, and civil society organisations. Carina Dantas participated in the second panel, which explored initiatives and experiences from across Europe, highlighting successful practices, remaining challenges, and recommendations for future policies. During the session, she presented the work and objectives of the HERA project, alongside other initiatives. HERA was presented as a good practice example of how European projects can contribute to more inclusive entrepreneurship by empowering women, supporting innovation, and creating opportunities for participation and growth. The discussion highlighted the importance of collaborative approaches and targeted support mechanisms to address inequalities and strengthen the role of women entrepreneurs across Europe. The participation of SHINE 2Europe in this high-level European dialogue provided an important opportunity to share HERA’s achievements, exchange knowledge with key stakeholders, and contribute to discussions shaping future policies and initiatives for inclusive entrepreneurship.

The HERA Lab in Italy, implemented by COSVITEC in Naples, is now well advanced in its journey, and what has emerged most strongly is something that goes beyond individual development: a group that has become, in its own right, a resource. The Lab began with a phase dedicated to building mutual trust and connection. Through activities rooted in the principles of mutual aid, solidarity, and collective empowerment, participants gradually created a space where personal histories, fears, and aspirations could be shared openly. In one of the early sessions, each participant was invited to reflect on her own vulnerabilities and strengths through an exercise inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken objects are repaired with gold, and the cracks become part of what makes something valuable. The session produced moments of unexpected depth: women shared stories they had rarely spoken aloud, and the group listened with a quality of attention that the facilitator described as one of the most moving experiences of the entire Lab so far. By the end of the Team Building phase, participants had created small handmade bracelets, each inscribed with a word of wisdom chosen by another member of the group. It was a simple gesture, but one that captured something real about what had been built: a community of women who had chosen to see each other clearly, and to offer each other something to carry forward. “I came here thinking I needed to update my skills. I didn’t expect to find people who understand exactly where I am”, said one participant, reflecting on the first weeks of the Lab. The Learning to Learn phase that followed brought new energy. Working through themes of growth mindset, skills mapping, learning strategies, and mentorship, participants began to connect their inner reflections to the world outside. A recurring theme across these sessions was the gap between how participants saw themselves and how much they actually knew and could do. A collective competence mapping exercise, in which each woman shared her knowledge and offered herself as an informal teacher to others, made this visible in a way that statistics or assessments never could. What has continued to stand out, as the Lab progresses into its later phases, is the strength of the group itself. Participants have not only engaged with the programme content: they have built something among themselves that extends well beyond any single session. They support each other between meetings, share reflections, and have expressed clearly that they do not want this community to end when the formal programme does. That desire is itself one of the most significant outcomes of the Lab. It reflects what can happen when women aged 45+ are given a structured, safe, and genuinely participatory space: they do not just develop individually. They build something together that neither the programme nor any of them could have built alone.

The HERA Labs Programme, part of the HERA project coordinated by Sónia Dias at the NOVA National School of Public Health, offers a participatory and practice-oriented learning experience designed to support women in their personal and professional development. In Portugal, the initiative is currently engaging three groups, bringing together 65 women aged 45+, all following a structured programme of 16 sessions. Among them, the first group is now at a more advanced stage of this journey, having progressed through the initial phases of the programme. The process began with a strong focus on building trust, connection, and mutual support, creating a safe space where participants could share experiences and recognise their strengths. This was followed by a phase centred on developing skills, exploring learning pathways, and identifying individual goals and priorities. Now, this group has reached a key moment: the “Building Connections Together” phase. This stage marks an important shift from internal reflection to external engagement. Through interactive sessions with external contributors from different sectors, participants are exposed to diverse perspectives and real-world experiences, helping them connect their ideas with concrete opportunities and professional pathways. Rather than simply receiving information, participants are actively engaging, asking questions, and testing their ideas in dialogue with these contributors. This process is helping them refine their thinking, overcome barriers, and strengthen their confidence in communicating their projects. A particularly impactful element of this phase has been the focus on developing and presenting ideas. Through hands-on activities, participants are gaining practical tools to structure their projects, communicate them clearly, and build confidence in presenting them to others. “Many participants come with strong experience, but often without a clear way to translate it into new opportunities and creation of their business. What we are seeing is a shift — they are starting to reframe their skills, structure their ideas, and communicate them in ways that support reskilling and new professional pathways”, said Carolina Santos from NOVA National School of Public Health, who facilitated the session on pitching and presentation skills. What continues to stand out is the strength of the group itself. The sense of connection extends well beyond the formal sessions, with participants supporting and inspiring one another in meaningful ways. This collective energy reflects the core spirit of HERA Labs, where shared experiences lead to confidence, new perspectives, and real transformation. As the programme progresses, all groups will move into the final phase, where participants will translate their learning into personal action plans, defining concrete next steps for their personal and professional journeys.

“The process we follow in each lesson, recording our goals, as well as our strengths and weaknesses, helped me understand myself more deeply. The limited time worked positively, as it led me to focus on what truly matters and to organise my thinking more clearly.” The HERA Labs in Athens, implemented by WHEN, have brought together 20 women aged 45+, who have actively participated in 12 meet-ups and have built a vibrant and highly engaged Viber community, where participants regularly exchange ideas, share knowledge, and offer one another inspiration and encouragement, fostering a strong sense of connection and mutual support. Currently, the HERA Labs in Athens are in the “Engagement with External Stakeholders” phase, where meetings with WHEN mentors have taken place, a career counselling workshop, training on the use of AI tools, and participation in the WHEN Career Fair. There, the participants prepared for their job search, received CV guidance, planned their next career steps with coaches, and took part in workshops and short interviews with company and organisation representatives. “Through this journey, aspects of myself emerged that I hadn’t fully realised, which helped me understand where it is worth investing for my personal growth. Most importantly, I realised that I am not alone: There are many women out there who can guide you, support you, and inspire you along your path.” What has emerged until now, is a close-knit and dynamic group that extends well beyond the formal framework of the programme. Demonstrating remarkable initiative and collective drive, the participants self-organise to attend additional discussions, learning opportunities, and training sessions. This ongoing engagement reflects not only their commitment to personal growth and the work they have done so far through the HERA Labs, but also the power of peer-driven learning communities, where shared experiences evolve into continuous development, empowerment, and meaningful collaboration. At the same time, the HERA Labs in Larissa, implemented by iED, have so far brought together 13 women aged 45+ through a series of interactive and empowering sessions held at JOIST Innovation Park. Meeting approximately every two weeks, participants have been actively engaged in a learning journey focused on personal development, skills enhancement, and community building. At this stage, the Labs are focusing on the “Learning to Learn” phase, supporting participants in better understanding their own skills, needs, and learning pathways. Through a variety of experiential and participatory exercises, women have had the opportunity to reflect, share experiences, and build confidence in a safe and inclusive environment. As the process evolves, the HERA Labs in Larissa are now gradually preparing for the next phase of the Living Labs, where participants will further co-design their pathways and explore concrete steps towards learning, employment, or entrepreneurship.

The implementation of HERA Labs in Spain is proving to be a success within the community of women over 45 in the city of Yecla. After a challenging start, interest in the project has been steadily increasing thanks to positive word-of-mouth publicity generated by the participants themselves. Initially, it was difficult to engage a significant number of women, as few were willing to commit to attending sessions for six to seven months. CETEM, the main organisation responsible for the implementation in Spain, made a significant recruitment effort through advertising campaigns, social media, and appearances on local television and radio. This was ultimately complemented by the snowball effect generated by those who began to get involved and saw the project’s potential. Now, after five months and eight sessions, the programme can be considered a genuine success. Twenty-two women have become involved, and they feel that their lives are changing and that they have more power to decide where to focus their further training. The participants have been sharing ideas and experiences, offering each other inspiration and encouragement, and thus building a strong sense of connection and mutual support. They are guided by facilitator Nuria Gil, who constantly encourages them to work together towards their personal goals. The latest sessions have focused on equipping participants with the tools and knowledge to identify and evaluate training opportunities aligned with their personal and professional goals. In April, the “Engagement with local stakeholders” phase will begin. During this phase, participants will meet female role models from the community who will share personal stories of overcoming challenges and offer empowering advice to support their continued process of personal growth and empowerment. The final phases of HERA Labs in Spain will last until the end of June. This will include a phase in which the participants will take the reins of their own journey, build their personal paths together, and explore concrete steps to advance their learning, their job placement, or their entrepreneurial project.

The HERA Lab in the Netherlands is now underway at Rotterdam School of Management, where more than 20 women aged 45+ joined the initial phase to build connections and explore themes linked to career transitions, labour market changes, and personal development. The Lab is embedded in a broader local ecosystem that brings together stakeholders from education, employment, and relevant productive sectors, helping ensure that individual development pathways are aligned with labour market realities. In practice, the Lab sessions provide a structured and supportive environment where participants can reflect on their existing skills and experiences, identify priorities for their next career steps, and explore realistic routes for upskilling or reskilling. Discussions focus on how digitalisation and sustainability trends are reshaping roles across sectors, and what this means for women who want to re-enter the labour market, change direction, or strengthen their professional position. Alongside peer exchange, the Lab approach helps participants connect personal ambitions with concrete opportunities, including training options, emerging job profiles, and local support services. The Netherlands Lab is supported by the local partner organisation Reshaping Work, which supports the evaluation work focuses on assessing the outcomes of the policy experiments by measuring changes in participants’ attitudes, motivation, and perceptions, to understand how effective the HERA Lab approach is in supporting women aged 45+ in lifelong learning and employment pathways. From the early sessions, participants showed strong engagement, not only in the learning activities but also in building peer support. Several participants continued meeting weekly in self-organised groups, taking ownership of their journeys and actively shaping the next steps in their professional and personal development. As highlighted by Sevda Rizehkar, Research Coordinator of the HERA project, the collective energy in the Lab reflects what can emerge when women are given the space to connect, reflect, and grow, grounded in mutual support, curiosity, and courage. Looking ahead, the Netherlands HERA Lab will continue to strengthen links with local stakeholders to support progression from reflection and planning into concrete actions, such as connecting with relevant training providers, mentoring opportunities, and employment pathways. Insights gathered through the Lab and its stakeholder network will also inform the project’s wider work on scalable approaches and policy recommendations that can support women aged 45+ across different contexts.

The implementation of the HERA Labs has officially begun across partner countries, marking an important milestone for the project. During the first weeks of 2026, local organisations initiated the first Lab sessions, bringing together women aged 45+ to embark on a shared journey of learning, reflection, and collective empowerment. Across all countries, the Labs are currently focused on Phase 1: Mutual Aid and Group, laying the foundations for trust, collaboration, and solidarity. This initial phase is designed to help participants connect with one another, share experiences, and co-create a safe and supportive learning environment before moving into skills development and future planning. In Athens, the first three HERA Labs sessions were successfully delivered by WHEN, concluding with the participation of 22 women aged 45+. Through guided discussions and participatory activities, the group explored shared challenges, personal strengths, and the principles of mutual support that underpin the HERA Labs methodology. At the same time, Women in Tech Alliance (WITA) kicked off its HERA Labs implementation at Foo Café in early January. The sessions created a welcoming and inclusive space where participants began building connections and reflecting on their learning needs and aspirations. In Larissa, the HERA Labs have also officially started, with local groups forming and engaging in the first activities of the mutual aid phase. Early sessions focused on group agreements, peer support, and collective goal setting, creating a strong basis for the next phases of the Labs. In the Netherlands, approximately 20 women participants have joined the Labs, working together to build group cohesion and explore shared experiences related to reskilling, life transitions, and personal development. Similarly, the Labs have started in Spain and Cyprus, where facilitators are guiding participants through the same first phase, ensuring a common methodological approach across countries while respecting local contexts and needs. Although implemented in different countries and settings, all HERA Labs share a common starting point. The first phase places strong emphasis on collaboration, peer support, solidarity, and trust-building. Rather than beginning with formal training, participants are encouraged to learn with and from each other, recognising their collective knowledge and lived experience as a valuable resource. As the groups continue to meet, these early connections will serve as the foundation for the next phases of the HERA Labs, which will focus on skills identification, learning pathways, and personal action planning. The first weeks of implementation already highlight the strength of the HERA Labs approach: local communities coming together, supported by a shared European methodology, to empower women 45+ to navigate change with confidence and solidarity.

The HERA consortium concluded its second Transnational Project Meeting this week. Hosted by COSVITEC in Naples, Italy, the two-day meeting served as a vital point for the project, allowing partners to bridge the gap between strategic planning and active implementation through intensive collaborative sessions. The core focus of the gathering was the technical and operational rollout of the HERA Labs. With some pilot programs already underway and others finalising their recruitment phases, the partners engaged in in-depth sessions to ensure a unified approach across all regions. A primary goal was to clarify the methodology and ensure the data collection protocols were fully understood, which will be essential for a comprehensive and accurate impact evaluation in the future. Technology met strategy as the consortium collaborated on the HERA Community Portal. Currently under development, the partners shared insights and aligned their visions to ensure the platform becomes an intuitive, effective digital space for women to connect, learn, and grow professionally and personally across Europe. On the second day, the Steering Committee met to address high-level project management and strategic goals. The agenda focused on reviewing Key Performance Indicators to track progress and finalising timelines for upcoming major deliverables. These discussions ensured that the project remains on track to meet its ambitious objectives. The technical sessions were balanced by the great hospitality of Naples. Over traditional Italian tables, the partners strengthened their professional bonds, proving that a strong and cohesive consortium is the backbone of any successful European initiative. The team left Naples with a renewed sense of purpose, confident that HERA will create the strong ecosystems necessary to support and empower women all across the continent.

The HERA project was mentioned during the Membership Meeting of the Proximity and Social Economy LSP on December 3 as an example of initiatives supporting the development of learning and skills programs within the ecosystem. SHINE 2Europe participate as member of the Large-scale Skills Partnership for the Proximity and Social Economy. During the webinar, experts highlighted how Learning and Skills Programs (LSP) and skills projects can provide practical and actionable insights, addressing real challenges faced by communities, businesses, and other stakeholders. The discussion also emphasised the emerging skills needed at the intersection of technology, human-centered work, and soft skills. The mention of HERA underlined the importance of adaptable, results-oriented learning strategies that not only deliver high-quality training but also generate meaningful insights to strengthen the ecosystem.