21 > Nitra, Slovakia HUBS The INOVATO Hub, rooted in an engineering cluster, partners with the Good Shepherd initiative to support the resocialisation of Roma and homeless communities. Main Challenges Roma and homeless people face deep-seated discrimination, exploitation in labour markets, and cycles of poverty and addiction. Employers frequently stigmatise them as “unreliable” and offer only precarious or exploitative work. Many rely on recycling, food donations, and temporary assistance, with few pathways to sustainable livelihoods. Marginalised groups involved Business model developed The Hub promotes an integrated cycle combining farming, food production, artisanal workshops, and construction activities with social reintegration. Profit is secondary to social value, with the goal of building dignity, skills, and resilience among excluded groups. Cheese production, furniture renovation, and small-scale food processing exemplify how circular bioeconomy practices are directly linked with community empowerment. What’s Next? The Hub will remain active beyond the BIOLOC project, continuing to support marginalised groups and disseminate its experience as a replicable model across Slovakia. • Roma communities • Homeless people I have found that there is a place where everyone is accepted, and that community can be the cure for my pain. website
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