DigitHub: Ideas and communities for a sustainable future
OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
The European project DigitHub (2023-2-IT02-KA210-ADU-000175107) was created to develop innovative learning spaces on environmental sustainability and active citizen participation. The idea behind the project is simple but ambitious: to provide tools and opportunities for anyone to learn, experiment, and actively contribute to their community.
DigitHub offers a combination of a self-learning platform, exchange of experiences and good practices, practical workshops, and participatory labs. This allows citizens, public and private operators to collaborate, share ideas, and develop useful and sustainable projects for their territory, while also learning new skills.
The main goals of the project are clear: to create creative learning environments, promote collaborative and participatory processes, and support the European commitment to fight climate change and protect the environment. In other words, DigitHub wants to turn citizens’ curiosity and motivation into real actions that have a positive impact on the community.
Expected results include the development of new skills to lead change, the creation of networks between citizens and local stakeholders, and an increase in environmental awareness. All of this helps to strengthen the ethical and social value of local communities, creating real social capital.
To reach these goals, DigitHub works through two main hubs:
- Digital HUB: a collaborative e-learning platform, launched in June 2025, with three training modules on sustainable development, green practices, and active citizen participation.
- Urban HUB: a participatory lab for the regeneration of public spaces, where citizens and stakeholders can co-design concrete solutions to improve life in neighbourhoods or cities.
Within the project, practical activities have also been carried out to learn in the field and share experiences between countries:
- Green Cities – Study visit in France and exchange of good practices.
- Cities for All – Study visit in Portugal to analyse a public program on urban accessibility.
The project is implemented by a European partnership composed of three complementary organizations: Consorzio Social Lab in Italy, active since 2013 in social inclusion and local development; Les 7 Vents in France, a cooperative working on energy transition and sustainable lifestyles; and União das Freguesias de Gondomar, Valbom e Jovim in Portugal, the local authority managing these territories.
FROM IDEAS TO ACTION: INCUBATION PROGRAM
Within the Urban HUB, DigitHub launched the Idea Incubation Program in July 2025. This is a participatory path designed to turn local needs and ideas into real and achievable projects. The program focuses on three main challenges for our cities:
- Urban regeneration, to bring public spaces back to life and enhance the local heritage.
- Sustainable mobility, to make transport more ecological and accessible.
- Environmental sustainability, to promote eco-friendly practices and resilient communities.
The program is open to informal groups of citizens, associations, neighbourhood committees, community spaces, or civic networks. No legal status is required; what matters most is the motivation to build an idea together that creates value and innovation for the territory.
The Five Steps of Incubation
The program guides participants from the first idea to a structured project proposal, ready to be presented to institutions, communities, and local partners:
- Define goals and needs – clarify the problem and expected results.
- Analyse the context – understand local needs, opportunities, and resources.
- Develop the idea with people – involve the community and identify concrete solutions.
- Ground the idea in reality – plan activities, resources, and timelines.
- Formalize the proposal – complete a clear, comprehensive, and shareable project form.
Valuing Ideas and Co-Design
The ideas developed by participants are evaluated by the project committee. The most promising projects take part in a final workshop, where citizens, stakeholders, and facilitators work together to strengthen proposals, add new ideas, and transform them into concrete and feasible initiatives.
DigitHub is a unique opportunity to imagine and build greener, more inclusive, and liveable cities. If you have an idea and want to make it real, you can join the project call:
👉 Fill in the form and join the Idea Incubation Program
For more information:📞 +39 080 2223991✉ info@social-lab.it🌐 https://www.facebook.com/Digithubproject
