The mapping is being carried out across our three pilot areas: the Municipality of Labin in Croatia, Beltinci in Slovenia, and the Santa Bona district in the Municipality of Treviso, Italy. Three project partners (EnEA, the Municipality of Labin, and the Municipality of Beltinci) will lead the data collection on the ground, bringing local knowledge and relationships that are essential to making this process meaningful.
The findings will feed directly into the design of the one-stop shops (find out more here) that sit at the heart of the project: local hubs where people can get guidance and support to navigate the services available to them.
A three-step approach
The mapping is not a simple tick-box exercise. It follows a structured process that deliberately combines different methods and draws on multiple perspectives, because no single source of information can give us the full picture.
Step 1 – Desk research: The process begins with a thorough review of existing information about services operating in each pilot area. This means looking at what services are available, who provides them, what needs they are designed to address, how people can access them, and how widely they are actually used. The goal is to build a comprehensive picture of the local “service ecosystem”: mapping out how different services relate to one another, and spotting any overlaps, gaps, or areas where visibility is low.
Step 2 – Interviews with service providers: Once the desk research is complete, we go directly to the people who run and deliver those services. For each service identified, we conduct two interviews: one with a manager and one with a frontline staff member. This dual approach is deliberate. Managers can offer insight into how services are organised, funded, and positioned within the wider system. Frontline workers, on the other hand, can speak to the day-to-day reality – how services actually function in practice, what challenges they encounter, and how they interact with the people they support. By comparing these two perspectives, we can identify where service design and actual delivery align, and where they do not.
Step 3 – Focus groups with local residents: The final step shifts the focus to the people at the centre of it all: the residents themselves. In each pilot area, we will bring together older adults, individuals living with frailty, carers, and others who interact with local services – inviting them to share their experiences, perceptions, and unmet needs. This is a crucial step. Without it, the mapping risks reflecting only what institutions and providers see, rather than the reality lived by the communities we are trying to support.
What happens next?
All the information gathered through these three steps will be analysed to identify the most pressing priorities for action in each territory. The findings will directly shape the support and guidance offered through the local one-stop shops.
Looking ahead, a multi-stakeholder working group will be established in each pilot area – bringing together representatives from services, local authorities, and the community to collectively reflect on the barriers identified and develop strategies that are genuinely tailored to local needs.
Mapping is just the beginning – but without it, everything that follows would be built on guesswork.