Italian partners organise focus group in Ancona, expanding participatory activities
-
Policy Roundtables
Ancona, Italy - Following the initial focus groups held in Spain and France, the participatory regional stakeholder activities of the our project continue in all five participating countries.
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the Italian EU-DRIVE consortium partners, the University of Camerino, ENFAP Marche, and the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) successfully hosted the national focus Group session in Ancona, Italy, at the Andrea Marini Hall of UIL Marche.
Local Engagement and Collaborative Risk Mapping
The meeting opened with an introduction and project overview presented by the project teams of the three organising partners.
The primary aim of the Ancona Focus Group was to gather operational insights, front-line experiences, and institutional perspectives from key local actors in disaster management. Participants discussed regional roles, criticalities, and multi-actor relationships involved in managing complex risks, including:
- Wildfires and Forest Fires
- Floods and Hydrological Hazards
- Droughts and Water Scarcity
- Multi-Risk and Cascading Scenarios
Key topics explored during the interactive sessions centered on the governance of the civil protection system, required operational capabilities, modernizing the connection between specialized training and the labor market, strengthening community engagement, and evaluating the role of public policy in disaster risk management (DRM).
We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the focus group organized alongside our colleagues from UNICAM and INGV. The diverse range of stakeholders provided rich, hands-on perspectives and invaluable input. We now have concrete operational insights to process, which will directly enrich the EU-DRIVE project and shape our future training modules.
ENFAP Marche
Transforming Field Insights into Vocational Excellence
During the final part of the focus group, the organisers presented dedicated questionnaire developed by the leader of the participatory activity, the Centre for Security Studies (KEMEA). The questionnaire allows field practitioners, first responders, and regional decision-makers to contribute further input, helping to directly translate emerging ground-level needs into standardized, official vocational training content.
By linking local expertise with European-level frameworks, EU-DRIVE's objective is to build a European model of professional excellence in disaster resilience through driving innovation, cross-territorial cooperation, and targeted competencies for the future of civil protection.
The full article and news update from our local partners can be accessed at ENFAP Marche
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
