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On 22 October 2026, Community 4 (Skupnost 4) officially opened its doors at the Koper Adult Education Centre (Ljudska univerza Koper), offering a new space for meeting, connecting and mutual support, primarily aimed at women with a migrant background. Established as part of the international SIS-Hubs project, the community seeks to contribute to a more inclusive local environment, improve access to information and support services, and encourage the active participation of migrant women in developing solutions to the challenges they face in their everyday lives.
Community 4 will operate at the Koper Adult Education Centre on Fridays until June 2027. It will provide opportunities for socialising, sharing experiences, accessing information and offering mutual support. Above all, it aims to create a safe and encouraging environment where participants can express their needs, share their experiences and work together with local stakeholders to co-create initiatives that improve quality of life in the local community.
The name Community 4 also carries symbolic meaning. It brings together four thematic areas, the four cardinal directions from which people with diverse life experiences come, and classroom number four, where the meetings will take place.
Sandra Končan, SIS-Hubs project coordinator at ZRS Koper.
Opening Event Brings Together Migrants, Professionals and Local Organisations
More than 50 people attended the opening event, including migrant women and men, professionals working in education, social welfare, integration, psychology and healthcare, as well as students and researchers.
The event was divided into two parts. The morning programme at the Koper Adult Education Centre focused on introducing Community 4, connecting participants and exploring the various forms of support available in the local community. Representatives of the Regional Development Centre and the Ključ Association presented the PONI programme, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, and highlighted the importance of recognising and preventing different forms of violence and exploitation.
The afternoon session took place at the Centre for Humanities of ZRS Koper, where mentors and experts involved in the SIS-Hubs project shared their experiences and discussed the challenges faced by migrant women. Particular attention was paid to barriers to accessing support services, fragmented information and the challenges of integration into the local community. The discussion highlighted the importance of cooperation between migrant women, professional services and local organisations in identifying more accessible and inclusive forms of support.
A Space Where Support Meets Active Participation
Community 4 is more than just a place for socialising and exchanging information. Its aim is to co-create an environment in which women with a migrant background can express their needs and actively participate in developing solutions to the challenges they face. By strengthening connections with local organisations and professional services, we aim to improve access to support and contribute to greater awareness of gender-based violence. At the same time, we seek to foster mutual trust and a sense of belonging. The community is open to everyone who wishes to contribute to a more inclusive local environment.
Community 4 is being established as part of the international SIS-Hubs project, co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for its content.
