TOUCH Project

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Torino Social Impact

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Tackling Outcome-Based Finance Challenges: a Replication Model for the Social Economy (TOUCH) is a 24-month project that began in December 2024. The project is funded by the European Commission under the ESF 2024-2026 call “Actions to boost the development of finance markets for social enterprises.”

The project aims to create the first outcome fund in the Piedmont Region of Italy, with the intention of replicating it in other Italian and European regions.

The project consortium seeks to structure an outcome-based financing mechanism (Outcome Fund), focusing on employment integration and skills development to support NEETs, with particular attention to women and migrants within this group.

The project objectives include a pilot initiative in the Piedmont Region and dissemination and replication activities in Italy and Europe aimed at:

strengthening the outcome-based financial ecosystem in Italy;
improving the skills of social enterprises in the Piedmont Region through a training and capacity-building program;
implementing outcome measurement approaches for all stakeholders involved in outcome-based contracts;
providing, through the evaluation of achieved results, concrete insights into the most effective solutions for tackling the NEET issue.

Project activities will take place over two years and will involve the design of the financial mechanism; the selection of service and capacity-building providers; and the dissemination of the model in Italy and Europe, including four roadshows in Italy and one in the Baltic region of Europe.

TOUCH ROADSHOW

On September 10, 2026, the TOUCH project launched its dissemination roadshow: a series of events across Italy and Europe aimed at presenting the outcome-based financial instrument developed within the project, sharing the experience gained and engaging with stakeholders on opportunities to replicate the Outcome Fund.

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The roadshow has already begun with its first stops and will continue with further events in Italy and the Baltic region.

As part of “Cantieri di Futuro”, the roadshow contributed to the discussion on the role of impact finance and innovative financial instruments in supporting the growth and sustainability of social economy organisations.

The roadshow provides an opportunity to connect expertise, experiences and perspectives, helping to spread financial instruments capable of generating social value.

TOUCH CAPACITY LAB

The TOUCH Capacity LAB, the capacity building programme promoted by the partners of the TOUCH consortium to strengthen the skills of organisations working on the labour market integration of NEET youth, concluded on May 14, 2026.

The initiative was first presented on October 24, 2025, during a webinar dedicated to innovative social finance tools designed to create new opportunities for the social economy and foster strong partnerships between public and private actors.

Following the open call, 25 organisations active in the Piedmont region were selected to take part in a training programme developed between March 19 and May 14, 2026, through weekly sessions combining dialogue, exchange, and practical experimentation.

The programme was designed to combine strategic reflection, operational tools, and peer learning, supporting participants in strengthening their ability to design, manage, measure, and communicate results-oriented and impact-driven initiatives.

Throughout the eight training modules, participants explored key topics including:

Module 1 – Vision, Leadership and Governance
Module 2 – Social impact measurement and reporting
Module 3 – Social innovation and impact-oriented design
Module 4 – Financial literacy, strategic planning and financial management
Module 5 – Results-oriented management and organisational adaptation
Module 6 – Risk management and medium- to long-term sustainability
Module 7 – Digital and technological skills supporting finance and impact
Module 8 – Outcome-based communication

The TOUCH Capacity LAB concludes as a shared growth experience that fostered knowledge exchange, the creation of new connections, and the strengthening of participants’ organisational capacities, helping to build stronger foundations for generating long-term social impact.