Cities for Active Inclusion:
Investing in an Inclusive Society Rotterdam, 29 October 2013
Susana ForjanProject coordinator, EUROCITIES
Content of the presentation
1. Rotterdam and EUROCITIES
2. Summary of Cities for Active Inclusion partnership (2010-13)
3. Key findings Cities are important in
delivering Active Inclusion (AI)
Elements that facilitate the delivery of AI
Challenges to effective AI Recommendations
1. Rotterdam in EUROCITIES
The network of major European cities
Founded in 1986; Rotterdam founding member
More than 130 large cities in over 35 European countries
6 Thematic forums: Culture, economic development, environment, Knowledge society, transport and social affairs
Rotterdam very active especially in social affairs and knowledge society
Platform to share knowledge and ideas and develop innovative solutions
1
2. Summary of Cities for Active Inclusion partnership (2010-2013)
EU Recommendation on Active Inclusion
Integration of 3 pillars:-Income support
-Inclusive labour market
- Access to quality social services
Cities for Active Inclusion partnership 2010-13
Partner cities:
Barcelona (ES)
Birmingham (UK)
Bologna (IT)
Brno (CZ)
Copenhagen (DK)
Lille-Roubaix (FR)
Rotterdam (NL)
Sofia (BG)
Stockholm (SE)
Researching/analysing AI in cities: quality of social services, social economy, youth employment, preventative approaches, demographic change, etc.
Promoting mutual learning/study visits in cities: social economy, urban regeneration, social innovation, preventing homelessness
Awareness raising: workshops in cities, national websites, newsletters, events in Brussels
Objectives of the partnership (2010-13)
Main findings 1. Cities have a crucial role
in delivering AI
• Dealing with the territorial dimension of poverty (EU2020);
• Access to information on actual trends on poverty and social exclusion;
• Regulatory power for inclusive labour markets; - social clauses in public procurement;
- contracts with social economy associations to deliver social services;
Main findings
•Good governance/ policy coordination/ integrated approaches;
•Bottom-up approaches/working in partnership with citizens, users and NGOs;
•Area based approaches/urban regeneration;
2. Successful elements: what facilitates effective AI in cities ?
Main findings
2. Successful elements: what facilitates effective AI? •Promoting social innovation•Prevention and early intervention•Invest to save principle: Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Main findings
3 … The challenges…. •Budget cuts and financial constraints
• Increasing number/ new profiles of people at risk of social exclusion
• Governance to be improved (coordination between different level of governments)
Main findings
4. Conclusions and Recommendations •Improving visibility of AI in EU programmes/ funds/NRPs and CSP
•Promote mutual learning, research on what works/challenges
•Improving funding/ring-fenced money for AI at EU/National/local level
Main findings
4. Conclusions and Recommendations •Improving vertical coordination/working in partnership EU, national, local;
•Broadening the scope of AI: prevention, early intervention, education and family support, area-based approaches (SIP goes in this direction)
Further information can be found on our website…
www.eurocities-nlao.eu
