The Living Library is an informal activity set up in Valongo (PT) for students from 14 to 18 years of age, with the slogan “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. The organisers took the concept of the Living Library held at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival in 2000, and adapted it for a school audience. It allows an informal and constructive dialogue between students and ‘Human Books’ – volunteers who are frequently the recipients of prejudices and stereotypes.
The Living Library also creates the opportunity to promote an interpersonal relationship between groups that are usually not able to interact. It enables participants to challenge their own stereotypes and prejudices in a structured, protected environment, and in a limited time. More than 4,200 young people have taken part since Valongo’s Living Library was launched in 2010, and the project has been extended to six schools.

The physical space is decorated just like a normal library. In the project there is an element of itinerancy, as it visits the different schools. Before the implementation of the activity, a meeting with a teacher takes place. During this meeting the necessary steps to prepare the activity in each class are explained.

Afterwards, each teacher debates with the class the goals of the Living Library and prepares in advance some questions to present to the books. This ensures that the youngsters do not become blocked during the interaction with the Human Books. At the same time, NGOs are contacted and partnerships are made. These NGOs identify Human Books, volunteers who will participate in the project and will assume a stereotype. The Human Books should have personal experience, as well as technical and scientific preparation so that they are able to challenge stereotypes.

To help them in this process, the municipality trains them and helps them to anticipate difficulties, problems, and how to face challenges. On the day the activity takes place, different Human Books are available to be read. There is a librarian who creates four sub-groups in each class, gives out the instructions, and makes sure the activity is evaluated. Each group talks to the Human Book, posing questions for about 20 minutes. When this period of time ends, the groups exchange Human Books and restart reading them. This process continues until every group has made contact with all the books.

Those of us who attempt to initiate programmes that promote intercultural dialogue are frequently faced with the challenge of coming up with something innovative. We are constantly looking for something that can attract the attention of many and make a real difference to those involved.

The Living Library is an innovative approach to equality and diversity because it addresses the broad subject of prejudice without emphasising one specific case over others. At the same time, it manages to successfully navigate around some of the sensitivities that accompany anti-prejudice work, while maintaining an element of fun and interaction that makes the project immensely appealing to both potential organisers and participants. The Living Library, implemented since 2010, is a way to help young people reflect about the world, equality and interculturality. It is also an excellent opportunity to deconstruct stereotypes, to develop self-awareness about the importance of cultural diversity, interculturality, plural democracy and human rights. It also allows the sharing of life stories and experiences, the aids to the fight of multiple discrimination and sensitises youngsters to the importance of social diversity and human rights.

The Living Library is a project that was strongly supported by the National Mechanism for Immigration. It is only possible because of the participation of different stakeholders: schools, NGOs (ACAPO – blind and nearsighted people; Associação Luso-Africana Pontos Nos Is – immigrants; ILGA – gay, lesbian, transgender people; MEDesTu – intercultural and interreligious; Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro – cancer survivors; Centro Hospitalar S. João – hospital that cooperates with us to identify people with mental disease; AMI – poverty and homeless volunteers, as well as volunteers who are able to share the importance of human rights to the fabric of our democracies and the responsibility of the individual citizen in realising abstract human rights in his or her everyday life. This is achieved by creating a safe environment for Readers and Books to engage in open dialogue whose explicit aim is to discuss topics that in almost any other setting would be considered too delicate. At the Living Library these discussions are possible, indeed, they are surprisingly easy. Becoming one half of that exchange is a rare privilege and one that leaves no one who experiences it unaffected.

Some of the results of the project are:

• Sensitisation and raising awareness regarding different issues that indirectly contribute to the increase of intercultural competence;
• The creation of opportunities as well as of non-traditional ways of fostering intercultural discussion and how to challenge stereotypes;
• The dissemination of the potential, difficulties and culture of migrant communities among non-traditional target audiences and different age groups;
• The promotion of dialogue between different actors of organised and non-organised civil society in Valongo;
• The deconstruction of stereotypes regarding ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, disability, etc;
• The promotion of interculturality issues in the local community, especially through media;
• The high level of satisfaction of participants in qualitative questionnaires (the average results vary between 4.9 and 5 on a scale of up to 5 points, in which 1 is the lowest and 5 the highest);
• School communities consider the Living Library one of the most interesting activities implemented in schools. Other quantitative results are:
• Six schools were involved in 2010 and eight in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016;
• More than 10 volunteers were present at each Living Library edition;
• Since 2010 more than 4,200 youngsters have participated in the project.

This programme has been recognised for its efforts to address discrimination by breaking down stereotypes and promoting interculturality. What began as a project of three schools and 150 students has now spread to six schools, more than 800 students each year and engages at least 10 volunteers – an impressive record in this small city and new immigrant gateway. The Living Library has been recognised by the National Mechanism for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue as a best practice and is being replicated across Portugal in cooperation with NGOs such as Pontos Nos Is and Amizade de Leste. The methodology was also recognised as a good practice by the following entities:

• Inclusion of the Living library in the European Web Site on Integration – 2013, a European Commission initiative that targets people who work in the integration field and promotes the exchange of good practices;
• Inclusion of the Living Library in the booklet of Good Practices in the Porto Metropolitan Area – 2013, a document that gathers good practices identified as innovative and socially entrepreneuring;
• Recognition as a good practice by the International Association of Education Cities at the congress that took place in Rosario, Argentina, in 2016. Transferability, easy implementation and low budget are some of the reasons why it has been considered a good practice by many institutions.

Schiedam is situated near Rotterdam, in the Netherlands' most densely populated urban area. With a predominantly low-income population of 78,000, Schiedam decided to promote upward social mobility by improving its housing stock and facilities, encouraging talented, economically successful citizens to stay in the city. 
In 2010 Schiedam seized the opportunity to use the roof of a 2.5 km motorway tunnel to relocate sports facilities and redevelop their former sites. Schiedam was "unlocked" in close cooperation with citizen groups and sports clubs, as well as private companies, to ensure the feasibility of plans produced in the participative process. It also minimised public financial risks and was combined with a smart procurement strategy and room for private initiatives. 
This programme supports social cohesion and inclusion by developing new multifunctional sports facilities while adding 640 sustainable dwellings to facilitate local housing for citizens.

The good practice offers the following solutions:

• Efficient spatial integration of main national infrastructure;
• Substantial mitigation of air pollution and noise compared to the effects achieved by a traditional approach to motorway construction;
• Improved urban green areas that are well connected to the rural areas outside Schiedam by walking and cycling routes;
• Stimulating a healthy, active life style by building new and multi-functional sports facilities with added features like physiotherapy, a childcare centre and a (1,200 pupil) dance school;
• Vital sport clubs organising activities that contribute to social cohesion and inclusion;
• Development of 640 new, all-electric apartments and houses that contribute to a sustainable, differentiated and higher quality housing stock;
• Retaining higher income groups in the city by improving public facilities and housing stock;
• Supporting a local housing career for Schiedam citizens as a contribution to upward social mobility.

Schiedam in Motion is an example of a sustainable and integrated approach to tackling urban challenges, both horizontal and vertical. The approach is horizontally integrated because it covers multiple dimensions of public policy, i.e. sports, public health, social cohesion and inclusion by enabling local housing careers. The vertical integration shows a multilevel governance approach through the interaction between the national, regional and local levels of public administration.

The package deal about the building and local integration of the A4 motorway was the result of a 40-year history of deliberation between local, regional and national governments. Since its start in 2010, Schiedam in Motion has interacted closely with public and private stakeholders for their input and commitment to a feasible and sustainable plan and decision-making process.

A lean procurement strategy was designed in which transactions with developers were limited to the sale of land. The contracts contained very little detailed and formal requirements about the development itself, other than the general rules of the municipal zoning plan. This proved to be successful in mobilising market creativity and keeping a high pace in the process.

With investments, capital and running costs as well as savings for long-term maintenance and renewal, Schiedam in Motion is fully integrated in the municipal budget for the next 30 years.

The evidence of the participatory approach is (among other things) to be found in reports to the city council with recommendations of consultation groups of citizens and sports clubs as a result of several years of periodic meetings with these groups. There are also reports to the city council with advice and propositions from private companies (developers, building companies) about the redevelopment of the former sport sites in an environmentally sustainable way.

Early engagement of citizens in the new developments and their production of written reports (recommendations) resulted in adaptations of plans and an effective contribution to the final development. Furthermore, the participation process was provided with the findings of expert groups who advised about the latest trends in sport (how it will be organised, what are the consequences for new accommodation).

Schiedam is a member of Eurotowns, the European network for medium-sized cities. We realise that this practice addresses issues that many European medium-sized cities face:

• How to optimise the use of limited space in densely populated urban areas;
• How to combine public health demands (air pollution, noise) with spatial development tasks and ambitions like the integration of large (national) infrastructure;
• How to engage citizens and other stakeholders in an early stage of development, thereby ensuring commitment to new developments and mobilising their ideas and creativity for the continuity of the process, as well as the quality of the final plans;
• How to facilitate social cohesion and inclusion and use investments in sports, housing, public health and green recreational areas as a means to do so. In March 2017, Hastings Borough Council (UK) visited Schiedam to learn from the Schiedam in Motion experience. They proved the transferability of the project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mo5NGo9D8k

Schiedam is a member of Eurotowns, the European network for medium-sized cities. We realise that this practice addresses issues that many European medium-sized cities face:

• How to optimise the use of limited space in densely populated urban areas;
• How to combine public health demands (air pollution, noise) with spatial development tasks and ambitions like the integration of large (national) infrastructure;
• How to engage citizens and other stakeholders in an early stage of development, thereby ensuring commitment to new developments and mobilising their ideas and creativity for the continuity of the process, as well as the quality of the final plans;
• How to facilitate social cohesion and inclusion and use investments in sports, housing, public health and green recreational areas as a means to do so. In March 2017, Hastings Borough Council (UK) visited Schiedam to learn from the Schiedam in Motion experience. They proved the transferability of the project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mo5NGo9D8k

The Town Team was set up to drive the revitalisation of Monaghan Town (IE). Initiated by the local authority, the Town Team concept enables stakeholders (local authority, businesses, landlords, community groups) to work collaboratively to design and implement a plan for reinvigorating town centres, re-engaging with citizens and customers alike. This Town Team plan takes account of all stakeholders’ needs and must express the vision for the town, the actions required and who is responsible for what. The Team focuses on three key areas:

• The Offer (in this instance, retail and hospitality Investment);
• Citizen Engagement (for residents to view their town as their own);
• And the Public Realm (including standards and security). Communicating with the wider public and reminding people that the town is theirs to enjoy and support is key to engagement and to retaining their support for activities.

The Town Team concept offers a collaborative approach to stakeholders who have a common goal of improving the vibrancy and vitality of their town centres. The local authority, Monaghan County Council, has realised the need for intervention and to support town centre development by appointing a Town Team coordinator from local authority resources to service a Town Team. The Team comprises a core membership of approximately 10 members from the local authority, retailers, landlords, employers, business associations, residents, tourism groups, An Gardai (police), community groups and education. The coordinator takes responsibility for the preparation of the Team Town Plan and through tools such as a SWOT analysis devises realistic, prioritised and costed actions. As a multi-agency approach to revitalisation, the process allows for effective idea generation and for communication among stakeholders to identify issues that are affecting the vitality and viability of the town centre. Furthermore, in recognition of the "common good", the process can generate the support for necessary, yet often unpopular, local authority interventions, for example the suspension of zero-rated property rates for vacant properties. Communication and information-sharing with the wider memberships of stakeholder groups and the public is critical to ensuring confidence and wider support for the Town Team, as well as an information hub for events and activities and to mobilise the community.

The Town Team concept is a strategic and holistic approach initiated by the local authority to address the deterioration of the well-being of the town centre. The team is integrated, bringing together the economic, social and environmental interests and facilitating a participative approach to promote genuine solutions to sustain and revive the town centre. The Town Team is an enabler of cities, promoting activities and events to get citizens engaged and using their town centres for their well-being. It is a capacity builder, collectively bringing the knowledge and experience of differing interests to provide solutions to the problems. The collective capacity of the Town Team has the ability to influence and shape local policy, for example encouraging the local authority to promote greater emphasis on public realm initiatives and to encourage an active approach by the local authority to addressing vacancy and dereliction in the town centre. The team is the framework for providing a holistic overview of the current situation and by operating through consensus is a mechanism for facilitating solutions to the town centre challenges, and most importantly, mobilising its citizens to actively participate and enjoy their town centres.

The Town Team process represents active citizen engagement and allows for the production of a Team Plan through co-governance, with stakeholders determining a shared strategy and setting these into clear, realistic and achievable actions that are costed and prioritised. Having appointed a Town Team coordinator, the local authority held a public information meeting with stakeholder groups and the general public. From expressions of interest and with a balance of the economic, social and community pillars, the Town Team was formed. With the initial membership in place, a SWOT analysis was carried out with a focus on revival of the town centre, and this was used to inform the preparation of the Town Plan. The key focuses of the Town Team monthly meetings are:

• To progress the actions of the Town Plan (achievements and next steps);
• To review the actions within the plan (are these still relevant; what are the existing/emerging inter-relationships between action points);
• To allocate tasks within the Team to ensure that actions can be progressed (who is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of next steps, key action points). Another key participatory element of the Town Team is communication with the local business people and the general public. Communication is through an email mailing list, the http://monaghanhasit.ie/ website and https://www.facebook.com/monaghanhasit Facebook page which provides a link to what activities are happening within the town.

The Town Team has documented a number of achievements which have created confidence within the membership and positivity within the citizens and allow for continuing vision for the benefit of the community. Successes include the establishment of a Town Voucher scheme, retaining money locally; Monaghan Business Awards evening, promotion of Monaghan as a Top 10 Foodie Destination, adoption of Age-Friendly town; coordination of festivals and improved ratings in the national Tidy Towns competition. These activities have served to mobilise the community in positively engaging in their towns. The mutual support between community and local authority for the revival of the town has resulted in the recent delivery of a 4.5 km walk/cycle greenway along a disused towpath of the Ulster Canal funded through the national Smarter Travel programme together with a Biodiversity Management Plan. Action plans are also currently being prepared to mobilise activity on underutilised backlands. These achievements are a great success in Monaghan, a town slowly emerging from the economic recession. Monaghan, given its proximity to the Border with Northern Ireland, has always had a cautious approach to investment as it suffers from the impact of unpredicted currency differentials between the euro and the pound sterling. The impact of the UK's intention to leave the EU (Brexit) has created an unprecedented level of uncertainty around investment, yet the Town Team perseveres and achieves success.

Cities are constantly facing challenges to sustaining the well-being of their town centres, from major economic crises, changing lifestyle patterns, demographic shift and maintaining environmental quality. The challenges experienced in Monaghan may be of interest to many other border communities across Europe. Monaghan Town includes a hinterland that extends over the land border into Northern Ireland, and as a result was heavily affected by the political Troubles in Northern Ireland. Although now in a post-conflict era, there still remain some legacy issues, for example around trust in the business community and the general public. Business investment in the town has been cautious, due in some part to the legacy issues, but also due to fluctuating currency differentials between the euro and the pound sterling with the United Kingdom. The situation around Brexit has added an unprecedented level of uncertainty for the business community in the town. The issue of building trust in the community and the stakeholders was a main consideration in the local authority intervening to appoint a coordinator to the service of the Town Team. The experience of the Town Team in addressing challenges provides a valuable education that can be transferred to other cities in border communities. The Town Team concept brings together stakeholders who have an interest in their town to prepare a plan, having regard to sustainable principles and to promote the growth of their town.

In 2012/2013 the City of Poznań (PL) and its company Poznań Social Housing Association (PTBS) decided to create an affordable housing programme, “Apartments for Graduates”, to meet the needs of university graduates and retain young talent in the city. The combination of affordable pricing and good conditions resulted in a very high - and continuing - demand for flats in the programme. 
Tenants are chosen on the basis of several selection criteria: they should be university graduates who graduated within the last five years, they must not be more than 36 years old, and should not own any other apartment in Poznań. They must work in or run a business in Poznań and pay taxes there. There is also an upper and a lower income limit. Each person can rent a flat for up to 10 years. 
In the first wave of recruitment there were 250 applicants, and later about 130. 

The programme functions on the basis of a rental housing model and tenants have to cover the costs: repayable participation in the apartment development costs, rent and a reimbursable deposit.

For qualified applicants (recent university graduates no older than 36 and within the income limits, who do not own other property in Poznań but work and pay taxes in the city), the programme combines affordable pricing and very good conditions. The residential estate, which is aimed at university graduates, includes 4 residential buildings with 143 apartments, including 77 one-room and 66 two-room flats. In the area there are also two underground garage areas.

Apartments for Graduates is part of a sustainable housing system encompassing many social groups, i.e. the elderly, youth, the poor… Owing to the well-thought-out system, the solutions offered for each of the groups are best suited for their needs. However, creating housing especially for one group does not create social exclusion. For example, in the housing estate for the elderly there is also a kindergarten for mentally disabled children. The area of the housing estate for young people is located close to the green areas. It is well served by public transport and by bicycle lanes, which encourages them to use more sustainable forms of transport. The programme aims to create good housing conditions for young people, but it contributes to the overall development of the city as it boosts its economic and social development by providing new employees and creating a lively neighbourhood.

The work preparation for the investment on Palacza Street began in 2011. The city considered the possibility of the developer system: renting (without the right to buy), renting with the buyout right or selling the ground and using the money obtained to finance investment in another locality.

At the turn of 2012 and 2013 a decision was made to use the area on Placza Street in Poznań for rental housing. In 2012 the Department of Investment and Real Estate of the Poznań University of Economics and Business published a monograph concerning the issue of housing needs of clients on the local real estate market and how those needs are addressed (exemplified by the situation of Poznań). The monograph was a result of the research carried out on this subject.

In 2013 Propertus – a student research club – invited representatives of PTBS to a conference where students presented results of their own research on the current housing situation for young people and their housing preferences. Also the City of Poznań ran a survey among the potential beneficiaries – employees of Poznań City Hall and its institutions. The research and information gained from young people who contacted PTBS provided a basis for the rules of the Apartments for Graduates programme.

The programme makes it possible to increase the quality of life of young people and help them to become more independent. It enables them to settle in Poznań, which stops the negative migration trend. The lease period of 10 years helps young people to become financially independent because they get help at the beginning of their careers. This stability is helpful in setting up a family.

The rent is appropriate for the financial situation of young people and the surface area and location of the apartments suit their needs. The location of Palacza Street is very convenient, within walking distance (5 minutes) of public transportation (bus and tram stops). The city centre can be reached in 10 minutes by car or in 15 minutes by tram. The area is located next to the city park. The city forest Lasek Marceliński can be reached by a bike lane. In the neighbourhood there is also an astronomy dome where citizens can take part in lectures and sky watching. The infrastructure of the neighbourhood is also very good. There is a school and a kindergarten and numerous shops and services. Owing to the above-mentioned reasons the area is exceptional: full of light and greenery and at the same time close to the city centre and its well-developed infrastructure.

Many cities in Eastern and Western Europe have already shown interest in the programme. They have asked about the details of the programme: its assumptions, finances, rules and eligibility. The partners from the Gen-Y City network were particularly interested in the project because the aim of the network is to retain young people in the City and determine what should be done to make the city more attractive for them. The findings of many cities were that affordable housing is something that attracts young people.

The Apartments for Graduates programme is so appealing because it focuses solely on young people. It suits their needs and creates a community of people with similar life situations and attitudes. Moreover, the target group is university graduates, people with a good educational background who are potential employees for local companies. There is also a trend of young people emigrating to smaller towns or cities. They can travel and simultaneously work off-site.

The programme can be a good way of development for medium-sized cities which face the negative migration trend. The programme is an example of a project that many people can benefit from and it can be applied to many different cities because its extent can be adapted to the city’s size, number of students and financial situation.

Public procurement to help disadvantaged people to enter the labour market, has been the cornerstone of the Avilés City Council (ES) since 2009. A key tool is the Introduction of Social Clauses in Public Procurement Procedures, known by its Spanish acronym ICSA. 
This tool envisages the possibility of introducing social criteria at various stages of the recruitment procedure, allowing the set-up of a quota for Special Employment Centres and Social Insertion Companies and introducing social criteria in the appraisal of tenders or as a further condition for executing bids. It also requires technical expertise on the subject matter of the contract. The Labour Accompanying Department is in charge of short-listing candidates as well as monitoring them at their workplace when job offers derive from social clauses included in the technical specifications of a public contract.

It turns passive policies into active policies for inclusion, contributing to social policies and economic sustainability, particularly in employability and socio-occupational issues. It has a direct economic impact, since many of the people hired are on costly subsidies and social security benefits. They stop receiving this financial aid upon their recruitment and, in turn, they become net payers who generate income for the Spanish Tax Agency while reducing social spending.

This is one of the best average cost/benefit rates, as the qualitative and quantitative impact on most vulnerable groups’ employment rate is high while startup costs are relatively low. The discrimination that still exists in the labour market can be combated through the programme's development and implementation.

This practice is the culmination of actions carried out by the Avilés City Council regarding education, training and employment. It can also serve as an example and be easily replicated in other territories. Moreover, regulating the introduction of social criteria and having specific procedures for recruitment and monitoring has helped overcome technical difficulties posed by municipal staff. This in turn allowed changing deeply rooted ideas and introducing new approaches more in tune with social responsibility.

Because it does not entail allocating additional resources, it is a sustainable initiative. It aims at changing the behaviour of the economic agents involved in recruitment toward a higher social provision of goods and service. This raises awareness of more inclusive and sustainable development models. It contributes to the stability and survival of social economy enterprises, such as Special Employment Centres (SECs) and/or Social Insertion Companies (SICs).

By using market reserves, it is easier for these companies to access public contracting under advantageous conditions, so they can compete with companies which do not include social clauses and do not invest in social costs. Complying with the existing rules and regulations on public contracting, this innovative approach is focused on social integration, going beyond simply contracting works, services and supplies. It actually allows contracting a project related to socio-occupational inclusion of people in – or at risk of – exclusion. ICSA increases the profitability of public investment, boosting the development of initiatives including more equity in economy while contributing to combat social exclusion.

Avilés is facing up to challenges opened to dialogue and cooperates with different interest groups. Networking and establishing partnerships are the cornerstone of groundbreaking initiatives which are of great value for the territory and create future opportunities for citizens. The different stages for ICSA elaboration and development (external advice, establishment, testing and piloting) were the result of reflection, discussion, consensus and political and technical commitments for which municipal managers and the Welfare, Legal and Economic Departments worked together.

Moreover, the local government has led the introduction of social clauses into public contracting within the framework of two agreements (Avilés Avanza, Avilés Acuerda) and a network of territories (Retos). Through Avilés Avanza and Avilés Acuerda and by signing the agreements, the Avilés City Council along with business associations and trade unions commit themselves to introducing environmental and social criteria in public procurement.

The Plan de Acción Local de Empleo Juvenil (employment for youth plan), falling under the JOBTOWN Programme financed by URBACT, whose partnership was composed of youth associations, social agents, administrations, companies and educational centres, proved how important this practice was and how much it was needed in order to improve employability in Avilés’ population.

Four agreements were signed between the Avilés City Council and social and economic agents within the territory. Five legislative documents that helped ICSA to be launched were published. ICSA was presented as a good practice in several national and European conferences. Transfer of the experience to other cities is already executed and completed.

Social criteria have been introduced in 147 specifications for public contracting. Eleven contracts were reserved (eight for Special Employment Centres and one for a Social Insertion Company). Two contracts included Social Insertion Companies regarding Technical Solvency.

More than 500 people have been hired by the companies contracting with the Avilés City Council (the same people can be included in different situations): 279 women (66.4%), 88 people with disabilities (20.9%), 107 long-term unemployed (25.5%), 75 people over 45 years old (17.8%) and 39 immigrants (9.3%).

Tendering companies have assessed the programme positively. This initiative has gained recognition as a good practice.

The major challenge facing European cities is unemployment, which increases the risk of inequalities and social exclusion. In this context, social participation becomes more and more important.

Participatory governance is a social obligation which is rapidly gaining ground. Both social agents and public administrations are more aware that economic development and successful policies must be achieved through cooperation and not solely in the public sector. Public procurement in the EU is estimated between 12% and 15% of the member States’ GDP, reaching 50% in some municipalities. Local governments’ procurement spending is significantly higher and therefore it increases the investment in social growth and cohesion.

The introduction of social criteria in public procurement procedures is an inclusive and sustainable approach that contributes to more attractive and cohesive cities while promoting the building of human capital and combating inequalities.

The policies meet the headline targets of the European 2020 Strategy for inclusive cities. Since ICSA's inception, several cities and public administrations have requested the support of the Avilés City Council. In fact, after ICSA was presented in national and international conferences, other cities have shown interest in undertaking similar initiatives as long as they are properly supported.

The Strategic Council is a project to upgrade the Municipal Government of Sintra (PT) with action in two areas: Business and the Environment. Launched in 2014, it involves the mayor, relevant companies, trade union forces, associations of Sintra and the Ministry of Environment. The Business axis analyses the economic and social situation from the perspective of companies and employers, proposing appropriate measures to solve identified problems. The Environmental axis guarantees cooperation between the Municipality of Sintra and the Environment Ministry to tackle matters of environmental management, urban planning and requalification.
The Strategic Council is a good practice both for the Municipality of Sintra and the country as a whole. It promotes the development of socio-economic growth - especially during the country's current period of crises - and enhances natural heritage, involving in this process key stakeholders and society in general.

The following solutions stand out:

1. SINTRA INCLUDES, a professional inclusion project for people with disabilities. With protocol with Sintra Municipally, Parents-in-Network Association and Companies of the Strategic Council through it young people have their first traineeships and later, the opportunity for contract employment.
2. STARTUP SINTRA projects are mainly in the scope of new technologies, incorporating Sintra into national and European networks of startups and in particular, translating open opportunity to entrepreneurship in Sintra.
3. PLANNING ONLINE, a digital platform to submit electronic procedures and for management of requests for all urban operations. The platform allows a faster process and makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of the municipal services regarding the urban licensing that is vital for the development of Sintra.
4. COASTAL works urgently to rehabilitate pedestrian access to beaches, creates a platform to view the footprints of dinosaurs and footbridges to access the beach.
5. ILLEGAL URBAN AREAS OF GENESIS (AUGI). There are about 100, where more than 30,000 people live with serious socioeconomic problems like water supply, sanitation, legalisation of land and appraisal of projects.

The specific issues find in the Environmental Council a place to resolve their problems. The Council permits a better coordination between municipal and national services. In 2017, more than 30 AUGI will be converted.

The municipality of Sintra is characterised by an unequal economic, social and geographical reality. These characteristics, in the context of growing competitiveness, require institutional changes and a great capacity building effort. Sustainable developments require a transparent leadership to innovate and achieve change. In a difficult socio-economic context this project contributes to improving the performance of Sintra, its relationship with citizens and companies.

The Business and Environmental Councils reinforce the articulation between the executive and the economic/environmental agents, raising the quality of decisions in the axes of municipal action, encouraging collaboration between departments, to articulate with the community and bridging the Central Administration in a space of joint reflection. Through this approach, the municipality contributes to reducing unemployment, increasing entrepreneurship in a sustainable manner and enhancing the quality of the environment and the natural heritage, which are fundamental assets for the municipal identity.

With the creation of the digital platforms, the municipalities can make/follow their requests, and the evaluation and monitoring of the municipal services is carried out. Thus, the Strategic Council attracts and encourages companies to establish themselves in the municipality, providing services to the residents and promoting efficiency in public administration for the well-being of the population.

The establishment and implementation of the Strategic Council Project is to incorporate environmental aspects, is an instrument for better municipal government, and the implementation of autonomous projects emanating from the Strategic Council itself, some mentioned in previous points. These were only possible due to the combination of several factors: participation and articulation with business communities; cooperation between private and public entities; understanding between central and municipal administrations on environmental matters, such as the collection and treatment of waste, coastlines, land planning and urban regeneration; sustainable logic of economic matters with main reference in licensing and its conditions; and finally, effective communication among all stakeholders concerned with social matters.

Finally, the Strategic Council Project is largely based on the following vectors:

a) Dialogue between the public sector, local and national, and the private sector;

b) Innovation;

c) Entrepreneurship;

d) Reconversion/ improvement;

e) Sustainability.

Therefore, to carry out the projects considered to be pertinent, regardless of their degree of complexity, it is essential and relevant that the approach should be done in a participatory perspective between the different parties involved, working with the community and for a good society.

The Business and Environmental Councils, formed by a set of stakeholders that meets periodically, are not decision-making bodies, they just help to jointly consider matters that are relevant to sustainable development, understood in a broad sense, of the Sintra Municipality is an important forum for reflection and dialogue, aimed at solving issues that are of particular concern to the municipal universe.

This unequivocal of proximity reinforcement although locally, require decision-making with central bodies of territory administration and the environment or with entities directly or indirectly linked to the business world, compete for a best understanding in the decision-making, fundamentally at the environmental, social and economic level, and vital to the projects implementation.

The main change was verified in position that was necessary:

i) By the Municipal Executive, who considers the dialogue between the vital parties and the one who believes that quality of life is due to employment and well-being in Sintra. Wishing that Sintra would be a municipality with an attractive lifestyle, appealing to investors;

ii) The local business sector accepted the municipal challenge and was involved in this project;

iii) By entities, business, social and environmental, at the regional and national level, joint and concerted efforts aimed at the prosperity of the municipality as a whole

Strategic, Business and Environmental Councils are instruments of better city government, a project for strengthening the quality of institutions which can be an example of better governance in (i) other municipalities (ii) in the business areas where formalisation and implementation of strategy are foreseen, reinforcing the articulation in the communities of companies and the joint participation in the resolution of the context.

The premises that led to the creation of the project are:

A) Dialogue between the public sector, local and national and the private sector;

B) Innovation;

C) Entrepreneurship;

D) Reconversion / improvement; and

E) Sustainability, adapted to different social, economic and environmental realities and able to be replicated in other geographical areas.

However, the municipal and national institutional will have to be a reality within the framework of strict compliance with legal provisions and in compliance with the competencies of each institution and level of government, thus providing a necessary mechanism for Sintra to develop and advance a broad dialogue between the various actors.

The Project received the Municipality of the Year Portugal 2015 award in the Lisbon metropolitan area from UM-Cities of the Minho University, which recognises good practices in this project, with positive impacts on the economy, society and the environment, promoting growth, social inclusion and sustainability.

This mobility management programme, led by the City of Munich (DE), aims to support citizens, guests and businesses in their individual mobility planning. Entitled "Munich - Gscheid Mobil", the focus is on promoting environmentally friendly transport and reducing car traffic (and thus CO2 emissions) within the city. "Gscheid" is a Bavarian-Austrian term for both "quality" and "intelligence". 
Since 2006 many projects addressing different target groups (e.g. children and youth, families, seniors, businesses, migrants and new citizens) have been launched under the Gscheid Mobil brand. The programme is based on the idea that people experiencing life-changing events - such as the birth of a baby, a move to another city, retirement - are more open to change. Its powerful message is that Munich has a sound mobility service and that using it brings individual benefits. Gscheid Mobil projects are always multimodal and go far beyond pure information: they include consultation, motivation and education.

Gscheid Mobil supports citizens, guests and businesses in their individual mobility planning to reduce car traffic in the city. The aim is to reach as many people as possible. Consequently, a variety of projects aiming at different target groups has been launched during the past 10 years, constantly tested, evaluated and improved. The idea behind it is that well-informed citizens are more likely to use alternative and environmentally friendly mobility options (e.g. car sharing instead of an own car).

To give an example: For children and youth the City of Munich developed the concept of a “biography of mobility” comprising projects for the age groups 3-6, 6-10 and 10-16. The project BAMBINI is dedicated to kindergartners (age 3-6) and focuses on improving the children's social and moving skills. At primary school the project WALKING BUS accompanies school children on their way to school.

The play LET'S GO! for children aged 10 and above raises their awareness for sustainable mobility and climate protection in an exciting and humorous way while the projects ON THE BIKES - READY - GO! (age 10) and SCHOOL RALLY (age 11-12) aim at training children's competences for safe cycling. Here the pupils learn all about a roadworthy bicycle and how they can carry out small repairs independently. For secondary schools there are the projects FAIR MOVE (age 11-12) and ON MY WAY (age 13-14) in which children deal with the different aspects of sustainable mobility.

The mobility management programme Gscheid Mobil builds on a sustainable and integrated urban development approach. It has been supported by the city council for 10 years and it has constantly been included in Munich's transportation and urban planning concepts developed or adapted during that time. It is thus anchored in the City of Munich's strategic documents and has become an integral part of it.

Gscheid Mobil's awareness-raising measures are not only coordinated and implemented by the Road Traffic, Transport and Mobility Management Office, they are jointly developed with a variety of different partners within the municipality and beyond. Cooperations are maintained e.g. with schools, with the MVG (the transport company) or with businesses (car sharing, cargo bikes).

Also, target groups are consulted before launching a project to meet their needs the best way possible. Gscheid Mobil is a mobility project (kick-started by the transport planners) but at the same time it has become an education project for schools, an integration project for migrants and an information and awareness-raising project for many citizens in Munich. The subproject “Go!Family,” for example, is promoted by maternity hospitals and midwife practices. The active involvement of many different stakeholders makes Gscheid Mobil an integrated, sustainable and successful project.

Relevant stakeholders are involved in the conception and implementation of all “Gscheid Mobil” projects (e.g. MVG – the transport company, the car industry, universities and science, associations, further municipal departments, schools, the Deutsche Bahn – German railway company, carsharing companies, bicycle dealers etc.). When developing the project for new citizens, a focus group has been consulted. For the City of Munich, it is crucial to involve relevant stakeholders already during the conception phase of the project (or when planning an update) to make the project meet the needs of the target group. Only when the product (the information folder in this case) is well accepted by the audience in terms of content and layout, will it be used successfully. For the project Go!Family, there is an online questionnaire. Within the framework of the school projects, surveys among students and teachers are carried out. To involve not only externals but also municipal colleagues in the project “Gscheid Mobil” (the City of Munich has more than 30,000 employees), the concept “LHMobil” has been launched (LHM stands for Landeshauptstadt München). It offers mobility consultation for municipal staff and provides the municipal departments with e-bikes and cargo bikes to be used instead of company cars.

It is a bit difficult to measure the success of Gscheid Mobil in figures, as it is an awareness-raising project with long-term impacts on the mobility behaviour of citizens. Looking, for example, at the projects for children, Gscheid Mobil aims at shaping their attitude towards environmentally friendly mobility from early childhood to young adulthood, a period of 15 years. Not until age 18 are they able to (possibly) drive their own cars. But in the meantime, their school projects might have had an influence on their parents' mobility behaviour. It is Munich's strong belief (and the reason why the city council has supported the project for 10 years) that the Gscheid Mobil measures positively influence citizens’ mobility behaviour and in the long run lead to a better informed citizenry and consequently to less car traffic and less CO2 emissions within the city. Evaluations do prove the positive effects of the Gscheid Mobil programme, however there also might be positive impacts which are not measurable directly.

A study investigating the individualised marketing approach for new residents has shown that the number of new citizens who used public transport was 7.6% higher among the group who received the information folder and the telephone consultation compared to the group who did not. Considering the fact that there are 85,000 new citizens in Munich each year, that would make a difference of 6,460 people driving to work by bus or metro instead of using their cars.

Reducing car traffic and CO2 emissions through the promotion of environmentally friendly mobility options is an issue that concerns many cities in Europe. As Gscheid Mobil is not concentrated on one specific field of action only but offers a broad range of different sub-projects addressing different target groups, it could be interesting (and applicable!) for many European cities.

Some Gscheid Mobil projects have been developed within the framework of national and international research and funding projects (e.g. EU projects) and have already been transferred to other cities. Those international cooperation projects offered the opportunity to develop Gscheid Mobil material in other European languages (e.g. English, Spanish, Italian, Polish etc.) which facilitates transferability to other European cities even more. In 2014 the City of Munich won the EPOMM mobility management award for the best international policy and practice transfer. The prize was awarded for the transfer of the Gscheid Mobil new residents welcoming strategy from Munich to Almada, Portugal.

QUIsSI Gioca! is a pilot project for the re-use of playful urban green areas, overseen by the municipality of Macerata (IT), encouraging participatory methodologies and integration. It relates to a public green area in the Quartiere Pace, a neighbourhood with a high number of immigrants, a junior high school, municipal and private child-care centres, and a primary school. The purpose was to rethink this area, highly frequented by children, and rich in cultural diversity.
The project explored co-management of the green space, a different concept of security, the creation of aggregation contexts, and social inclusion. It involved building games, and defining spaces together with inhabitants. This first operation gave start to QUIsSICRESCE, a participatory planning project to improve the outdoor space of five municipal child-care centres, to share a different approach to outdoor education.

The starting project was divided into six self-construction dates during which the participants have achieved together a playful device, starting from the track on the ground of a square, the labyrinth. The Association Les Friches has played a role in facilitating the dialogue. The materials were selected from those stored in the municipal nursery: all natural (wood and stone) or recovered from older games, furniture, floors or green areas fencing, from pruning or removal of hazardous trees.

In collaboration with the Meridiana social cooperative, and with the support of the environment technical office, it has organised the construction site, planned jobs to support activities with the children and done the work of making the area safe. We tried to work together, with appropriate approaches, with all the children according to age groups.

The same approach was then applied in green areas of the five municipal child-care centres through a two-year process of participatory planning, training and self-training which involved the teachers, parents, local administrators and technicians. The project has initiated a process of change still in place, following five steps carried out in the first year: World Cafè, report, planimetry, planning.

The project is an example of an integrated approach to problem solving because the actions undertaken have involved a number of issues and aspects, which not only aim to rethink and respect the environment and public space, but also to set in motion a participatory dynamic, forward-looking city, a future of dialogue and discussion to a participatory and responsible community.

From an economic and environmental sustainability point of view, the project has led to the redevelopment of public green spaces, without building large fixed structures but rather based on the existing environmental and focusing on its potential. The playful devices were made with materials selected from among those stored in municipal nursery: all of natural origin (wood and stone) or recovery, thus ensuring a low economic and environmental sustainability impact.

In terms of social sustainability, that process has created a community around a green space through the exchange of ideas in which all citizens had the right to participate. The community that has formed feels responsible for the care and respect of the space. In the project, participation and collaboration included more levels of relationships: the child, the educator, the family, citizenship, the immigrant population and the political, technical and administrative staff of the Municipality of Macerata.

From the earliest stages of the project, the participation of parents and educators has been essential. The people involved were invited to reflect on outdoor education and have strengthened the relationships between parents and educators. They created an important working group, which despite different knowledge and languages, had a common objective: the well-being of the child.

One constant was the involvement of technicians, managers and directors in choosing the project for each child-care centre in the light of ideas and suggestions arising from meetings with parents and educators. Periodically educators, parents and an educational coordinator would meet to share project activities and learn about the progress. A meeting of the collective has also been extended to political and administrative figures, schools and child-care centres.

The project is also very focused on communication, creating a network that relies on social media, the web and e-mail.

From a social and environmental point of view, the tangible results were the respect and attention of the citizens and public administration for the public area of the neighbourhood. The sharing and use of this place has strengthened the relationships among those who live here, and stimulated the sense of community. Sharing a path and a plan, along with direct participation have created a community that cares about the place, making it a safe space for people of different ages and cultures.

For each child-care centre, an intervention has been chosen to be carried out within the first year of the project. To date, the project has produced very positive results, showing the need for stakeholders to think of a child's growth and development needs in new ways. There are many changes taking place in the child-care centres: a closer relationship of trust between educators and parents, a desire to use more and better outdoor facilities, leading to the introduction of new materials and the creation of experiential contexts, a path based on observation and documentation of small transformations.

Number of requalified spaces: 5 surfaces totalling 4352,00 sq.m.

Number of children involved: 186

Number of families: 186 (about 558 people) Associations, organisations involved: Gus, la Meridiana, Cosmari

The project has already been replicated in other small towns in our territory. The project has enjoyed great recognition thanks to its selection in the “Space Stories” of the international conference "Education, Earth, Nature", a conference for introducing new tools and educational strategies to increase in children the feeling of being part of an ecosystem. It also promoted respectful behaviour towards the environment and at the same time helping them to achieve well-being, skills and independence.

In fact it is an increasingly common practice, one in which the recipients of individual interventions are the protagonists of a process designed to promote sociality, relational skills and building a shared socio-cultural identity, regardless of cultural contexts of origin. The experience was also shared in the national network S.L.U.R.P (Spazi Ludici Urbani a Responsabilità Partecipata), in which the association Les Friches has been included since 2012. The network involves local residents (and especially children) in design, implementation and management, and is based on a principle of "shared responsibility".

The City of Avilés (ES) runs a permanent local network to coordinate actions related to immigration. Set up in 2006, the Avilés Local Group on Immigration, or GLIA, pays special attention to factors that make immigrants vulnerable. These include difficulties entering the labour market, access to housing and health care, recognition of studies and qualifications, language barriers, administrative hurdles, discrimination and lack of support networks, to name a few. The group's main objectives are:

• Provide a space for analysing, planning and territorial coordination between Avilés City Council and other social agents and organisations that provide services to immigrants;
• Share knowledge, promoting exchanges and discussing immigrants' social reality in Avilés;
• Support immigrants' social inclusion in the area, promoting activities that guarantee human rights, enhance respect for differences and make their presence visible. 

Social exclusion is a complex phenomenon that requires a comprehensive approach and cooperation between local agents, especially those working at different administrative levels, social agents, volunteers and citizens’ associations. The organisations involved in GLIA have extensive experience in intervention with people in or at risk of poverty and/or social exclusion. Each organisation’s identity is respected while sharing a common objective: working for social rights and social inclusion.

Being a plural organisation, GLIA strengthens this network by promoting:

• A more comprehensive knowledge and joint situation analysis of the immigration phenomenon in the area;
• Guarantee of human rights through the principle of standardisation and access under equal conditions to public services;
• Improvement of social assistance and intervention procedures within the immigrant population: coordination, complementarity, subsidiarity and optimisation of local resources;
• Joint actions with an emphasis on raising awareness and preventing discriminatory practices by engaging other organisations, the educational community, associations and citizens;
• Joint development of materials: studies, guides on rights and available resources in the city; audio-visual materials for awareness; educational and teaching materials on immigration.

The EU 2020 Strategy seeks to move decisively beyond the crisis by establishing three priorities of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and identifies specific fields for action. One of the four thematic objectives included in the national cohesion policies “Acuerdo de Asociación de España 2014-2020” corresponds to thematic objective 9 of the EU 2020 Strategy “Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty and any discrimination”.

GLIA is crucial for the good coordination of all the actions seeking to guarantee civil rights and civic, social, economic and cultural participation for immigrants arriving in the area and who become part of our community. Shared principles:

• Inclusive universality: by guaranteeing assistance to immigrants who turn to our organisations for help;
• Standardisation: by ensuring social rights and promoting access under equal conditions to public services;
• Cooperation between local agents and complementarity of the available resources, avoiding duplications and looking for efficient interventions;
• Comprehensive approach to tackle problems by enhancing integrated development pathways;
• Vertical integration: it includes different actors;
• Territorial integration: Avilés municipality;
• Sustainability: all organisations involved in GLIA share social inclusion as a common objective. As for the Avilés City Council, it has participated in the different agreements signed and the Social Promotion Strategic Plan 2016-2020.

As a local coordination network, GLIA uses a participatory approach:

• Plurality of local actors involved: Avilés City Council; Accem; Africanos Asociados del Principado de Asturias and AMA; APRAMP; Cáritas; CC.OO. Unión Comarcal de Avilés; Centro Municipal de Atención a Personas sin Hogar; Cruz Roja-Asamblea Comarcal de Avilés; FSG Fundación Secretariado Gitano; Grupo Emaús; Servicio Público de Salud; XURTIR;
• Participatory process and consensual agreement on the activities to be developed as a group. All decisions are agreed upon by every organisation represented in the group;
• Internal operation: two working separate areas: Main Group. Permanent group. It holds monthly meetings which all representatives must attend. It is a platform for information, coordination, analysis, debate, proposal and decision-making regarding immigration;
• Working commissions. Created on the initiative of the Main Group, they are non-permanent and are in charge of specific tasks, depending on the activity to be developed. The Main Group is informed of the work undertaken and carried out by the commissions and validates the final result. Some examples:
• Study of immigration in Avilés in 2010, 2012, 2014. Currently working on 2016 : https://aviles.es/en/w/diagnósticos-y-estudios;
• Programme of activities on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the group;
• Minutes of the agreements for the establishment of the three working commissions for 2017.

Results: consolidation of GLIA as a long-term permanent local coordination network on immigration; improvement of assistance and intervention procedures for immigrants; immigrant-led associations are represented in GLIA to facilitate their integration; optimisation and complementarity of resources and actions; raising awareness of immigration in Avilés (municipal web page and news writing in collaboration with the municipal Communications Department).

GLIA participates in projects organised by other territories:

• Collaboration with other organisations to develop inclusive projects in the city: “Municipios sin racismo. Pueblos por la inclusion” and “Escuelas sin Racismo. Escuelas para la Paz y el Desarrollo”. Active European Citizenship programme;
• Encouraging joint working methods between organisations at GLIA (open call for welfare and social cohesion grants);
• Integrating immigrants in open calls for grants (housing);
• Encouraging the group’s external projection, promoting the exchange of experiences and the transfer of knowledge; making the group’s work visible and receiving recognition for its work (good practice);
• Development of materials as GLIA: study of immigrants in Avilés (https://aviles.es/en/w/diagnósticos-y-estudios); guides on rights and resources available in the city (http://aviles.es/web/ayuntamiento/inimmigrantes); awareness audiovisual materials, (http://aviles.es/web/ayuntamiento/inmigracion); and didactic and teaching materials.

The immigration phenomenon is posing several challenges for European member states. Promoting their social inclusion at a local level is a must. For this purpose, collaboration among different local agents is necessary. One of GLIA’s biggest strengths as a local network initiative is that it is easy to replicate. Main characteristics:

• Promote local networking as a place for sharing knowledge, analysis and discussion on immigrants’ problems, offering a better insight about this matter (collaborative studies);
• Build alliances among different local actors sharing common objectives. Participatory decision-making processes;
• Improve reception, assistance, intervention and counselling procedures provided to immigrants, favouring the integration of procedures and optimisation and complementarity of resources;
• Greater impact on society of the activities carried out;
• It is not bound by any legal framework, which facilitates its adjustment to any territorial context;
• Easy to integrate in local social policies;
• Affordable: it does not require any economic effort from any of the organisations involved and therefore it is long-term sustainable;
• Readily accepted and welcomed by citizens, as it promotes social inclusion and integration of immigrants into community;
• Potential to exponentially increase the results obtained as its structure and operations can be easily replicated by any administration in any territorial context.

The city of Ghent is facing a growing number of refugees. In Belgium, the number of asylum applications doubled within one year. 60% receive asylum status. As a local government, Ghent believes in a proactive approach, starting the integration process from Day One. 
The moment asylum-seekers arrive, they are brought into contact with relevant organisations. In this way they can quickly access language courses, volunteer work, leisure activities. This is a two-sided approach speeding up the integration process, and allowing organisations and citizens to get to know newcomers. It also addresses negative stereotypes and prejudices against refugees. 
To coordinate this, a Refugee Taskforce was set up involving everyone who can play a role in dealing with the growing number of new arrivals. This is a cooperation between the political level, city administration, citizens and civil society. The structure allows clear roles and responsibilities to be set. 

To handle the range of services needed by refugees, a Refugee Taskforce was set up uniting the political level, city administration and civil society. This holistic approach allows us to tackle challenges on diverse fronts.

• Shelter. Due to the refugee crisis a new refugee shelter was set up. Cooperation between the three shelters was established; as such, information, experiences and good practices can be exchanged.
• It's important to have a good information exchange with citizens. Information sessions and a dedicated web site give people the chance to visit the shelter. By giving accurate information and involving society from the beginning we can demystify stereotypes and raise awareness.
• A coordinated approach makes sure that fundamental rights such as housing, education and work can be accessed quickly and effectively. The moment asylum seekers arrive in Ghent, they are brought into contact with relevant organisations to start language training, do volunteer work etc. The integration process starts immediately, while waiting for recognition. This is a win-win for both newcomers and host society.
• Engagement of civil society. The refugee crisis brought about a huge wave of solidarity: NGOs, volunteers and citizens offer their assistance. As a local authority, we can align these initiatives and offer professional guidance. As such we can fill the gaps, give a warm welcome and foster solidarity with other vulnerable groups.

This proactive, holistic approach fast-tracks the integration process and makes sure that refugees are included within the host society. By giving them immediate access to language training, volunteer work, leisure activities, assigning a local buddy, newcomers are being empowered socially and economically. Refugees also love to contribute to the host society with their skills and talents. The Refugee Taskforce is a cooperation between the political level, city administration and civil society.

A coordinated Refugee Taskforce involves all the relevant stakeholders: city services (e.g. Service on Asylum and Refugee Policy, Service of Welfare and Equal Opportunities), the Public Service for Social Welfare, local NGOs and independent volunteers. By involving volunteers, NGOs and refugee shelters, the actions we take as a local authority are based on the needs of the people. The refugee crisis brought about a huge wave of solidarity: NGOs, volunteers and citizens all wanted to give a warm welcome to refugees, by offering assistance, donating materials, inviting people to their houses - taking various initiatives to make them feel at home. As a local authority we can align all these initiatives, e.g. by setting up a dedicated website.

Refugees are finding their way through the Ghent society, they know the organisations that can be of help, they have been able to establish a social network, they speak the language and a lot of them are active as volunteers. There has been a huge wave of solidarity towards the refugees, no major negative reactions to these new arrivals. IN-Gent assigned 57 buddies to asylum seekers to help them with their administration, make sure they get to know Ghent and practice their language skills. The Centre for General Wellbeing assigned 56 housing buddies, who help the refugees looking for homes. In September 2016 an ESF project was started; the target of this project is to turn volunteer work into paying jobs for 320 asylum seekers. During the summer of 2016 a social-artistic NGO was able to set up volunteer work for 80 asylum seekers during the summer festivals in and around Ghent. Because this was such a success, it was turned into a project called "Refu interim". This approach leads to sustainable change. The cooperation installed between city administrations, NGOs and civil society leads to new alliances that can also prove efficient and interesting in other contexts.

Today, many cities are facing the same challenges as a result of the large and rapid inflow of migrants. A locally coordinated proactive approach can be set up in other cities as well. By giving immediate access to social rights as housing, education, work, healthcare and leisure activities, not only the integration process is being fast-tracked, but negative stereotypes and prejudices against refugees are also addressed.

We are convinced that the Ghent approach is transferable and affordable for other cities. It's a matter of making smart connections in an already existing field of actors that are present in almost every local context. By adding targeted coordination you can maximise the impact, which makes it possible to speed up the integration process.

Moreover, this approach leads to sustainable change. The cooperation installed between city administrations, NGOs and civil society leads to new alliances that can also prove efficient and interesting in other contexts. It's actually a mindset one instils that's not only applicable to refugees. Therefore, it can inspire other cities to adapt this practice to their own context.