WAKE UP CITIES

Cities facing youth out migration, weakening social bonds and declining participation in urban life need new people-centered approaches combining future skills, civic engagement and human-centered technologies to reactivate communities and public spaces.

Edited on 18/05/2026

Back to search
Send your expression of interest

Project proposal by

  • Institution : Stalowa Wola Regional Development Agency Ltd.
  • City : Stalowa Wola
  • Country : Poland
  • Type of region : Less developed
  • Population : 54 728
Looking for Project Partners

WAKE UP CITIES – Partner Search for URBACT – Action Networks
 

The Stalowowolska Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego (StARR) - a 100% municipal company of the City of Stalowa Wola (Poland) - is currently building a partnership consortium as a leader for the URBACT Program (Action Networks) project entitled WAKE UP CITIES, planned to be submitted by 17 June 2026.

 

We are looking for cities whose development strategies, local policies or action plans include objectives related to citizens’ activation, youth engagement, future skills development, STEAM education, social innovation, urban regeneration, economic transformation or building new city identities.

 

 

PROJECT IDEA

WAKE UP CITIES responds to the growing challenges faced by many European cities: youth talent drain, decreasing civic and social activity, weakening local bonds, low participation in urban life, the phenomena of GHOST CITIES and ZOMBIE CITIES, and the need to build a new, modern identity for cities transforming their development models.

The project is based on the approach of PEOPLE-CENTERED URBAN TRANSFORMATION. Residents are not treated only as beneficiaries of city actions, but as co-creators of local initiatives, partners in transformation processes and active participants in shaping the future of their city.

Future technologies used in the project - such as AI, robotics, gamification, digital tools and mission-based urban experiences - are not the goal itself. They are tools for rebuilding social relations, strengthening civic activity, activating young people, developing future skills and creating new forms of local community engagement. 

Basing on the Baseline Study each partner city will choose activities to implement of the catalogue below or propose their own ideas.

 

 

PROPOSED NETWORK-LEVEL ACTIVITIES

  • EU NETWORK OF ACTIVITY & FUTURE SKILLS CLUBS - local hubs combining social activation, STEAM education, innovation, future skills development and community-building activities for residents and youth. The initiative will also include a Bank of Time model linking volunteering and social engagement with access to future skills programmes.

  • HACKATHONS FOR CITY MAKERS, bringing together public authorities, NGOs, businesses, educators, youth, seniors and local leaders to co-create solutions for inclusive, green and socially active cities.

  • URBAN MISSIONS CALENDAR, connecting local challenges, missions and activities carried out simultaneously across partner cities.

  •  

 

PROPOSED LOCAL-LEVEL ACTIVITIES

  • WAKE UP CITY AMBASSADORS programmes for local leaders, institutions and companies supporting social activation, civic participation and future skills development.

  • WAKE UP CITY SMART TOOL encouraging residents to participate in urban missions, events and social initiatives in exchange for rewards linked to municipal services and cultural activities.

  • HUMAN-CENTERED URBAN ROBOTICS by using humanoid and mobile robots as interactive tools supporting STEAM education, youth engagement, social activation and positive relationships with future technologies.

  • MISSION-BASED CITY ENGAGEMENT activities will introduce immersive urban missions and City Quest games using AR/VR, QR codes and storytelling connected with local identity, industrial heritage, green transition and future city challenges.

  • WAKE UP CITY FESTIVALS integrating community engagement, future technologies, local leaders, urban missions and project good practices into local public events.

 

 

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for European cities interested in testing and co-developing the WAKE UP CITIES model, especially: industrial and post-industrial cities, shrinking cities, medium-sized and small cities facing demographic challenges, cities losing young talents, cities developing new economic specialisations, cities working on citizen engagement, social cohesion, youth activation, future skills, urban innovation or public space activation.

Partner cities should be willing to work with local stakeholders, including residents, youth, schools, NGOs, companies, cultural institutions, universities, local leaders and public administration.

 

 

WHY JOIN?

By joining WAKE UP CITIES, partner cities will co-create a European model for activating residents, rebuilding local communities, engaging young people, developing future skills and using technology with a human face.

Together, we want to create cities that are more active, inclusive, connected and future-ready - cities that wake people up instead of putting them to sleep.

 

 

PROJECT CONTACT PERSON

Arleta Siwek

asiwek@starr.pl 

 

Please note that due to the limited number of partners foreseen within the URBACT network, the final partnership will be selected from among the cities expressing interest, based on the level of alignment with the project profile, thematic focus and overall complementarity of the consortium.