Networks and cities' news

How the food sector can help reduce youth unemployment in European medium-sized cities

V Lizboni se bodo 13. in 14. septembra na URBACT Festivalu mest srečali izvoljeni predstavniki, urbani praktiki in strokovnjaki iz vse Evrope, kjer bodo sodelovali, razpravljali o ugotovitvah 20 akcijskih omrežij ter proslavili 15. obletnico programa in vse večji vpliv mest kot nosilcev sprememb v Evropi.

Transfer networks, an URBACT Learning Lab to build capacity and promote cohesion across Europe

You might not expect Twitter to be the place for informed debate on the future of the EU Cohesion Policy. But you’d be wrong. Amidst the white noise on this social media platform, a fascinating catalogue of exchanges is developing.

Investing in skills and competencies

ACTive NGOs: platforms for public-civic cooperation

Levente Polyak looks at the pros and cons of Riga’s NGO House in Teika (LV), sharing its story from its inception to its five year anniversary.

Tropa Verde: recycling - the gift that keeps on giving

Yvan Corbat, URBACT Lead Expert, says rewarding good behaviour still works! Case in point, in Santiago de Compostela (ES) local citizens are rewarded for recycling.

As part of the “Tropa Verde” Good Practice, encouraging environmentally responsible behaviour, citizens recieve  gifts and discounts from local shops, restaurants or public services from different local sponsors through a multimedia platform.

Agents of change - Agueda's transfer story

CREATIVE SPIRITS is a network of nine European cities, funded by the European Union in the frame of the URBACT III Programme. The nine CREATIVE SPIRITS partner cities have a common need to improve the implementation of their existing integrated urban strategies/action plans by including novel approaches linked to creative and cultural industries (CCI) – creative places, people and businesses. The joint policy challenge for the network is to better facilitate the above “creative ecosystem” to be able to attract (more) creative entrepreneurs and boost creative entrepreneurship in dedicated urban areas.

Welcome to the European Playful Cities!

Games offer unique opportunities for engaging stakeholders in contemporary cities says Ileana Toscano. While European cities face challenges of ageing, climate change and social exclusion, we need to find enjoyable ways to co–create solutions. The URBACT Playful Paradigm transfer network is based on the use of “games” for promoting social inclusion, healthy lifestyles and energy awareness, place-making and economic prosperity.

What’s in a game?