Networks and cities' news

Catch up on the latest updates from cities working together in URBACT Networks. The articles and news that are showcased below are published directly by URBACT’s beneficiaries and do not necessarily reflect the programme’s position.

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    From participative to personal budgets: the power of responsibility sharing

    We can improve public services for local communities and individuals by giving them more control rather than imposing top down governmental programmes on them. This belief has led to a boom in “participative budgets” witnessed across Europe (and the world), as one of the easiest tools putting rights in the hands of communities. However, there has been less attention on the individual level, i.e., personal budget schemes that could activate citizens to make a change in their lives. URBACT CHANGE! partner city Aarhus (DK) was recently awarded the URBACT Good Practice Call label for its pioneering personal budget scheme tackling long-term unemployment. This article gives an overview of this innovative set of policy tools and suggests we might pay more attention to them.

    Anne Mette, a graphic designer living in Aarhus, had been out of the job market for a lengthy period, mainly caring for her three young kids and chronically ill husband. Looking to return to work, she found herself in an extremely challenging situation when the local Jobcentre asked her the following question: what could she do with a personal grant of ca. €6725 if she could decide how to spend it in order to get a job. She hesitated but finally took the opportunity. Anne launched a micro-business with the grant. Now she produces hand-made, leather aprons for local restaurants with a great and increasing success. This is still not a big business, but a huge first step for Anne Mette. 

    Sharing responsibility leads to stronger citizenship

    Ferenc Szigeti-Böröcz

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  • Com.Unity.Lab: empowering local communities in priority neighbourhoods

    Daniela Patti showcases examples of sustainable urban development in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Lisbon (PT) and explain how Lisbon’s experience of Community Led Local development inspires other European Cities, which join the Com.Unity.Lab Transfer Network.

    Daniela Patti

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  • Health in Public Spaces: The challenge of inactive citizens for cities

    One of the main challenges for cities in the coming decade is how to make their citizens become physically active again.

    Physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles have become a leading risk factor for health. Cities are affected by the dramatic increase in the frequency of chronic diseases related to physical inactivity amongst their citizens. These chronicle diseases like coronary heart and respiratory diseases, colon cancer and obesity are resulting in high and early morbidity, loneliness and social exclusion. Collectively physical inactivity has substantial consequences for direct health-care costs but also causes high indirect costs due to increased periods of sick leave, work disabilities and daily care. With decentralising tendencies of tasks like (un)employment, social care and basic health care from national levels to local levels, cities have become a key player in keeping their citizens active.
     
    This article offers an overview of this challenge  advocating this theme as an integrated part of sustainable urban planning in Europe. 

    Twan De Bruijn

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  • Tech Revolution – the art of the possible

    CSI Europe Regulation Conference Report

    Alison Partridge

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  • Welcoming international professionals and students

    MEDINT project MEDINT is an URBACt I Project which studied the integrated approach concept, which has become a characteristic feature of European urban development strategies. The work carried out in European cities shows that this concept has been interpreted and implemented in a variety of different ways (integration of local actors, of different economic sectors, of different initiatives, of different development tools and policies). The conclusions of the MEDINT network are summarized in the form of several pdf files.

    Willem van Winden

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  • The Playful Paradigm: cruising across complexity of URBACT Transfer Plans

    An article by Paola Amato.

    Gaming and gamification are broader concepts that can help cities cope with demographic changes and the complexity behind an evolving society. This requires a shift in mentality and adoption of participative models where local communities are called to actively share and co produce solutions. But every context is different and much depends on the local governance and the role subsidiarity plays in each and every context.

    CREAA

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