Networks and cities' news

Network Expert Kostas Karamarkos introduces the cities of RU:RBAN Second Wave

RU:RBAN Second Wave will transfer an inclusive, flexible and friendly methodology to the Urbact Local Groups of the 5 networking cities (Rome, Lead Partner, and the cities of Alexandroupolis, Algeciras, Carlow and Split) in order to support them in the management of urban gardens within the EU Urban Agenda and the related Sustainable Development Goals. It will do so through an adaptive approach for European networking cities different from each other in size, climate, cultural heritage and socio-economic background. An approach that fosters the inclusion and engagement of local stakeholders, the collaboration of civil society, academic bodies, public actors and associations for the cooperative management of urban resources. The four newcomer cities will follow a clear Transfer Roadmap that will last till December 2022, adopting and adapting the 3 project transfer elements: Capacity building, Vocational training (Gardeniser) and Governance. Let’s see together some of the main points of interest in their RU:RBAN journey.

How to design a health nature trail? (download guideline!)

How to design a health nature trail? Espoo´s new booklet shows you!

Picnic for the elderly in Hegyvidék-Budapest

„Időspiknik” (Picnic for elderly), a series of mini-programmes within the Health and Greenspace project aims to combine the positive physiological effects of the green environment with mental health and prevention elements.

Lessons from Tallin on spatial planning

Tartu aims at completing an Integrated Action Plan that will set very certain next steps for their newest department at Tartu City Government – the Spatial Planning Department. Tallinn, our capital, has recently established a very similar new department and in order to initiate good future cooperation we decided to give them a visit.

Looking for just societies through volunteering!

Cities that face currently emerging multidimensional social needs such as elderly and children care, social isolation and depression, unemployment and poverty, just to name some, need to develop innovative policies through the creation of collective learning processes based on exchange and peer-to-peer learning. This is the policy change Volunteering Cities+ network is developing supported by the URBACT methodology!

USE-IT: a new and innovative approach to regeneration

Over the course of the last 30 years, cities across Europe have adopted a relatively orthodox approach to regeneration. By developing their city centres physically and by seeking to attract inward investment, cities have assumed that the benefit of such activities will ‘trickle-down’ to neighbourhoods and communities and will contribute towards addressing local economic, social and environmental challenges. However, this approach has not always worked – whilst city economies have continued to grow in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) terms, levels of inequality within cities have increased, and poverty has also continued to grow. This is not what regeneration should be about.

In 2016, the City of Birmingham (UK) started to think differently to the orthodox approach outlined above and inspired by a desire to change Birmingham’s approach to regeneration and make it more innovative, a small number of individuals came together to develop a successful bid for Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) funding, through a project called USE-IT!. To understand more about USE-IT! and its aims, activities, and impacts, I spoke to some of these key individuals. I also wanted to understand the scope for transfer of USE-IT! to 3 other cities over the coming 18 months as part of the URBACT/UIA USE-IT! Transfer Mechanism (USE-IT! UTM).