Inclusive Cities for Europe News (5th edition) by EUROCITIES

Cities for Europe_NEWS Inclusive Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS A q uarter ly newslet ter p rod uced b y EUR OCITIES: Is sue 5, Ma y 2009

In this issue

From integrating cities to strengthening European diversity EUROCITIES calls for local solutions to local challenges

Editorial......................... 2 Recent EU Developments.....2 EUROCITIES Developments… 5 News from Cities............... 7 Benchmarking and peer reviewing at EUROCITIES..... 9 Events/Conferences..........10 EUROCITIES events...........11

The recent INTEGRATING CITIES III Conference in Berlin on April 2 saw leading policy-makers, experts and practitioners explore what practical action local governments can take to create cities of cooperation, tolerance and progressiveness. With the announcement of a City Charter on Diversity and Equality to be published next year, the conference concluded by encouraging cities to harness the opportunities and skills offered by their increasingly diverse populations. Hosted by the Senate of Berlin in cooperation with EUROCITIES and the European Commission, DG Justice, Freedom and Security, the conference saw the official launch of the new EUROCITIES’ project "Diversity and Equality in European Cities" (DIVE). Co-financed by the European Commission, DG Justice, Freedom and Security through the European Integration Fund, DIVE will assess the role of cities (namely Amsterdam, Berlin, Leeds, Rome and London) in promoting diversity and equality. EUROCITIES’ Secretary General, Paul Bevan, described the “Integrating Cities Process” as a successful model of dialogue between cities and European Institutions. Referring to their unique understanding of local circumstances, cities, he said, are

one step ahead of national governments in finding pragmatic and effective approaches to integration. This capacity stems from their ability to implement projects at the community level and gain the confidence of their citizens through practical action. Integration and immigration policies are no exception; city governments and practitioners should be directly involved in their design given that they are often responsible for their delivery. Heidi Knake-Werner, Berlin Senator for Integration, Employment and Social Affairs, reinforced this message, stressing the capacity of local governments to initiate integration policies and facilitate the accommodation of migrants. Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, underlined the importance of dialogue between the host society and newcomers, based on respect for and commitment to common values. Taking the notion of integration one step further, London Deputy Mayor Richard Barnes announced that his city is currently exploring the potential socio-economic benefits of an amnesty for irregular migrants. Jussi Pajunen, Mayor of Helsinki, echoed this pragmatic approach, highlighting the need for all levels of government to coordinate their work effectively. These interventions set the tone for the second part of the conference where integration experts explored how cities could deliver on these goals. A central topic of debate was how cities, in their roles as service providers, employers and buyers of goods and services, can best promote a diversified workforce and equal opportunities through their own practices. The conference ended with the handover of an Integrating Cities ‘baton’ from Berlin Commissioner for Integration, Günter Piening, to Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London, where the next INTEGRATING CITIES IV Conference will be held.

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS Dear Reader, The first months of this year saw various changes at EUROCITIES: we finished the INTI-Cities project and started the DIVE project, the EUROCITIES Network of Local Authority Observatories on Active Inclusion kicked off, the first steps towards a EUROCITIES strategy for the European Year on Combating Poverty and Exclusion in 2010 were taken, and the Social Affairs Forum elected a new Chair and Vice-Chair. In this edition, you will find further information about all of this, as well as news on the latest EU developments, and learn about how Edinburgh and Paris are striving to become inclusive cities. The feature article is dedicated to methods of knowledge transfer, specifically the benchmarking and peer reviewing that we use to support the exchange between cities in our projects. The first year of the Inclusive Cities for Europe programme finished on a high note, with the publication of reports on demographic change, economic migration and homelessness. You can find them on our website at: www.eurocities.eu. The images featured in this edition were produced by Vincen Beeckman (vincen.beeckman@recyclart.be) a Brussels based photographer, as part of a permanent exposition in the Brussels subway station Anneessens. Through photographing residents in their homes, Beeckman produced a collection of portraits that now adorn the eleven columns of the central platform of the subway station. Communicating between intimate and public realms of the city, the images appealed to us as an interesting take on the social issues we deal with in this edition. He is a member of the “BlowUp collectif” and “Recyclart”, a non-profit association that was founded in 1997 as part of an Urban Pilot Project to redevelop the Chapelle train station in Brussels. If you are involved in art projects related to similar issues, and you would like to see your work featured in forthcoming editions, please do contact us. Finally, we would like to introduce you to a new member of the team, Rory Moody (rory.moody@eurocities.eu). As Communications Officer, Rory will help us improve the quality of our reports and studies, specifically the design elements of our work. For now, we wish you some fresh spring days, and hope to see you at one of the forthcoming communication events. Your Inclusive Cities team

Recent EU Developments Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion On 9 March, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) of the EU and the European Commission jointly adopted the 2009 Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion. The report assesses the role of social policies during the current recession and provides information on the latest national strategies on social protection and social inclusion for the period 20082010. It presents a structured account of predominant trends in social affairs and social policies across Europe, tackling issues such as child poverty, financial exclusion and health inequalities, as well as the severe exclusion suffered by the most vulnerable groups, including, among others, homeless people and the Roma community. The joint report is accompanied by a set of 27 country profiles assessing the social situation and strategies for each Member State and by a comprehensive Commission services working document which provides a more detailed thematic account of challenges and policy responses. Joint Report: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/joint_report s_en.htm

New European Parliament texts on social affairs At its Plenary Meeting in Brussels on April 2, the European Parliament adopted various texts related to social affairs. The Parliament resolution on “educating the children of migrants”, underlines the need for the European Union and Member States to increase their efforts to close the gap in educational achievements between children with a migrant background and their peers. Programmes should build on partnerships between schools and local communities, involving parents, avoiding segregation and promoting multilingualism and intercultural exchange. The Parliament resolution on “the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States” criticises several provisions in Member State legislation that undermine the rights of free movement and Union citizenship. It states that national administrative practices often constitute significant obstacles preventing citizens from exercising such rights. The European Parliament has called on Member States to grant the right of free movement to different sex spouses, registered partners, members of the same household, as well as same-sex couples recognised by

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS a Member State. This should be irrespective of nationality and without prejudice to their non-recognition in civil law by another Member State. The Parliament also adopted a position on the eligibility of housing related investments under ERDF, stating that in each Member State, expenditure on energy efficiency improvements and on the use of renewable energy in existing housing shall be eligible up to an amount of 4% of the total ERDF allocation. Member States shall define categories of eligible housing in national rules, in conformity with Article 56(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, in order to support social cohesion. In the Parliament report on "Equality of treatment between people without distinction on the basis of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation", MEPs stress the need to fight multiple discrimination. The proposed Directive must now obtain unanimity within the Council after which Member States have three years to implement it. As early as February, the Parliament backed a Directive on sanctions of employers of irregular migrants from outside the EU. The Directive’s purpose is to “prohibit the employment of illegally staying third-country nationals” and to this end has defined minimum standards - to be implemented by Member States - for sanctions against employers who infringe on this ruling. The sanctions range from penalty fees to exclusion from public contracts. Under this Directive, Member States are required to raise the percentage of employers whose registers are subject to inspections and force employers to determine whether a non-EU-citizen has a valid residence permit before recruiting. Civil society organisations are rather sceptical about the proposed Directive. They fear that putting the burden on employers to check the residence status of their employees could result in hidden discrimination against every ‘foreign looking worker’. Pending the European Council's agreement with the text, Member States - except for the UK, who has opted out - will have two years to implement the Directive in their national legislation. European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu

European Commission takes steps to harmonise asylum practices The European Commission made its first concrete proposal on the European Asylum Support Office on February 18. The role of the new Office is to send support teams to Member States that see a rapid increase in asylum seekers and to provide training for government administrations that are responsible for asylum applications. The Office will also create a centralised pool of information to determine what specific factors in a person's country of origin cause them to seek asylum. The full Commission proposal is available at:http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri= COM:2009:0066:FIN:EN:PDF

Draft Committee of the Regions opinion on future of European Asylum system Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Councillor Doreen Huddart is the rapporteur for a CoR opinion on the second phase of the Common European Asylum System. The opinion looks at how the EU's proposed legislation on the reception and treatment of asylum seekers in Europe's regions will affect the services and policies of local authorities and regional governments. Over the coming months, the report will be discussed and redrafted, before being adopted in October 2009. Councillor Huddart would like to invite all EUROCITIES members to contribute to the debate on her CoR opinion, particularly any views related to the impact of the proposed legislation on cities across Europe. The draft opinion to be discussed at the next meeting of the CONST commission on 6 May 2009 can be found at: http://www.cor.europa.eu/COR_cms/ui/ViewDocument.as px?siteid=default&contentID=df9d284e-a6be-4a6b-ae80ccfa904a6f25 For further information, questions and comments, please contact doreen.huddart@newcastle.gov.uk

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS FRA-Report uncovers “severe undercount” of discrimination in EU’s urban areas Initial results from the European Fundamental Rights Agency’s EU-MIDIS survey reveal that both discrimination and racist crimes are highly underestimated in other European data sources. The survey, by only interviewing people who identify themselves as belonging to one of the biggest immigrant, national or ethnic minority groups of one of the EU member states, sheds new light on the subject. Previous polls, including Eurobarometer, calculated shares of the total immigrant population, thereby underrepresenting migrant groups in their respondent sets.

The first ‘taster’ report on the EU-MIDIS survey reveals that the Roma (aggregated over all countries where they form a main minority group) report the highest number of incidents of discrimination, and that there are twice as many Turkish migrants living in the Netherlands who believe that discrimination is widespread compared to those living in Austria. The FRA-report underlines the need to strengthen support and information for victims of discrimination, the majority of whom do not know where to seek help . EU-MIDIS is particularly interesting for EUROCITIESmembers as the survey was conducted primarily in urban locations (the list of survey areas can be found in the report). After the publication of the full report at the end of 2009, FRA plans to make the data set accessible to the public for further analyses. Both of EU-MIDIS’ reports on the Roma are available at http://fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite /eu-midis/index_en.htm

Community building: Two new instruments for shaping European Integration Policy With the launch of the European Integration Forum and the European Website on Integration on April 20, the European Commission presented two new instruments that give further shape to a European approach to the integration of immigrants. The European Website on Integration www.integration.eu was developed by the Commission with the ambition to create a “one-stop-shop” on integration in Europe. Produced by a consortium of partners including EUROCITIES and the Migration policy Group, the site will

bring together the collective knowledge of European integration practitioners. To this end, the portal offers information on funding, legal and political information, a documentation library and a database on integration practices that was set up with the help of many EUROCITIES members.

The purpose of the European Integration Forum is to reach out to civil society in the making of European integration policy. According to Commission Vice President Jacques Barrot, the Forum will demonstrate how integration is applied on the ground, ridding it of any technocratic influence. During the Forum’s discussions, participants from migrant organisations stressed their unhappiness with current notions of integration, and their fears of further stigmatisation in the present economic situation. A workshop moderated by John England, chair of the EUROCITIES Working Group on Migration and Integration, shed light on the need to build a bridge between civil society’s predominantly practical perspective on integration and the discourses of national and European governments. To this end, the Forum’s goal is to strengthen the resonance of migrant voices in European policy circles, essential to which is the empowerment of migrant associations.

The European Integration Forum will consist of some 100 representatives from European and national civil society and migrant platforms and will meet twice a year. In the coming months a bureau made of up of two civil society representatives, one member of the European Commission and one member of the European Economic and Social Committee will be set up to prepare the first topical session of the Forum (scheduled for November or December). Proposals for the agenda of this meeting include the objectives of the future EU agenda on integration, the place of human rights in integration, the links between integration and social inclusion, and an evaluation of the European Integration Fund. Even though many questions concerning the future role and membership of the European Integration Forum remain open, EUROCITIES could play a part in the Forum’s development, potentially as an external expert. An official report on the Forum meeting will soon be available at: www.integration.eu

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS EUROCITIES Developments New EUROCITIES Study on Economic Migration with toolkit and policy recommendations The EUROCITIES Study “Cities and economic migration – Challenges and local policy responses” has been published. The work is a co-production of the Brussels Office and 19 EUROCITIES members, the working groups Migration and Integration (SAF) and Economic Migration (EDF). Given the current economic recession, the implications and opportunities of migration for cities are increasingly significant. To paraphrase the words of John England (chair of the Working Group on Migration and Integration), economic downturn should not prevent cities from improving their capacity to accommodate newcomers, not least because the immigration cycle can, and often does, run counter to a country's economic strength. The report reconstructs the political and legal framework for economic migration, analyses migration trends in European cities, identifies the main challenges cities face and presents a good practice toolkit for the management of economic migration in cities. The main recommendation calls for greater political support for cities from their national governments and European Institutions in order to improve the social inclusion of migrants and to better manage economic migration at the local level. The study is available to download at:

Printed copies can be ordered from rory.moody@eurocities.eu

The city of Birmingham, represented by Paul Tilsley, Deputy Leader of the City Council, is the new Forum ViceChair. At the Forum meeting in Rotterdam on 2-3 March, the new Chairs paid tribute to the work of Rotterdam and Newcastle, the outgoing Chair and Vice-Chair. They highlighted the importance of social policies and the Forum’s political work in the context of the current financial crisis. Among other priorities, they also announced intentions to strengthen the Forum’s work on employment issues and poverty.

EUROCITIES Studies on Demographic Change published

New boost to Social Affairs Forum’s activities in the field of employment policies

http://www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=Economic _migration_FINAL-RMOO.pdf

To inform EUROCITIES work on demographic change, a series of studies was commissioned last year that examine the impact of demographic change on key areas of urban development: urban mobility and public space, housing, and social and health services. Now published, the studies outline the main demographic trends across Europe with case studies from various cities and the projects and strategies they have implemented to deal with the myriad challenges related to population change. The studies are available at: www.eurocities.eu

At its last meeting in March, the Steering Group of the Social Affairs Forum decided to give a new boost to the Forum’s activities in the field of employment. To that end, a meeting is scheduled on June 4-5 in Genoa to discuss priorities, activities and a mandate for the relaunch of the WG Employment. All members of EUROCITIES Social Affairs Forum and Economic Development Forum are invited to this event.

Stockholm and Birmingham: new leaders of EUROCITIES’ Social Affairs Forum

Combating health inequalities, improving well-being EUROCITIES response to the EU’s Consultation on health policies

The city of Stockholm, represented by Ulf Kristersson, Vice Mayor of Stockholm for Employment and Welfare, is the new Chair of EUROCITIES’ Social Affairs Forum (SAF). A long-standing member of the SAF, Stockholm is also a member of EUROCITIES’ Executive Committee, and will host this year's annual conference.

More information: Simon Guentner, EUROCITIES Senior Policy Officer Social Affairs: simon.guentner@eurocities.eu

Health inequalities both within and between EU Member States are on the rise. Local governments have a key role to play in reversing this development, not least because of their importance in both promoting well-being and delivering services to improve the health of their citizens. Given that the root causes of health inequalities range from

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS socio-economic factors to environmental conditions, causation is often difficult, if not impossible to determine. This problem is particularly acute for cities as these factors tend to accumulate in urban areas, creating pockets of health deprivation. The EUROCITIES response to the European Commission’s consultation on EU action to reduce health inequalities stresses the need to combat these disparities in a targeted manner and outlines the scope for coordinated action at EU level. Drawing on a comprehensive understanding of how these issues affect our members, EUROCITIES believes that exchange programmes which involve practitioners and service users at local level are paramount. They can and should play a key role in informing policy development and their implementation is essential in the fight against health inequality. The European Commission Website on Public Health: http://ec.europa.eu/health/index_en.htm The EUROCITIES response can be downloaded from: http://www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=EUROCITI ES_Response_Health-SGUE.pdf

amples from the 23 visits and two sets of recommendations, directed at city governments and at the European Commission. Amongst the recommendations to cities are the need to recognise that an intercultural policy requires cross-sectoral cooperation and the importance of promoting workforce diversity and supporting intercultural activities through collaboration with art institutions and civil society. EUROCITIES urges the European Commission to: implement a long-term strategy to promote intercultural dialogue by building on the momentum gained from the 2008 European Year and mainstream intercultural dialogue across all relevant EU policies and programmes, and strengthen its application in the European Capitals of Culture. The publication, including the full set of recommendations, can be downloaded at: http://www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=Intercult ural cities light.pdf

Launch of EUROCITIES Network of Local Authority Observatories on Active Inclusion In March, EUROCITIES launched a new network which is set to significantly boost the position and visibility of cities in EU social policy development. The ‘EUROCITIES Network of Local Authorities’ Observatories on Active Inclusion’ (NLAO), established with member cities Bologna, Prague, Rotterdam, Southampton and Stockholm, aims to give cities a greater role in the social Open Method of Coordination. With the support of European Commission funding, the five cities have set up observatories to monitor the implementation of social policies that aim to improve the “active inclusion of people excluded from the labour market” and identify good practices. Particular emphasis will be put on governance arrangements, commissioning and procurement practice, and provisions for quality management in a range of social service areas, such as employment and training, and social and supported housing. Each observatory will engage with NGOs, the research community and public bodies at national level. EUROCITIES will coordinate this work and produce comparative reports. The EUROCITIES-NLAO will run as a pilot initiative until mid 2010 after which its potential for roll-out across a wider range of cities will be explored. Contact: Anke Thiel, EUROCITIES Project Coordinaor NLAO anke.thiel@eurocities.eu

A city-to-city mission for intercultural dialogue At the final conference of the Intercultural Cities programme in Amsterdam on 5 March, the publication ‘Intercultural Cities: a journey through 23 European cities’ was presented to the public and the European Commission. Drawing on the city-to-city exchanges during the EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008, the publication highlights the important role of local level action in achieving intercultural dialogue. It includes ex-

Towards EUROCITIES activities in the EU 2010 Year on Combating Poverty and Exclusion A core group of cities is currently drawing up a framework for EUROCITIES activities in 2010, the European Year on Combating Poverty and Exclusion. The activities will pursue two objectives: first, raising awareness for the multiple (often hidden) dimensions of social exclusion, and second,

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS promoting innovative solutions to tackle these issues at the local level. A database with key facts and good practices is being developed, which will serve as a reference point in further refining the strategy. All EUROCITIES members are welcome to participate in the next group meeting on May 20 in Brno. Contact: Anna Drozd, EUROCITIES Programme Officer Social Inclusion: anna.drozd@eurocities.eu

Reader Questionnaire on Inclusive Cities for Europe Newsletter Given that this is the fifth edition of the Inclusive Cities for Europe newsletter, we feel it’s time to take stock and get your feedback on the quality of our work. All of our readers are invited to complete a questionnaire (it will only take five minutes of your time) by following this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=WKgbW6h4I3dD 1P8KSdqYqQ_3d_3d

News from Cities The Road to independence: An integrated approach to tackling drug addiction in Edinburgh In Scotland, almost 1 in 50 of the population aged between 15 and 54 are currently struggling with drug dependency. Life may seem bleak to someone caught in the cycle of drug dependency, but a variety of agencies across Scotland offer a ray of hope. In May 2008, the Scottish Government launched a new national drug strategy. The Road to Recovery takes a new approach to tackling the problem, offering a framework for prevention, education, enforcement and the protection of children. The main emphasis, however, is on recovery. Edinburgh City Council’s Drug Referral Team (DRT) is one such agency that welcomes the progressive nature of the new strategy. The Drug Referral Team The Drug Referral Team is an adult social care service provided by six social workers, bringing together a variety of skills and training, and extensive knowledge of a wide range of resources in Edinburgh, which can help an individual to achieve recovery. Fundamental to the work of the team is their emphasis on and understanding of recovery. What is recovery? Recovery is a process which enables a drug-dependent person move towards a drug-free life as an active member of society. The strategy is based upon a person-centred approach, offering support that is designed to address the individual needs of the person rather than just the addiction itself. It puts the emphasis on community-based services which can help the service user to develop new skills and forge new relationships, thus increasing their confidence and helping them achieve personal practical goals. How does it work? Referrals to DRT tend to come from Primary Care, especially methadone prescribing doctors and Community Mental Health Nurses who can identify people willing and able to begin the process of recovery. The DRT operates with a short-term framework of 16 weeks involvement with the client, beginning with a visit to the user’s home for a com-

prehensive assessment. This leads to discussions and decisions about the community resources available which would best meet the client's needs to help them move on from drugs. Inter-agency working The DRT’s work involves constant communication with other agencies on behalf of the service user, particularly if they have children. In these cases, DRT staff liaise with Children and Families social workers, as well as the Health department, both to optimise support to the service user and to ensure the welfare and protection of vulnerable individuals and children. Closing the case Each case the DRT handles is reviewed on a six-weekly basis and then re-reviewed three months after the case is closed. The nature of drug dependency inevitably means that service users can often relapse but for those who don’t succeed first time, a service user is welcome to then seek re-referral to the DRT. The resounding success of the DRT has led to the creation of a similar team to tackle homelessness in the Scottish capital. The road to recovery is often a long one. But as the recent strategy clearly states, there is no right or wrong way to recover – the ultimate goal is recovery itself rather than the means by which it is achieved. Contact: Heidi.Alexander@edinburgh.gov.uk

Microcredit in Paris: Urban capital with a moral face On 8 October 2008, the Mayor of Paris, launched ‘Le Microcrédit Personnel: le mini-prêt qui vous aide a rebondir’ (the small loan which helps you bounce back) at the 18th arrondissement’s City Hall. The personal microcredit initiative (based on a successful pilot carried out in Angers) is intended to help individuals who do not qualify for access to conventional bank loans because they lack a steady a job and a verifiable credit history.

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS With an estimated 1 million residents in such circumstances, Le Microcrédit Personnel is their lifeline to what many people would take for granted.

plication is submitted, its award is subject to a review by the council’s credit committee. The loan amount ranges from €300 to €3,000 (up to €5,000 for exceptional cases) for a period of 6 months to 2 years. After the loan has been fully repaid, the recipient pays half of the interest on the loan (equivalent to 2%) to the City of Paris.

For example, a loan can help fund a job search or reduce the cost of doing an apprenticeship. It allows recipients to pay for basic living essentials such as a heater or even cope with the financial implications of a family event (divorce, Who is responsible for the programme? death). The programme can also help, for instance, small The Mayor’s office oversees the management and implemenbusiness managers rejuvenate their enterprise. tation of the programme. The local councils are in charge of Similar to credit unions in the UK, Germany and the training social workers so that they can identify and inform Netherlands, the power of Le Microcrédit Personnel lies in potential applicants about the benefits of microcredit. its capacity to strengthen communities through financial Consolidating this working structure are four partner assoeducation. The difference between these two credit ciations (CRESUS Paris, Habitat and Humanisme, le PLIE structures is a question of ownership: members of credit 18/19 et l’UDAF 75) that participate in all stages of the unions both benefit from and own the credit, and therefore microcredit cycle: from identifying recipients and helping have a say in how the lending process is managed whereas them complete an application to the administration of the Le Microcredit Personnel is financed by four banks (la Ban- loans and their follow up, until the final stage when the loan que Postale, Caisse d’Epargne, le Credit Cooperatif and is reimbursed. Their expertise (e.g. Cresus is an association Laser Cofinoga) in partnership with the city of Paris. made up of retirees from the banking sector) is integral to the holistic vision of the initiative. How does it work? Individuals can contact their local council directly or downloaded a microcredit application at http://www.microcredit-municipal.fr. There is also a direct line at the Crédit municipal de Paris: 01 446 16555. Applicants can receive help in completing the dossier from their social worker or a partner organisation. Once the ap-

With a mandate from the Mayor, the Crédit municipal de Paris will soon roll out the programme across the whole city. Above all, Le Microcrédit Personnel brings Parisians an opportunity to be autonomous and improve their lives for the better. Contact: Omar Emziane: omaremziane@paris.fr

PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/010: Restructuring, Well-Being at work and financial participation The aim of this call is to develop and support the exchange of information and learning with regard to health and well-being at work, particularly during restructuring processes. The deadlines for applications are: 18.05.09 and 01.09.09. See:http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/007: Innovative Projects for Worker Mobility in the EU Part of the European Job Mobility Action Plan, this call will fund projects to facilitate professional mobility. All proposals should contribute to the implementation of the European employment strategy and corresponding national policies. The deadline for applications is 09.06.2009. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en&callId=204&furtherCalls=yes Call for Proposals EACEA/05/09 – Youth in Action Programme – Action 3.2 – Youth in the world The objectives of this call for proposals are, among others, to improve the mobility of young people and youth workers; to promote youth empowerment and active participation; to foster capacity-building for youth organisations and structures in order to contribute to civil society development. The deadline for applications is 01.06.09 See: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/calls-for-proposals/call98_en.htm EU Health Programme Call for Proposals This call will fund projects to contribute to the objectives of The EU Health Programme 2008-13, namely: improve citizen’s health security and promote health. The deadline for applications is 20.05.09. http://ec.europa.eu/eahc/health/projects.html Tender VT/2009/008: Study on Social Services of General Interest The aim of this contract is to do a study on the organisation of SSGI in four sectors: long-term care, employment services, childcare and social housing and describe the services provided as well as the type of relationships between the service providers and the public authorities that organise and finance SSGI. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en Tender No: VT/2009/013 : Study on the use of age, disability, sex, religion or belief, race or ethnic origin and sexual orientation in financial services, in particular in the insurance and banking sectors The study will identify current practices of financial services providers with regard to the use of age, disability, sex, race/ethnic origin, religion/belief and sexual orientation in the supply and design of financial products. See:http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS Benchmarking and peer-reviewing at EUROCITIES – a systematic look at local integration governance Improving the exchange of knowledge and understanding between local practitioners and experts is at the heart of EUROCITIES’ mission. Learning from one another does not, however, come by itself; it requires careful facilitation and, above all, reflection about the application of working methods, specifically their use in measuring and evaluating how learning develops. To this end, EUROCITIES has developed a benchmarking and peer reviewing approach, which was first tested in the project “INTI-CITIES – Benchmarking local integration governance”. The project saw teams of six local integration experts visit six cities (Düsseldorf, Genova, Helsinki, Lyon, Malmö, Rotterdam) to gain a close look at the set-up and delivery of local integration policy. This raised some pressing questions about their policy responses: -

Does your city have an integration strategy based on a needs assessment and drafted in collaboration with migrant associations?

Do you gather pertinent data to understand why some policies work and others do not?

Are there opportunities for migrants to pursue intensive language courses and acquire new skills?

These and many more questions helped the peers to measure their city’s performance against a set of benchmarks. The project praised successful approaches, but also pointed to gaps in the delivery of policy. It stimulated improvement and mutual learning by setting an ambitious target: no municipality would meet all of the benchmark’s criteria. These standards were then applied to the “Peer Review” method that included several steps. First, the host cities drafted an extensive self-evaluation in which they compared themselves to the benchmark criteria. These self-evaluations were then checked by the peers who, prior to a four-day visit, formulated hypotheses on the city’s performance. Second, the peers from the other cities – acting as “critical friends” identified potential gaps, issues to clarify and good practice. During their review visit, around 20 interviews were conducted with experts on the local integration policy, including NGOs and partner organisations, academics and service providers, officers and politicians. Based on the visit, a city evaluation report was produced that included recommendations for the host city. A few months later, the city-reports

were presented to each host city by the leader of each peer review team, often sparking lively discussion. The main outcomes of INTI-cities are these city reports and the INTI-cities synthesis report, which presents general findings (including the revised benchmark and a guide to benchmarking and peer-reviewing integration governance). Although the project ended only a few months ago, some of the peers’ recommendations have already been implemented: in Helsinki, the cross-departmental nature of integration work was strengthened through a better allocation of resources; in Malmö, the new plan on integration will be drafted with a stronger involvement of stakeholders, and in Genoa, the role of the consultative committee on integration was strengthened.

From INTI-Cities to DIVE At EUROCITIES, the results of the INTI-Cities project and the experience of its members triggered a critical review of the benchmarking and peer review method, and its applicability for the new DIVE (Diversity and Equality in European Cities) project. In terms of methodology, key lessons from the INTI-Cities project are the need to simplify the scope of the indicators and to gain a deeper involvement of the peers in the initial development of the benchmark. To this end, the new DIVE project will organise peer reviews to look at how cites can strengthen diversity and equality through their roles as policy makers, service providers, employers and buyers of goods and services. Cities under review are Amsterdam, Berlin, Leeds and Rome. The Greater London Authority is also involved as a city partner, and MPG and ethics etc. will again facilitate the evaluation process. The research findings will form the basis of a Cities Charter on Diversity and Equality. In addition to the new project, EUROCITIES has started to develop a toolkit for transnational learning that includes guidance on peer reviewing and facilitating meaningful exchange visits. It will soon be available to all EUROCITIES’ Working Groups and is expected to be ready for use in autumn this year. For info on benchmarking integration governance at EUROCITIES: dirk.gebhardt@eurocities.eu. For information on the project DIVE: theresa.moloney@eurocities.eu The final report of the INTI-Cities report can be downloaded from http://www.inticities.eu

May 09

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS Events/Conferences Social Polis Stakeholder Conference

11 – 12 May 2009

Vienna, Austria

SOCIAL POLIS (the Social Platform on Cities and Social Cohesion) is an EU project funded under the 7th Framework Programme, the aim of which is to draw upon the experience and knowledge of urban practitioners and researchers who work on strengthening cohesion, integration, and inclusion in European cities. This conference will bring together stakeholders from all sectors to discuss research, policy and practice issues related to social cohesion in urban areas. For more information, see: http://www.socialpolis.eu TIES: The Integration of the European Second Generation

11 – 13 May

Amsterdam, Netherlands

The TIES Stakeholders Conference will bring together representatives and experts from the fifteen cities involved in the project to identify structural differences between countries and cities, and their role in shaping educational careers and prospects of second generation young adults. For more info, see: http://www.tiesproject.eu/content/view/256/67/lang,en/ Trans-Atlantic Conference: “Welfare-to-Work”: Crisis proof?!

14 - 15 May 2009

Rotterdam,Netherlands

This conference, an initiative of the City of Rotterdam, will look at how welfare-to-work solutions in Europe, the USA and New Zealand are helping to combat the financial crisis. Key-note speakers include Mr. Robert Doar, Commissioner of Human Resource Administration of the City of New York and Dr. Herwig Immervoll, Head of Employment oriented Social Policies of the OECD. For more info, see: http://www.welfare-to-work.nl/ The impact of the economic crisis on tackling homelessness at local level

28 May 2009

Brussels, Belgium

Organised by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA), the theme of the seminar will be about bridging the gap between EU ambitions on homelessness and local realities, with a focus on the impact of the economic crisis on tackling homelessness at local level. For more information, see: http://www.feantsa.org/code/en/hp.asp The European Anti-Poverty Network: Getting Progress on an EU without poverty and social exclusion?

29 May 2009

Brussels

There will be five thematic workshops (integrated poverty instruments; adequate minimum income and quality services; labour market inclusion; better governance and participation and fairer distribution of wealth) that will assess the effectiveness of national strategies and instruments and present examples from different Member States. Speakers include Mr. Aurelio Rodguez, president of the Social Protection Committee. For more info, see: http://www.eapn.eu Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion

11 – 12 June 2009

Budapest, Hungary

Organised by the by the European Commission together with the Ministry of Social Affairs of Hungary, this conference aims to highlight the need for enhanced cooperation with the different actors in the field of social policies, agricultural development, regional policy and statistics to fight poverty and social exclusion in rural areas. For more information, see: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=88&langId=en&eventsId=158&furtherEvents=yes

Integrating Policies against Child Poverty

15- 16 June 2009

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hosted by the European Cities Against Child Poverty Network, this event falls within the framework of a two-year project designed to address the root causes of child poverty in our cities through the sharing of practical experience. For more information, see: http://www.againstchildpoverty.com/newsandevents.php The European Social Services Conference: Quality and Performance in social services in Europe – better outcomes for people

22 – 24 June 2009

Prague, Czech Republic

Organised by the European Social Network (ESN), this conference will offer networking opportunities to all those responsible for planning and implementing social services across Europe, including planners, politicians, managers and professionals. For more information, see: http://www.esn-eu.org/prague/eng/index.html

May 09

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS Employment Week: Europe’s Labour Market - ensuring growth through human capital

24 – 25 June

Brussels

This conference will focus on skills development and evaluate how the European labour market is responding to the current economic situation. Among other topics, workshop sessions will examine lifelong learning and the green economy. Speakers include Barbro Colqvist, Senior Economic Adviser, Swedish Ministry of Employment and John Monks, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation. For more info, see: http://www.employmentweek.com/cms.php

EUROCITIES events Joint EUROCITIES Working Group Social Inclusion and EUROCITIES Working Group Housing meeting

18-19 May 2009

Brno, Czech Republic

At the meeting in Brno, both Working Groups will spend one day on their respective ongoing business. For WG Social Inclusion this is mainly about developing a database on local inclusion strategies, the WG Housing will finalise its report on affordable housing. On the second day, both groups will visit projects in Brno that aim at supporting the social inclusion of the local Roma community. EUROCITIES preparation meeting for the 2010 European Year on Combating Poverty and Exclusion

20 May 2009

Brno, Czech Republic

Members of EUROCITIES are invited to participate in this event, which aims at further developing EUROCITIES activities to be carried out in the framework of the 2010 thematic year. For information, please contact Anna Drozd, anna.drozd@eurocities.eu EUROCITIES Working Group on Urban Security

4-5 June 2009

The Hague, Netherlands

4-5 June 2009

Genoa, Italy

The focus of this workshop will be youth crime. EUROCITIES Working Group on Employment

The meeting aims at giving a new boost to EUROCITIES activities in the area of employment policies. Points for discussion are current developments at EU level, possibilities for EUROCITIES to act, and the mandate for a relaunched WG Employment. EUROCITIES Working Group on Homelessness

30 Sep – 2 Oct 2009

Barcelona, Spain

The group will discuss the updated report on city strategies against homelessness and visit projects in Barcelona.

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS is published by EUROCITIES’ Brussels Office. © EUROCITIES 2008 Please send any contributions or comments to: rory.moody@eurocities.eu

Editors Simon Guentner Anna Drozd Dirk Gebhard Rory Moody

EUROCITIES 1 Square de Meeûs B-1000 Brussels Tel: +32 2 552 0888 Fax: +32 2 552 0889 e-mail: info@eurocities.eu www.eurocities.eu

May 09

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS

May 09

Cities for Europe_NEWS Inclusive Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS A q uarter ly newslet ter p rod uced b y EUR OCITIES: Is sue 5, Ma y 2009

In this issue

From integrating cities to strengthening European diversity EUROCITIES calls for local solutions to local challenges

Editorial......................... 2 Recent EU Developments.....2 EUROCITIES Developments… 5 News from Cities............... 7 Benchmarking and peer reviewing at EUROCITIES..... 8 Events/Conferences..........10 EUROCITIES events...........11

May 09

Printed copies can be ordered from rory.moody@eurocities.eu

EUROCITIES Studies on Demographic Change published

New boost to Social Affairs Forum’s activities in the field of employment policies

http://www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=Economic _migration_FINAL-RMOO.pdf

Stockholm and Birmingham: new leaders of EUROCITIES’ Social Affairs Forum

Combating health inequalities, improving well-being EUROCITIES response to the EU’s Consultation on health policies

More information: Simon Guentner, EUROCITIES Senior Policy Officer Social Affairs: simon.guentner@eurocities.eu

May 09

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS With an estimated 1 million residents in such circumstances, Le Microcrédit Personnel is their lifeline to what many people would take for granted.

For example, a loan can help fund a job search or reduce the cost of doing an apprenticeship. It allows recipients to pay for basic living essentials such as a heater or even cope with the financial implications of a family event (divorce, Who is responsible for the programme? death). The programme can also help, for instance, small The Mayor’s office oversees the management and implemenbusiness managers rejuvenate their enterprise. tation of the programme. The local councils are in charge of Similar to credit unions in the UK, Germany and the training social workers so that they can identify and inform Netherlands, the power of Le Microcrédit Personnel lies in potential applicants about the benefits of microcredit. its capacity to strengthen communities through financial Consolidating this working structure are four partner assoeducation. The difference between these two credit ciations (CRESUS Paris, Habitat and Humanisme, le PLIE structures is a question of ownership: members of credit 18/19 et l’UDAF 75) that participate in all stages of the unions both benefit from and own the credit, and therefore microcredit cycle: from identifying recipients and helping have a say in how the lending process is managed whereas them complete an application to the administration of the Le Microcredit Personnel is financed by four banks (la Ban- loans and their follow up, until the final stage when the loan que Postale, Caisse d’Epargne, le Credit Cooperatif and is reimbursed. Their expertise (e.g. Cresus is an association made up of retirees from the banking sector) is integral to Laser Cofinoga) in partnership with the city of Paris. the holistic vision of the initiative. How does it work? Individuals can contact their local council directly or downloaded a microcredit application at http://www.microcredit-municipal.fr. There is also a direct line at the Crédit municipal de Paris: 01 446 16555. Applicants can receive help in completing the dossier from their social worker or a partner organisation. Once the ap-

PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/010: Restructuring, Well-Being at work and financial participation The aim of this call is to develop and support the exchange of information and learning with regard to health and well-being at work, particularly during restructuring processes. The deadlines for applications are: 18.05.09 and 01.09.09. See:http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/007: Innovative Projects for Worker Mobility in the EU Part of the European Job Mobility Action Plan, this call will fund projects to facilitate professional mobility. All proposals should contribute to the implementation of the European employment strategy and corresponding national policies. The deadline for applications is 09.06.2009. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en&callId=204&furtherCalls=yes Call for Proposals EACEA/05/09 – Youth in Action Programme – Action 3.2 – Youth in the world The objectives of this call for proposals are, among others, to improve the mobility of young people and youth workers; to promote youth empowerment and active participation; to foster capacity-building for youth organisations and structures in order to contribute to civil society development. The deadline for applications is 01.06.09 See: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/calls-for-proposals/call98_en.htm EU Health Programme Call for Proposals This call will fund projects to contribute to the objectives of The EU Health Programme 2008-13, namely: improve citizen’s health security and promote health. The deadline for applications is 20.05.09. http:/ec.europa.eu/eahc/health/projects.html Tender VT/2009/008: Study on Social Services of General Interest The aim of this contract is to do a study on the organisation of SSGI in four sectors: long-term care, employment services, childcare and social housing and describe the services provided as well as the type of relationships between the service providers and the public authorities that organise and finance SSGI. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en Tender No: VT/2009/013 : Study on the use of age, disability, sex, religion or belief, race or ethnic origin and sexual orientation in financial services, in particular in the insurance and banking sectors The study will identify current practices of financial services providers with regard to the use of age, disability, sex, race/ethnic origin, religion/belief and sexual orientation in the supply and design of financial products. See:http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en

May 09

Does your city have an integration strategy based on a needs assessment and drafted in collaboration with migrant associations?

Do you gather pertinent data to understand why some policies work and others do not?

Are there opportunities for migrants to pursue intensive language courses and acquire new skills?

May 09

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS Events/Conferences Social Polis Stakeholder Conference

11 – 12 May 2009

Vienna, Austria

11 – 13 May

Amsterdam, Netherlands

14 - 15 May 2009

Rotterdam,Netherlands

28 May 2009

Brussels, Belgium

29 May 2009

Brussels

11 – 12 June 2009

Budapest, Hungary

Integrating Policies against Child Poverty

15- 16 June 2009

Amsterdam, Netherlands

22 – 24 June 2009

Prague, Czech Republic

May 09

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS Employment Week: Europe’s Labour Market - ensuring growth through human capital

24 – 25 June

Brussels

EUROCITIES events Joint EUROCITIES Working Group Social Inclusion and EUROCITIES Working Group Housing meeting

18-19 May 2009

Brno, Czech Republic

20 May 2009

Brno, Czech Republic

4-5 June 2009

The Hague, Netherlands

4-5 June 2009

Genoa, Italy

The focus of this workshop will be youth crime. EUROCITIES Working Group on Employment

30 Sep – 2 Oct 2009

Barcelona, Spain

The group will discuss the updated report on city strategies against homelessness and visit projects in Barcelona.

Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS is published by EUROCITIES’ Brussels Office. © EUROCITIES 2008 Please send any contributions or comments to: rory.moody@eurocities.eu

Editors Simon Guentner Anna Drozd Dirk Gebhard Rory Moody

EUROCITIES 1 Square de Meeûs B-1000 Brussels Tel: +32 2 552 0888 Fax: +32 2 552 0889 e-mail: info@eurocities.eu www.eurocities.eu

May 09