Search Results for: mental health

Youth: inclusion & social skills

10 March, 2017 By Editor

On March 23rd in London, UK, at the AER Spring plenary session, the workshop “Youth: Inclusion& social skills” will provide delegates with an opportunity to share experiences in the implementation of youth policies. They will identify implementation challenges as well as the success factors for regions.

Difficulty for young people to relate to others

Following the workshop in Izmir, TR in November 2016, the Sub-committee on Youth decided to focus its attention on the difficulties for young people to relate to others.

This topic covers a wide range of problems affecting the young generation. From the educational system which not always takes into account the changes occurring in our society, to the lack of outdoor social activities engaging young people. Problems in communication and reciprocate understanding are growing more and more.

Many regions across Europe encountered different problems among young people: drug and/or alcohol abuses, isolation, social media addiction and mental health problems. The big use of social media, for instance, is generating a new way of relating to other people, limiting sometimes the opportunities to actually have face-to-face discussions with peers. Difficulties on how to express themselves, on building own personality are increasing depression, lack of self-esteem, mental health problems.

The workshop will present some projects addressing these issues, in order to share good practices and discuss together how it is possible to intervene and which are the challenges to overcome.

Catalunya: a strong engagement for youth

Catalunya has always played a strong role in addressing youth policies. Regional commitments to help young people building their life projects, to empower them and guarantee a better quality of life for them.

The workshop will be an opportunity to see how Catalunya is dealing with the difficulties young people are facing. More specifically, Catalunya is addressing mental health among children and adolescents, in a transversal way: the departments in charge of health, education and youth work together. The main goal is to implement a common strategy on mental health at regional level and to coordinate the activities of the Government regarding the different issues: prevention, awareness, assessment, especially for young people.

Indeed mental health problems are associated with difficulties in emotional and intellectual development. Therefore the Catalan government is intervening at local level in order to prevent risky behaviours, to promote social skills and emotional education.

Work together

During the workshop the full set of measures implemented by Catalunya will be presented and participants will have the opportunity to jointly analyse elements of success and of transferability. Participants will also explore together opportunities for further cooperation, in particular for project development.

Link

Committees’ Spring Plenary

Committees plenaries: results for projects, good practice exchange and lobbying

Photo by Marc Moschell @Flickr

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Committees plenaries: results for projects, good practice exchange and lobbying

17 November, 2016 By Johanna Pacevicius

During the joint plenaries delegates had the opportunity to participate in 2 workshops aimed at identifying project ideas, topics for good practices and lobbying activities to be carried out within the network. The workshops were also an opportunity to share information about upcoming EU calls for projects.

Youth empowerment for a sustainable Europe

Sharing experiences: the case of Izmir

After a presentation on the development of youth training in the Izmir Peninsula,
where several initiatives have been implemented to ensure young people are trained, remain in the area and valorise its cultural heritage, delegates were informed about the awareness raising and engagement efforts of the region in terms of European affairs and relations. Quite interestingly in order to increase knowledge about opportunities, the department of EU affairs organises information events in less advantaged areas because young people of these areas will generally not seek information about Europe.

Delegates then worked in two groups, one focused on projects and good practice sharing and the other one on lobbying with AER

Projects & Good practice exchange

Based on the Logical Framework (Logframe) Matrix, presented by Agnese Pantaloni, AER Coordinator for European projects and partnerships, participants shared the challenges their regions face in terms of youth policies. The Logframe Matrix enables to outline the key features that lead to a project achieving its goal, with challenges as a starting point.

Identified challenges range from unemployment, heavy reliance on parental support, drug abuse, lack of interest or lack of education, to early marriage or teenage pregnancy, domestic violence or intolerance and racism. One issue which was consistently mentioned by regions, despite very diverse economic and social backgrounds, was mental health of young people.

Participants therefore decided to concentrate their actions around the following main problem: the difficulty for young people to relate to others. (disclaimer: representatives did not at any point suggest that this problem was limited to young people. Rather as policy makers in charge of youth policies they identified this as being the main problem for the policy area they are dealing with).

The region of Norrbotten decided to take the lead on this topic and organise the experience sharing. Members may at a later stage decide to enter in an interregional project.

Lobbying

Looking back on the many high level meetings AER organised this year with AER members, Alexandre Brecx, AER Coordinator for Institutional affairs and membership, explained how regions can take advantage of the network to also raise their own regional issues towards the European institutions. Typically this was the case on the occasion of the meeting with EC Commissioner Karmenu Vella or the meetings with Commissioner Andrus Ansip, First Vice president Frans Timmermans or COR President Markku Markkula or on the occasion of events where AER members act as ambassadors for the network. A network is a place to give and retrieve, member regions, which engage in AER lobbying activities directly benefit from it.

When regions want to initiate a major lobbying action, they can also turn to AER for support. This was the case for instance for Lower Austria: representatives from the region were informed that Cohesion Policy may not be continued post 2020, they herefore decided to reiterate an initiative they had successfully carried out in 2011 to gather regions in a common position for the continuation of Cohesion Policy, which is a major support for regional development. Under the leadership of Lower Austria (At) and the Assembly of European Regions, 337 political representatives of regions from 22 member states (71,5% % of EU population) and 5 interregional organisations signed a common declaration to demand the continuation of a EU Cohesion Policy for all regions after 2020. AER President Dr Hande Özsan Bozatli and Vice-President Treasurer Mr Magnus Berntsson represented AER member regions in this high level event.

Sustainable management of natural resources

In the framework of the Committee 1 activities on mobility, rural development and energy, this workshop aimed at identifying ideas for joint actions. Indeed the 3 topics, which are often discussed separately within working groups, are connected in many ways. This was for instance highlighted in the Backgård report on energy security as well as in the work on the circular economy. In the context of a general conference which looked at how sustainable mobility affected many policy areas, members had the opportunity to explore synergies in this workshop.

Participants shared their main concerns in these areas, which go from building material and insulation to integrating a circular economy perspective in industry but also increasing the connectivity of regions, making them more attractive for professionals, improving the sustainability of transport choices in the public sector, shifting from high reliance on coal to healthier and more sustainable energy choices.

The issue of increasing the regional attractiveness was identified as a the main objective, and the main focus to address this at present will be improved and sustainable connectivity. Because policy learning is key in this regard members could take advantage of the Horizon 2020 call EE-09-2016-2017 “Engaging and activating public authorities” which deadline is 7th June 2017

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When the medical world faces the migration and refugee crisis

11 October, 2016 By Editor

On 29 September, AER President Dr Hande Özsan Bozatli, her special advisor Laurent of Belgium and the AER Secretary General Mr Mathieu Mori visited Saint-Pierre University Hospital with the aim of kick-starting AER’s work on the issue of health of migrants and refugees. The delegation was welcomed by Ms Patrice Buyck, Director General of CHU Saint-Pierre, Professeur Pierre Mols, Chief of Emergency Department, Ms Chloé Dungelhoeff, Communications Director and Ms Cécile Rubay, Patients’ Administrative Management.

Ms Agneta Granström, AER Committee 2 President, has urged AER members to act on this pivotal topic, underlining three main reasons:

Migrants are becoming an increasing proportion of the population in Europe, therefore health professionals, managers and politicians need more knowledge on migrants’ health and ability to access care in order to make informed decisions.
Illness may impede the integration processes in the host countries as ill health affects the ability to engage in education, work and activities in society in general. This may lead to further marginalisation and social isolation, which again may affect health in a negative way. Legal guidelines that guarantee access to health care and other social services support policies that aim to integrate migrants and benefit from their presence. Policies that keep migrants in camps and deal with their health needs through separate services will contribute to their marginalisation.
Respect for the right to health requires migrant-sensitive health systems. This means services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and pay attention to some unique health problems, including mental health disorders and trauma from injuries or torture.

Saint-Pierre University Hospital turned out to be an excellent starting point to grasp the challenges facing health practitioners to care for migrants and refugees. Older than Belgium itself, the hospital is one of the 5 public hospitals in Brussels city (IRIS network). First established in the buildings of an ex-leprosarium in 1783, Saint-Pierre has safeguarded through time true values of solidarity, dedication and respect that seep through its walls and are carried by the numerous health professionals working in the institutions. Saint-Pierre believes and acts according to the idea that care should be provided to everyone, regardless social or political status. This reputation is known to other medical institutions in Brussels and neighbouring areas which have taken habit of sending patients to them when worried about the patients’ insurance coverage or political status. As a result, Saint-Pierre ends up with approximately 1 million EUR per year in equity with expenses unclaimed by neither the patients, health insurance nor the government.

In order to fulfil its mission to provide care to all those who need it, including migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, Saint-Pierre employs 7 full-time inter-cultural mediators and can accommodate patients speaking 140 different translators. 27 social workers also assist the hospital administration to manage the necessary procedures for caring for migrants. The practitioners have identified several barriers when dealing with asylum seekers:

specific needs and pathologies: their background and extensive travel result in specific needs but also bring with them certain diseases that are not so common in Europe
more time to diagnose: when time permits and in order to reduce the costs of treatment, Saint-Pierre has adapted processes that take more time in the diagnosis, with one exam leading to another so as to ensure that each test is absolutely necessary. The hospital finds itself penalised by such practices as national regulation limits the number of days in the hospital for each patient.
cultural differences: these are numerous of course, but one that seems to stand out is the mistrust of certain groups of people in the general practitioners and the tendency to go directly to hospital emergency rooms rather than consult a generalist.

Next steps

With this first awareness-raising visit, the President explained “we want to show our full support to Ms Granström in her proposal to deal with the health of refugees; it is highly relevant and AER can play its role by finding out how healthcare professionals and hospitals across Europe face these challenges and share their experiences”

Some figures about Saint-Pierre:

421.000 patients / year
82.000 emergencies / year
3.300 births / year
636 beds
2.500 employees
40 medical services

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Project on Life Balance of vulnerable youngsters: looking for a coordinator and partners

7 June, 2016 By Agnese Pantaloni

The AP University College in Antwerp is looking for a coordinator and partners to develop a project on Life Balance. Their aim is to develop a digital tool (mobile phone application) to self-monitor and to optimize life balance in vulnerable youngsters. The tool will be developed in close collaboration with the youngsters and other actors and implementation will be evaluated.

The idea is to design this project in the framework of the following Horizon 2020 Calls:

The AP University College is looking for partners having the following profile:

Organisations in society (focussing on asylum seekers and/or youngsters)
University (college) partners
Technological/technical organisations for the development of the instrument(s)

We invite AER members and partners to share this partner search within their regions and network. Should you be interested in joining this project or asking more information, do not hesitate to get in touch with us:

– AER Secretariat, Agnese Pantaloni

– AP University College, Daphne Kos

– Knowledge Center Social Europe, An Rommel

Please, respond before 19th June 2016.

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MOCHA

Who?

The MOCHA team is led by Professor Mitch Blair and Professor Michael Rigby from Imperial College London and involves 19 scientific partners from ten European countries: Cyprus, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Teams involved are also from Australia, Switzerland and the United States, who give a global perspective to European knowledge. In addition, 30 country agents seek out information from each European Member State and EEA country to innovative research questions.

What?

MOCHA appraises the differing models of child health that are used across Europe. The aim is to help every child benefit from optimum health care, the project performs a systematic, scientific evaluation of the types of health care that exist.

The project has already identified gaps in knowledge, including lack of data on surveillance of children’s primary care and children’s specific needs in primary care, lack of coordination of care, models of care that are not based on current child health epidemiology, and low prioritisation of children’s needs in e-health strategies. The project is addressing these gaps by innovative methods. More refined and reflective subsequent questions are addressed to the country agents and MOCHA partners have started a Delphi Process to discuss outputs on the innovative measurement tool to appraise these systems.

When?

The project began in June 2015 and will continue until November 2018. The project is funded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 Framework under Societal Challenges – Health, demographic change and well-being. This project on ‘Developing and comparing new models for safe and efficient, prevention oriented health and care systems’ was applied within Research and Innovation action.

Why?

Children’s health is important for Europe’s future which depends on good health care services. However, these are structured differently throughout the European Union. Until now there is no research which identifies the most effective model or elements of a model, which implies that some children are likely to be receiving suboptimal care.

What is AER’s role and how to get involved?
AER is a member of the External Advisory Board for this project and set up a focus group made of country agents, to follow the project developments closely, thus, to ensure AER members benefit from the results on key topics such as prevention, child healthcare, integrated care systems, big data, efficiency and effectiveness of primary child health care models.
You can find more information on MOCHA Project website. Work Package 9 is now beginning which for collection of data from stakeholders in many countries regarding good practices in asthma care, sexual and reproductive health care, mental health care and vaccination. It would be a great opportunity to value your input into identifying facilitators or barriers to conduct good primary health care if you are from one of the following countries: Sweden, Italy, Poland, Germany, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Romania and Lithuania.

What is AER’s role and how to get involved?

AER is a member of the External Advisory Board for this project and set up a focus group made of country agents, to follow the project developments closely, thus, to ensure AER members benefit from the results on key topics such as prevention, child healthcare, integrated care systems, big data, efficiency and effectiveness of primary child health care models.

You can find more information on MOCHA Project website.

Work Package 9 is now beginning which for collection of data from stakeholders in many countries regarding good practices in asthma care, sexual and reproductive health care, mental health care and vaccination. It would be a great opportunity to value your input into identifying facilitators or barriers to conduct good primary health care if you are from one of the following countries: Sweden, Italy, Poland, Germany, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Romania and Lithuania.

The project is funded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 Framework under the grant agreement number: 634201.

Useful links

Updates on MOCHA by Newsletter June 2017

Contacts

Johanna Pacevicius – Policy & Knowledge Transfer, AER

Christine Chow – MOCHA Project Manager, Imperial College London

Dr. Denise Alexander – MOCHA Research Coordinator, Imperial College London

AER Youth Regional Network (YRN)

YRN PROMOTIONAL FLYER

Created by the Assembly of European Regions in 2008, the Youth Regional Network (YRN) is a cross-regional youth platform, promoting active youth participation at regional level. Composed of youth regional / county councils, youth organisations, and of young people joining on an individual basis, in AER’s network and membership, the YRN provides young people with opportunities to express policy recommendations, to foster debate and capacity-building, to exchange good practices, to reach out to decision-makers and to influence policies. The YRN is a unique forum for young people from diverse regions to raise their voice collectively, while introducing a European dimension to youth policy in those regions.

Activities include: capacity-building, debates, workshops, policy work, elaboration of toolkits and statements, exchange of best practices, international events… all with the goal of making youth voices heard in regional and European policy-making, and in providing young people from all over Europe with a platform to meet, exchange views and learn from one another.

JOIN THE YRN – FILL IN THE MEMBERSHIP FORM HERE

YRN ACTION PLAN

YRN ACTIVITY REPORT

The YRN Presidium – A youth-led steering committee for the YRN

The YRN is youth-led, meaning that they develop their own policy recommendations, Thematic Committees (TCs) and capacity-building activities, and that YRN members (aged between 16 and 30 years old) directly elect their own Presidium, equivalent to a Steering Committee. The election of the YRN Presidium takes place as part of the YRN General Assembly. The current elected YRN Presidium is composed of the following members:

President: Norbert Nagy (Sălaj, RO) – [email protected]
1st Vice-President: Sigrun Myrvang (Innlandet, NO) – [email protected]
2nd Vice-President: Kassandra Petsa (Nordland, NO) – [email protected]
Chair of the TC on Youth Participation & Governance: Mathilde Colarte (Wallonia, BE) – [email protected]
Chair of the TC on Mental Health & Wellbeing: Jack McLaughlin (Donegal, IE) – [email protected]
Chair of the TC on Gender Equality & Women Empowerment: Elona Matoshi (Kosovo) – [email protected]
Chair of the TC on Green & Sustainable Europe: Marsel Haka (Tirana, AL) – [email protected]

Contact the YRN!

You can contact the YRN Presidium at the emails indicated above, or at [email protected].

To reach out the the YRN Contact Person at the AER Secretariat, you can write to AER Programmes Coordinator, Lorène Weber, [email protected].

The YRN Revival Process after the COVID-19 pandemic

After two years of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the YRN was revived, building from the momentum given by the youth delegates at the Summer Academy 2022, in Donegal (IE). After successfully sparking interest among young people in AER member regions (and beyond!), the new YRN was officially revived in March 2023!

YRN General Assembly 2023

YRN General Assembly 2024

YRN Statutes

YRN Rules of Procedure

Pick an important problem and fix it!

23 October, 2014 By Johanna Pacevicius

Independent living is not an easy topic, especially with shrinking budgets and growing needs. E-health is obviously part of the solution but as Marta Tatar, County Councillor of Covasna (RO) mentioned “to create integrated care systems we need integrated communities”, and that was what made it so special to be in Donegal (IE) last month: the region, which earlier this year won the AER Most Youth-Friendly Region Special Prize for their Youth Council’s initiative to raise awareness on mental health, excels at making the quadruple helix work!

The 120 delegates who gathered in Letterkenny from 20 to 23 October had the opportunity to hear and see how the region supports independent living from an early age by empowering all citizens young and old and also shared their own experience on the implementation of integrated care systems.Follow AER!

Bioeconomy: resources for policymakers

17 May, 2024 By Assistant Policy & Knowledge Transfer

The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to facilitate exchanges among European regions to share challenges and opportunities and prepare for future partnerships and projects. In this context, the AER Secretariat mapped a series of resources to help policymakers navigate the abundance of online resources and information.

Knowledge for policymaking

Various types of knowledge may be useful at the different stages of policymaking, depending on needs and purpose. The below resources encompass policy briefs, reports, interactive tools and peer review services to tackle policy challenges.

The AER Working Group itself will organise a workshop on “Changing perspectives on resources for a sustainable bioeconomy” on the occasion of the AER General Assembly in Ajara.

Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

The Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform aims to facilitate targeted exchanges between European regional policymakers and provides access to thematic expertise. The following two policy briefs could be particularly relevant to regional policymakers:

Sustainable and circular construction: an overview of EU initiatives to inspire local and regional authorities and showcase practical examples of stimulating the transition to a circular and sustainable building sector
Biowaste challenge: an outlook on EU initiatives that local and regional authorities should refer to for boosting their biowaste collection, prevention and recycling rates in compliance with the EU Directives and to the benefit of a local circular economy, with a series of replicable good practices.

The Interreg Europe peer reviews are a service for public bodies responsible for local or regional development policies. They are organised as a two-day meeting with international experts to resolve a policy challenge with selected peers and experts. The objective is to give advice, recommendations and an action plan to resolve the policy challenge. Practical information about the application process, testimonies of beneficiaries, and peer review reports are available on the Interreg Europe peer reviews webpage.

EC Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy

Knowledge4Policy (K4P) is the EU Commission’s platform for evidence-based policymaking. The goal is to bridge the science-policy gap by bringing together evidence for policy from scientists across Europe to policymakers across Europe. The Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy provides access to available evidence tailored to the needs of policymakers. For instance:

The Bioeconomy country dashboard provides an interactive map with data at the national and regional level about strategies, specific sectors, bioeconomics, initiatives…

Exploring foresight scenarios for the EU bioeconomy: Conclusions from a series of workshops using a scientific game and foresight tool called the Scenario Exploration System, which gathered policy makers, primary producers, consumers and businesses, tasking them with imagining the bioeconomy of the future.
Brief on the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate environmental impacts of the bioeconomy: Looking at the impacts of a system’s life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to waste management, helps monitor and predict the environmental impacts of the bioeconomy to ensure that it operates within safe ecological limits.

OECD iLibrary

Policymakers interested in having further information on topics such as the digitalisation in the bio-based industry, carbon management, innovation ecosystems, agriculture and food systems, may find the OECD iLibrary useful to inform their policy processes.

Carbon Management: Bioeconomy and Beyond: this report focuses on relieving pressures on land from agriculture and forestry by enlarging the bioeconomy to include alternative sources of bio-based carbon to complement biomass. In climate policy, most attention and resources has gone into energy and transportation, while much less attention has been given to industry. Yet, reaching net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 requires the action of all countries and all sectors.

Other tools and resources

The below resources are examples of tools aggregated on the MainstreamBIO Horizon Europe project website:

Bioeconomy Strategy Accelerator Toolkit: an online platform for guiding decision-makers and stakeholders to develop their regional bioeconomy strategies
Go-GRASS training resources to implement circular grass-based business models in a region: starter manual, online decision support tool, business plan writer
Best Practice Guidelines to design an Integrated Biomass Logistics Centre to help different sectors, such as the feed, grain, olive oil, sugar, vegetable seeds and wine sectors, to implement this concept
The Rural toolkit is the go-to guide to EU funding and support opportunities for rural areas in the European Union. It aims to help local authorities, institutions and stakeholders, businesses and individuals to identify and take advantage of existing EU funds, programmes and other funding and support initiatives, and to foster development in rural territories.
System Change: A Guidebook for Adopting Portfolio Approaches (UNDP): because a sustainable bioeconomy requires a holistic approach and different ways of collaborating between stakeholders, it is useful to integrate innovative change management methodologies in any policymaker’s set of tools

Open calls for projects

The following open calls may be of interest to AER members who wish to develop the bioeconomy sector in their region:

Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON): Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (HORIZON-JU-CBE-2024). Deadline is 18 September
Examples of topics:
- Bio-based value chains for valorisation of sustainable oil crops
- Bio-based value chains for valorisation of sustainable natural fibre feedstock
- Sustainable microalgae as feedstock for innovative, added-value applications
- Circular and SSbD bio-based construction & building materials with functional properties
- Valorisation of polluted/contaminated wood from industrial and post-consumer waste streams
- Innovative bio-based food/feed ingredients
- New forms of cooperation in agriculture and the forest-based sector
- Mobilise inclusive participation in bio-based systems and supporting the CBE JU widening strategy and its action plan

Horizon Europe – Cluster 6: “Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment” Deadline is 8 october 2024
Soil Mission calls for proposals include topics such as:
- Living Labs in urban areas for healthy soils
- Managing forest peatsoils
- Soil health, pollinators and key ecosystem functions

Transforming neighbourhoods, making them beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive (HORIZON-MISS-2024-NEB-01) call. Deadline for submissions is 19 September 2024.
- Exploiting the potential of secondary bio-based products
- New governance models for the co-design and co-construction of public spaces in neighbourhoods by communities
- Setting up a New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact

About the AER working group on the bioeconomy

The AER working group on the bioeconomy gathers representatives from Värmland (SE), Gelderland (NL), Fribourg (CH), Donegal (IE), Údarás na Gaeltachta (IE), Adana (TR), Eastern Slovenia (SI), Lower Austria (AU), West Slovenia (SI), Dolj (RO), Tirana (AL), Umbria (IT), Valencia (ES).

The next workshop and study visit will take place on the occasion of the AER General Assembly in Ajara on “Changing perspectives on resources for a sustainable bioeconomy”. It will be an opportunity to discover regional policies and practices on the bioeconomy, discuss strategies and nominate a new Chair.

Photo by Ochir-Erdene Oyunmedeg sur Unsplash

This article was written by Nicola Miceli, who did an internship on Policy & Knowledge Transfer at the AER Secretariat from January 2024 to June 2024.

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Access to Quality and Affordable Housing for all

19 February, 2024 By Assistant Policy & Knowledge Transfer

Access to adequate and affordable housing is a crucial determinant of successful integration. Housing conditions have a substantial impact on employment and education opportunities and on the interactions between migrants and host communities. Poor housing conditions and segregation can exacerbate divisions, which undermine social cohesion.

Inclusive housing is, therefore, essential for thriving neighbourhoods.

EU-Belong: Interculturalism and Housing

In the framework of the AMIF-funded EU-Belong project, the AER is facilitating peer learning to foster resource sharing and promote continuous improvement of policies and practices. The EU-Belong project is pioneering the field of inclusion and integration by using an intercultural approach developed by the Council of Europe to innovate regional policymaking.

Interculturalism is a policy model for ensuring equality and cohesion in culturally diverse societies. It encourages mixing and interaction among people of different origins, cultures, and backgrounds to build a collective identity that embraces cultural pluralism, human rights, democracy, gender equality and non-discrimination. It is based on the simultaneous application of the principles of equality of rights and opportunities, diversity as an advantage, and positive interaction as a way to mobilise the contributions of all residents for the development of their society.
Council of Europe, (2019). The intercultural city step by step

EU-Belong showcases how multistakeholder approaches, tailored capacity-building, co-design and transnational mutual learning leverage regional efforts and generate innovation.

To help policymakers connect with peers and find the resources best suited to their needs and interests, peer learning in EU-Belong is divided into four thematic Transfer Clusters. These address common challenges in housing, education, labour, and health.

The below case study about Roma access to housing provides insights for policymakers on the current situation in Europe and is shared as part of the knowledge sharing facilitated in the Transfer Cluster “Where people live”.

The Long-Term Roma Housing Crisis

During 2023, the European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network conducted in-depth national case studies in six countries, looking at the realities of Roma housing and living conditions, as well as at the key barriers the Roma face when trying to access quality and affordable housing in these countries.

The ERGO research report highlights the continued inequalities faced by the Roma community in accessing adequate and affordable housing. It focuses on the countries of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain, with additional benchmarking evidence from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ireland, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Türkiye.

Key findings include:

Roma living conditions are significantly worse than those of the majority, while most Roma experience de facto homelessness.
Most Roma live in segregated communities and/or informal settlements, many exposed to environmental hazards.
High costs of housing and overcomplex administrative procedures further reduce Roma access to housing.
The Roma continue to face antigypsyism and forced evictions.
Social housing holds great potential for Roma housing, but it is currently under-utilised.
Roma communities and their civil society organisations must be involved in order to co-create sustainable ways forward.

The study provides case-specific policy recommendations with the potential to inspire actions in similar contexts marked by housing inequality and discrimination, both in Europe and beyond.

Experiment with our tools

EU-Belong developed a series of resources to get started in the development of an intercultural integration strategy such as:

Building Intercultural Competences: A Handbook for Regions and Stakeholders: This handbook serves as a toolkit for public authorities and personnel working in local services and intercultural specialists. It provides examples and recommendations for capacity-building activities.
A structure and Methodology to implement Multi-Stakeholder Learning Labs: Ahead of the co-design process, this guide helps regions organise meaningful events with stakeholders to listen to their needs, raise awareness on interculturalism and engage them in the co-design of policies
Intercultural Integration Self-Assessment Questionnaire: evaluates migrant integration in areas such as labor market mobility, education, and anti-discrimination. It was created by the Region of Catalonia to help regions evaluate their intercultural integration capabilities.
Peer-Review of European Replicable Good Practices: The AER reviewed successful intercultural integration strategies at the regional level, selecting 10 good practices. The practices promote equality, non-discrimination, and meaningful interaction and serve as an inspiration for policymakers.
Multi-stakeholder model framework and Toolkit for Regional Intercultural Integration Strategies: This framework for intercultural integration strategies at the regional level helps practitioners and policymakers in migration, diversity, and inclusion to develop adaptable integration strategies. The toolkit provides step-by-step guidance on how to get started and how to progress with the co-design of an intercultural strategy together with regional stakeholders.

Join us in learning how to use an intercultural approach!

The AER and Catalonia are facilitating peer learning and cooperation on using an intercultural approach in sectoral policies through the EU-Belong Transfer Clusters. To learn more about implementing interculturalism across policy areas through multistakeholder collaboration and co-design, or to stay informed about EU-Belong’s activities, such as webinars and the development of pilots, register to the EU-Belong Newsletter (scroll down to the bottom of the homepage).

EU-Belong is a 3-year project run by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and 12 partners, and co-funded by the AMIF Programme of the European Union.

This article was written by Nicola Miceli, who did an internship on Policy & Knowledge Transfer at the AER Secretariat from January 2024 to June 2024.

Photo by Edanur Ağaç on Unsplash

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Call for YRN members! Join a growing inter-regional and international youth network!

20 November, 2023 By Teodora Nicolaescu

The Youth Regional Network (YRN) is launching a call for committed and motivated young people
from all across Europe.

Created by the Assembly of European Regions in 2008, the Youth Regional Network (YRN) is a
cross-regional youth platform, promoting active youth participation at regional level. Composed of
regional-level youth councils, parliaments and organizations in AER’s network and membership, it
provides young people with an opportunity to express policy recommendations, to foster debate and
capacity-building, to exchange good practices, to reach out to decision-makers and to influence
policies. The YRN is a unique forum for young people from diverse regions to raise their voice
collectively, while introducing a European dimension to youth policy in those regions.

The YRN has its own Presidium, structured with: a President, two Vice Presidents and Chairs of the
Thematic Committees; Youth Participation, Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment and Mental
Health. Members contribute to one of the committees mentioned. In the upcoming YRN General
Assembly, if a member has contributed for at least two months, they have a right to vote or be a
candidate for the Presidium.

Membership in the YRN is a voluntary commitment. It requires a varying time commitment
(approximately around 8-10 hours per month), depending on the plans, assignments, activities and
events at hand. YRN members must be able to dedicate all the necessary efforts and commitment
for the entire duration of their one year mandate.

If you are a young person (18-30 years old), living anywhere in Europe with ideas and motivation to
improve young people’s life and empower them then we encourage you to apply and be one of the
changemakers that will join us.

MANDATE OF A YRN MEMBER

YRN Members shall:
– Identify concerns, needs, challenges, and priorities of youth in their communities, and address
them by proposing possible actions and initiatives to be taken by and with the Youth Regional
Network.
– Support the Presidium in integrating youth perspectives in its programmatic planning
and activities.
– Participate regularly in the committee meetings.
– Promote YRN values, through different communication channels and activities.

APPLICANTS’ PROFILE

The YRN is looking for applicants who fulfil the following criteria:
– The applicant must be a European citizen of 18-30 years old.
– The applicant must be a highly motivated young person with ideas on how youth can
actively participate in the society.
– The applicant must be able to express views effectively in both oral and written forms
in English.
– The applicant must be able to work in a multicultural environment.
– The applicant must possess teamwork skills and be able to collaborate.
– The applicant must possess the necessary time to participate actively in all assignments, activities
and events.

Young people that comply with the criteria and are currently living in rural areas are highly
encouraged to apply.

Individuals from all genders, places of origin/residence, ethnicities, religions, and professional/
academic as well as socio- economic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

BENEFITS

– Part of a large network with young people from all over Europe.
– Attend local and international events.
– Have the space to express your voice and ideas to implement initiatives for young people.
– Receive a letter of recommendation by the AER.
– Based on performance, a member may receive the “Most Active YRN member” award.

HOW TO APPLY

All interested candidates should apply online, completing the application form:

APPLY HERE

The application must be completed entirely in English.

Selected applicants will be notified within 15 working days from the application deadline.

If selected, you will receive a membership certificate, which you have to present if needed. The
membership certificate stands as a proof of your membership to the YRN.

For more information about the call not included here, please contact: [email protected]

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A Whole-of-Society Approach to Inclusion

5 May, 2023 By Johanna Pacevicius

The Includ-EU Workshop “Whole-of-Society Approach: Cross-sectoral and Multistakeholder collaboration for inclusion” in Cluj-Napoca gathered around 70 representatives from the Netherlands, France, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Romania to explore shared challenges, enabling factors for change, and the transferability of experiences. It was also an opportunity for the AER to reconnect with its Romanian members and hear about current stakes.

Includ-EU: learn, build, share… repeat

Includ-EU is an EU-funded project which facilitates capacity building and mutual learning. It also supports the implementation of actions that impact local and regional stakeholders directly, such as:

psycho-social mentoring between young girls migrating alone and female university students in Catalonia
innovative social housing solutions in Tuscany
the implementation of inclusive health services in Crete
digital skills, practical knowledge and language programme in Jesenice
comprehensive early-stage integration orientation in Tilburg

Through these different activities the Includ-EU project fosters capacity development, exchange and engagement for enhanced social cohesion in Europe. More information on the different pilots can be found on the Includ-EU website.

A need for better information and support

The integration process connects a wide range of practicalities as well as both compulsory and optional administrative procedures in sectors as diverse as health, education, housing, work. Failure to comply with procedures can have dramatic impacts on individuals and families. At the same time, it is often difficult for users to understand how the different procedures connect, which are the most urgent or obligatory ones, and where to find the relevant information.

On the side of administrations or non-governmental organisations, understanding the circumstances and needs of migrants to provide adequate services can prove a daunting exercise. This leads to considerable frustration, both for users and for organisations involved in the integration process.

The one-stop shop model

In Cluj-Napoca, the one-stop shop for migrants emerged as a response to this need for better, more complete and clearer information, expressed both by migrants and authorities. One-stop shops are services designed following a holistic approach: concentrating services in one location can help newcomers understand what services are on offer and improve collaboration between providers.

However, this approach needs to be tailored to the specific context and be interactive. Roadblocks to implementing genuine one-stop shops vary, from different levels of government not seeing eye-to-eye on migration and integration to a lack of funding and limited pre-existing partnerships between very different institutional stakeholders (for example, the police and NGOs). This model may therefore be complicated to implement for cities with a relatively nascent integration infrastructure.^[1]

The Includ-EU workshop was an opportunity to deepen and discuss the one-stop shop model and visit the Cluj-Napoca one-stop shop. Participants heard from Emilia Alina Botezan, Head of International Affairs and Foreign Investment Department, Cluj-Napoca City Hall, about the vision and services it aims to deploy, as well as to hear from other authorities how they have been implementing the model, in particular Milan and its WISH-MI wellbeing integrated system, presented by Emanuela Losito from the Milan Municipality.

Cross-sectoral collaboration: the role of local and regional authorities

During the first roundtable discussion, moderated by AER Secretary General Christian Spahr, speakers from the national, regional and local levels presented examples of how they are facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration to better address needs, and iterate in unforeseen circumstances. Recent examples thereof are the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, both of which led to urgent and pressing needs in complex situations, where social infrastructures were both challenged and re-organised thanks to cross-sectoral collaboration. Examples shared in the roundtable included multistakeholder collaborations facilitated from the national level, for instance in Romania or in Slovenia, as well as examples from the regional level from Maramures (RO) and Mayo (IE) and the local level, with the experience from the Milan Municipality (IT). In such contexts, authorities appear more and more to be facilitators and supporters of collaborations, rather than purely top-down organisers.

This implies a change in governance, as well as reflections on resilience and the capacity of systems to learn from what they developed during a crisis. As the knowledge transfer discussions revealed, it may be particularly difficult to address pressing needs, adapt to reality, and develop systems and practices of collaboration that are both resilient and adaptive.

Peer-learning to accelerate change

In complex and changing circumstances, exchanging with peers becomes therefore all the more relevant to:

recognise commonalities
discuss shared challenges
examine ways in which these are being addressed in different regions

The Includ-EU workshop was designed in a way to create a special experience and deepen the connection between participants, be it within the consortium, between project partners and invited experts, or between participants from the same country.

By creating different spaces for smaller group discussions, and encouraging the sharing of experiences including successes, mistakes, or former gaps in understanding, this workshop facilitated the transfer of practices and ideas, generated new knowledge and further consolidated the informal network of peers of regions and local authorities which the Includ-EU project developed.

Effective policymaking involves listening better

The Includ-EU workshop in Cluj-Napoca specifically aimed to facilitate mutual learning around effective multistakeholder collaboration and civic participation. Active civic participation is one of the pillars of the intercultural approach as laid down by the Council of Europe’s ICC Programme:

active citizenship and participation occur when stakeholders (all citizens, including foreign residents where appropriate) have the right, the means, the space, the opportunity and the support to freely express their opinions and influence decision- making on matters that affect them. In some situations, participation may mean those who are directly affected taking the lead and driving the process. Intercultural participation requires an equal and respectful basis, in which everyone feels heard, and involves tackling obstacles that may hinder certain stakeholders’ active participation.
Intercultural Glossary, Intercultural Cities Background documents

Effective multistakeholder collaboration and participation therefore include:

identifying which stakeholders are missing in a conversation
designing processes to include more diverse voices in policymaking,
generating interest in participation,
being clear about impact and objectives,
revising processes
having a reflective practice

Active participation of migrants in policy-making: the role of authorities

To learn about practices, which support the active participation of people with a migratory background, experts from different regions and organisations, discussed in a panel facilitated by Calin Rus, Director of the Intercultural Institute of Timisoara

The roundtable specifically provided insights into the functioning, achievements, evolution and challenges of:

The Tilburg Refugee Advisory Board: Iris de Kok, representing the Tilburg Municipality, and Sarah Haddad from the Refugee advisory board shared how this Board was created, what its purpose is and how it is continuously improved to increase impact.
- Learning point: test before having a perfect proposal, then incorporate feedback loops to improve processes, capacity of stakeholders, outputs
The Donegal Intercultural Platform: Paul Kernan Coordinator, and Nolunga Shologu, Community Worker presented how the Platform is collaborating with Donegal County Council to amplify the voice of minorities and people with a migratory background, fight racism, and support interculturalism
- Learning point: Community activities, safe spaces are a lever of civic participation. Reflexivity is key.
The Refugee Advisor Programme: Anna Coulibaly, representing ICMC Europe/ The Share Network explained how this programme provides an international platform for refugees to share and learn from each other, inform the development & implementation of community sponsorship and engage in joint advocacy actions at EU-level to support safe pathways to Europe.
- Learning point: connecting local and regional initiatives across Europe makes it possible to facilitate an impactful contribution of refugees to the design and implementation of programmes as well as inform EU policymaking.

Discovering & understanding good practices

To stimulate peer learning, the Includ-EU project features several study visits as well as in-depth discussions around regional and local practices. The workshop in Cluj-Napoca therefore featured

A study visit to the Cluj-Napoca Social Directorate, to learn about policies and measures in place, as well as future actions and the potential for international collaboration through projects, which is seen as a tool for leapfrogging in the field of public services
A “sitting study visit” at the Cluj Napoca One-Stop Shop, where Simona Boanca, Agneta Kardos, Irina Dumitrescu and Emilia Botezan shared examples from IOM Romania, Timis County Council and the Municipalities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca respectively. This was also an opportunity to hear about the work Timis County Council is implementing via the EU-Belong project on intercultural integration

Next steps

While the Includ-EU consortium is still implementing capacity-building and mutual-learning activities (see news here), it is also working on the sustainability of what the project achieved. In particular, a coaching session will be facilitated in June to help the consortium maintain, nurture, and benefit from what they jointly created.

Save the date!

The Includ-EU final event will take place on 6-7 September in Brussels. It will be an opportunity to showcase the project’s achievements, create political momentum with high-level representatives of EU institutions and politicians from different levels of governance, discover yet other good practices, and organise future collaborations. The event will be open to all stakeholders but places are limited.

[1] Patuzzi, Liam. 2020. European Cities on the Front Line: New and emerging governance models for migrant inclusion. Brussels and Geneva: Migration Policy Institute Europe and International Organization for Migration.

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#HotlineCohesion – European Solidarity Corps: the difference that matters.

30 March, 2023 By Barbara Polin

Local, but European. Practical, but inspiring. #HotlineCohesion brings you the most interesting youth opportunities linked to EU Cohesion Policy.

Opportunities for youth employment and green transition offered by Cohesion Policy require appropriate visibility, especially amongst the youth. Widespread information makes sure that opportunities reach their target, and that the future is shaped to the needs of those who will live in it.

Every week the AER will publish its series #HOTLINECOHESION with information concerning new funding opportunities and participatory processes open to youth in your regions!

A Union of Solidarity

The European Solidarity Corps for Youth (ESC4) aggregates solidarity from all Europe, bringing it where it matters the most. From social inclusion to environmental protection to humanitarian aid, the European Solidarity Corps creates a Union of solidarity, project by project, and they make it reach the most vulnerable.

Cross-Border Volunteering and Projects for the Most Vulnerable

The European Solidarity Corps offers volunteering and project opportunities for young people looking for professional experience with social impact on vulnerable communities. As European platform, it offers the opportunity for associations and young candidates to post their profiles, present their aims and discover if there is a match.

In 2023, there are two main types of opportunities for candidates:

Volunteering: candidates spend between 2 and 12 months in a hosting organisation which provides food and accommodation. Activities usually take place in a country different than the one of origin of candidates- ‘cross-border volunteering‘- but it is also possible to do ‘in-country’. Volunteers receive pocket money for daily expenses. It is possible to join as individuals or in teams: the latter option is shorter (maximum 2 months) and it is thought for people with less opportunities.
Volunteering in Humanitarian Aid: this type of volunteering focuses on providing relief to communities stricken by humanitarian disasters or to ensure their preparedness. Volunteers will be trained by at least two organisations and supported by a third one located in a third country (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey and Republic of North Macedonia)
Solidarity Projects: young people can team up and submit a project proposal for funding (500 EUR per month max). The proposal should address local, regional or national issues that affect the local community and are addressed by EU priorities such as inclusion, climate change, democratic engagement, citizenship or gender equality.

Other opportunities such as jobs and traineeship may be possible during 2023, but they will be discontinued as the year ends.

Eligibility

Young people

European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities are open to 18-30 year old people who reside in programme and partner countries. The age limit is 35 for those involved in Humanitarian Aid Activities.

Organisations

To be eligible for funding through the European Solidarity Corps, organisations need to be aiming to the greater social good of the communities where they are working. Fields of work may include:

encouraging democratic participation
fighting social exclusion
protecting nature
promoting health and wellbeing
promoting education and training
working with migrant communities.
strengthening the capacity and resilience of vulnerable or disaster-affected communities in those regions of third countries in which humanitarian aid activities and operations take place
reinforce disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction in these regions.

See you next week at #HotlineCohesion!

The Youthopia Project is co-funded by the Directorate General for Regional and Urban policy (DG REGIO) of the European Commission.

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10 years of Eurodyssey- Discover the stories of Cinta, trainee in 2022, and her tutor Gaëlle, trainee in 2012

2 March, 2023 By Eurodyssey

The Eurodyssey programme has benefited many young people since 1985, not only by providing quality traineeship opportunities, but also by creating a supportive environment and fostering sense of belonging, where young people are empowered and supported.

Our two interviewees, Gaëlle and Cinta, represent Eurodyssey’s past and present, and their testimonies are interlinked: Gaëlle was a Eurodyssey trainee in the Valencian Community back in 2012, and is now Cinta’s tutor, working together for the Surfrider Foundation in Brussels.

Full interview with Cinta & Gaëlle

What is the Surfrider Foundation?

The Surfrider Foundation is an environmental organisation that has been fighting to protect the world’s oceans for more than 30 years. It is a grassroots community that brings together people from very different backgrounds, including volunteers who take action to protect the ocean in different parts of Europe. Their most important battles are associated with marine litter, plastic pollution, work on water quality and health, and climate change and coastal management.

Cinta’s Eurodyssey traineeship in Brussels

“I am expecting that Eurodyssey gives me enough knowledge and experience to be able to start my professional career (..), and I don’t think it will disappoint me.”

Cinta is a Catalan trainee who decided to apply for Eurodyssey after finishing her postgraduate degree in 2022. She came across Eurodyssey after searching for opportunities to work in Brussels.

“I wanted to come to Brussels and live the Brussels bubble experience, see how the European institutions work, more from the inside”.

For Cinta, applying for Eurodyssey was ideal:

“It’s been a good opportunity to put into practice all the knowledge that I’ve been gaining in my postgraduate studies, and it was actually what I was looking for with a traineeship, so it was kind of a perfect match when I saw the offer.”

Not only that, she was also impressed to find how easy the whole process was:

“I just had to do the interview with Eurodyssey and then with the Surfrider Foundation, and when everything was ok, it was literally buying a ticket, coming here and I had two addresses: one for work and one for the apartment. Everything was done! I didn’t have to think about looking for an apartment, paying for expenses or any kind of things, and everything works very easily”.

By the end of her traineeship, Cinta expects to have enough knowledge and experience to start her professional career and stay in Brussels. A few weeks after the interview, Cinta was informed that she was going to be offered a contract at the Surfrider Foundation.

Gaëlle: a Eurodyssey tutor, and former trainee

“With Eurodyssey, you gain experience and skills, and that is what really makes a difference when you apply for a job.”

Gaëlle is from the Rhône-Alpes region of France. In 2012, she applied to a Eurodyssey traineeship in the Valencian Community, in Spain. At the time, she found it hard for youngsters to find their first job:

“When I was in Eurodyssey, the situation was also very difficult for youngsters, you apply for a first job and they ask you to master three languages, to have five year experience and being able to do plenty of things, so it is high competition and it’s very hard to enter and to have a first foot in the professional world, so Eurodyssey helped me a lot.”

Eurodyssey gave Gaëlle a unique opportunity to enhance her skills and get a hands-on experience, while being abroad, discovering another culture, and improving her Spanish.

After her traineeship in an international environment, she got hired at the Surfrider Foundation, and believes her Eurodyssey experience played a crucial role in it:

“Eurodyssey was very decisive and helped me also being here today […] working with the institutions and trying to have more actions done on environmental issues”.

Eurodyssey is a renowned programme with a reputation for finding highly motivated youngsters

When Gaëlle needed to find a trainee to help her, she did not think twice and looked for a Eurodyssey trainee:

“I needed support to carry out an important campaign, I needed support from someone with a different background, so not a French person for example, because this is a European campaign and also because we have some key countries we target.”

With Eurodyssey, she was confident that the process would be fast and straightforward and that she would find a suitable applicant to join her team:

“I participated in Eurodyssey, so I knew the programme was excellent. From my experience in Valencia, we were super motivated, so I knew I was going to have an excellent applicant… and I wasn’t disappointed!”

From previous experiences, Gaëlle knew that Eurodyssey was able to guide and support young people who had no or little professional experience. Now, 10 years later, Gaëlle has not forgotten how important Eurodyssey was for her, and she therefore became a Eurodyssey tutor:

“I am so grateful for the programme and for having benefited from Eurodyssey, so it’s kind of giving my part (being a Eurodyssey tutor) and saying thanks to the programme as well”.

Ten years apart, a common conclusion: Eurodyssey brings concrete benefits to its participants

Ten years apart, it might be expected that Gaëlle and Cinta’s experiences would show certain differences, but they both coincide in stating that most of their time as Eurodyssey trainees was very well spent, and that the programme benefited them, although they participated in different cities and at different times.

Eurodyssey provides support and fosters social inclusion for youngsters

One point that does not seem to have varied is the simplicity of enrolling in the programme. As Gaëlle said: “I only had to apply, and it was so easy, and so well organised!”. She particularly remembers her first month in Valencia, calling her friends and parents and telling them: “I don’t understand this. They are giving me free Spanish lessons, I am going to start an internship, and everything is well prepared and it’s so easy!”.

The main goal of the programme is to help young trainees to get (first) professional experience, adapt to working life, undergo a high-quality traineeship, while providing them with a stipend to cover their living costs.

Gaëlle also flagged that Eurodyssey would benefit from being known more broadly, by a more diverse range of young people:

“I also feel privileged because, you know, my parents were always behind me. But I think that there are a lot of people who have fewer opportunities and don’t know about Eurodyssey, and I think it’s a pity”.

By stating that, Gaëlle actually addressed one of the main historical reasons for the creation of Eurodyssey. Edgar Faure, Founding President of both Eurodyssey and the Assembly of European Regions in 1985, was driven to establish this programme because:

“He didn’t want that only children from privileged social and intellectual backgrounds could have the opportunity to discover Europe. He wished for working-class children, trained for manual jobs, to benefit from the opportunity too.”
Source: “Le Tour de la France par deux enfants avait inspiré Edgar Faure”, L’Est Républicain, 15 April 2019.

Eurodyssey connects youngsters to the regional and cultural diversity that Europe has to offer, without them having to worry about other problems that could potentially affect their training period.

*AER’s Eurodyssey trainee Erik interviewing Gaëlle and Cinta at the Surfrider Foundation Europe.*

Eurodyssey faces a visibility challenge

At a time when people can search for almost anything on the Internet and can connect with people easily, Eurodyssey seems to struggle to find its way into web searches. A lot of young people are not aware about the programme and about this unique opportunity that the regions are providing to their youth.

Gaëlle observed: “I am surprised it isn’t that well-known. I would encourage local authorities to spread the word and to share more information about the Eurodyssey programme”.

From her experience, most trainees discovered Eurodyssey through youth centres or by word of mouth, hearing about it from other young people who had participated in the programme. In fact, finding out about Eurodyssey without previous knowledge of the programme can be quite challenging:

“Why didn’t I know about Eurodyssey before? It was not until I decided that I wanted to come to Brussels that I found this programme and what it offers. I was surprised that, even at university, no-one used to talk about it”.

It appears that students and young graduates rarely hear about Eurodyssey in their universities, educational and (vocational) training institutions. Increasing Eurodyssey’s visibility in such institutions would support these young people into finding a paid, quality traineeship, within a programme which proved to increase their skills and employability.

Hearing this feedback encouraged the Eurodyssey team at the AER to upgrade its social media strategy, for information about the programme to reach out to more (diverse) young people, and to support the communication efforts already conducted by the Eurodyssey participating regions. The regions often communicate about Eurodyssey through their employment agencies and youth centres, in the local press and radio, in their social media and websites, and by advertising the programme at youth mobility and employment fairs.

As the saying goes: “If the mountain doesn’t come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain”. So, if its target audience sometimes struggles to find Eurodyssey, Eurodyssey and its regions will reach out to them.

It’s Bluedy Time Europe

This interview was made possible thanks to the Surfrider Foundation. At the time of the interview, they were working on a consultation campaign, “It’s Bluedy time, Europe!”:

“It is a campaign aimed at putting ocean protection at the centre of the agenda, ahead of the European elections of 2024. There is a blue coalition of NGOs behind it. We are giving the opportunity to European citizens to raise their voice on ocean issues, and to participate in a consultation, called it’s Bluedy Time Europe! The idea is for European citizens participate in this consultation and give their ideas and thoughts about what the EU should be doing on these issues”.

Check out the campaign HERE.

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Inclusive Housing: Why And How?

10 June, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

Access to adequate and affordable housing is a key determinant of successful integration. Housing conditions have a strong impact on employment and education opportunities and on the interactions between migrants and host communities. Poor housing conditions and segregation can exacerbate divisions, which undermine social cohesion. Inclusive housing is therefore essential for thriving neighbourghoods.

The need for cross-sectoral approaches

In the framework of the Includ-EU project AER organised a webinar on cross-sectoral approaches to inclusive housing. The 4th Includ-EU webinar looked at practices that promote the benefits of intercultural identities of neighbourhoods. Encouraging social interactions via holistic housing policies and reinventing public spaces is of utmost importance to foster integration.

Setting the framework

Rossella Celmi, Project Manager at the IOM Coordination Office for the Mediterranean, opened the webinar by reminding participants that

Beyond its strictly material aspect, upholding the right to housing is considered crucial for human dignity and personal development, as well as a precondition for the enjoyment of other rights

With the war in Ukraine leading to new needs to welcome migrants, mainly women with children, Rossella Celmi shared an overview of the current situation, both in Ukraine, with high numbers of internally displaced persons (for up-to-date numbers: see this UNHCR Ukraine webpage), and in neighboring countries, as well as the IOM response in different countries (see Rossella Celmi‘s presentation here)

Looking at housing through an intercultural lens

Ivana D’Alessandro, Head of the Intercultural cities Unit, Council of Europe started off with the basic principles of intercultural cities: Integration is not only about rights, it is about

Promoting real equality
Building on the diversity advantage to create a “WE” culture based on shared values
Fostering Interaction within and between

The intercultural model brings together the principles of Diversity, Equality and Interaction.

These three principles lead to a specific role for public space: social trust indeed builds across diversities in the public space. Urban planning is therefore fundamental for authorities that want to develop intercultural cities and regions. To harness the diversity advantage.

Gentrification, a process through which lower income residents are displaced from a neighbourhood due to an influx of new residents, resulting in a change of character of the neighbourhood, results in displacement, and change in social and urban character. Gentrification therefore has negative impacts on all three dimensions of interculturality: equality, diversity, and interaction. Ivana D’Alessandro cited Tom Slater Professor of Urban Geography, at the University of Edinburgh who calls gentrification “the special expression of economic inequality”.

She shared how the intercultural cities’ principles apply to the public space

Applying these principles is then reflected in work on the rent gap and affordability, in the prevention of displacement, the strengthening of participatory processes, achieving inclusive public space and the promotion of sustainable tourism… which in turn will have an impact on rent etc. See Ivana D’Alessandro‘s presentation here

Includ-EU briefing on housing

Eleonora Milazzo, PhD, researcher and migration policy consultant at Kings College London shared the findings of the Includ-EU Briefing on Housing, which analysed the housing context for migrants in Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia and Spain. The data lead to a series of recommendations:

The briefing also describes a series of local and regional examples in the 6 countries, which illustrate how these recommendations can be implemented.

In Includ-EU, sharing of examples is seen as an essential tool to improve policies and practices. Eleonora Milazzo‘s presentation is available here, and provides for instance details on

how the “A New House” initiative in Cluj-Napoca provides material and medical assistance to vulnerable families and individuals
how Lucca’s House Agency in Tuscany matches supply and demand on the housing market
how Slovenia provides additional housing support for beneficiaries of international protection
and many other examples!

Unleash the potential of migration

Migration is a phenomenon that will remain and is likely to amplify in the future. In this context, rather than “solving” a “migration challenge”, sustainable policies and practices are focused on creating meaningful, equal to equal interactions between newcomers and local citizens. This in turn is deemed to enable cities and regions to benefit from the entrepreneurial spirit, variety of skills and creativity associated with cultural diversity.

Fatemeh Jailani, COO of SINGA Global, shared insights on SINGA’s “3 weapons of mass cohesion”, which are community organising, entrepreneurship and innovation.

SINGA’s tried and tested citizens hosting methodology fits in the “innovation section”, and is a methodology that ensures a healthy, equal relationship between newcomers and local citizens.

The 7 steps methodology

This methodology ensures the relationship is mutually beneficial and not rooted in a saviour-victim pattern.

Registration: aspiring hosts inform about motivation & space available
Informational meeting: to explain the programme, methods of intercultural co-housing, check motivation
Connection: based on location, motivation & expectations, areas of interest
First meeting: in neutral place. Potentially a second meeting to visit
Decision making: if both sides agree, then they have access to tools such as agreement, charter of cohabitation, intercultural training
Follow-up: the ‘J’accueille’ team will check on cohabiations regularly.
Facilitate communication: whenever there is a communication issue hosts and hostees can contact the team. A mediation service is available too.

While in emergency situations, the methodology may seem slow, results show that it is very effective and more sustainable than citizens hosting solutions without knowledgeable support. Safety is indeed a key aspect, both for hosts and hostees.

ANCI Toscana’s new model to tackle temporary housing needs

Additional Resources

Here are some more resources from the Includ-EU project and findings:

Video of the webinar on Cross-sectoral approaches to Inclusive Housing
Includ-EU Thematic Briefing on Housing
Includ-EU website

Videos of the other Includ-EU webinars

Webinar on Access to Quality Education and Training- An Intercultural Approach
Webinar on Intercultural Regions: Active Participation & Social Inclusion
Webinar on Intercultural Regions: Improving Labor Market Inclusion
Webinar on Intercultural Regions: Improving Access to Services

All articles related to the includ-EU webinars and workshops

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If you haven’t yet subscribed to the Includ-EU Newsletter, this is the place to be.

To get regular news about the project, the pilots, resources and upcoming events: follow Includ EU on Twitter @Includ_EU

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Journey towards the Future of Europe – AER takes part in the Conference on the Future of Europe

9 May, 2022 By AER Communications

Today on Europe Day, the Conference on the Future of Europe ends.

This Conference was a citizen-led series of debates and discussions to enable people from across Europe to share their ideas and help shape our common future. The Conference, as a major pan-European democratic exercise, was the first of its kind and gave European citizens the great opportunity to debate Europe’s challenges and priorities for the years to come. In other words: how to make the Union fit for the 21st century’s next challenges?

The current situation at Europe’s doorstep shows us once again the importance of European cohesion and solidarity between all levels of government. Since 2021, hand-in-hand with other associations and civil society organisations working on the field of youth representation, democracy, and good governance, the AER has endorsed a series of recommendations on the way we envisioned the COFE should take place. According to the EU annual local and regional Eurobarometer: a majority of Europeans in all Member States (58%) think that more influence for regional and local authorities would have a positive impact on the EU’s ability to solve problems. That is why, with the Committee of the Regions and other local and regional associations, the AER has advocated for giving a bigger role to regional representatives at the Conference. As a result, the AER President, Magnus Berntsson, had a seat in the Plenary Sessions of the Conference, and made several contributions within the Working Group on Migration.

In Spring 2022, the Conference reached its conclusions and provided guidelines for Europe’s future. The AER upon the decision of our Vice President on Democracy, Nina Björby, decided to establish a Drafting Group to follow on the work and main outcomes of the COFE and draft a series of recommendations for the future of European regions summarising the main messages from adopted AER position papers. These recommendations have been set around the main policy topics that the Conference has been focusing on, such as:

European democracy
Climate change
Food security & health
Digital transformation
Migration

AER’s integration in the Conference on the Future of Europe

Despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, the AER has been on the Conference agenda several times since it began, with the overall aim of advocating for a citizen-centred European Union. The journey began on October 2019 when AER joined the Civil Society Organisations Network led by the Union of European Federalists (JEF) as a non-state actor. Together with twelve other Civil Society and NGOs, AER signed a letter of recommendations for the Conference, which was forwarded to the European institutions. In June 2020, and following some meetings and discussions within the network, and in line with the proposal presented by the European Parliament and the European Commission, AER signed a statement wishing the success of this Conference.

At the same time, the AER Secretariat has been monitoring and following the updates on the state of the play of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The AER President has been holding meetings with key representatives from the European institutions that have been leading this process, such as the cabinet of Commissioner Suica, the Croatian Presidency to the Council, and members of the European Parliament. On these occasions, AER has always expressed its support towards a successful Conference and the importance of ensuring the representation and involvement of citizens from all European regions. Having a seat in the plenary sessions of the COFE, together with local association and regional representatives of the Committee of the Regions was a real success for our work on regional and local governance, and allowed us to make recommendations on what we think is important for Europe in the coming years.

Looking Forward—AER’s recommendations for the Conference on the Future of Europe

In Spring 2022, the Conference reached its conclusions and provided guidelines for Europe’s future. Now that the Conference is coming to its end, we can draw the following conclusions. As we bounce back from the pandemic, and in the face of new global challenges, European cooperation at all levels is needed more than ever. There is strong interest in further debate about the future of Europe in the population, for example during election time, but also through initiatives like citizens’ dialogues, etc. These are tools to really put ourselves ‘in the shoes’ of Europeans citizens, and give them a real say in shaping Europe’s political agenda.

Therefore the Assembly of European Regions recommends to:

Promote strong local and regional democracy across Europe

Democracy is a key factor for the promotion of peace and human right. The promotion of good governance is one of AER Political Priorities for 2020-2025. In this regard, AER calls European stakeholders to promote a strong local and regional democracy across Europe. First we are convinced that this requires the participation of all citizens at all levels of governance. Indeed to foster democracy all around Europe, citizens must be educated to counter disinformation, they must be involved regardless of their gender, racial or ethnic background. Local and regional authorities must be involved in the EU structure through the sound application of the principles of subsidiarity, partnership and multi-level governance which are fundamental pillars of European Union.

Engage global efforts to tackle climate change

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WFF), we are currently using 74% more than the planet’s ecosystems can regenerate, or the equivalent of the resources that 1.7 planets can produce. Based on this diagnosis, we can say that our mode of production and consumption is not viable for future generations. The theme of sustainable development could not be avoided at the Conference. Although all European countries are concerned by this issue, they do not all approach it in the same way. Decisions are often taken on the basis of national or international interests, but too little on the basis of regional concerns. However, local and regional governments are crucial in accelerating climate action and delivering agreed climate target. The overall goal can only be achieved through their meaningful involvement in the design, implementation and monitoring of climate strategies. EU institution should involve more regional and local governments in the development of territorial just transition plans, in order to build a net-zero economy that is fair for all. To allow this they should provide better funding to local and regional governments under the recovery instruments.

Ensure food security

Food and nutrition security is a focus in AER’s vision for sustainable and inclusive regional development. In this regard, in March 2021 we held a webinar on Innovation and farming that focused on advanced manufacturing solutions in driving sustainable change in the agrifood sector. We believe that regions have an important role in fulfilling EU food challenges since these affect regional development from a variety of angles. Regional authorities have the power to act at different levels in the food system, be it at the level of production, transformation, logistics and transport or distribution and waste management.

Facilitate the digital transition

Cities and regions are the major enablers of digital transformation in Europe, they orchestrate the development of vibrant innovation ecosystems by bringing together local resources and mobilising the participation of stakeholders. As the world becomes increasingly connected, digitalisation is a key differentiator that will allow regions to remain competitive, providing a vital opportunity to prevent depopulation and foster sustainable development and economic growth. Being the world’s second-largest economy, the EU should aim to master the digital challenges while improving regional competitiveness.

Build an inclusive and intercultural Europe

Europe is continent with great diversity and a troubled history. There is no shade of a doubt to the fact that diversity is likely to increase in the years to come, adding to these challenges. The current international situation shows us that peace is never guaranteed, but that it is built through common projects and dialogue.

We believe that our regions are front liners to embrace this diversity, unlock its potential and acknowledge it as a resource for everyone. This is a value AER places at the core of our day-to-day work. For example, our project EU-Belong, aims to improve the socio-economic inclusion and the sense of belonging for migrants through their integration in European regions. With regard to the COFE, to allow us to put forward our main message on diversity, inclusion and equality, President Berntsson set out our priorities in the Plenary Sessions of the Conference in the Working Group on Migration. What came out of these discussions is that migration should take a comprehensive approach. It should always cover respect for human rights, solidarity and equality. The situation in Ukraine was also referenced to show how crucial local and regional authorities are when it comes to protecting and supporting vulnerable refugees. This is why we call on the EU to give regions a real say in migration and integration policies to secure the inclusive Europe and his citizens.

Our final recommendation would be the continuity of the Conference and the establishment of a permanent European consultation structure. Across all the challenges raised about migration, digital transition, climate change, democracy or health, local and regional stakeholders have the power to make an impact. This is why, within the AER, we consider that this Conference should be the precursor of a permanent mechanism of citizen engagement and consultation in the EU. Regional and local authorities must be meaningfully involved in the EU structures of decision-making, especially in view of the post-COVID-19 recovery. In this regard, the Conference on the Future of Europe has been a unique opportunity for regions to advocate for institutional reforms: for enhancing the EU architecture
in a way that it truly delivers on the principles of subsidiarity, partnership and multi-level governance; and for an EU architecture that gives a stronger voice to regional authorities and its citizens by properly engaging them in the EU decision-making process.

Tap the button below to read the AER recommendations for the future of European regions:

AER Recommendations

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