EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Klarendal

Klarendal - Arnhem, Netherlands

Introduction

The Arnhem district of Klarendal suffers from drugs related nuisance, illegal prostitution and high levels of dissatisfaction among residents. Police and local residents are tackling the problems together.

Problem

How can the drugs nuisance, illegal prostitution and dissatisfaction in the district be reduced?

Description

Underlying goal: to improve the quality of life and personal safety in the district. The project provides for measures for both the short and the long term. Following numerous meetings and a management conference it was decided that the project should be divided into three phases: 'do what can be done', 'develop what needs to be developed', and 'the future', in the following areas: the residential environment, public space, youth policy, education, sharing the district, safety in the district, and health. Much thought was given to procedures and communication with residents.

Approach

Goals:

Restoration of trust, restoration of authority and restoration of collaboration
Bringing about a change of mentality among residents so that they themselves take responsibility for their own environment and their level of involvement is raised
Giving a boost to the basic quality of the physical and social environment (clean, undamaged, safe and social)
Reinforcing the function of schools in the district
Drawing up a shared vision of the future

Results

Klarendal Kom Op! has produced visible results in all four areas on which the programme focuses: clean and undamaged, personal safety, district function of primary schools, and sharing life in the community.
Residents are more confident thanks to the progress made in tackling issues of disorder and personal safety in the district.
There is a good local freesheet with active participation from residents. There is also a good local citizens advice bureau and a newsletter appears 4 times a year.
Augmenting the original programme, in phase one the Social Spearhead (SSP) project was also carried out. In Klarendal it was given the title Over de Drempel (Over the Threshold). Under the project, 478 households were approached in a part of the district identified in consultation with the district organisation. Of these, 331 (69%) were actually reached. This then led to solution-directed intervention in respect of the identified simple or multiple problems. 60% of issues related to the residential environment. The district forum has judged this approach a success and is in favour of a follow-up to the pilot.

Contact info

Charly Tomassen, tel. +31 26 4452257

Project start date

01/11/2001

Links

City of Arnhem Klarendal

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Tackling crime

Keywords

Enforcement & civil intervention