The “Social City” programme launched by the Federal Government and the Länder in 1999 aims at facing the spatial-social polarisation in cities and at stabilising socially discriminated urban neighbourhoods. The mid-term evaluation of the „Social City“ programme commissioned by the Federal Government has presented a fundamental appraisal of this new and integrative programme approach following the programme duration of four years. It serves to assess strategies and progresses in the course of programme implementation at the Federal, Länder and local level and to draw conclusions for the future programme development.

Following a successful implementation of the „Social City“ programme the mid-term evaluation at Federal level aims at conducting a sound interim assessment. It should also investigate whether the programme is promising. The mid-term evaluation focussed on the question whether the programme is adequate and relevant enough to deal with problematic urban neighbourhoods, on the evaluation of the integrated and territorially oriented approach as well as on the assessment of programme effects achieved so far and to be expected. The results of the mid-term evaluation shall be considered in the further development and implementation of the „Social City“ programme. They shall also deliver approaches in general to advance a socially oriented urban development policy.

The mid-term evaluation of the „Social City“ programme was based on three pillars: an experts/steering group, the mid-term evaluation report as well as on a continuous transfer of results with politicians, practice and special public.

The results of the mid-term evaluation at Federal level show that the „Social City“ programme is necessary and right regarding its general orientation. The programme provides a set of instruments to the cities going beyond classic urban development assistance and delivering integrated approaches for neighbourhood policy. Based on integrated action concepts the programme could already contribute to stabilising socially discriminated urban neighbourhoods during its implementation phase, which had positive effects on both image and self-consciousness in these neighbourhoods. Apart from direct local effects, the programme gave essential impetus to developing new steering forms of urban development policy. Neighbourhood management has proved to be indispensable, its activities should become permanent. However, the mid-term evaluation also implies recommendations for further improvements. The Federal Government and the Länder intend to combine the „Social City“ programme and others in an even more targeted way with other programmes and to link them up with labour market-, integration- and education-oriented measures. Furthermore, a sound strategical development and a continuous monitoring in towns, cities and municipalities gain in importance.

Institut für Stadtforschung und Strukturpolitik GmbH
http://www.ifsberlin.de/
Mr Reinhard Aehnelt, Ph.D., tel. +49 (030) 250007 40

01/12/2004

Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung)

research

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Capacity building