EUKN - Urban Matrix - Strenghtening and updating the offer of social services

Strenghtening and updating the offer of social services

Introduction

The actions planned under “the Strenghtening and updating the offer of social services” Strenghtening and updating the offer of social services are aimed at solving curent critical social problems by adopting intervention procedures that are appropriate for the social context of the area.
Summary
The programmes initiated under the measure were aimed at increasing the involvemet of socially marginalized people, in particular at-risk youth in the cultural life of Palermo. The programmes foccused on facilitated education and social integration

Problem

Social programs targeted towards the Residents of the Tribunali-Castellammare historic districts of Palermo, needed to be more adaptive to the needs of local residents.

Description

By using innovative techniques of involving socially marginalized people, in particular at-risk youth, it was consolidated a human relationship and facilitated education and social integration.

Approach

Local non profit organizations operated as a operative link between the Municipality and the local people, who were the main actors of the projects launched under the measure.
The projects included:

Creating mobile stations for drug addicts, with initiatives to prevent sexually transmitted diseases
Social Neighbourhood, Union, Horizons, Experimentation and Art project (QUOTA) aimed at improving with youth literacy through arts based workshops.
Creating a children’s recreation centre for workgroup activities in one of the oldest city park in Europe
Creating a Youth home/ shelter facility offering practical aid (shelter services: warm meals, lodging, health care, clothing) homeless drug addicts
Developing skills of adolescents from a disadvantaged area by addressing problems through direct participation in the daily life of residents
Social Centre “The island that doesn’t exist”. Integrated initiatives offering daily courses (carpentry, folk dancing, paper works) managed by city operators, supported by volunteers recruited primarily from the local population.
Multimedia Library offering Urban area children and adolescents ages 4 to 14 a multimedia recreation centre
“JANUS” programme using Specialists, volunteers and operators to offer residents
practical support including: home assistance, specialist check up, help to old people in bureaucratic matters, social and health education.
An embroidery workshop and other crafts activities operated by the craftswomen association of the historical centre.
stimulate the imaginative and creative aptitude of children through workshops
Restoring old paving stones in the Urban area.
Violence prevention network in Urban Italian cities (a national databank and guide lines for action)
Restoring the public lighting system in the Urban area
Many people, One city: Palermo. Integration of immigrants living in Palermo in order to create a multiethnic intercultural community.
Optimising solid urban wastes collection system in the Urban area

Results

As a result of the programmes initiated under the measure, the following has been achieved :

a more liveable atmosphere in historic centre of Palermo due to increased Public safety and the prevention of criminal activities
Improvement of social cohesion
Area more welcoming to Tourists
Improved social assistance to local residents,
Clean up of unhealthy areas, improved wastes deposal systems, restoration of public park areas.

Beneficiaries

Local Community

Resources used

EU (URBAN) - Ministry of Infrastructure – Municipality of Palermo

EU involvement

E.U. Programme URBAN

Contact info

Municipality of Palermo – Environment Department – Special Projects Office
Palermo
Italy
www.comune.palermo.it
Ciro Spataro – Antonio Mazzon – Ignazio Messina (Employees involved in the project), tel. +39.091.7407483

Project start date

//1994

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Keywords

Integration of social groups