Lodzkie Region as an Applicant Organizations aims to focus its activities on the Action 1 of the Program: Active citizens for Europe, Town Twinning. European Regions for Social Inclusion project is therefore created to promote mutual understanding, a sense of ownership of the European Union as well as to foster a debate on EU values and active citizenship. The targets of the project are planned to be achieved through strong cooperation with wide European network of public and private bodies. The project aims to create interregional and multilevel network between public authorities on local and regional level as well as between public bodies and CSOs. The goals of the project are facing local and regional strategies with the focus on main areas of improvement. They adjust to Europe 2020 Strategy, Charter of Fundamental Rights, EU Citizens 2013 report, guidelines of the European Year 2013. It contributes to the implementation of those strategies on the local level. Thanks to strong cooperation between old and new EU countries, as well as Montenegro, the partnership will provide scale effect and in the long distance will lead to its main aims:
- raising awareness about EU issues and deepen the trust in EU project;
- ensuring that citizens feel informed about of EU and its influence on their life on the local level;
- developing European identity, foster mutual understanding;
- involving groups at risk of social exclusion, recognizing those in cooperation with CSOs and providing an insight in the effectiveness of authorities bottom-up initiatives.
Projects activities:
Due to the wide variety of target groups the Project aims to diverse the activities which include inter alia:
- conferences and seminars;
- experts panels;
- citizens dialogue;
- workshops;
- art competition;
- study visits.
Partnership
Lodzkie Region, relying on its solid partnership relations as well as those newly acquired, created a network of 23 partners engaged in the European Regions for Social Inclusion project. The network consists of mainly public authorities, but also CSOs. Each partner plays an important role in the project and thanks to strong cooperation and tasks division each elements complement each other. The Partners are experienced players in the field concerning inter alia: Social Cohesion, Inclusive Economy, Citizenship and Participatory policy making. The Project will benefit also from the cooperation with technologies and communications tools providers like: European Projects Association (EPA) - expert in the field of European projects support system, manager of Europa News and My Europa community platform.
The list of the Partners and the role in the Project:
- Lodzkie Region, Poland is the leader of the ERSI project.
- European Projects Association asbl, Brussles, Belgium - dissemination expert, provider of communications tool European Projects Intellignece System My Europa (EPISME).
- General Directorate of Immigration and Community of Madrid - promoting and disseminating project’s values in Community of Madrid, the host of the seminars and workshops on the role of CSOs in the regional development.
- Union of Municipalities of Montenegro - presenting the program and project to the whole country of Montenegro, cooperation and dissemination through Working Committee of Social Affairs.
- Old Royal Capital Cetinje, Montenegro - introducing the program with Union of Municipalities of Montenegro as well as learning best practice to introduce them on their territory, cooperation with Secretariat for Social Affairs and Youth to support social inclusion of poor, women, immigrants and youth.
- Csongrád County Government, Hungury - sharing best practice on Regional Development Program and Civil Fund.
- Territorial Employment Pact in La Libera, Spain - contribution to know-how on development of methodologies related to improving social inclusion and promoting citizenship.
- Municipality of L’Alfas del Pi, Alicante, Spain - contribution to know-how on multicultural living models and social policy interventions; fighting unemployment.
- Social Assistance Association of Irurtzun, Spain - promotion of the project, sharing knowledge and good practice in the field of inclusion, employment, volunteering and intercultural projects.
- Covasna County Social Care and Child Protection General Directory, Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania - exchange of best practice in social care and child protection issues, dissemination and promotion.
- Lyaskovets Municipality, Bulgaria - sharing best practice in the field of job creation and social inclusion of marginalized groups.
- Latvian Association of Local and Regional Government, Riga, Latvia - share experience on social inclusion of people with disabilities and on active aging.
- Kraslava Municipality Council, Latvia - establishing local networks with activists, NGOs and sharing best practice in poverty reduction and social inclusion.
- Local Councils’ Association Malta, Balzan, Malta - methodological support in the area of youth inclusion, cooperation with Foundation for the Promotion of Social Inclusion.
- The City of Mechelen, Belgium - activities tend to consider childcare, poverty, smart technologies, fight against radicalization and active role of inhabitants.
- WSX Enterprise, Portsmouth, UK - cooperate with local authorities to indentify communities with increased social deprivation to indentify successful partner’s methods they could use.
- Nowosolna Community, Poland - promotion of the project among rural municipalities, sharing best practice in the field of social economy and unemployment.
- Municipality City of Brzeziny, Poland - sharing management experience in the field of social economy.
- Community of Rogów, Poland - share good practices in cooperation between public bodies and NGOs.
- The City of Lodz Office, Poland - events organization, practice sharing in the field of NGOs partnership, social participation process, social inclusion, involving excluded people in voluntary service.
- Commune of Aleksandrow Lodzki, Poland - best practice in management and investments in sport infrastructure as well as close cooperation with NGOs.
- The City of Uniejow, Poland - specialized in civic dialogue, territorial cooperation and integrated investment strategy.
- Commune of Belchatow, Poland - specialized in civic dialogue and responsible for project dissemination in the region.
