URBACT presentation - About B&W Consulting

The “Healthy Ageing” Transfer Network Objectives, activity planning and methodologies

The URBACT Programme URBACT is a European exchange and learning programme promoting sustainable urban development. It aims at enabling CITIES to work together to develop solutions to major urban challenges, reaffirming the key role they play in facing increasingly complex societal changes. CITIES are supported to develop pragmatic, new and sustainable SOLUTIONS, mainstreaming economic, social and environmental dimensions. Cities are also encouraged to SHARE good practices and lessons learned with all professionals involved in urban policy throughout Europe. URBACT is 500 cities, 29 countries and 7,000 active participants. URBACT is jointly financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) and the Member States.

The URBACT II Programme

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6 Pilot Transfer Networks

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3 Pilot Delivery Networks

Healthy Ageing Transfer Network

Lead partner The City of Udine

City partners Brighton & Hove Edinburgh Klaipeda Grand-Poitiers

The work programme of the “Healthy Ageing” Project The good practice of Udine There are four main strands of activity:

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The production of a Healthy Ageing Profile of the city

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Building a Mapping System matching the distribution of the elderly on the city territory to the provision of public, health and social services offered at local level (GIS) 

Deploying the Vancouver Protocol within the WHO project Age Friendly Cities 

Promoting opportunities for older people to remain physically, mentally and socially active as long as possible

The production of a Healthy Ageing Profile of the city 

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allow an overall understanding of the local context and to provide evidence for promoting health at the local level create new opportunities for intersectoral work and community involvement and act as a basis for setting priorities and taking decisions. start a process of social model of building health of the population, ensuring all components of society are involved The profile is based on 22 indicators grouped in three main thematic areas

Building a Mapping System 

matching the distribution of older people in the city to the provision of public, health and social services offered at local level (using GIS)

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In Udine, this research was conducted in collaboration with the Statistics Department of the University of Udine. A number of “City Health Maps” have been produced which analyse the distribution of older people and the accessibility of services such as general practitioners, hospitals, postoffices, bus stops, leisure centres, day care centres, pharmacies etc. this enables identification of gaps and overlaps.

Deploying the Vancouver Protocol… 

Record experiences and needs of older people through a consultative process with citizens, caregivers and providers of services in the public, private and voluntary sector to discover the existing “age-friendly” urban features as well as the barriers to active ageing.

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How can we define an Age-Friendly City? - recognizes the importance of older people and respects their decisions; - encourages their participation and involvement in community life; - promotes a physical and social environment that supports active ageing - addresses needs of ageing in a flexible way

…How? Udine 

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Phase 1 - 5 focus groups were held: 4 with older people aged 60-74 and >75 and 1 with caregivers. Phase 2 - 3 more focus groups were added: 1 with public service providers; 1 with the private service providers; 1 with volunteers. Each focus group looked at 8 topic areas

Promoting opportunities for older people to remain physically, mentally and socially active

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Actions and initiatives at the local level A number of micro-projects have been started to enable and encourage increasing physical and mental activity among population in later years as a very effective way of preventing and lowering the high costs associated with health and social services

“Walking groups” “CamminaMenti” - Move your minds… minds on the move “Urban Gardens”

…The “Walking Groups”…  

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There are six walking groups in Udine in different city districts. Three times a week, groups of about 1520 older people meet at a bus stop and go for a walk of 10-15 km in a green park They combine walking with with another indoor physical activity programme of gentle fitness It is an occasion to meet one each other, to socialize, to take exercise and remain physically active.

“CamminaMenti” - Move your minds… minds on the move 

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Provides older people an opportunity to participate in a cycle of seminars and lectures hosted by the city districts There are several topics of interest: memory, popular traditions, foreign languages, intercultural lectures, wellbeing, spice lab, cooking, unusual tours in the city, music, etc. Each topic is developed over 8 seminars or lectures lasting 3 hours. The Project has been organized with the cooperation of a group of students attending an advanced degree in Nursery at the University of Udine. Intergenerational approach

“Urban Gardens” 

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There are currently 4 Urban Gardens in Udine: each one is made of about 20 plots managed by schools free of charge and, at a fee of 4 euros a month, by families, individuals and associations. Each plot is of a fixed size, with water and a compost bin provided. There are no raised boundaries to encourage socialization and building relationships between plot users. The plots are overseen by an experienced worker who helps people care for their plot and gives them information on growing and cooking their produce. Families, individuals, schools and associations raise a mix of plants, vegetables and botanical herbs. The produce of the plots helps them save money.

Udine is sharing their experience with other partners’ cities via the Urbact network. 

Kick-off seminar in Paris (29-31 January)

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Study visit hosted by Udine (5-7 March)

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3 Project Thematic Trans-National meetings: - 1st in June in Klaipeda; - 2nd in October in Edinburgh joined to Brighton & Hove; - 3rd in January 2015 in Grand Poitiers

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Visits of experts

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Final conference (March 2015)

Conclusions 

Opportunity for reciprocal exchange of experiences

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Opportunity for finding out new ideas to enhance healthy ageing

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Opportunity for using new tools and adopting new methodologies of work

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An occasion for both sensitizing politicians and public sector managers and promoting active participation among older people

www.urbact.eu/project