Description
Promoting actions targeting different audiences, the project aims to overcome or prevent social exclusion, working with communities at risk of poverty, NGOs and public authorities in Barreiro and Moita (south of Lisbon). NGOs will be empowered to participate in this important field of public intervention, with the production and dissemination of knowledge on this subject being prominently featured in this project. Through this project, specialized training in issue mediation among disadvantaged groups will be provided to technical teams and to socially excluded communities, and the coordination of information and local level support services will be promoted, through the creation of an integrated multi-municipality services platform. Beyond the formal project partners, a wide range of stakeholders, namely including the Portuguese Red Cross, the Portuguese Social Security Institute and the Barreiro-Montijo Hospital, will participate in this project.
Summary of project results
Social problems are more and more complex and need an integrated and multi-entity approach and response. This means that working in networks is crucial to be effective. Although this idea is commonly shared there is still a deficit of effective networking, namely between NGOs and between them and public entities working together. The project tries to address this issue by training and building capacities of NGOs, public entities at local level and people from vulnerable communities. 77 people were trained in order to promote their social inclusion and employability (soft skills development); 106 people have participated in the network of integrated responses to social problems, involving NGOs and public entities of the municipalities of Moita and Barreiro; and 371 people have been involved in the Volunteer network set up in Barreiro and Moita with the support of the two municipalities. All these players have become more aware of the importance of working together and of the good practices experimented in other territories and their outcomes. A training manual was produced and several dissemination and awareness-raising actions were implemented in the two municipalities. The project has surpassed its initial targets (number of people involved) and set up two sustainable inter-municipal networks - volunteer and integrated responses – creating new forms of citizenship mobilisation and of promoting an inclusive society.
Summary of bilateral results