Social innovations to combat exclusion
The EU-funded project 'Welfare innovations at the local level in favour of cohesion' (WILCO) investigated social innovations in European cities and analysed how they emerged in the context of social problems and urban policies. Such innovations are all the more necessary in these economically challenging times when problems like social exclusion and high unemployment are being felt strongly in European communities. Studies were conducted in 20 cities, focusing on two cities in 10 European countries, namely Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. First, the project statistically analysed social problems in these cities with a specific focus on young people, migrants and single parents. As a next step, it used discourse analysis and interviews to examine 77 innovations that addressed these social problems. In doing so, it helped to understand how innovations emerge and develop within the specific context of urban policies, welfare systems and local communities. The findings showed an increase in social vulnerability where people’s integration (in work, family and the welfare system) is weakened because of their being for a long time in a condition of uncertainty. Social innovations often offer promising solutions, but many are not integrated into local welfare systems and do not last long. The project defined several recommendations to address this, such as open governance styles by local authorities and broad support coalitions for bottom-up initiatives. The increase in understanding of socioeconomic problems and adoption of social innovations could potentially improve the livelihoods of millions within the EU.
Keywords
Social innovation, unemployment, immigration, housing, childcare, social exclusion, welfare, civil society
