The URBACT Local Support
Group Toolkit
Bucharest 28th April 2009
Philip Stein Pole Manager
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The URBACT Community
27 Projects
181 Cities
26 Member States
200 Managing Authorities
Around 3000 members of
local support groups
A passive audience or a
force for change?
3
Local Support Groups – Guidelines but no single recipe
Nature of
theme
Who?
Size +
composition
What?
Role +
activities
4
City context
Local Support Groups – size and composition
Anyone with a “stake”.
Allies required for
implementation
Quality before quantity
Around 10 people (in
fact 4-43)
Build on what exists
Core group + broader
groups
End users?
MA’s
Animators
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Local Support Groups – objectives and tasks
Objectives
• Identify needs
• Identify + mobilise what the city has to offer
• Project champion. From project to plan to action to project
• Represent end-users
• Communicate learning
Tasks
• 2 way conveyor belt for project learning – exchanges….
• Coproduction of outputs – LAP, case studies, reports……
• Ownership + championship – decision makers, funders…
• Dissemination – media, meetings……
Working together better
What happens in meetings
is vital
Meetings of equals
Frequency + preparation
Draw on participative
techniques - facilitation
Participation in exchanges,
twinning, peer reviews,
implementation labs
Phases:
trust + preparation,
prioritisation + commitment,
strategy, follow up
.
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Working apart better
What happens outside
and between meetings is
just as important.
Use the opportunities of
IT and networking tools
• Online file + project
management
• Skype
• Teleconferencing
• On-line training
• W2
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Local Action Plans
Concrete road map of
solutions to tackle core
problems identified
Local impact of transnational
exchange. Transnational
impact of local action.
Form depends on: nature of
problem and context (what
exists + what is possible)
Full blown independent plan
or recommendations to an
existing plan
National, regional, city,
neighbourhood, sector,
research…
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Fundable projects,
Implications for OP, for
broader urban policy
Making an action plan
• Review evidence base
• Stakeholder analysis
• Problems analysis
• Goal to activities
• Logical framework
• Consultation on draft plan
• Launch
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Review the evidence base
Review baseline and
secondary sources
EAP comments
Policy mapping – what
exists
Identify what is working
and what is not
Make demands and
draw on transnational
exchange
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Stakeholder Analysis
Close to local support group
Primary stakeholders – those
directly affected
Secondary – those with
intermediary role – including
delivery agencies
Interest v power to influence
Key (core) stakeholders - both
Presence of users,
beneficiaries…
Absent friends
How far can one go – issue +
context
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Dealing with conflict. Building on
success…
Problem analysis
Brain storm all problems
Identify core problems (trunk) –
can vote
Identify causes (roots) and
effects (branches)
Visualise and validate.
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Goal to activities
Establish a goal related to the
problem identified. Observable
measurable end result at a
deadline
Specific objectives
Outputs
Activities required for outputs
Who, when, with what?
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Logical Framework
Analysis
Check of:
External consistency – relationship
between problem and overall
objectives (goal)
Internal consistency – do activities
lead to outputs which fulfill specific
objectives which meet the goal
Feasibility – financial and human
resources
Assumptions. Risk. Political
changes, economic crisis, etc.
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Consultation on draft plan
There is a world outside
the local support group
Distinguish participation,
consultation and
communication
Peer review by
stakeholders
Summary LAP
Allow time
Incorporate flexibility
.
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Launch
Identify target audience
Decide on timing – use
other high profile
events…
Communication strategy
Celebrate – make it fun.
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Resources
€7000 per LSG
Translations
Travel and accomodation
Meeting rooms
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1. The reference context
City of Venice
2. Definition of the Local Action Plan
Quantitative analysis
Qualitative analysis
Comparison and synthesis of the
two phases
European Policies Directorate,
Social Policies Directorate,
Trade and Economic development
Directorate
3. The local action plan for the
promotion
of immigrant entrepreneurship
Veneto Region
Public Security and Migration
Flows Director
4.Planning of an experimental training
course for entrepreneurs
MILE First Presentation Workshop, Enterprise Development for Migrants and Ethnic Minorities
Brussels, 16 June 2008
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1.2 Problem Analysis
The quantitative analysis will be transferred in the territorial information system of the Venice City
Council. The image of the distribution of the minorities in the community, can make easier the
identification of public intervention areas.
VENISE
LIDO
MESTRE
MARGHERA
Localisation of companies with a foreign owner in Mestre
Localisation of companies with a foreign owner in Venice town centre
1. Venice: 2,318 enterprises with foreign owner (10.8% of the total enterprises)
2. In Venice 1,574 enterprises with foreign owner are individual entrepreneur or simple partnership (SAS
and SNC) for a total of 1.737 locations
3. 92 % of these enterprises with foreign owner have been founded after 2005
4. Principal sectors: 31,3% commerce, 26,6% construction, 15,9% hotel & restaurant
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
20
2.0 Overall aim and Specific objectives
Overall aim:
1. To develop an integrated business support system aiming to the social inclusion of
disadvantaged and under represented people with specific regard to immigrants
Specific objectives:
1. To promote business culture and self entrepreneurship as a resource for personal and
social development
2. To strengthen and to qualify non-financial support services for business start-up, growth
and consolidation
3. To extend financial-economic promotion measures for business development
4. To foster networking of public and private resources for entrepreneurship promotion
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
21
3.0 Main target groups
1. Italian and immigrant entrepreneurs and aspirant entrepreneurs
2. Trainers, tutors, business advisors
3. Chamber of Commerce, entrepreneurs associations, professional bodies, third
sector organizations
4. Middle and secondary schools students
"A me via Piave di più“ event, October 2007
"A me via Piave di più“ event, October 2007
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
22
5.0 Main (governance) principles of the
action plan and of its implementation
Entrepreneurship as an active tool for social inclusion of disadvantaged and
under represented groups, with specific regard to immigrants
Equal opportunities for all citizens in the access to business support services;
but:
1. Services and tools customization according to the specific needs of immigrant users
2. Integrated business support strategy:
- it considers organically the different stages of enterprise support:
business culture promotion, support in the start-up phase, access to
finance,
consolidation and growth support;
- complementarities between financial and non-financial business
support.
3. Inter-departmental coordination and inter-institutional cooperation with the
Veneto Region and key stakeholders for business promotion: Chamber of Commerce,
entrepreneurs associations, professional bodies, third sector organizations. Towards a
“Local pact for inclusive entrepreneurship” funded on the participation in the
planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases of local stakeholders
4. Municipality of Venice: in charge of the coordination and promotion of the local
action plan and pact
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
23
4.0 Activities to be undertaken
Six areas of intervention:
1. Business culture promotion
2. Information and guidance
3. Training
4. Economic promotion
5. Knowledge of the
social-economic situation
6. Coordination and networking
2. Information and guidance:
a. Strengthening of the existing
municipal information and advice
service for entrepreneurs
b. Customization of existing services
to the needs of immigrant users;
processing and spread of:
• multi-language information
tools
• multi-media package for
intercultural training and advice
related to business support
c. Improvement of on-line
information for business
development: increasing of
cooperation with existing portals
(www.venetoimmigrazione.it “)
1. Business culture promotion:
a. Introduction of TAKTIX, the board
game that learns how to run a successful
business, in middle and secondary
schools
b. Radio programmes for the promotion
of self-entrepreneurship through a
multimedia platform managed by
immigrants associations (to be created
within FIVE Project)
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
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4.1 Activities to be undertaken
4. Economic promotion:
a. Restoration of some spaces located at
Forte Rossarol and their conversion into a
business incubator for immigrant enterprises
b. Agreement with foundations and financial
institutions for the increase of subsidised
financing for entrepreneurs and micro-credit
for starter entrepreneurs
c. Promoting and giving visibility to
successful experiences, specifically related
to equal opportunities, through the
foundation and/or participation in prizes for
successful entrepreneurs
d. Regular multilingual information on local,
national and European funding opportunities
for business development
3. Training:
a. Training programme for
business start up and
consolidation, targeting Italian and
immigrant entrepreneurs
(experimental training course
project application for recent call
for proposals within ESF ROP)
b. Training programme for
practitioners (trainers and tutors)
and business advisors on
intercultural training and cultural
mediation methods
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
25
4.2 Activities to be undertaken
5. Knowledge of the social-economic
situation:
6. Coordination and networking:
a. Community involvement and
mediation project (« via Piave » project);
a. (Possible) Setting up of a City interdepartmental technical long-lasting
working group with the participation of
the Veneto Region
b. Research on immigrant
entrepreneurial strategies;
b. Creation and signing of a “Local
pact for inclusive entrepreneurship”
where activities and all signers’
commitments will be detailed
c. Identification, analysis and diffusion of
good practices at European level on
“immigrant entrepreneurship”;
c. Setting up of a mixed commission
between the City and local socioeconomic stakeholders to monitor the
implementation of the local action plan
and local pact
d. Geomapping of of Italian and foreign
local enterprises in the Municipality of
Venice website.
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
26
6.0 Complementarities with other interventions
Project co-financed by ERDF within the URBACT Programme
Brussels 16-17 June 2008
27
Questions for workshops
WORKSHOP 1
Composition of the Local Support Group
• Are you sure you have the relevant
stakeholders in your Urbact local Support
Group?
• How balanced is the group? Is it mostly
municipality departments? What about other
public agencies? Are NGOs involved? Is the
private sector on board (where appropriate)?
• Are there missing voices? Are users, or
residents adequately involved?
• Will the group be able to work effectively?
• What barriers is the group likely to face in
working effectively
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WORKSHOP 1
How will the group link to the URBACT
network meetings
• Is the group meeting before and/or after
network exchange meetings?
• Is the group making demands on the network
to help to solve its problems? E.g. In terms of
issues to be discussed
• Does someone from the group attend the
network meetings?
• What challenges does the group face in doing
its work
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WORKSHOP 2
Local Action Plans
• What kind of local action plan is foreseen?
• What is the anticipated involvement of the LSG in the
production of the LAP
• What are the steps towards the production of the Local
Action Plan?
• Are there existing plans that the LAP needs to build on?
• How will you consult with other local stakeholders
• Who will write the plan? (e.g. co-production) who will
help them to write it?
• Is the plan going to require funding for projects?
• How will the Managing Authority be involved
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