Ankommen, an app that guides refugees during their first weeks in Germany

admin on 17 February 2020

Publications Bank of innovations

Ankommen, an app that guides refugees during their first weeks in Germany

Federal Migration and Refugee Office and Federal Employment Agency, Germany Goethe Institut and ARD-Alpha Bildungskhannel

Ankommen app

Ankommen (arriving) is an application for mobile phones that guides the refugees during their first weeks of arrival in Germany, offering them basic information about the country of reception, on the legislation of refuge and asylum, on programs of professional training and employability, etc.

It also offers online German classes. The APP has versions in Arabic, Farsi, German, English and French. It’s free, does not contain advertising, works for Android and iOS platforms, and can also be used offline.

The development of the application has been possible thanks to a close collaboration between the Federal Bureau of Migration and Refugees, the Goethe Institute, the Federal Employment Agency, and ARD-Bayerischer Rundfunk, a public broadcaster of radio and television.

Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Germany

Partners / Funders

Federal Bureau of Migration and Refugees from the Ministery of Interior, Public Works and Community; the Goethe Institute; the Federal Employment Agency from the Ministery of Labour and Social Affaires; and ARD-Bayerischer Rundfunk, a public broadcaster of radio and television.

Genesis

In 2015, more than 1.1 million immigrant people arrived in Germany, including refugees and asylum seekers. This wave of immigration gave rise to the need to find in the new technologies tools to explain to newcomers the procedures to register, request asylum and find accommodation, or answer their questions about the Country’s legislation and ways of life. The application has been disseminated through posters and leaflets in federal asylum offices, in work centers and in non-governmental organizations, and also through Facebook.

Implementation level

The application was released in January 2016 and has been updated six times. The number of downloads exceeds the 180,000 and the ratings of the users situate between 4.5 and 5 out of 5.

Further information

Ankommen

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Nelson Mandela, a program for reintegration to life in freedom

admin on 16 January 2020

Publications Bank of innovations

Nelson Mandela, a program for reintegration to life in freedom

Xunta de Galicia

by whereslugo on Unsplash

Program for the social reintegration of ex-prisoners, which offers personalized itineraries tailored to the needs of each participant, with both technical and personal preparation, as well as training and support activities for work integration. The goal is for those who have been released from prison to expand their competencies and improve their personal and professional skills to help them on their path to full inclusion.

The program is part of the Social Inclusion Strategy of Galicia 2014-2020, designed and funded by the Xunta de Galicia and the European Social Fund. It has been developed so far in a single prison, Teixeiro, and has benefited more than 1,500 inmates.


Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Galicia, Spain

Partners / Funders

European Social Fund

Genesis

A study by SkillsforCare estimated that by 2030 the number of social workers in the United Kingdom would have to increase by 21% to 44%. In Wales, the need to attract new professionals to the Social Services sector became more evident as in 2019, only 11% of social workers were under the age of 25, while 32% were over 50.

Implementation level

The campaign is supported by the main Welsh social organizations as well as national recruitment and professional consulting agencies. A website has been created where professionals can access the job offers from public and private organizations in the social sector, while they can directly upload their job offers. The page also has numerous videos with real experiences of workers in the sector.

Further information

Xunta de Galicia

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Projecte IWI

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Mirada Activa (Active Look), a preventive program for the elderly who do not have a supporting network

admin on 5 December 2019

Publications Bank of innovations

Mirada Activa (Active Look), a preventive program for the elderly who do not have a supporting network

Bilbao City Council

Berrituz

Municipal preventive program that involves citizens and social and economic agents in the detection of situations of social fragility and loneliness among the elderly in the city, which my activate the intervention of Municipal Social Services.

The program is subject to continuous assessment and has been developed in four phases. The first three carried out between 2013 and 2017, were intended to create active networks between associations of the elderly, social entities and socio-economic agents of the city, and to identify people in a situation of vulnerability. The fourth phase, begun in 2018, is a pilot experience that offers to elder people identified as vulnerable, a social integration itinerary based on an active network of autonomous and friendly relationships, in which municipal social integration -services professionals and volunteers of social entities also participate.

Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Bilbao

Partners / Funders

Bilbao City Council, Grupo SSI-Servicios Sociales Integrados, S. Coop

Genesis

The program was born in November 2013 in front of the need to detect people over 60 living in Bilbao who lived alone and who had difficulties in meeting their basic needs or who did not have support networks. To allow municipal social services can carry out preventive tasks it is necessary first to know those circumstances which are not always visible when occurring inside the homes. The program seeks to involve citizens and social and economic agents in detecting these situations and to notify them to municipal social services.

Implementation level

The program identified 362 vulnerable elder people, of which 30 now participate in the fourth phase of the creation of autonomous networks. Since 2018 the program has been replicated in Donostia-San Sebastián, and its extension is being planned in other municipalities of Biscay.

Further information

Mirada Activa

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Pis Zero, night shelter for highly-vulnerable people

admin on 3 November 2019

Publications Bank of innovations

Pis Zero, night shelter for highly-vulnerable people

Arrels Fundació

Foto: Elisava

Housing that is offered as a safe and cozy night shelter for homeless people who can’t adapt to any other space. It tries to cover the most basic needs of the person, it is characterized by its low exigency, and seeks to strengthen the links with the people who use it.

The Zero Flat is conceived as an extension of the street, and for this reason, its regulations are more flexible, simple, and reduced than those that exist in shelters or other types of homes for the homeless. Thus, for example, people can access with dogs, drinks, and their luggage; smoking is allowed in a designated area, and length of stay is unlimited.

Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Barcelona

Partners / Funders

Elisava

Genesis

Among people who are monitored by  Arrels Foundation, there were some who had been living in the street for years and were in a situation of high vulnerability. The Pis Zero (Flat  Zero)  project was born to answer to three situations: on one hand, offer a resource for 20% of homeless people who do not adapt to the Housing First model or to any other resource; offer a resource to those who can no longer stay in the place where they were staying, in order to prevent them from returning to the street; and, finally, have a temporary resource for people who are waiting to access an apartment or other accommodation resources.

Implementation level

Currently there is  only a Flat Zero which is located in the Raval district of Barcelona, ​​but given its good results, the Arrels Foundation intends to open more night-time resources of this type in other locations around the city of Barcelona.

Further information

Fundació Arrels

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Simplon, bringing out the technological talent of vulnerable people

admin on 25 October 2019

Publications Bank of innovations

Simplon, bringing out the technological talent of vulnerable people

Simplon.co

Foto: Simplon.co

Simplon is a French, social, solidarity-based, innovative organization company that works to transform the digital sector into a more inclusive sector by discovering people with hidden talent among vulnerable social groups,  and forming them professionally  so that they can find a qualified occupation in the sector.

Since its creation in 2013, Simplon has trained in digital technologies, free of charge, more than 5,600 people with this profile, mainly refugees, adolescents at risk of exclusion and long-term unemployed people. These people with technological talent which remained hidden or which they had never had the opportunity to develop, have learned to develop their skills and abilities in this field to be able to work in the sector: programming mobile applications and web pages, management of digital projects, entrepreneurship of innovative projects, or technology training.

Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Montreuil, França

Partners / Funders

France Active,  Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Phitrust, INCO, Aviva, Crédit Coopératif, Amundi, and Mirova

Genesis

In 2013, three young entrepreneurs, inspired by Silicon Valley bootcamps, decided to create an inclusive and free version that incorporated a large number of women as well as people of different social and territorial origin. The first facilities opened in Montreuil, France, and the first promotion, which had 30 students of 17 nationalities, began in October of the same year.

Implementation level

The Simplon network has spread over the years to various French cities. In 2014 a training center was opened in Romania, and later expanded to Belgium, Lebanon, Ivory Coast and South Africa. In Catalonia,  Factoría F5 was created in 2019, a similar initiative that follows the French model.

Further information

Simplon.co

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ELPIDA, a learning community to improve the quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities

admin on 2 July 2019

Publications Bank of innovations

ELPIDA, a learning community to improve the quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities

Foundation of Research and Technology, Greece

Foto: ELPIDA Project

Open e-learning platform to provide the necessary knowledge and skills on how better to support the needs of children of all ages with intellectual disabilities. It contains six interactive educational modules providing more training, awareness raising and/or attitude change on key areas that have been identified with the active engagement of family members of PWID. These topics / areas are: Human rights, Communication, Ageing, Stress management, Transition to adulthood, and Sexual health.

The main objective of ELPIDA project is to improve the quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities by empowering family members and especially parents. Project partners believe that knowledge to be gained by parents of persons with intellectual disability through this educational platform will have a positive impact their children and will contribute to a better transition to adulthood, social inclusion, and better quality of life in general.

Also the project aims to create a large community of well informed and adequately equipped participants who will feel competent to support the needs of their family member with intellectual disabilities.

Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Heraklion, Creta, Greece

Partners / Funders

European Parents Association, Bèlgica; Puzzle SE, Grècia; Center for Specialpædagogiske Børnetilbud (CSB), Dinamarca; Internationaler Bund (IB), Alemanya; Oslo Metropolitan University, Noruega; Programa Erasmus+, CE

Genesis

The majority of approaches targeting issues of intellectual disability (ID) are either focused on persons with the intellectual disability or on professionals in an effort to equip them with appropriate educational and support strategies. The need to provide parents with the necessary information and skills in order to better support their children with ID is often overlooked. Parents, though, play a significant part in supporting their children to become active members of the society and to have good quality of life.

Implementation level

The training material is available in six languages , Danish, English, German, Greek, Norwegian, and Portuguese. A French version is currently under construction.

Further information

ELPIDA

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ValuAble, tools for work inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the hospitality sector

admin on 12 May 2019

ValuAble
Publications Bank of innovations

ValuAble, tools for work inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the hospitality sector

ValuAble

ValuAble

International certification of hospitality establishments that are socially responsible in the employment of people with intellectual disabilities

ValuAble is a network of companies and European associations and foundations related to Down syndrome that provides international certification to hospitality establishments that are socially responsible in the professional inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.

Additionally, ValuAble has developed different tools to facilitate the integration of these individuals into their work environment. Firstly, the application “On my own at work,” which is individually adapted to each worker and helps them develop their job. Secondly, videos aimed at both employers and workers that show examples of how the correct relationships between people with intellectual disabilities and their coworkers should be.

Finally, a set of training tools aimed at the establishment managers to facilitate obtaining the certification.

Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey

Partners / Funders

Hamburger Arbeitsassistenz (Germany), Down Alapitvany (Hungary), Associazione Italiana Persone Down ONLUS (Italy), , Associação Portuguesa de Portadores de Trissomia 21 (Portugal), Down España (Spain) , Down Sendromu Dernegi (Turkey), European Community

Genesis

The Valuable network was created within the Erasmus + On my own…at work project, financed by the European Commission. From 2014 to 2017, the network designed, developed and tested the three tools which are now offered to participant people and companies./p>

Implementation level

On May 2019, the network included 88 companies.

Further information

ValuAble

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Projecte IWI

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B·MINCOME, looking for the best way out of poverty

admin on 24 April 2019

Publications Bank of innovations

B·MINCOME, looking for the best way out of poverty

Barcelona City Council

Foto: Barcelona City Council

B·MINCOME is a pilot project for the establishment of a municipal inclusion salary in the city of Barcelona, which is testing with one thousand vulnerable families in the ten most deprived Barcelona neighborhoods, the efficacy and efficiency of combining a stable financial help with active social-employment policies.

B·MINCOME is a project pilot to fight against poverty and inequality based in the development of an integral policy which combines a public passive policy (a Municipal Inclusive Support, a financial help that supplements the income of the selected people and families) with four active social-employment policies: a combined education and employment plan; actions for the encouragement of the socio-collaborative economy; grants for the rehabilitation of homes which may allow room rentals; and a program for participation in community networks.

Characteristics of innovation

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Location

Barcelona

Partners / Funders

Urban Innovative Actions UE Program, The Young Foundation, UPC, IGOP/UAB, NOVAACT, Ivàlua

Genesis

B·MINCOME implementation has been possible thanks to extensive previous analysis. For the first time, an administration has obtained data from the Spanish Revenue Service at neighborhood and census section levels which have allowed to know the income of all taxpayers, not just those who fill their annual tax return. From the data, the municipality has been able to study the income and poverty levels of the city in great detail. Likewise, for the first time, a survey on the living conditions of users of social services has been taken into account which has permitted to analyze in detail the characteristics of more than 12,000 people who receive municipal attention.

Implementation level

For two years, from October 2017 to September 2019, one-thousand families have received different types of income which may have been combined with social and labor policies. Project results are evaluated during the fourth quarter of 2019.

Further information

B-Mincome

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Buurtzorg, autonomous teams of community healthcare

admin on 14 March 2019

Publications Bank of innovations

Buurtzorg, autonomous teams of community healthcare

Buurtzorg

Foto: Buurtzorg

Home care organization that works through teams that have professional freedom and are responsible for their own operation. Each team is made up of 12 people and works in a neighborhood taking care of people who need support and managing the team’s work. Each new team looks for their own office in the neighborhood, dedicates time to introduce themselves to the local community and to get to know the GPs, therapists and other social and health professionals. The team decides how to organize the work, share responsibilities and make decisions.

As a KMPG study states: “Essentially, the program allows nurses (rather than nursing assistants or caregivers) to provide all the care the patient needs. And while this has meant higher costs per hour, the total number of hours has been lower. In fact, by changing the care model, Buurtzorg achieved a 50 percent reduction in hours of care, improved the quality of care and increased employee job satisfaction. ”

An Ernst and Young study estimated that the new system allowed a 40% savings on home care in the Netherlands.

Characteristics of innovation

, , , , , , , , ,

Location

Netherlands

Partners / Funders

—

Genesis

Buurtzorg was founded in 2006 by Jos de Blok a community nurse in the Netherlands when he and some friends decided to set up their own group of community nurses. At the time the Netherlands health system was undergoing a shift towards centralization and commoditization of health care. He cites an example of a patient with dementia being visited by 30 different nurses and another patient who actually counted the number of different nurses and care-givers that visited him in one year – 150.

Implementation level

Buurtzorg scaled very quickly across the Netherlands from 1 to 850 teams, in just 10 years. During this time Buurtzorg grew in other areas of care such as mental health, children and families and also supported other Dutch international care organizations to take on the Buurtzorg model of care. Nowadays this non-profit company has expanded to 24 European and Asian countries.

Further information

Buurtzorg

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Projecte IWI

IWI Project, a support program for families seeking to improve their well-being

The IWI Project is a program that provides support to families with minors in their care who detect difficulties within their own homes and wish to address them in a community-based manner.
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Mobile Laundry Services for people experiencing homelessness

admin on 8 February 2019

Publications Bank of innovations

Mobile Laundry Services for people experiencing homelessness

Orange Sky

Foto: Orange Sky

Orange Sky provides a platform for every day Australians to connect through a regular laundry and shower service. The focus is on creating a safe, positive and supportive environment for people who are too often ignored or who feel disconnected from the community. Their volunteers are not social workers or experts on homelessness – they are empathetic listeners and great conversationalists.

Orange Sky volunteers have participated to date in more than 144,000 hours of conversation and have helped to change the perception of the homeless and connect communities throughout Australia.

Characteristics of innovation

, , , , , ,

Location

Brisbane (Australia)

Partners / Funders

—

Genesis

Orange Sky Australia is the world’s first free mobile laundry service for people experiencing homelessness – an idea founded in a Brisbane garage by two 20-year-old mates, Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett. In late 2014, the boys installed a couple of washing machines and dryers in the back of their old van and visited parks around Brisbane to wash and dry clothes for free. What started as an idea to improve hygiene standards and restore dignity to people doing it tough has evolved into something much bigger and more powerful.

Implementation level

Orange Sky has expanded to 27 services in 22 cities across the country, which includes the addition of shower services and remote vehicles. Each week, these vans generate 6.33 tones of laundry and provide 113 showers to people in need. Most importantly though, Orange Sky volunteers have engaged in 144,095 hours of conversations to date, helping to challenge the perception of homelessness and positively connect communities all around Australia.

Further information

Orange Sky

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Projecte IWI

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The IWI Project is a program that provides support to families with minors in their care who detect difficulties within their own homes and wish to address them in a community-based manner.
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