Rural Care, innovation in care for rural dependents 

Publications Bank of innovations

Rural Care, innovation in care for rural dependents 

Castilla y León Social Services, Junta de Castilla y León, Diputación provincial de Valladolid, Fundation Persones, Plena inclusión Castilla y León, European Social Network

An innovative project that offers social support, health care and opportunities for participation in the community to people with dependency, disability or chronic illness living in rural areas. It aims to enable people to remain at home with security, quality of life and dignity, maintaining their life project and daily routine. 

rural care asistencia mayores

In rural areas, which in recent years have been dominated by an ageing population, families, communities and volunteers play a crucial role in well-being. The Rural Care project stems from the desire to ensure active ageing around the home and is based on the premise that community participation is essential. This initiative is implemented in the province of Valladolid, in a rural context. Thus, this project, which is part of a European initiative for innovation in social services, is designed for people who are in situations of dependency and require constant support and care. 

In this sense, the aim is to guarantee the dignity of people, ensuring their autonomy and respecting their preferences and wishes. Rural Care also focuses on the families and carers of the project participants, providing them with support to reconcile care tasks with personal, social and working life, as well as to ensure their own health.  

This project stands out for its multi-level partnership of public and private actors, as well as for the coordination of social and health services at different levels. The Support Plan developed for each project participant includes different professionals: a coordinator, a case manager, a reference professional at home and in the community, among others. Among the support actions, it is worth highlighting that the home is also adapted and a personalised community participation programme is designed. In this sense, it is worth highlighting the fact that one of the project’s objectives is to dynamise the rural territory, local occupation, community involvement and social cohesion. 

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By My Side, an app that offers support to drug-dependent women

Publications Bank of innovations

By My Side, an app that offers support to drug-dependent women

Simon Community Scotland, AND Digital

Application that offers support, advice and resources to women who consume drugs to facilitate access to information and proper decision making to improve their health and well-being.

drug addiction treatment

In order to address the misinformation and harms of drug use among women, which often leads to death, and in conjunction with technology consultancy AND Digital, who have volunteered their digital knowledge and expertise, Simon Community Scotland (SCS) has created By My Side. This app provides evidence-based harm reduction advice that is easily accessible to people who use the charity’s services.

It is designed by women for women. While primarily focused on advice on preventing drug-related harm, the app also has wider resources, such as guidance and guidelines on issues and mental health management and support for people affected by domestic or sexual violence. Thus, the app allows the most relevant advice and resources to be accessible and available to women without ever having to approach a service if they do not want it. The By My Side app enables them to access high quality information and make informed decisions about their health, wellbeing and safety.

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Cut All Ties, a digital project for the reduction of male violence in adolescents and young people

Publications Bank of innovations

Cut All Ties, a digital project for the reduction of male violence in adolescents and young people

REC Programme, ABD (Associació Benestar i Desenvolupament), Fondazione Acra, Citibeats

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A training and education programme based on new technologies that contributes to reducing gender violence that women suffer in their youth, and specifically in their first sexual relations.

Given the alarming data on gender violence that women suffer from an early age, the Cut All Ties project aims to contribute to raising awareness, preventing and reducing male violence –sexual, physical, emotional or psychological– in the first sexual relationships between young people. The ultimate goal is to bring about changes in social norms and behaviour in the people who make up this group. The project will be carried out between January 2021 and January 2023 and is aimed at students aged between 15 and 17 and teachers from 6 secondary schools in Barcelona, Madrid and Milan, a total of 120 young people and 120 teachers.

The project has been mainly based on data extracted thanks to new technologies, as it has been implemented through the design, implementation and validation of a training programme that has allowed the participants to reflect and learn in order to identify and prevent gender violence in their first affective sexual relationships. Thus, in order to identify the issues and problems most present among this group, as well as the causes, prevalence and consequences of gender violence, 200,000 anonymous data have been collected through a transnational Artificial Intelligence text analysis platform.

Specifically, Citibeats’ algorithm, which analyses unstructured text data, identifies social trends, gender-based violence narratives and common concerns across countries. This information, as well as that extracted from the anonymous Typeform survey, has been key to developing the training programme which, in secondary schools, has emphasized good practices and tools to prevent gender-based violence. These actions have been led by groups of young feminists, close to the students.

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Jooay, an app that helps children with disabilities find leisure activities

Jooay is a free app that connects leisure activity offerings with families of children with disabilities

Mixed Living, residents who live with and collaborate with highly vulnerable people

Publications Bank of innovations

Mixed Living, residents who live with and collaborate with highly vulnerable people

Tussenvoorziening

Mixed social housing blocks of flats where homeless and economically vulnerable people live together, which is beneficial for both groups. It facilitates access to housing more quickly for many people while the community activities carried out in the buildings promote social reintegration and break down the social isolation and stigmatisation of homeless people.

Mixed Living is a form of housing in which 70% of the people who live there are on low incomes and in need of social housing and the remaining 30% are people who are vulnerable, usually homeless people who are beneficiaries of the Housing First programme. Both parties must comply with the previously established conditions of commitment and rules, mainly regarding the care of the environment they share. Participating in this social accompaniment programme is advantageous for people in the first group, reducing their waiting time for access to social housing.

It is also clearly favourable for homeless people —and not only, because the programme is also aimed at people with a lack of social network or psychological problems— for whom the contact and cohabitation with other residents facilitates their social reintegration. In this sense, the shared housing enables proximity between the two groups with common meeting spaces that make it easier for them to have coffee, watch a football match or look after the courtyard. The project is supervised by professionals who visit the block of flats at least once a week and are responsible for assessing and managing the functioning of the cohabitation.

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Fenix, a therapeutic garden and orchard for drug addicts

Publications Bank of innovations

Fenix, a therapeutic garden and orchard for drug addicts

Grup ABD

Through urban agro-ecology, the Fénix project in the city of Barcelona promotes the social and occupational inclusion of people undergoing treatment for drug addiction. The therapeutic garden and orchard, developed under the slogan “Cultivating new opportunities”, also contributes to destigmatising the group of people with addictions.

The project is located on the grounds of the Care and Monitoring Centre (CAS) in Sarrià (Barcelona), which has become a climatic refuge within the city. It has a total of 10 hectares and works by applying regenerative cultivation techniques, i.e. the approach to plant production is respectful, ecological and sustainable. The facility enables the personalisation of social insertion itineraries that improve the employability of the participants, who take part in the whole process, from the cultivation and maintenance of the plants to the organisation of the tasks and economic planning, in relation to the promotion and sale of the cultivated products. The participants receive basic training in agroecology and gain experience in social entrepreneurship and marketing of the products. The project also enables participants to be self-sufficient in food and promotes responsible consumption and a sustainable food system.

The project has a community aspect, with the garden being at the same time a space for exchange and use by organisations and people from the district who need to meet or carry out outdoor activities. In addition, the resulting food is destined to social services, so that people with addictions who participate in the Garden and Hort Fènix multiply the social impact they receive by helping other people.

Banc d’innovacions

I·ROC

I·ROC, a tool that evaluates the recovery process of mental health service users

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Jooay is a free app that connects leisure activity offerings with families of children with disabilities

iCalidad, a technological tool for the quality of life of people with ASD

Publications Bank of innovations

iCalidad, a technological tool for the quality of life of people with ASD

Red para la Calidad de Vida, Autismo España

Assessment and support tool to improve the quality of life of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. With an innovative methodology, the aspects that most affect the quality of life of a person are assessed and individualised support plans are designed, adapted to the needs, interests and expectations.

iCalidad is, therefore, a collaborative technological tool that corresponds to a system for assessing the quality of life of people with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It was born out of the realisation that the assessment of this disorder is subjective and that the assessment instruments are often not adapted to the reality of the people who suffer from it, as pointed out by the advances in knowledge that show that ASD manifests itself in a very specific way in each case.

It is flexible and works in such a way that the perspective of the person with ASD is integrated into the design of their own plan, as are the families and professionals who know them best. These people constitute the evaluation team and respond individually to a questionnaire formulated by iCalidad. The technological tool systematises and compares, and also generates a quality report that integrates the responses of all the team members. It is the team that is responsible for evaluating it together with the aim of designing –by consensus– a personalised and optimal support plan.

Thus, iCalidad enables people with ASD to participate in making decisions about their lives and to achieve meaningful personal goals. It also enables families and professionals to collaborate and offer appropriate support to the person with the disorder. Finally, iQuality enables organisations to provide quality support and to respond –appropriately and innovatively– to the priorities, interests and needs of people with ASD.

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I·ROC, a tool that evaluates the recovery process of mental health service users

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Manawanui is a project aimed at enhancing the autonomy and freedom of choice for people with disabilities
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Morphic is an application that allows computers to be adapted to the different needs of people with disabilities
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V-TOOLS is a project that combines technology and social innovation through immersive experiences with the aim of improving the lives of people and communities
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Jooay, an app that helps children with disabilities find leisure activities

Jooay is a free app that connects leisure activity offerings with families of children with disabilities

b-resol, a channel for alerts against bullying in adolescents

Publications Bank of innovations

b-resol, a channel for alerts against bullying in adolescents

BCN RESOL ODR SOLUTIONS, UOC

An alert channel that provides early detection of possible cases of bullying, cyberbullying, eating disorders, addictions and other common problems among adolescents. It is designed especially for adolescents, but also for adult teachers and specialised staff, who receive, manage and document the alerts.


b-resol was born out of concern for the large number of abuses and mistreatments of minors that occur in educational, sporting or leisure environments, and the difficulty for the victims to report them. The figures are alarming: 40% of pupils have experienced some form of bullying during their schooling. Beyond being used by educational centers, it is also useful for youth and sports organizations where young people socialise.

On the one hand, b-resol speaks the language of teenagers, as it is a friendly and intuitive app. Students can communicate their suspicions or alerts derived from unwanted situations, whether experienced or observed, to the trusted people designated by the educational centre. Through this mobile application, which is free and available on all devices, they can do so securely, confidentially and anonymously, if they wish. On the other hand, b-resol is also easy for adults, with a comprehensible internal web environment. Apart from enabling a chat with the sender of the alert, it also allows for a complete follow-up of the incident –of the actions taken– and the generation of reports and statistics.

Thus, b-resol stands as an example of good use of mobile technology as an innovative element and how it can be used to raise social awareness. It is therefore a complementary tool to the protocols implemented or planned to deal with cases of bullying, and is suitable for digitised adolescents and for centres and organisations immersed in digital transformation.

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I·ROC, a tool that evaluates the recovery process of mental health service users

I·ROC is a tool that measures the recovery process of people using mental health services
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SmartSocks, socks that detect distress in people with dementia

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Morphic, technology that improves computer accessibility for people with disabilities

Morphic is an application that allows computers to be adapted to the different needs of people with disabilities
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V-TOOLS, Virtual Reality Applied to Social Innovation

V-TOOLS is a project that combines technology and social innovation through immersive experiences with the aim of improving the lives of people and communities
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Jooay, an app that helps children with disabilities find leisure activities

Jooay is a free app that connects leisure activity offerings with families of children with disabilities

Codi Colors, inclusive method for learning the piano

Publications Bank of innovations

Codi Colors, inclusive method for learning the piano

Codi Colors

Codi Colors, mètode inclusiu per a l’aprenentatge del piano

Innovative method of musical education designed for people with disabilities to learn to play the piano and enjoy making music. It allows them to feel fulfilled thanks to the practical results of the method, enabling them to play songs and pieces following a score based on basic musical concepts.


Codi Colors –in English, the Colour Code– works by associating each note with a colour. This simplified structure makes musical structures much easier to memorise and learn. It is put into practice through complete graphic and didactic material. Thus, it counts with a book for the student and a support book for teachers and families, in which the methodology and advice for its application are explained.

Both books consist of a repertoire of 57 traditional, popular and signature songs written with the code and accompanied by illustrations. The pieces –all of an accessible level– are arranged according to degree of difficulty and theme, mostly referring to the different seasons of the year. The scores are adapted to make them easier to understand: they are written in treble clef, without time signatures or values, and the size of the staves is large, among other things. In addition to the books, more specifically prepared teaching material –an adapted music booklet and coloured stickers– make it possible to implement the method, which can be perfectly combined with coloured instruments (bells, pipes, bells, horns, carillons, etc.).

Although Codi Colors is mainly aimed at pupils with very diverse special educational needs –physical, sensory, communication, intellectual, mental disorders–, it is not only for these groups. Thus, Codi Colors paves the way for making music and avoids the difficulty of conventional music reading for everyone. It is valid for the initial learning of music -for students at an early age-, for musical awareness and for musical language or instrument classes. In addition, the music learning system works for both group and individual lessons.

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I·ROC, a tool that evaluates the recovery process of mental health service users

I·ROC is a tool that measures the recovery process of people using mental health services
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SmartSocks, socks that detect distress in people with dementia

SmartSocks that enable the detection of risk situations in people with dementia
Manawanui

Manawanui, Self-Directed Support for people with disabilities

Manawanui is a project aimed at enhancing the autonomy and freedom of choice for people with disabilities
Morphic

Morphic, technology that improves computer accessibility for people with disabilities

Morphic is an application that allows computers to be adapted to the different needs of people with disabilities
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V-TOOLS, Virtual Reality Applied to Social Innovation

V-TOOLS is a project that combines technology and social innovation through immersive experiences with the aim of improving the lives of people and communities
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Jooay, an app that helps children with disabilities find leisure activities

Jooay is a free app that connects leisure activity offerings with families of children with disabilities

Simulateur Aides Sociales, a tool that informs citizens of the social aids

Publications Bank of innovations

Simulateur Aides Sociales, a tool that informs citizens of the social aids

Beta.gouv.fr, CNIL, CAF, Assurance maladie, Agefiph, Pôle Emploi, Assurance retraite, Crous, Anah, Anil

A fast and efficient tool that informs the French population about the social assistance they are entitled to receive. Powered by several public and private actors and with an individualized online service, the simulator estimates to users the assistance benefits that are due to each of them.


The Simulateur Aides Sociale was born out of the realization that a large part of French citizens are unaware of the many social systems and benefits –both national and local– to which they are entitled and from which they can benefit. In France, billions of euros of social assistance do not find beneficiaries, either due to lack of awareness, demand or receipt, resulting in the loss of considerable income per household. The simulator, launched by the French government and in partnership with various associations and companies in the technology sector, aims to combat the high rate of non-appeals for social assistance by informing and guiding among the many existing aids.

It is a free tool that enhances the rights to social assistance of each person with a very simple and effective operation. With guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality of information, each user is asked to answer a few questions about family and professional life. Then, in a few minutes, the simulator classifies more than 1,000 social systems and lists the benefits available to each person according to their personal situation. Once the user is aware of the benefits, the relevant claims can be made and the financial aid can be received.

The benefits available in the simulator are grouped according to their function (health, housing, transport, professional integration, family, etc.) and are both national and departmental, depending on the place of residence entered by the user. However, it should be borne in mind that the result obtained from the simulation is indicative and does not guarantee that the user will end up receiving the aid, as only the organization empowered to grant it can decide whether the user is actually eligible.

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I·ROC

I·ROC, a tool that evaluates the recovery process of mental health service users

I·ROC is a tool that measures the recovery process of people using mental health services
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SmartSocks, socks that detect distress in people with dementia

SmartSocks that enable the detection of risk situations in people with dementia
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Manawanui, Self-Directed Support for people with disabilities

Manawanui is a project aimed at enhancing the autonomy and freedom of choice for people with disabilities
Morphic

Morphic, technology that improves computer accessibility for people with disabilities

Morphic is an application that allows computers to be adapted to the different needs of people with disabilities
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V-TOOLS, Virtual Reality Applied to Social Innovation

V-TOOLS is a project that combines technology and social innovation through immersive experiences with the aim of improving the lives of people and communities
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Jooay, an app that helps children with disabilities find leisure activities

Jooay is a free app that connects leisure activity offerings with families of children with disabilities

Afrolab, Afro-entrepreneurship support programme

Publications Bank of innovations

Afrolab, Afro-entrepreneurship support programme

PretaHub, British Council, Coventry University

Programme to support, promote and boost Afro-entrepreneurship with an exclusive and innovative methodology. With the aim of strengthening the Afro-Brazilian market, Afrolab offers technical and creative training to entrepreneurs. It does so with a special focus on inventiveness and self-knowledge, being a space for growth, learning and personal and professional transformation.


Afrolab is thus a business expansion programme that acts as a talent accelerator and incubator for black, indigenous and Kilombola entrepreneurs. It is the result of the realisation that, despite the fact that Brazil has the largest black population in the world outside the African continent, black consumers are still considered a niche market and entrepreneurs are under-represented. The figures highlight the difficulties faced by Afro-Brazilians when it comes to entrepreneurship, which results in the majority of black entrepreneurs in the country not being registered in the formal economy.

In response to the in-depth analysis of the challenges and specificities of black businesses, Afrolab provides practical tools for business management and is a space for effective creation and production. It consists of workshops that take place within the framework of various festivals organised mainly in Brazil, where several entrepreneurs can participate. The initiative includes self-knowledge activities, creative immersion cycles, apprenticeships, courses and workshops. Thus, it avoids entrepreneurship conceived as a solitary and individualistic process and is committed to forging a community of entrepreneurs, taking into account the unique contribution of each entrepreneur in the process.

The initiative has a systemic perspective: it provides support and training to companies from their conception and origin to the final disposal of the products and services developed. In this way, it aims to help them overcome some of the biggest challenges they face, such as the denial of access to credit, financial literacy and technology. Apart from training courses and exchange and networking sessions, Afrolab opens commercial channels in Brazil and Latin America.

Banc d’innovacions

I·ROC

I·ROC, a tool that evaluates the recovery process of mental health service users

I·ROC is a tool that measures the recovery process of people using mental health services
SmartSocks

SmartSocks, socks that detect distress in people with dementia

SmartSocks that enable the detection of risk situations in people with dementia
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Manawanui is a project aimed at enhancing the autonomy and freedom of choice for people with disabilities
Morphic

Morphic, technology that improves computer accessibility for people with disabilities

Morphic is an application that allows computers to be adapted to the different needs of people with disabilities
V-TOOLS

V-TOOLS, Virtual Reality Applied to Social Innovation

V-TOOLS is a project that combines technology and social innovation through immersive experiences with the aim of improving the lives of people and communities
JOOAY

Jooay, an app that helps children with disabilities find leisure activities

Jooay is a free app that connects leisure activity offerings with families of children with disabilities