PEOPLE: INNOVATION FOR SOCIETAL CHANGE

‘PEOPLE: Innovation for Societal Change’ is, a European project co-financed by the Interregional Co-operation Programme INTERREG IVC and led by the Ministry for Equality and Social Welfare of the Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalucía).

The PEOPLE project began its activityat the end of 2008 and will come to an end in December 2011. Seven public bodies from Andalusia, south-east England, Stockholm region, province of Noord-Brabant, province of Venice, Malopolska region and Timis county participate in the project. Their shared concern being the need to combat the current demographic and economic decline experienced in the EU.

In line with the new Europe 2020 Strategy, which aims to improve research and development capability to bring about job creation, PEOPLE aims to ensure that innovation is present across each of its subject areas: reconciling the personal, work and family lives of men and women in Europe; new technologies for health and (in)dependence; the elderly as an emerging economic sector; social and e-inclusion and the improvement of social services; social enterprises and the empowerment of the civil society.

At the International Conference on the Reconciliation of Personal, Work and Family Lives of Men and Women, in Seville in October 2010, it was concluded that public authorities should ensure the provision of adequate services and assistance aimed at the care and treatment of dependent individuals (children and the elderly) to balance the possibility of work for both sexes and thus increase and boost the birth rate. This issue is closely related to population ageing and was discussed at the e-Health International Conference in Guildford in 2009. This conclusions of this conference noted the need to support investigation and implementation of tele-assistance services, fully adapted to the needs of the users. Furthermore, it is of crucial importance that governments continue to work in order to promote active ageing policies for the sustainability of our social welfare systems in the future. Specifically, these issues are awaiting debates in the Silver Economy International Conference in Stockholm in September 2011.

Social and e-Inclusion is also a subject of analysis for the PEOPLE project through its thematic areas. Recommendations state the need to combat the risk of poverty among the most disadvantaged social strata to encourage the creation of social enterprises and improving services and treatment available for homeless people. This was underscored at the International Conference on Social and e-Inclusion in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in March 2010. This debate was extended to the International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship, in Krakow in March 2011.

As a key issue, PEOPLE’s analysis of the empowerment of the civil society reveals the need for ensuring an active and effective social participation to fully perform its social rights, especially for those individuals facing a more disadvantaged social position. This is a condition that Europe must adopt to ensure a cohesive and prosperous collective future.

As part of the search for this new economic and social model by Europe, PEOPLE will present its recommendations next autumn at its closing PEOPLE International Conference in Brussels, which will undoubtedly be based on the values of equality, solidarity and innovation.