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Social Affairs Forum strategy for 2021-2022

Chair Politician: Maarten van Ooijen Officer: Imara Antonius E-mail: [email protected]

Vice-chair Politician: Baillie Annette Christie Officer: Joe Brady E-mail: [email protected]

Aarhus • Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropole • Metropole • Members (145) • Angers Loire Métropole • • • • • • • • • Beylikdüzü • Bialystok • • • • • Borlange • • BrabantStad • • • • Brighton & Hove • • • • Brussels Capital Region • • • • • Cluj-Napoca • • Constanta • • • • • Dusseldorf • • • • • • • • Gdansk • • • Gijon • Glasgow • • Grand Sud • Grenoble Alpes Métropole • • • • Izmir • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Malmö • • • Metropole Europeenne de Lille • • • Munster • • • Netwerkstad Twente • Newcastle- • Côte d’Azur • • • • • • Osmangazi • • • • Paris • • Pilsen • • Poznan • • Rennes Métropole • Reykjavik • • • • • • • • Solna • St Etienne • • • • • Tallin • • • Metropolitan Area • • • Timisoara • • • • Turkish Cypriot community of Nicosia • • • Utrecht • • • Varna • • • • • Wroclaw • • • • Zurich

Contents

Introduction ...... 3 1. Our vision: Inclusive for All ...... 4 Contributing to the Eurocities strategic framework 2020-2029 ...... 4 2. SAF priorities for 2021-2022 ...... 5 1. Build Back Fairer Together – social recovery through reducing inequalities...... 5 2. A Home for Everyone ...... 6 3. Welcoming everyone in our cities – managing diversity and social cohesion ...... 6 3. SAF advocacy plan for 2021-2022 ...... 7 4. Working methods ...... 13 Forum meetings ...... 13 Social Innovation Lab...... 13 Working Groups ...... 14 Steering Committee ...... 14 Our mutual learning programme for cities in partnership with DG EMPL ...... 16 5. SAF workplan for 2021 ...... 16 Actions for 2021 ...... 17 Calendar of SAF meetings and events in 2021 ...... 21

SAF strategy 2021-2022 eurocities.eu 2 Final version: 4 March 2021

Introduction

Eurocities has a dedicated Social Affairs Forum that brings together over 150 cities to work jointly to address major social challenges that European cities are facing now and in the future, by means of mutual learning, capacity building, co-creation of social innovations and contributing to EU policies. The Social Affairs Forum supports cities to improve urban policies to reduce poverty and inequalities, foster inclusive labour markets and promote social inclusion and equal opportunities for all people in line with the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. Fighting poverty and promoting equality and inclusion are at the core of our work in social affairs. We adopt an integrated approach to inclusion and equality by working to ensure equal access to education, employment, housing, healthcare and overall, good quality public services accessible to all. To achieve this, we work with all levels of policy-makers: • We engage deputy mayors to ensure political support for driving further inclusive city policies; • We work with city directors for social services to coordinate strategic approaches to social policy; • We involve staff from city services to provide thematic policy expertise in our nine working groups; • We engage managers of city projects to share lessons and know-how from innovative actions. In all our work we place a strong focus on building inclusive cities for all people, with targeted support to vulnerable groups, especially children in poverty, migrants and refugees, people with disabilities, Roma people, homeless people, unemployed, the elderly and people living in deprived urban areas. Our main activities in the Social Affairs Forum are: • knowledge exchange, capacity building and mutual learning activities based on effective tools and methods to bring policy changes. Members learn from each other by sharing knowledge, comparing different approaches, testing innovative solutions and identifying best practices. • policy and advocacy work to represent the interests of cities to the EU institutions. We actively contribute to the development and implementation of European policies, legislation and programmes that are relevant for cities. We work with the European Commission, both at political and technical level, as well as with the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Council and EU Member States, to ensure that European policy is fed with front-line experience of cities. Our SAF aim is to bring a strong urban dimension into the EU social agenda and to mainstream the social perspective into top EU policy priorities such as the EU Green Deal. • communication and raising awareness: we profile urban social issues and good practices from cities to the EU institutions, European stakeholders, other European networks and the media; as well as to communicate European initiatives and policy priorities to members. We engage our members in direct dialogue with the European Commission to get first-hand information on how to access EU funding. Social innovation is at the core of our work. We support cities to learn, share and transfer innovative solutions to address social challenges such as child poverty, homelessness, integration of migrants, Roma inclusion, access into the labour market for vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, and promoting active ageing. We do so through mutual learning, peer reviews, knowledge transfer and capacity building between cities, including training on how to access and use EU funding.

SAF strategy 2021-2022 eurocities.eu 3 Final version: 4 March 2021

1. Our vision: Inclusive Cities for All

SAF contributes to the Eurocities mission of a sustainable future in which all citizens can enjoy a good quality of life in a socially inclusive, fair and cohesive society. We strive for a Europe where cities are genuine partners with the EU to create a better future where people take part in an inclusive society. We put people first in all our work. Our long-term vision is to build Inclusive Cities for All where:

• everyone feels at home: diversity of backgrounds is welcomed as a source of strength for social mixing and social cohesion while discrimination and racism are deplored; • no one is left behind and everyone has opportunities to fully participate in society with equitable access to affordable education, childcare, housing, healthcare, social services; • equal opportunities for well-being in which the area where one lives does not affect their chances of graduating school, finding a job, getting healthcare or residing a safe and warm home; • inclusive growth where everyone can access inclusive labour markets, gain a fair pay, develop useful skills for now and the future, and get support for up-skilling, re-skilling and career transition; • sustainable cities where social investment is guiding just transitions to green and digital economy; • social innovations where new technologies are used to foster social and digital inclusion, improve access and quality of services, and engage people in co-creating the city. Our long-term vision is based on a life-cycle approach to ensure that the needs and interests of all people in our cities are well taken care of at any age or stage of life. This involves children having sufficient places in nurseries and schools, young people getting support to move from education and training to work, working-age adults being prepared to face changes in the world of work, all people even those inactive having a roof over their heads, elderly people being helped to fully participate in their community and every person feeling welcome regardless of their origin.

Contributing to the Eurocities strategic framework 2020-2029 The Social Affairs Forum contributes to the goals of the Eurocities strategic framework for 2020-2029: Goal 1: People take part in an inclusive society • Fight urban poverty and social exclusion • Ensure access to adequate and affordable housing • Facilitate the inclusion of refugees, migrants, ethnic minorities and people • Ensure quality and inclusive education • Deliver quality public services, accessible to all • Support inclusive local labour markets Goal 2: People progress in a prosperous local economy • Stimulate the creation of quality jobs • Tackle mismatches in local skills and future needs Goal 5: City governments address global challenges • Tackle rising inequalities Goal 6: City governments are fit for the future • Explore strategic partnerships and the co-creation of public services • Promote gender equality and fight all discriminations

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2. SAF priorities for 2021-2022

Our SAF strategy for 2021-2022 is set in the context of the pandemic, the health, economic and social crisis and the path towards recovery. This crisis has exacerbated social and health inequalities, hitting hardest on the most vulnerable people. Unemployment and poverty are rapidly rising in our cities, with new groups of people at risk of poverty - the ‘new urban poor’. Territorial inequalities are also deepening, with people living in the most deprived urban areas being the most severely affected. While this is disruptive, this crisis also gives rise to new opportunities to adapt, re-think and re-organise essential services in our cities and test policy innovations. Many cities have digitalised many healthcare, employment and social services, innovating with new solutions for e-inclusion. We have also seen the rise of local solidarity ecosystems where the city is facilitating or catalysing efforts from residents, NGOs and private sector. Many cities are building coalitions with local businesses and civil society for driving inclusive local recovery to balance social, economic and environmental objectives. On that basis, our high-level priorities for 2021-2022 focus on: 1. Building Back Fairer Together to drive the social recovery from the COVID-19 crisis by reducing social inequalities through strengthening social inclusion and poverty reduction measures in our cities, tackling (youth) unemployment, improve skills matching and focus on future of work and skills, especially green and digital skills, and the role of social economy in the recovery; 2. A Home for Everyone: focus on long-term investments in affordable housing, also through new opportunities under the Renovation Wave, and fighting homelessness by positioning cities as key partners in developing and implementing the new EU initiative on homelessness; 3. Welcoming Everyone in our cities: focus on managing diversity and social cohesion in our cities through integration and social inclusion of migrants and people with migrant or ethnic minority backgrounds, Roma inclusion, fighting discrimination and racism through positive narratives, fighting child poverty, shaping age-friendly services, integrating health and social care services, and developing territorial approaches to improve the quality of life in the most deprived urban neighbourhoods. 1. Build back fairer together – social recovery through reducing inequalities

Our citizens have been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis, be it in terms of the impact on health and well-being, or losing jobs or income, or experiencing an increase in social isolation and social exclusion. For the next two years, our Forum will focus on the social recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and how to ‘bounce forward’ to shape a well-being cities agenda with social justice and equal opportunities for all. In all our work in SAF for 2021-2022, we will focus on building social resilience to drive a fair, inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 crisis with the aim to reduce health and social inequalities and promote equal opportunities for all people in our cities, especially for the most vulnerable groups such as children, young people, the elderly, migrants and refugees, Roma, etc. Our thematic and policy priorities for the work on recovery from COVID-19 crisis are:

SAF strategy 2021-2022 eurocities.eu 5 Final version: 4 March 2021

• Poverty reduction and social inclusion: strengthening social support measures as part of local and national recovery plans, with a focus on territorial approach to the most deprived urban areas. We will continue and step up our contribution to the European Pillar of Social Rights action plan through our campaign ‘InclusiveCities4All’ to bring a strong political message from cities at the EU Social Summit in Porto. We will also work closely with the Roundtable of city directors of social services on building resilience and adapting social services for recovery post-covid. • Employment: tackling rising unemployment, especially youth unemployment, facilitating Local Pacts for Employment with focus on quality jobs, decent working conditions for all, including on platform work, and inclusive labour markets. As such, we aim to build capacity of cities to implement local Youth Guarantee schemes with support from national and EU level, especially through ESF+. Reflection on future of work and skills as a focus of our SAF meeting in Berlin in November 2021. • Skills: address skills mismatch through up-skilling and re-skilling by using the new opportunities through the EU Green Deal for new jobs based on green and digital skills. We aim to contribute to the implementation of the EU Skills Agenda and the new EU Pack for Skills. • Social economy: boost the potential and role of social economy in the recovery. We will contribute to the upcoming EU action plan for social economy by bringing a local perspective for social economy ecosystems. 2. A Home for Everyone

We are in the midst of a housing crisis in Europe and the COVID-19 crisis has made this issue even more visible. There is evidence that during the pandemic in 2020, homelessness has increased by 25% in cities on average, but in some of the biggest cities this goes as high as 40%. Given the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on loss of jobs and income, it is expected that the housing costs will take an even higher share of the disposable household income, which was already too high pre-covid. Housing is a human right and should be prioritised as such. Having a decent, safe and warm home a pre-condition to access and benefit from other social rights, such as education, work, health and social inclusion at large. SAF will work on two inter-related thematic priorities for realising this objective:

• Affordable housing for all: we will exchange among cities and with EU policy-makers on strategies to facilitate and build long-term investment for affordable housing. We will continue working with the European Parliament to better reflect the reality of affordability of housing in the European Semester and in other EU policies. We will also focus on the opportunities within the Renovation Wave and energy poverty. • Reducing homelessness in our cities: we will build capacity of cities to develop an integrated approach combining housing support (e.g. Housing First) with social care and health services, and active inclusion (access to work or training). As such, we will contribute to the new EU initiative on fighting homelessness with policy inputs from cities to the EU recommendations and toolkit. 3. Welcoming everyone in our cities – managing diversity and social cohesion

The diversity of backgrounds in our cities continues to increase. Some cities count as many as 170 different nationalities residing on their territory. Cities have a big task on their hands to manage diversity and promote social cohesion at local level by building welcoming and inclusive neighbourhoods with communities that are open to accepting and bringing together people from diverse backgrounds. Social integration happens at local level by welcoming newly-arrived refugees, as well as foreign-born nationals or residents coming from migrant or ethnic minority backgrounds.

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Cities have a duty to leave no one behind and involve everyone, and every group in the co-creation of social sustainable cities and communities. Our thematic priorities in this area are:

• Integration of migrants and refugees - focus on social inclusion and access to essential services; • Roma inclusion with a focus on cities’ role in the implementation of new Roma inclusion national strategies under the new EU Roma Framework 2021-2030; • Children and young people with a focus on fighting child poverty and breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty, through contributing and implementing the EU Child Guarantee • Age-friendly services – focus on integrating health and social services in cities. Cross-cutting work with other Forums will be on fighting discrimination and racism and fostering positive narratives, as well as gender equality. A key focus of our work in SAF will be on citizen participation and ensuring all voices are heard – starting from children and youth, to elderly, to migrants, Roma, etc. – as well as local partnerships with all relevant actors in the local area. We will aim to strengthen the place-based, neighbourhood approach to building social cohesion and managing diversity of local communities through equal access to services. We will exchange in SAF on social innovations and how to use EU funding for improving access to essential (social) services.

Working with other Forums SAF is dedicated to working closer together with other Forums. We wish to strengthen the social dimension in key EU policy files like the EU Green Deal and Digital Europe by supporting the work of other Forums. In particular, we aim to collaborate on the following topics: - EU Green Deal, Renovation Wave and energy poverty with Environment Forum - Long-term investments and social economy with Economic Development Forum - Tackling the digital divide with Knowledge Society Forum - Accessibility with Mobility Forum - Fighting racism and discrimination, and social inclusion through culture with Culture Forum - Right to food with the WG Food under cooperation platform. 3. SAF advocacy plan for 2021-2022

This pandemic crisis has brought new opportunities for strengthening social policy in Europe and positioning cities as key players and partners of the EU institutions in this process. The crisis has placed a renewed focus on Europe’s social model and the debate on reinforcing social Europe on top of the EU agenda. The European Commission is working full steam to put forward an ambitious action plan to give a fresh impetus to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and its role in the European recovery and adaption to climate, digital and demographic transitions. The EU Social Summit will drive a new agenda for social Europe for 2030, where we will position cities centrally. We will continue working closely with the European Parliament to push inclusive policies to reduce child poverty, integrate migrants and ensure affordable housing for all, among other topics. At the same time, we will work to mainstream the social dimension in the EU economic, environmental and digital policies, especially the EU Green Deal, and in the implementation of the national recovery plans.

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Priority 1: Building Back Fairer Together: Social Recovery from Covid-19 Policy initiative Timeline Analysis Actions Who is leading?

European Social Jan - Feb Key source of funding for cities to access • Monitor and influence the trialogue negotiations on ESF+ Cross-cutting across Fund+ 2021 and use for employment, education and resolution by bringing evidence and arguments from cities to SAF / Steering training, and poverty reduction actions. the European Parliament team of MEP negotiators. Stay Committee 25% of budget earmarked for social involved in stakeholder updates by the European Parliament. inclusion measures and additional 3% for • Regular reports to members on the ESF+ negotiations and food aid and material basic assistance. implications for cities. Specific support foreseen for social • Capitalise on the Eurocities’ role in the ESF+ transnational innovation actions at local level (co- cooperation platform to advocate to managing authorities for a financed at 95%). stronger city involvement in ESF+ programming at nat/reg level Good opportunity for cities to input ideas • Organise a webinar on ESF+ for members to bring cities in direct for ESF+ national/regional programmes. contact with European Commission and Managing Authorities • Launch a survey to gather lessons from cities from ESF 2014- 2020 to build capacity for accessing and using ESF+ 2021-2027 Action Plan on March The EPSR action plan is expected to be • Bilateral meetings with cabinets of Commissioner Schmit, EP Cross-cutting in SAF / the European 2021 the cornerstone of a new EU social parties’ leaders and Portuguese Council Presidency to position Steering Committee Pillar of Social agenda (‘new EU social contract’) and cities as key stakeholders to be invited at the Porto social Rights play a key role in the European recovery summit and a speaking role for Eurocities President Nardella and adaptation to climate, digital and • Organise a Eurocities high-level political event - Cities Social demographic transitions. Summit on 6 May – ahead of the Porto Social Summit to bring Very relevant for cities as will include city mayors to discuss with EU leaders the role of cities in the legislative and non-legislative proposals new EU social agenda/EPSR action plan and post-covid recovery on social policies relevant for local level. • Formulate a strong political message from city leaders to the EU It is expected to include a new set of Social Summit based on our Social Europe position paper. social scoreboard targets and indicators. • Monitor and influence EU proposals under the EPSR Action Plan. To be adopted by EU leaders at the EU • Continue to collect more city pledges as part of our Eurocities Social Summit in Porto on 7-8 May 2021. ‘Inclusive Cities for All’ campaign and raise public awareness to have cities recognised as key partners in the EPSR action plan.

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Policy initiative Timeline Analysis Actions Who is leading? Recovery and April The €672.5 billion Recovery and Resilience • Contribute to Eurocities cross-cutting advocacy efforts to Cross-cutting across Resilience Plans 2021 Facility is the key tool in the EU's COVID- improve cities’ involvement in shaping the national recovery Eurocities / SAF 19 recovery plan to support reforms in plans by outlining the arguments for local social investments involved on social response to the crisis. Funding is provided • Connect our advocacy for EPSR implementation and strong EU investments to national governments based on social agenda with our advocacy for stronger social investments national recovery and resilience plans that through national recovery plans involving cities’ proposals outline planned reforms. • Convinced the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights to include in his report a call for involving cities in the recovery plans to get resources to fight poverty locally Action Plan for May - Expected to be very relevant for cities to • Provide policy inputs to the EU action plan on social economy. WG Smart Social the Social Nov enhance social investment, support social • Produce a report with evidence, new trends, good practices and Inclusion Economy 2021 economy actors and social enterprises to policy recommendations from cities on social economy, to feed start-up, scale-up, innovate and create into the EU action plan proposals. jobs. • Advocate for a strong role of cities at the EU Social Economy Summit in Mannheim in May and a speaking role for Eurocities • Organise a WG meeting/advocacy session alongside the EU Social Economy Summit to raise awareness of cities’ role and good practices in supporting social economy ecosystems Improving the Q1-Q4 Legislative proposal that aims to ensure • Provide policy inputs through participation to DG EMPL strategic WG Employment working 2021 transparent, dignified, fair and dialogue meetings to present trends and challenges from cities conditions of predictable working conditions and social • Organise bilateral meetings with EU policy makers at technical platform protection for platform workers. Relevant and political level to present cities’ perspective on working workers for cities given the share of platform conditions for platform workers work in cities. • Advocate policy messages from our Social Europe policy paper Individual Q4 2021 EU initiative to help close existing gaps in • Monitor and influence the policy development. WG Employment learning the access to training for working age • Provide policy inputs from cities’ good practices on local accounts adults and empower them to successfully measures for adult learning. manage labour market transitions. • Contribute inputs to the OECD policy manual on adult learning. EU approach to Q4 2021 EU initiative to reinforce the role of higher • Follow the initiative and brief cities on the potential contribution. WG Employment micro- education, vocational education and • Provide policy inputs on the role of cities’ employment services credentials training institutions in lifelong learning in contributing to lifelong learning programmes.

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Priority 2: A Home for Everyone

Policy initiative Timeline Analysis Actions Who is leading? EU Initiative on Q1 – Q4 Extremely relevant and targeted to cities. • Establish collaboration with DG GROW to monitor and influence WG Housing Affordable It aims to pilot the renovation of 100 the initiative to make it relevant and accessible for cities to apply Housing part of lighthouse social and affordable housing • Build on the momentum of the EP report on affordable housing the EU districts. for all and continue collaboration with MEPs on follow-up actions Renovation Renovation Wave is relevant for cities to • Provide policy inputs on the social dimension of the Renovation Wave prevent gentrification, have a Wave to support the advocacy led by Environment Forum participatory approach for citizens, ensure • Follow the Bauhaus initiative and contribute to cross-cutting the cost of renovation is not excessive, work in Eurocities creation of quality jobs and skills • Follow the energy poverty file in cooperation with ENVI Forum development. • Advocate for stable and sufficient access to funding for local partnerships for renovation projects and for the protection of all people in need in the renovation wave process. Organise bilateral meetings with EU policy makers at technical and political level to present cities’ perspectives and policy inputs. • Disseminate our Eurocities report on housing and homelessness to EU policy makers to raise awareness of cities’ challenges, trends, good practices and policy recommendations. EU Initiative to 2021- Expected to have two parts: • Provide policy inputs and good practices from cities to both the WG Homelessness fight 2022 • Setting up a European Platform on EU toolkit and Commission’s policy recommendations homelessness Combatting homelessness (EU • Facilitate cities’ involvement in national roundtables and the EU- institutions, member states, cities, level conference on fighting homelessness. stakeholders) to be launched during a • Position cities as key stakeholders at the EU Convention to fight high-level event on 21 June 2021. Homelessness and get speaking role for Eurocities / SAF chair • An EU study leading to a policy toolkit • Disseminate our Eurocities report on housing and homelessness on combatting homelessness. to EU policy makers to raise awareness of cities’ challenges, Further EU actions expected in 2022. Very trends, good practices and policy recommendations relevant for cities and expected to involve • Organise a Eurocities/SAF high-level event on city policies to cities as key stakeholders. fight homelessness to position cities as key actors in this area

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Priority 3: Welcoming Everyone in our Cities Policy initiative Timeline Analysis Actions Who is leading?

EU Child March This EU policy framework will recommend • Disseminate our Eurocities report on fighting child poverty in WG Children and Guarantee & EU 2021 to member states to ensure the cities to all relevant EU policy makers to raise awareness of the Young People Strategy on the affordability, accessibility and availability local situation of child poverty, good practices and policy Rights of the of inclusive quality services for children in recommendations from cities on fighting child poverty Child need. The initiative will consist of a • Organise a high-level political debate on 18 February with MEPs Council Recommendation asking member and EC on lessons from cities for the EU Child Guarantee states to make the necessary policy and funding investments, so that children in • Provide Eurocities policy inputs and recommendations to the EU need have access to the essential services targeted stakeholder consultation on the Child Guarantee required for their well-being, health and • Advocate for a strong role of cities in the EU Child Guarantee personal development (childcare, through bilateral meetings with DG EMPL and presentations at education, healthcare, healthy nutrition, strategic dialogue meetings with key stakeholders housing, participation in cultural, • Advocate for appropriate funding from ESF+ to child poverty recreative and sports activities). measures by providing timely data to EP negotiating team Highly relevant for cities as the focus is on • Advocate for channelling resources from ESF+ to local level by services that are delivered at local level. showcasing cities’ good practices to managing authorities • Contribute to the EP report on the Child Guarantee to secure support for a strong role of cities in shaping and delivering it • Contribute to the EP report on EU Child Rights’ strategy • Provide policy inputs to DG JUST to ensure strong recognition of role of cities in the EU Child Rights’ strategy Pathways to Spring DG EAC will launch a public consultation • Contribute to the public consultation with policy inputs from our WG Children and School Success 2021 for contributions to this upcoming Eurocities report on fighting child poverty in cities Young People for All initiative seeking to prevent early school • Encourage members to participate to the public consultation and WG Education leaving and implement compensatory share their city challenges, proposals and good practices WG Roma inclusion measures. • Organise a workshop as a spring WG Roma inclusion meeting to discuss between cities and DG EAC ideas for this new initiative

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Policy initiative Timeline Analysis Actions Who is leading? EU Strategy on April The new EU strategy 2020-2030 will build • Disseminate our Eurocities report on disability inclusion to all WG Urban Ageing the Rights of 2021 on the current strategy 2010-2020 and relevant EU policy makers to raise awareness of the situation, with support from Persons with support the full implementation of the challenges and good practices in cities on disability inclusion WG Barrier Free Disabilities UN CRPD. • Follow and inform members about the EU high-level meeting on Cities the launch of the new EU Disability Strategy in April. • Build capacity of members on the UN CRPD implementation and its local dimension in line with the new EU disability strategy • Raise awareness of the EU Access City Award and encourage members to apply Action Plan on Oct Highly relevant for cities as it recognises • Contribute to policy development of action plan by providing WG Migration and Integration and 2020, that integration takes place at local level, policy inputs from cities to the EU public consultation in 2020 Integration Inclusion 2021- continue includes proposals to make it easier for • Monitor and inform members on the action plan implementation 2027 d in 2021 cities to access funding and strengthen • Build capacity of members to get involved in shaping national the role of cities in multi-level governance and local action plans and access funding from AMIF Legal Migration Q3 2021 The EU seeks to develop an EU talent pool • Monitor and inform members on legislative developments. WG Migration and policies and explore other possibilities for legal • Contribute to policy development of EU Talent Pool for skilled Integration migration. Highly relevant for cities. workers and role of cities in legal migration by providing policy inputs to the EU public consultation in 2020 • Contribute with amendments to EP report on legal migration New EU Roma Oct The draft Council recommendation has a • Monitor and influence the negotiations on the draft council WG Roma Inclusion Framework 2020, dedicated section on the role of cities in recommendation to keep the strong focus on the role of cities. 2020-2030 continue Roma inclusion. It calls for involving local • Build capacity of members for a strong involvement of cities in d in authorities in the design, implementation the shaping national strategies as part of the new framework. 2021 and monitoring of national strategies and • Facilitate regular updates to and among members on how to better channelling of EU funds to them. get involved in national policy-making and access EU funding Green Paper on Q1 2021 The EU Green Paper on Ageing takes a life- • Prepare response to the public consultation on the Green Paper WG Urban Ageing Ageing & Silver course approach and focuses on several on Ageing, based on policy messages from all relevant SAF WGs. Deal cross-cutting areas, launching a broad • Monitor and influence the EU debate on ageing to advocate for policy debate on the challenges and a strong involvement of cities and a clear urban dimension. opportunities of Europe's ageing society. • Capitalise on ESPON project result and good practices from cities

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4. Working methods

The SAF priorities will be implemented through: • the Social Affairs Forum and its members • nine SAF working groups • SAF steering committee • the strategic partnership with the European Commission DG EMPL during 2018-2021 with support from the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSi) operational grant • other policy and funding support from our institutional partners. In all our working methods in SAF, we will prioritise a focus on the following new approaches: • working in a more integrated way across WGs to address cross-cutting challenges • more space to jointly develop new ideas for policies and projects on transversal issues • focus on innovative approaches in policy and practice at city level • more support for policy transfer of good practices • result-oriented approach to mutual learning by setting clear objectives and expected outcomes and then following up after each study visit to capture the impact and results • build capacity of cities on how to collect, measure and use data for policy solutions Forum meetings

The meetings of the Social Affairs Forum will continue to be the milestone in our work with a strong focus on ‘Learn and Share’. We will explore new, innovative formats, methodologies and tools to enhance the mutual learning and sharing of know-how between city experts at our Forum meetings. We will reinforce our focus on creating synergies and exploring potential collaborations between cities. We will also strengthen the involvement of city politicians in driving policy and advocacy on social affairs through regular political roundtables held alongside Forum meetings. Social Innovation Lab

Our Social Innovation Lab is a SAF meeting where members are inspired to learn, share and co-create innovative solutions to (new) social challenges in cities, with the aim to build cities’ capacity to develop and implement social innovations. Our focus is on sharing innovative urban actions, transferring lessons learned and co-creating actionable solutions to complex city challenges. The Lab sessions are designed to foster transferability and scale-up of innovative practices into other urban contexts. Building on the success of the first Social Innovation Lab in March 2019 in Glasgow, we will organise a second edition in November 2021 in Berlin. We seek to further improve our format and methodology to foster the learning and sharing of social innovation among our members. We aim to pilot the quadruple helix model of innovation. This model consists of a collaborative learning process involving city authorities (all relevant services) together with industry (business, social enterprises, foundations), research sector (academia, think-tanks) and citizens (‘change makers’, entrepreneurs) to work together on social innovations that go beyond the scope of any one actor could achieve on its own. Members will learn, share and co-create innovative solutions to mitigate the social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. The Lab will enable members to gain new perspectives on social innovations, learn new skills and enhance capacity to design and deliver innovative actions.

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Working Groups

The backbone of SAF remain our nine working groups:

WG Education WG Children & young people

WG Migration and Integration WG Housing WG Employment

WG Homelessness WG Urban Ageing

WG Smart Social Inclusion WG Roma Inclusion

All work undertaken by working groups will relate to one or more of the SAF priorities. We will reinforce synergies between working groups to support cross-sectorial work on SAF priorities. To do this, each of the three SAF priorities will have ‘champion WGs’ to steer collaboration on the priority:

• Priority 1: Build Back Fairer Together – WG Employment and WG Smart Social Inclusion will act as champion WGs to steer the work together with all other SAF WGs towards an inclusive recovery; • Priority 2: A Home for Everyone – WG Housing and WG Homelessness will work closely together to steer and inter-connect the work on affordable housing and tackling homelessness in cities; • Priority 3: Welcoming Everyone in our Cities – WG Migration & Integration will act as champion WG to steer the work together with WG Children, WG Education, WG Roma inclusion, WG Urban Ageing, etc. We will focus on joint activities that bring two or more working groups together (meetings, mutual learning activities, capacity building workshops or focus groups, publications etc.). Working groups will also be encouraged to increase advocacy activities towards the EU institutions and to regularly involve in their meetings experts from the European Commission, European Parliament, OECD, ILO, etc. Policy transfer of innovative policies and practices will be at the core of WG activities. Capturing the results/impact of the mutual learning will become integral part of WG work. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, SAF has adapted and will continue to adapt our working methods to online and digital formats for meetings and events while innovating with new methods and tools to allow for the best possible exchanges, interaction and learning between members in this circumstance. We have piloted new formats for webinars and city dialogues as well as transferring online our WG mutual learning and policy transfer activities, which have seen a great increase in participation, doubling the number of members and number of cities engaged in our SAF work. Steering Committee

The SAF will continue to be managed by the Steering Committee which consists of the SAF chair, vice- Chair and the working groups’ chairs and vice-chairs as well as the Eurocities team in charge of coordinating SAF. On policy issues that transcend the thematic scope of individual working groups, such as urban poverty, rising inequalities and social exclusion, the Steering Committee will strengthen cross-cutting work and gather inputs from all relevant working groups. This will be undertaken, among others, through strengthening the contributions of working groups to SAF policy statements, to Forum meetings as well as in the context of the EU public consultations and EU high-level policy meetings.

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Forum | WG Chair | City Vice-chair | City EUROCITIES person in charge

Social Affairs Forum (SAF) Maarten van Ooijen | Utrecht Baillie Annette Christie | Glasgow [email protected] (SAF overview) Assisted by: Assisted by: [email protected] (finances) Imara Antonius Joe Brady [email protected] (synergy to ExCom) WG Children Andy Lloyd | Leeds Franca Locati | Milan & [email protected] Denis Wiering| Rotterdam WG Education Maarten Jongenelen | Mario Bischof | Leipzig [email protected] Amsterdam

WG Employment Raquel Gil | Barcelona Shoresh Ibrahim & Rebecka Glaser | [email protected] Stockholm Jane Taylor| Bristol WG Homelessness Gordon Smith | Glasgow Dobrochna Janas| Poznan [email protected]

WG Housing Susanne Bauer | Vienna Javier Buron | Barcelona [email protected]

WG Migration & Niels Tubbing | Amsterdam Sandra Lundberg | Malmo [email protected] integration

WG Roma inclusion Gordon Smith | Glasgow Maaike Buyst | Ghent [email protected]

WG Smart social inclusion Kris Luijsterburg | Rotterdam Tomasz Pactwa| Warsaw [email protected]

WG Urban Ageing Tom van Benthem | Amsterdam Karin Gregori | Vienna [email protected]

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Our mutual learning programme for cities in partnership with DG EMPL

The work of SAF is supported through a multiannual framework partnership with DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), financed under the European Programme for Employment and Innovation (EaSI) for the period of 2018 to 2021. Through this operational grant (renewed annually), Eurocities receives resources to bring cities’ voice into the EU social agenda, promote EU social policies at local level, collect evidence on new social trends in cities and build capacity of Eurocities and its members to engage in the EU policy making. Specifically, in 2021, this grant will support SAF members to get more involved in the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Thanks to the operational grant through the partnership with DG EMPL, SAF has the capacity and resources to develop and implement a mutual learning programme involving members. Our mutual learning programme features three main methodologies leading to the implementation of innovative policies and policy change in cities:

• social innovation through co-creation during the sessions at the Social Innovation Lab • policy transfer - policy learning from a (pre-identified) good practice of the host city (frontrunner), to identify lessons to learn and elements that can be transferred to other cities, on the basis of which ‘transfer cities’ develop follow-up actions. Host city received feedback on what to improve. • critical friend reviews, which are a type of peer reviews with a focus on giving feedback in a friendly, positive and constructive way to the host city in relation to the policy/project in focus. Our activities are designed to build the capacity, motivate and inspire city policy makers to improve their social policies by learning, transferring and providing feedback to each other’s policies. The mutual learning methodologies are carefully designed to encourage cities’ participation and involvement, as well as to produce an impact. We aim to identify and support the transfer of innovative policies and solutions to complex social challenges in cities. The ideas that emerge during the activities are captured and translated into actions or tools. We work with our members to help them develop policy transfer action plans, define specific goals, strategic actors, follow-up initiatives and feedback loops. We produce policy guidelines to disseminate and share cities’ knowledge to encourage the transfer of good practices and innovative approaches. In 2021, Eurocities will apply to the new call that will be launched by the European Commission for the next multiannual framework partnership for the period 2022 to 2025. If successful, we will get the chance to submit proposal for the annual EaSi operational grant to support our SAF activities. 5. SAF workplan for 2021

Our SAF workplan for 2021 is developed to make progress towards the long-term vision and strategic framework of Eurocities for 2020-2029, to deliver results in line with the SAF priorities for 2021-2022 and to contribute to the work programme of our strategic partnership with the European Commission. In doing so, we aim to build on the good work and achievements in SAF from the period 2019-2020 and seek to graph the new opportunities in policy and funding available for cities at EU level in the field of social affairs. We will engage SAF members in developing and implementing all our activities.

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What we aim to achieve in SAF in 2021 and beyond:

• Continued momentum on the political campaign Inclusive cities for all (EPSR) to have cities recognised at the EU Social Summit and in the European Pillar of Social Rights action plan; • Improved cities’ access to funding such as ESF+, AMIF as well as REACT-EU and RRF; • Better EU and city policies, through nine policy learning activities, to tackle urban poverty, unemployment and covid19 health and social crisis, as well as to implement EU Child Guarantee, increase the stock of affordable housing, better inclusion of young people, migrants, homeless and Roma people; • Increased capacity of cities to implement cross-cutting policies for a just transition to green and digital economy at local level • Co-created solutions to complex social problems through our Social innovation Lab and mutual learning activities; Actions for 2021

Below is outlined the plan of how SAF will work to achieve its strategic priorities in 2021. Each thematic priority is detailed in some concrete actions to be delivered by the Forum and/or the working groups. The annual work plans of the SAF working groups will complement this strategic plan. Given the cross- cutting nature of the challenges identified and the priorities set for SAF, we prioritise a focus on transversal work through joint actions between several working groups. Wherever possible, we will also involve another forum(s) of Eurocities as relevant. The asset of the SAF is connecting cities to exchange know-how, share learning and transfer innovative practices among experts from cities as well as to engage city politicians in policy positions to influence and shape the cities’ and EU social agenda. Therefore, it is important that all actions of the SAF strategy will involve one or more of the following activities: • Policy work, advocacy and/or lobbying at EU level • Mutual learning and policy transfer between cities • Capacity building to improve access to EU funding to support development of city (joint) projects • Policy development based on evidence, trends, challenges and good practices from cities • Social innovation and sharing of innovative policies, projects and/or practices

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SAF priority 1: Build Back Fairer Together

What we will achieve by end 2021 How we will achieve it How we will measure progress Lead

Strengthened cities’ capacity to develop • Organise a Social Affairs Forum with the • 1 high-level political debate SAF chair/SAF innovative solutions to mitigate the social format of Social Innovation Lab in Berlin in • 1 roundtable of city deputy mayors steering impacts of the COVID-19 crisis November 2021 • 5 co-learning & 5 co-creation workshops committee/SAF around social innovations in cities host city A strong focus on the role of cities in the • Organise a high-level event (‘Cities Social • Participation of over 100 policy makers SAF chair / SAF social recovery, the new EU social agenda, Summit’) back-to-back with EU Social from local level (city mayors, deputy steering committee and especially the European Pillar of Social Summit in Porto in May mayors, city directors of social services) Rights action plan • Formulate a political message from cities • Clear recognition of cities role in to the EU Social Summit based implementing EPSR in the EU Social on Eurocities social Europe statement Summit programme • Collect more EPSR city pledges • Number of city pledges in EPSR campaign

Improved access for cities to EU funding • Organise a capacity building workshop to • Number of cities participating SAF chair / (especially ESF+ and AMIF) map and monitor the programming and • Number of cities collaborating with ESF+ Eurocities SAF team implementation of ESF+, AMIF and REACT- managing authorities EU and how cities are involved Improved know-how among cities • Collect evidence from cities to identify • Number of cities sharing / learning from Eurocities SAF & of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the (new) trends in social challenges and policy good practices to tackle the digital divide KSF team policy developments in cities on access to developments on access to essential • Number of EU-level references to our essential services, including the new trends services (EPSR principle 20) findings and city examples in digitalising social services • Exchange good practices between SAF and • KSF on innovative solutions to address the digital divide and foster e-inclusion • Create a repository of good practices Improved pandemic preparedness in • City dialogue on vaccination strategies • Number of cities mainstreaming WG Urban cities through knowledge exchange and • Mapping cities’ needs and good practices health preparedness in key decision- Ageing/Eurocities capacity building on public health in community healthcare provision making processes SAF team messaging, health, prevention and health • Build on cooperation with WHO to • Number of cities attending dialogue services adaptation strengthen urban health preparedness

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Reinforced cities’ capacity to support • Policy transfer WG meeting on fighting • Number of cities attending the meeting WG Employment employment through skills youth unemployment through up-skilling • Number of follow-up actions from cities development and youth support • Capacity building to develop local schemes of Youth Guarantee Increased cities • Policy transfer on local strategies, back-to- • Number of speaking opportunities for WG Smart Social capacity to improve inclusive labour back with the EU social economy summit cities during the Social Economy Summit Inclusion markets through social economy and better • Capacity building of cities to implement • Number of cities involved in the mutual use data for improving social services the EU Action plan for social economy learning • Develop collaboration with ESPON and • New collaboration set with ESPON other stakeholders to pull resources on the use of data for improving social services

SAF priority 2: A Home for Everyone

What we will achieve by end 2021 How we will achieve it How we will measure progress Lead

Increased capacity for affordable and • Produce a policy briefing for cities • Number of cities benefitting from the WG Housing energy efficient housing at local level to engage with and benefit from the housing initiative ‘Affordable Housing Initiative’ under • Exchange good practices with Environment Renovation Wave Forum and Covenant of Mayors Influence and provide input from • Participate in the new EU initiative to • Number of members attending the national WG cities in the EU policy fight homelessness, including by roundtables Homelessness development to fight housing facilitating members’ involvement in the • Reflection of Eurocities’ proposals in the exclusion and homelessness national roundtables and the EU-level EU-level policy recommendations conference on 21 June, and contribute • Reference to Eurocities members’ good to the EU toolkit and recommendations practices in the EU toolkit

Reinforced cities’ capacities to prevent • Organise a mutual learning policy • Number of members attending WG and reduce homelessness transfer from a city with an inspiring • Number of members taking follow-up Homelessness model to fight homelessness actions based on the lessons learned • One case study report on the host city’s model and the key lessons learned

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SAF priority 3: Welcoming everyone in our cities

What we will achieve by end 2021 How we will achieve it How we will measure progress Lead

Improved social inclusion and equal opportunities • Organise a mutual learning WG • Number of participants in the events WG Migration & of migrant and refugee children locally meeting and a workshop • Feedback from members on support Integration with members to build capacity gained in capacity building Increased cities’ capacity for Roma inclusion • Organise a mutual learning WG • Number of members attending WG Roma inclusion meeting on combatting school • Number of members taking follow-up dropout among Roma youth actions based on the lessons learned • Organise a mutual learning WG • Number of cities consulted on National meeting on combatting Roma strategies homelessness among Roma • Capacity building for cities to shape National Roma strategies Increased cities’ capacity to fight child poverty Organise a mutual learning / policy • Number of members attending WG Children transfer WG meeting on local • Number of members taking follow-up strategies to fight child poverty actions based on the lessons learned

Better and shared knowledge in cities on • Exchange of good practices in • Number of cities sharing good WG Children and WG delivering high quality and inclusive early WG Children and WG practices on how to increase places in Education childhood education and care Education based on the findings childcare, improve quality and foster from Eurocities’ report social inclusion on tackling child poverty in cities

Reinforced capacity in cities for integration • Organise a mutual learning on • Number of members participating WG Urban Ageing & WG of health and social care services improving access to social • Number of cities taking follow-up Barrier Free Cities services by integrating health actions based on lessons learned and social care services in cities • Producing a case study report with key lessons from the mutual learning

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Calendar of SAF meetings and events in 2021

TOPIC PLACE ACTIVITY DETAILS DATE

Webinar for Online Webinar for Eurocities politicians on a private Webinar for Eurocities politicians and their advisors to better understand 10 March at Eurocities fund for investing in social infrastructure private investment opportunities for social infrastructure in cities. 15.30 – 17.00 politicians CET Workshop for Online Webinar on ESF+ Capacity building for members on access to ESF+ and work with managing 23 March at SAF authorities. Updates from the European Commission on ESF+ resolution 10.00 – 12.00 and programming in member states. Sharing ESF good practices from cities CET from 2014-2020 to inspire members to feed ideas to managing authorities. Workshop SAF Online Workshop with EIB on social infrastructure Capacity building workshop on blending and further funding possibilities for Mid-April 2021 & EDF investments in cities cities, such as through support from EIB and technical assistance. Joint workshop with EDF WG long-term investments Eurocities Porto Cities Social Summit ahead of the EU Social High-level political meeting of mayors (ExCom invited) and deputy mayors 6 May 2021 Social Affairs (digital) Summit in Porto from SAF cities to discuss with EU leaders the role of cities in the new EU political social agenda/EPSR action plan and post-covid social recovery. A strong meeting focus will be boosting social investments in the national recovery plans. Eurocities Berlin Annual Eurocities Social Affairs Forum: ‘Cities for The Forum will be organised as a Social Innovation Lab to share, learn and 15-17 Social Affairs (onsite or inclusive recovery: How can cities use social co-create innovative solutions to support inclusive labour markets, using November Forum 2021 digital innovation to ensure fair, green and digital jobs?’ the new opportunities for fair, green and digital jobs, and tackling poverty 2021 tbc) and inequalities, to support an inclusive post-covid recovery in cities. WG Children Online High-level political event: ‘Growing up and out of Political dialogue between city deputy mayors and MEPs and Commission 18 February, and Young poverty: Lessons from cities for the EU Child representatives to discuss the findings from our Eurocities report on child 10:00-12:00 people Guarantee’ poverty in cities and advocate for a strong role of cities in the EU Child Guarantee and channelling of resources to local level. More details here Online Workshop on data for evidence-based policy- Mutual learning based on exchange of know-how from cities on data Mid-April 2021 making on reducing child poverty in cities: modelling and evidence-based policy-making on child poverty. Rotterdam (half-day Learning from Rotterdam’s example will present its model for prevention and early intervention, followed by session) discussion and interactive exchange on examples from other cities.

TOPIC PLACE ACTIVITY DETAILS DATE

Onsite or Mutual learning on city strategies to reduce child Two-day mutual learning from ‘Thriving’ child poverty strategy of Leeds. We Sep (tbc) hybrid poverty: Learning from Leeds will identify what works well and why, what could be improved, and what (tbc) could be transferred to other cities. A workshop will be held on measures to promote the well-being of children in times of covid-19 crisis. WG Migration Online WG business meeting: exchange updates Members of the working group will exchange updates on city responses to 25 February and Integration mitigate the impact of covid-19 crisis on migrants and refugees and how to ensure support for this target group as part of local recovery plans.

WG Migration Online City dialogue on strengthening positive Members will discuss and exchange updates on their local situation and Spring (tbc) and Integration narratives on migration and social cohesion their good practices on how to create a positive narrative about the contribution of migrants to local community. Part of the discussion will be how to follow-up and reinforce the Solidarity City Initiative. WG Migration Online Joint mutual learning with WG Children on city Two-day mutual learning online with focus on cities’ good practices on October (tbc) and Integration policies for inclusion of children away from integration and inclusion of children in migration (host city to be confirmed) & WG Children families, with a focus on children in migration will identify key lessons and elements that could be transferred to other cities. Members will offer feedback to the host city. Workshop on community-based solutions for children away from family. WG Migration Online WG mutual learning with WG Housing and WG Focus on labour market integration of migrants and refugees, emphasis on Nov – Dec (tbc) and Integration Employment gender dimension. In cooperation with WG Employment and focus on In cooperation with the Environment Forum opportunities within the new Renovation Wave, hence cooperation with WG Housing. As lead on the file, Environment Forum will be invited. WG Education Online City dialogue (World Café format) on digital Exchange of experiences and good practices among cities in tackling digital Spring (tbc) transition in education and digital inclusion via divide in education with particular focus on vulnerable urban settings. education in the context of COVID-19 pandemic In cooperation with WG Employment and KSF digital citizenship taskforce. Onsite Critical friend review Topic: catalysing inclusive education for the twin transition (tbc) Autumn 2021 WG Roma Online Critical friend review on fighting school dropout Capacity building of cities on fighting and preventing school dropout of Q1 – Q2 inclusion and acquiring skills for Roma children and youth Roma children. Members will be sharing their expertise and contributing to In cooperation with WG Education drafting policy measures and actions that could be implemented in Turin. 22

TOPIC PLACE ACTIVITY DETAILS DATE

Online Workshop on strengthening cities’ role in the Capacity building and training for members to learn from one another how Q2 – Q3 National Roma Inclusion Strategies to monitor, influence and get engaged in the process of policy making of the national frameworks for Roma inclusion to ensure urban dimension. Online / Mutual learning on city policies to tackle This joint mutual learning will promote links between the different services September onsite/ homelessness among migrants and mobile EU in charge of migrant integration, support to homeless and Roma inclusion, (tbc) hybrid? citizens and encourage a more integrated approach at the level of the city. A specific Joint mutual learning with WG Homelessness focus will be on children and youth and their specific needs. A workshop will and WG Migration & Integration be held on EU funding opportunities for cities (ESF+, AMIF, REACT-EU etc.) WG Online Eurocities high-level event on the role of cities in Mutual learning to share innovative approaches from cities to expand the 21 April (tbc) Homelessness fighting homelessness: lessons learned and the stock of housing for vulnerable people and other sustainable solutions way forward stemming from emergency actions to fight homelessness in covid crisis. Advocacy session with EU policy makers on the role of cities in national strategies to fight homelessness, to feed inputs into the EU convention. Online Webinar/city dialogue on the impact of the Discussion on innovative funding schemes which could be used to counter Q1 – Q2 pandemic on homeless people and cities’ the potential risk of reduced budgets in cities and limitations on longer term mitigating measures with innovative funding investment. Cities which are experimenting with innovative funding schemes (with EIB, social impact bonds etc.) could be invited to present. WG Housing Online WG business meeting to exchange on post-covid Exchange of updates and good practices in post-covid local recovery for May 2021 recovery and affordable housing affordable housing Online WG meeting on role of cities in Renovation Capacity building of cities to tap into the new opportunities for renovation Q2 Wave: workshop on Affordable Housing Initiative under the EU Green Deal, especially under the Renovation Wave initiative calls for cities and specifically to apply for the calls to be launched under the Affordable In cooperation with Environment Forum Housing initiative led by DG GROW. Energy poverty, Bauhaus initiative. Online WG meeting with workshop on social Capacity building for cities to invest in social and affordable housing. Focus Q3 infrastructure investments and support from EIB on support available from EIB. Jointly with EDF WG Long-term investments Jointly with EDF WG Long-term investments

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TOPIC PLACE ACTIVITY DETAILS DATE

WG Online Lunch break talk: Build back fairer together: Talk Exchange of ideas, know-how and good practices among cities with a focus 16 March Employment on working conditions for platform economy on fair working conditions for everyone, especially for people working in @12.00 – 13.30 Environment Forum will also be invited platform economy. The inputs collected will feed into Eurocities policy work to contribute to the upcoming EU legislative initiative to improving the working conditions of platform workers. Online Lunch break talk: Build back fairer together: Talk Exchange of ideas, know-how and good practices among cities with a focus 20 April on minimum wages/income minimum wages and minimum income. Questions to discuss: what are the @12.00 – 13.30 WG Migration and EDF will also be invited opportunities and challenges in implementing minim wages schemes?

Online Lunch break talk: Build back fairer together: Exchange of ideas, know-how and good practices among cities in direct 8 June @12.00 Developing adult education to meet the needs of dialogue with OECD on how to develop and improve adult education to – 13.30 people with low educational background that are meet the new needs arising from covid-19 crisis. unemployed due to COVID-19. WG Education will be invited to join Onsite? Policy transfer on skills and career pathways for Policy transfer on skilling and upskilling young people through local youth First week of young people: Focus on Youth Guarantee employment schemes (Youth Guarantee). Mutual learning activity for cities October 2021 skilling and upskilling young people through to peer review, transfer policies and replicate good practices and innovative @10.00 – 15.00 localising Youth Guarantee: Learn from Vienna approaches on fighting youth unemployment with a focus on gender dimension and the most vulnerable youth (NEETs, LTU, migrants and model digitally excluded people). We will also explore the skills development for green and digital jobs. WG Smart Online Policy transfer on local strategies to support Back-to-back with EU Social Economy summit in Mannheim in May, we will 24-25 May Social Inclusion inclusive labour markets through social economy organise a policy transfer event with advocacy session on role of cities in @10.00 - 13.00 jointly with WG Employment supporting inclusive labour markets through social economy, with a focus on innovative approaches with social outcome contracting. Target group in

focus are the long-term unemployed and (new) vulnerable groups from covid-19 crisis.

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TOPIC PLACE ACTIVITY DETAILS DATE

Online WG meeting on cities’ experiences with social Capacity building activity for cities to support the delivery of social services Q1-Q2 WG Smart impact investments and social outcome though social outcome contracting and foster social impact investments at Social Inclusion contracting local level Jointly with EDF, also on social economy report Online / WG meeting to exchange good practices on role Exchange of good practices on gathering and using data in making social Autumn 2021 WG Smart Hybrid? of data to improve social services services more effective. Joint meeting with KSF on the use of data in social Social Inclusion Joint meeting with KSF services, focusing on concrete emerging challenges at local level, using disruptive technologies for social change, digital twins/social queries. Online City dialogue on loneliness and accessibility in Exchange of good practices among cities on how to promote mental health 25 March times of covid-19: Learning from Pau and well-being of the elderly in times of covid-19 crisis, with a specific focus @10.30 – 12.00 on tackling loneliness. Pau will present the city’s approach to fight WG Urban In cooperation with WG Barrier Free Cities loneliness and will discuss its lessons learned and challenges. Ageing Part of the dialogue will be dedicated to learning about Access City Award from previous city winners – what it is, how to apply and why. Online WG meeting on the role of cities in the EU debate Members will discuss and exchange good practices on healthy ageing in 30 March on ageing and the Silver Deal view of shaping the Eurocities contribution to the public consultation on @14.00 – 16.00 Green Paper on Ageing. Synergies between Silver Deal and EU Green Deal will be explored and discussed. Online Critical friend review on improving access to social Mutual learning activity for cities to peer review, transfer policies and September – services by integrating health and social care replicate good practices and innovative approaches for integrating health October (tbc) services: Focus on Riga and social care services, with a focus on long-term home-care services. EUROCITIES Onsite General Eurocities Annual Conference Annual gathering of mayors of the Eurocities members 3-5 November ANNUAL (tentative) CONFERENCE - LEIPZIG

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