Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IN-HABIT (INclusive Health And wellBeing In small and medium size ciTies)
Période du rapport: 2022-03-01 au 2023-11-30
The IN-HABIT project addresses the complex impact of urbanisation on health and well-being, acknowledging the positive economic and social aspects while highlighting the challenges related to segregation and disparities in urban settings. With the rise in urban residents drawn by work opportunities, better services, and cultural diversity, the project aims to investigate strategies to ensure inclusivity and equity in the access to health and well-being in urban environments.
Focusing on four European cities—Cordoba (Spain), Lucca (Italy), Riga (Latvia), and Nitra (Slovakia)—IN-HABIT investigates ways to boost inclusive health and well-being through the co-design and co-implementation of innovative actions, the so-called visionary and integrated solutions. These actions aim to leverage undervalued resources such as culture, art, food, human-pet relationships, and re-naturalization to enhance health and wellbeing. The project targets peripheral small and medium-sized cities facing social challenges, including migrant flows, economic crises, resource and skill shortages, social conflicts, and limited access to services.
IN-HABIT employs an inclusive, gender, and diversity approach in testing innovative solutions in vulnerable neighbourhoods and collectives. Local stakeholders actively participate in the co-design, co-deployment, and co-management of these solutions. Each city establishes an IN-HUB, a Private-Public-People-Partnership, serving as a platform for collaboration among institutions, associations, companies, citizens, and other entities interested in participating in or being connected to the project.
The project has specific focuses in each city:
- Cordoba explores the role of culture and heritage, particularly represented by patios (inner courtyards), as ecological and social cells in the city and aims to create an intangible corridor between the humble patios of Las Palmeras, a vulnerable neighbourhood and the UNESCO awarded patios of Axarquia, the historical city centre.
- Riga analyses the transformation of the Āgenskalns market into a multifunctional food hub to contribute to the health and well-being of the population.
- Lucca aims to create the first Human-animal (Hum-an) smart city in Europe, focusing on innovative habits and inclusive hum-an public green spaces.
- Nitra seeks to improve healthy lifestyles, social inclusion of migrants, social cohesion, and relational well-being in the Dražovce neighbourhood by creating a Reversible Multifunctional Open-source Urban Landscape.
Focusing on four European cities—Cordoba (Spain), Lucca (Italy), Riga (Latvia), and Nitra (Slovakia)—IN-HABIT investigates ways to boost inclusive health and well-being through the co-design and co-implementation of innovative actions, the so-called visionary and integrated solutions. These actions aim to leverage undervalued resources such as culture, art, food, human-pet relationships, and re-naturalization to enhance health and wellbeing. The project targets peripheral small and medium-sized cities facing social challenges, including migrant flows, economic crises, resource and skill shortages, social conflicts, and limited access to services.
IN-HABIT employs an inclusive, gender, and diversity approach in testing innovative solutions in vulnerable neighbourhoods and collectives. Local stakeholders actively participate in the co-design, co-deployment, and co-management of these solutions. Each city establishes an IN-HUB, a Private-Public-People-Partnership, serving as a platform for collaboration among institutions, associations, companies, citizens, and other entities interested in participating in or being connected to the project.
The project has specific focuses in each city:
- Cordoba explores the role of culture and heritage, particularly represented by patios (inner courtyards), as ecological and social cells in the city and aims to create an intangible corridor between the humble patios of Las Palmeras, a vulnerable neighbourhood and the UNESCO awarded patios of Axarquia, the historical city centre.
- Riga analyses the transformation of the Āgenskalns market into a multifunctional food hub to contribute to the health and well-being of the population.
- Lucca aims to create the first Human-animal (Hum-an) smart city in Europe, focusing on innovative habits and inclusive hum-an public green spaces.
- Nitra seeks to improve healthy lifestyles, social inclusion of migrants, social cohesion, and relational well-being in the Dražovce neighbourhood by creating a Reversible Multifunctional Open-source Urban Landscape.
IN-HABIT is actively revitalizing public spaces in each city with a holistic approach to improve the quality, accessibility, safety, inclusiveness, and overall sense of place. The project mobilizes undervalued resources to boost Inclusive Health and Wellbeing (IHW), integrating innovations across social, digital, cultural, technological, and nature-based dimensions.
In Córdoba, the central square of Las Palmeras has been revitalized and naturalized, accompanied by the creation of an artistic space. Additionally, a picnic area has been developed in a former landfill, and an urban orchard was established in a homeless shelter through a training activity in gardening. In Riga, the Āgenskalns market underwent renovation, a community stage was co-designed, and a community garden was established. Lucca witnessed the design of two Animal Lines in parks, and Animal Assisted Interventions were successfully implemented in nursing homes, enhancing the quality of life for the elderly. In Nitra, community gardens and picnic areas were created, and prototypes of multifunctional urban furniture elements were tested.
The project has explored diverse innovations to promote healthy behaviours and improve the socio-economic, relational, and psychological well-being of citizens, particularly in neighbourhoods facing challenges and undergoing rapid socioeconomic or demographic changes. Activities include healthy food initiatives, behavioural games, mindset change activities, and inclusive cultural events.
In each city, IN-HUBS, innovative public-private-people partnerships (PPPPs), have been established, focusing on specific topics to foster transition management approaches, social and institutional innovations, new governance and inclusive business models, and financial mechanisms based on polycentric governance of co-created common pool resources.
A gender, inclusion, and diversity urban planning framework is being developed, addressing the entire policy cycle from planning to implementation and evaluation. New impact indicators for inclusive health and wellbeing have been created, utilising an innovative impact assessment framework that considers economic, psychological, social, spatial and relational dimensions.
The project is also creating new business models to replicate, upscale, and disseminate visionary and integrated solutions for inclusive health and wellbeing deployed in each city.
In Córdoba, the central square of Las Palmeras has been revitalized and naturalized, accompanied by the creation of an artistic space. Additionally, a picnic area has been developed in a former landfill, and an urban orchard was established in a homeless shelter through a training activity in gardening. In Riga, the Āgenskalns market underwent renovation, a community stage was co-designed, and a community garden was established. Lucca witnessed the design of two Animal Lines in parks, and Animal Assisted Interventions were successfully implemented in nursing homes, enhancing the quality of life for the elderly. In Nitra, community gardens and picnic areas were created, and prototypes of multifunctional urban furniture elements were tested.
The project has explored diverse innovations to promote healthy behaviours and improve the socio-economic, relational, and psychological well-being of citizens, particularly in neighbourhoods facing challenges and undergoing rapid socioeconomic or demographic changes. Activities include healthy food initiatives, behavioural games, mindset change activities, and inclusive cultural events.
In each city, IN-HUBS, innovative public-private-people partnerships (PPPPs), have been established, focusing on specific topics to foster transition management approaches, social and institutional innovations, new governance and inclusive business models, and financial mechanisms based on polycentric governance of co-created common pool resources.
A gender, inclusion, and diversity urban planning framework is being developed, addressing the entire policy cycle from planning to implementation and evaluation. New impact indicators for inclusive health and wellbeing have been created, utilising an innovative impact assessment framework that considers economic, psychological, social, spatial and relational dimensions.
The project is also creating new business models to replicate, upscale, and disseminate visionary and integrated solutions for inclusive health and wellbeing deployed in each city.
INHABIT has successfully developed a comprehensive framework of indicators for Inclusive Health and Wellbeing (IHW), accompanied by methodologies for various key components such as baseline surveys, citizen engagement, gender equality actions, communication strategies, and training initiatives.
In each city involved, an Inclusive Transformation Plan has been meticulously crafted. These plans explore visionary and integrated solutions centered around local undervalued resources, such us culture, food, human-animal bonds, art, and the environment, with a focus on enhancing inclusive health and wellbeing. These plans encompass both 'hard' solutions, such as physical infrastructures and nature-based solutions, as well as 'soft' solutions rooted in social, cultural, and skills innovations. These solutions have been co-designed and co-implemented in collaboration with local stakeholders. The outcomes of these initiatives have been systematically investigated and reported through scientific and dissemination channels.
Pilot tests and empirical evidence regarding the dynamics of co-design, co-deployment, and co-management of these visionary solutions are available for dissemination and potential replication in other cities. Specific know-how and skills tailored to the role of culture, food, human-animal bonds, and art and environment in promoting inclusive health and wellbeing are being created and shared, with a focus on small and medium-sized cities.
Efforts are underway to promote behavioural changes in people's lifestyles in the pilot areas, targeting aspects such as healthy food consumption, active and interactive living, sports practice, reduced exposure to environmental stressors, reducing stigma and enhanced access to art and the environment. Various methods, including behavioural games adapted to understand cooperation drivers and barriers, are employed. An accompanying app has been developed to facilitate citizens' participation in behavioural games and to collect valuable data.
Specialised methodologies for mindset change, new governance models for Private-Public-People-Partnerships and incorporating gender, inclusion, and diversity lenses into urban planning are being tested
In each city involved, an Inclusive Transformation Plan has been meticulously crafted. These plans explore visionary and integrated solutions centered around local undervalued resources, such us culture, food, human-animal bonds, art, and the environment, with a focus on enhancing inclusive health and wellbeing. These plans encompass both 'hard' solutions, such as physical infrastructures and nature-based solutions, as well as 'soft' solutions rooted in social, cultural, and skills innovations. These solutions have been co-designed and co-implemented in collaboration with local stakeholders. The outcomes of these initiatives have been systematically investigated and reported through scientific and dissemination channels.
Pilot tests and empirical evidence regarding the dynamics of co-design, co-deployment, and co-management of these visionary solutions are available for dissemination and potential replication in other cities. Specific know-how and skills tailored to the role of culture, food, human-animal bonds, and art and environment in promoting inclusive health and wellbeing are being created and shared, with a focus on small and medium-sized cities.
Efforts are underway to promote behavioural changes in people's lifestyles in the pilot areas, targeting aspects such as healthy food consumption, active and interactive living, sports practice, reduced exposure to environmental stressors, reducing stigma and enhanced access to art and the environment. Various methods, including behavioural games adapted to understand cooperation drivers and barriers, are employed. An accompanying app has been developed to facilitate citizens' participation in behavioural games and to collect valuable data.
Specialised methodologies for mindset change, new governance models for Private-Public-People-Partnerships and incorporating gender, inclusion, and diversity lenses into urban planning are being tested