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The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
Sântana has only 11,000 residents, yet several municipal buildings will get connected to a renewable geothermal reservoir deep underground
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The idea dates back even to Antiquity, but how feasible is it?
The cultural and victim remembrance facility will be located in Rome
Many municipalities instituted privileges for EVs to promote sustainable mobility. Now, a lot more people are driving electric, so maybe it’s time to normalise legislation
The city wants new approaches to developing the urban environment and is willing to fund the best solutions
Around 75% of German CO2 emissions come from the private sector, yet less than 1% of businesses are considered fully sustainable
The city has a strategy of putting 10,000 human-controlled and autonomous shuttles on the streets by 2030
Last week, the Chinese app was banned for Belgian federal employees for an initial period of six months
Sântana has only 11,000 residents, yet several municipal buildings will get connected to a renewable geothermal reservoir deep underground
Some of the most productive solar installations in the city are on listed buildings, such as Red City Hall
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
It will open its doors in 2024 and offer cremations and burials
The building will be on the site of Plato’s Ancient Academy
The city has arranged four tailor-made programmes for the different residences as a way to reconnect with patients’ life and memories
The city has supported 65 initiatives in 9 districts away from its centre as a way to draw crowds to more unique experiences
The city has developed its own way to teach young people how to react when they witness unjust treatments
The city will supply and maintain 138 dispensers in public buildings
The city has arranged four tailor-made programmes for the different residences as a way to reconnect with patients’ life and memories
Find out which European region has the highest longevity, and which one the lowest
An interview with the President of the City of Athens Reception & Solidarity Centre
What can European cities do to help vulnerable citizens (such as homeless people) regain control of their lives? President of the City of Athens Reception & Solidarity Centre (K.Y.A.D.A.) Melina Daskalaki spoke to TheMayor.EU to reveal what the Greek capital is doing to support those facing homelessness and poverty.
The City of Athens Reception & Solidarity Centre (K.Y.A.D.A.) is a local authority organization providing help to people facing homelessness and poverty. It started its operation in November 2005 and until now it has a significant role in the social policy sector. Its mission is to address the problems of the vulnerable populations who are affected by poverty and experience exclusion and social isolation.
K.Y.A.D.A. provides a range of services, supporting approximately 26,000 vulnerable citizens per month. Briefly, it offers practical support to the city’s vulnerable groups (provision of food, housing, clothing, and health services). More specifically, we run a Feeding Center which offers about 5,000 food packages per month, a Social Pharmacy, a Social Grocery, a Social Laundry, a Social Hair Salon, the Citizens' Mutual Aid Hub, the "Athenian Market" (free supply of clothes, shoes) and a Social Book and Stationery Store.
Two years ago, just after the outbreak of the pandemic, we created a 24/7 homeless shelter, the “Multipurpose Homeless Centre”, which is located in the heart of Athens. It consists of a Dormitory, a Day Center and a Hostel and it provides a wide range of services for people in need. In order to cover more needs, we have also created a social doctor’s office and a social dentist’s office.
Social laundry (Source: K.Y.A.D.A)
Based on the data collected by our social services, the number of homeless citizens has decreased since 2020. Undoubtedly, fewer people are sleeping in the street due to the creation of the Multipurpose Homeless Centre which provides accommodation facilities. For the time being, 223 people are hosted in our homeless shelter and about 100 people are hosted in a new shelter named “My Athens”, created for drug users.
At the same time, the needs are continuous, thus, the City of Athens via K.Y.A.D.A. decided to encourage street work teams in order to ensure that the homeless have access to all services. Our mission is to promote their social reintegration and their transition to an independent life.
Multipurpose Homeless Centre (Source: K.Y.A.D.A)
K.Y.A.D.A.’s social service and street work teams are our main tools against homelessness. Our teams, consisting of social workers, psychologists, and a psychiatrist, map the city’s homeless, record their needs, build relationships of trust with them and promote the transition to our homeless shelter.
They operate in the city’s streets, and they provide practical assistance to vulnerable people, such as food, clothing and blankets. In order to better support homeless people, they perform on-site interventions six times a day, both morning and night.
Our goal is to convince the homeless to visit our shelter, where they can find accommodation, food supply, psychological support and medical care. Moreover, we are working in partnership with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, which is running a Housing program that is covering the rent for two years and the salary for one year for vulnerable fellow citizens. The overall purpose is the social reintegration of vulnerable citizens.
After Russia’s invasion, the Greek Government reacted rapidly and welcomed displaced persons from Ukraine. The Ministry of Migration and Asylum has created a digital platform where Ukraine citizens can apply for temporary protection, accommodation and education access for their children.
K.Y.A.D.A.’s Social Service supports Ukraine citizens mainly by connecting them with the government facilities.
K.Y.A.D.A's team helping homeless individuals (Source: K.Y.A.D.A)
At the moment, the biggest project of K.Y.A.D.A. is street work. We increased our team members in order to cover most of the homeless people’s primary needs and to connect them with all the services of the Municipality.
Our aim is that no one feels alone in our city. As mentioned above, our teams are able to communicate with homeless people and create strong bonds with them. Their mission is to support them until they are ready for the next step in life. On top of that, the project will be supported by specific software, which will help team members to work effectively under one platform.
While the new health policy will fund the morning-after pill and various progesterone treatments, it will not cover condoms
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
City officials found that simple messages about respecting residents’ sleep were most effective if coupled with the right presentation
The city has a strategy of putting 10,000 human-controlled and autonomous shuttles on the streets by 2030
Last week, the Chinese app was banned for Belgian federal employees for an initial period of six months
The city has learned a lot from an ongoing project for a solar roof on the Altonaer Museum
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
The city has learned a lot from an ongoing project for a solar roof on the Altonaer Museum
While the new health policy will fund the morning-after pill and various progesterone treatments, it will not cover condoms
City officials found that simple messages about respecting residents’ sleep were most effective if coupled with the right presentation
The new itineraries are part of the DiscoverEU programme, which lets 18-year-olds travel by train between important European sites
The European Commission has published its first progress report charting the achievements of the socio-cultural movement that combines beauty, inclusion and sustainability
The 2023 edition of the creative initiative promises to be bigger, bolder and more inclusive
A talk with the head of Mission Zero Academy on the benefits for municipalities if they go the zero waste way
A talk with Nicolae Urs, one of the key figures behind the city's new data platforms and online services strategy
Veni Markovski’s take on dealing with disinformation in the European Union's poorest country – Bulgaria
