EUROCITIES Social Affairs Forum Key messages from workshops Gothenburg 25-26 October 2017

1. EUROCITIES Social Affairs Forum Key messages from workshops Gothenburg 25-26 October 2017 @EUROCITIEStweet #SAFcities #SocialEurope #SocialRights #SocialPillar

2. Key messages from workshops • W1 - Equal access to quality and inclusive education Rapporteur: Marie Svensson and Matthias Marschall • W2 - Active support to employment Rapporteur: Andreas Schönström • W3 - Equal access to work-life balance provisions Rapporteur: Ricarda Götz • W4 - Access to housing assistance Rapporteur: Susanne Bauer • W5 – Equal access to essential services Rapporteur: Ragnhild Ekelund @EUROCITIEStweet #SAFcities #SocialEurope #SocialRights #SocialPillar

3. Cities are the best places to reach out to the people who need education and up-skilling (using special programmes) • Importance of an early, long term vision and investments in education • Cities can contribute to an efficient, transparent monitoring and evaluation to better respond to needs • Need for holistic, integrated and inclusive approach to tackle inequalities W1 - Equal access to quality and inclusive education @EUROCITIEStweet #SAFcities #SocialEurope #SocialRights #SocialPillar

4. W2 –Active support to employment Cities proposals for improved active support to employment:  • EU, national governments, Public Employment Services and cities need to cooperate together and share responsibilities • Tailorised and innovative services are needed.  • Coordinating employment and social services plus education and training is key. • Life long learning, VET and adult education for improving employability • Cooperation with private sector and companies (in job training, skills mapping, jobs opportunities) @EUROCITIEStweet #SAFcities #SocialEurope #SocialRights #SocialPillar

5. W3 - Equal access to work-life balance provisions • Cities acknowledge the need for affordable and diverse childcare services, especially before enrolling in formal education, during education and in summer holidays • Cities need increased funding for care services and training for a more diverse work force • Cities call for an improvement in the cooperation between local and national authorities for the strategic development and funding of care services • Cities recognise the need for legislation regarding work-life balance @EUROCITIEStweet #SAFcities #SocialEurope #SocialRights #SocialPillar

6. Cities recognise growing pressure on social services and social/affordable housing providers in light of post-crisis legacy • Cities acknowledge housing assistance is needed not only for the most vulnerable persons (e.g. homeless, disable persons) but also for low income groups • Cities aspire to cooperate better with social services providers and public housing companies as they safeguard access to essential services and housing supply at local level • Cities call for decision-makers to consider housing spending as an investment in European economic frameworks (Stability and Growth Pact); and to remove definition of social housing from the State Aid package • Cities demand greater political support for construction of affordable housing and the ideas of social mix W4 - Access to housing assistance @EUROCITIEStweet #SAFcities #SocialEurope #SocialRights #SocialPillar

7. Cities need to work in partnership with NGOs and businesses to provide essential services for all • Cities should adopt a family approach to provide essential services in line with the needs of both children and parents • Target groups should be empowered to work with the city, not only work for the city • All people should have access to essential services and this should be high on the political agenda of all cities and countries • Social workers as well as city politicians should be empowered to better reach out to target groups W5 – Equal access to essential services @EUROCITIEStweet #SAFcities #SocialEurope #SocialRights #SocialPillar