HISTORY OF LOCIN

In 1996 the ‘Database on Local Initiatives to Combat Social Exclusion’ (LOCIN) was launched by the European Commission, Research Directorate General. This database contains over 700 local initiatives, which are examples of good practice and innovation in the fight against social exclusion. The 15 EU-member states participated in this project. The database can be consulted on http://locin.jrc.it/en/.
In 2003 a new consortium under the coordination of European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) developed this Internet platform further, now mobilising the actors themselves, mainly the NGO and research sectors. This resulted in a new website-project, called ‘LOCIN+’. All the initiatives in the so called ‘old database’ are reviewed in 2004 by the new consortium. Those initiatives that changed their way of working since 1996 had the possibility to be included in the ‘new database’, by filling in the new online-questionnaire.

LOCIN: EUROPEAN RESOURCE CENTER ON LOCAL INITIATIVES IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION

LOCIN is a European Resource Center on Local Initiatives in the struggle against poverty and social exclusion through an internet-platform, coordinated by the European Anti-poverty Network (EAPN) and supported by the European Commission (EC). Six National Networks of EAPN (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy and the UK), working with researchers based in universities or research centres, are the project-partners.
The tool to support this project is a feely accessible and multi-lingual website. The heart of this site is the database with qualitative information about 160 local initiatives in the fight against poverty and social exclusion which are examples of good practice and innovation.
Through this internet-platform LOCIN supplies useful information for evaluation and comparative analysis to improve knowledge about local anti-poverty initiatives. LOCIN facilitates the exchange of knowledge and experience and the dissemination of results between a wide range of actors at European, national and local level. LOCIN fosters the identification of key elements in the success and sustainability of local initiatives to combat poverty and exclusion and encourages the start-up of local initiatives.
In this way LOCIN is linked with the EU Strategy on social inclusion which mobilizes all relevant bodies and includes a strong element of mutual learning and peer review between the EU member states.

PARTNERS

European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) (coordination)
Higher Institute for Labour Studies (HIVA – University of Louvain) (Belgium – coordination)
Die Armutsconferenz, Oesterreichische Netzwerks gegen Armut und Sociale Ausgrenzung (Austria)
Belgisch Netwerk Verenigingen waarin armen het woord nemen (Belgium)
Finnish Federation for Social Welfare and Health (Finland)
Arbeiderwohlfahrt Bundesverband (Germany)
Institut für Socialarbeit und Socialpädagogik (ISS) (Germany)
Collegamento Italiano di Lotta a la Poverta (CILAP) (Italy)
Centro Studi Erasmo (Italy)
European Anti-Poverty Network UK – NIAPN (UK)
Lifelong Learning Research Center – University Ulster (UK)

EU SOCIAL INCLUSION STRATEGY

The European Council of Lisbon in March 2000 recognised that the extent of poverty and social exclusion within the EU was unacceptable. Building a more inclusive European Union was thus considered as an essential element in achieving the Union’s ten-year strategic goal of sustained economic growth, more and better jobs, and greater social cohesion. The Lisbon Council agreed to adopt an Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in order to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion by 2010. In 2005, there will be a ‘mid term review’ of the Social Inclusion Strategy.

The key elements in the Open Method of Coordination are:

a) Common Objectives: Common objectives in the fight against poverty and social exclusion were agreed at the Nice Summit in December 2000. The common objectives agreed around which the member states were asked to develop their national action plans fall under the following four headings:
a. To facilitate participation in employment and access by all to resources, rights, goods and services.
b. To prevent the risk of exclusion.
c. To help the most vulnerable.
d. To mobilize all relevant bodies.

b) National Action Plans against poverty and social exclusion (NAPs/incl): Since 2001 all members States (and since 2004 also 10 new member states) draw up their National Action Plans against poverty and social exclusion (NAPs/incl) in response to the common objectives outlined above. In these plans, each Member State presents its priorities and efforts for the coming 2 years in promoting social inclusion and combating poverty and social exclusion.

c) Joint Reports on Social Inclusion: The European Commission carried out an assessment of the National Action Plans (NAPs/incl) submitted by the member states, which resulted in the Joint Inclusion Report (December 2003). It is the first time that the European Union endorses a policy document on poverty and social exclusion.

d) Common Indicators: 18 ‘social inclusion’ indicators were agreed at the Laeken summit. These indicators provide a means to monitor progress towards the goal of making a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty by 2010, to improve the understanding of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union context and to identify and exchange good practice.

e) Community Action Programme: In the context of the open method of coordination, the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament adopted a programme called the Social Exclusion Programme (SEP), which came into effect in January 2002. This programme provides 75 million euro over the next five years and is meant to support cooperation that enables the Community and the Member States to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of policies to combat social exclusion.

For further reading: www.eapn.org