baltic region healthy cities association activities and networks

Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association –

activities and networks in the

Baltic Region

Karolina Mackiewicz

Prague, 25.02.2013

Agenda

1. Activities of Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association

2. Why volunteerism matters?

3. Volunteerism in municipalities – Finnish examples


WHO Collaborating Centre

for Healthy Cities and

Urban Health in the

Baltic Sea Region (since 2002)

MEMBERS of BRHCA:

- City of Turku,

- University of Turku,

- Åbo Akademi University,

- Turku School of Economics,

- Social Insurance Institution of

Finland.


GOALS OF THE ASSOCIATION:

• to support the cities in implementing WHO Healthy Cities goals and

motivate new cities into joining the networks;

• to build the capacity for health and well-being on a local level by

networking with appropriate institutions and organizations;

• to enhance the visibility of the Healthy Cities operations and

communication;

• to network with local, national and international

health and well-being experts to share best practices

and expertise.


• to network with local, national and international health and well-being

experts to share best practices and expertise

WHO Healthy Cities network (cities, National Networks,

sub-networks);

European Public Health Alliance (EPHA);

WHO European network for promotion of health-enhancing

physical activity (HEPA);

Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC);

Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social

Well-being;

TAFISA – The Association for International Sport for All

World Health Communication Associates (WHCA)

Healthy Cities in

Baltic Sea Region



HEPROGRESS : Reducing health related social and gender inequalities and

barriers to social and economic participation - Evidence based local policies.

Actions in: Østfold County (Norway) and Vidzeme Region ( Latvia)


The project Healthier People – Management of Change through Monitoring

and Action contributes to the reduction of premature mortality of preventable

causes in St Petersburg and in North-West Russia by supporting the institutional

capacity building and networking of key stakeholders in the field of health and social

protection.

The specific objectives of the project are:

1) To measure the number of Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL) in the pilot area;

2) To improve methods for the "management of change" locally and regionally;

3) To strengthen the understanding of the importance of "healthy choices" locally

and regionally.

Agenda




Healthy Cities principles and values (Zagreb Declaration, 2008):

• Equity

• Participation and empowerment

• Working in partnership

• Solidarity and friendship

• Sustainable development

Ladder of participation (Based on Veneklasen and

Miller classification, 2002) (TP or M: Token participation

or manipulation)



Pillars for Health

A settlement

health map

(by Barton, Grant)


Health and health equity in all policies

Carrying and

supportive

environments

Healthy

living Health urban

environment

and planning

Creativity Happiness Wellbeing Quality of life

Core themes of Healthy Cities’ Phase V (2008-2013)



• Redefinition of the roles and responsibilities of national and

local governments

• Reductions in budgets of public administrations

• Urbanization - in Europe 80% of population live in the cities

• Alienation – depression and in general poor mental health

• Aging population – challenge for health care system

• Boundaries for the pension system

Agenda




3. Volunteering in municipalities – Finnish examples

Main areas of voluntary work in the municipalities (e.g. Turku):

• First aid group:

- support of the events in the city

• Friend group:

- mainly with elderly people

• Immigration group:

- work in the reception centres

• Emergency response group:

- cooperation with authorities, psychological and material

support for the victims of accidents, fires etc.


Main areas of voluntary work in the municipalities:

• Support group:

- help for the stroke patients and children and adolescents

with specific language impairment and their families in

coping with the daily life

• Peer support groups:

- supports the patients with the same health problems

• Social activities group:

- organizes club activities, lectures, advice services, trips

• Administration group:

- administration of the association, decision making, fund

raising, advisory board


Medieval market is an cultural event, organized every year in Turku.

It is organized by the City of Turku, but the volunteers play a key role in it.

Role of the volunteers:

• Participation in organisation of the event:

- construction work, preparing the area, contacts with media

• Actors, dancers and hostesses during the event

• Cleaning


Turku was a European Capital of Culture in 2011.

Most of the events were organized by the City of Turku through the Turku 2011

Foundation.

However the evaluation study showed that following stakeholders were

involved in the Turku 2011 programme on the voluntary basis:

- schools;

- day care centres;

- associations;

- individuals, families, work communities;


Few words of conclusion:

- Volunteers and NGOs play a key role in keeping the municipal work going on

(either in social services, cultural services or sport services);

- Many activities or events would not be possible without the volunteers;

- We don’t know what are the economic benefits from the voluntary work in the

municipalities;

- It is a challenge to keep the motivation of volunteers high;

- Rotation of the people;

- Most of volunteers work for satisfaction;

- Also ‘’points in the CV’’ are seen as motivation,

especially among young people.

Karolina Mackiewicz

Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association

[email protected]

Tel. +358 40 5075 069

Thank you for your attention!

mailto:[email protected]

baltic region healthy cities association activities and networks

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