MUNICIPALITIES: 134 PRACTICES
Municipality of Crete established by Kallikrates Program. It resulted by the merger of pre-existing municipalities: Heraklion, Palianis, Temenos, New Bodrum and Gorgolaini.
Raed more: www.heraklion.gr
The main purpose and vision is Social Development, ie the implementation of all those social changes at the local level that include:
the social integration of the poor and vulnerable groups in society,
the empowerment of people and
the establishment of cohesive and resilient societies (Community development)
The fundamental goal was and is the social service of the Municipality of Heraklion, to focus on community development through the formation of an environment capable of not only providing a network of social protection to active and potentially vulnerable citizens at the local level, always according to the possibilities of intervention of Local Government of the first degree, but also to act preventively, through the development of infrastructure, tools and services.
Recipients of the services provided, structures, interventions and actions are all citizens and residents of the Municipality of Heraklion.
At this stage, when the effects of a multi-year socio-economic crisis and the current health crisis have particularly affected the socio-economic situation of the country's households, emphasis is placed on vulnerable groups as well as those affected by poverty and social exclusion and those living in poverty. all kinds of discrimination and exclusion.
The structure and operation of the service began in 2012.
The Directorate of Social Development autonomously and through the above services coordinates or monitors the following programs, services, actions and structures, utilizing their own, national or European resources and means:
Municipal Social Grocery
Municipal Social Clinic
Homeless Center
Community Center, Roma Branch and Immigrant Integration Center
Social drugstore
Women's Hostel
Program: Housing and Work for the Homeless
Social Grocery and Social Meal, coordinated by local NGOs.
At present, following a specific planning, we proceed to the utilization of real estate of the Municipality as well as European and own resources, in order to establish a network of structures for the disabled in the Municipality (KDAPAMEA, hostels, autonomous supported housing, camp, protected productive workshops).
Through the conclusion of program contracts, it implements the following:
Operation of public structures of Primary Health Care and the network of Primary Health Care services in the Municipality of Heraklion, in collaboration with the 7th Health District of Crete
Detection and psychosocial intervention actions in the community for the elderly with mild cognitive impairment, in collaboration with the Institute of Research Technology
Development of a network of defibrillators, with the aim of safety and protection of citizens, residents and visitors of the Municipality of Heraklion, in collaboration with the University of Crete.
In the near future and in collaboration with the University of Crete, research will be prepared to assess needs and capture a social intervention plan for community development in the Deilini district of Heraklion, with the ultimate goal of implementing multilevel development policies in the region, utilizing national and European resources
In the context of the above and through its services, it develops actions for the support of the financially weak citizens, through the collection, purchase and distribution of goods, actions for the support of the elderly, actions for preventive medicine, actions for the promotion of gender equality and support for vulnerable groups population (Roma, Immigrants - Refugees, single-parent families, the homeless, children and women victims of violence, etc.). The Immigrant Integration Council and the Municipal Equality Committee function and participate as an active member in consultations with the ministries on issues concerning the groups of the homeless and the immigrant-refugees. It also operates a psychological support line for citizens, applies a social tariff to water consumption and is ready to take measures to deal with any emergency (eg homeless support in extreme weather events, cooperation with the 7th RDA and provision of rapid tests due to current health crisis etc.).
The exercise of social policy in the Municipality of Heraklion, therefore, is based on the perception that a Municipality is the main body for identifying the problems of citizens and local communities and can take initiatives to solve many of them, utilizing the local social capital and taking taking into account the particular socio-economic and cultural characteristics of each region.
The organization of the Social Service of the Municipality of Heraklion is therefore the one that is an innovation in terms of the integrated perception of social policy by the first degree government with the main philosophy of taking an active role in resolving issues of local communities and developing initiatives for social well-being and sustainable development.
The innovation and good practice consists specifically in the fact that the model of organization of social services in the Municipality of Heraklion focuses on the operation of decentralized services with a dual role as they are:
a. the social service & the doctor's office of the neighborhood and
b. the development center of the neighborhood.
Through these services are implemented and implemented all the programs addressed to the citizens of their areas of action and which are designed and organized by the Directorate of Social Development (utilizing their own, national and European resources and means) in collaboration with all the Departments of D / νσης.
The other social structures (Community Center, Social Clinic, Social Pharmacy, Homeless Center, etc.), operate in a complementary, targeted and specialized way in their field of action, in the main body of the services of the Directorate.
The most important result is that it has already been formed in the consciousness of the citizens and residents of the Municipality of Heraklion, that there is a point of reference in their areas of residence to seek support and guidance on their issues.
An important network has been formed with local, regional and national bodies and services, in which the Municipality of Heraklion through the Department of Social Development, in matters within its competence, has an important position and is a predictable interlocutor, with multiplier results in the design and implementation of innovative interventions for the benefit of vulnerable groups.
Significant experience has been gained from all the executives of the Department in their matters, which leads to the most efficient provision of services.
It is possible to methodically capture the needs of citizens and local communities (through the preparation of studies), in order to capture specific social planning by region, in order to then through the search for resources to methodize its implementation.
The structure and operation of the Department of Social Development has often been the subject of discussion with similar services in other municipalities of the country, as an example of operation.
In the context of planning and better implementation of social policy actions and interventions, cooperation with local, regional, national bodies is considered absolutely important and necessary. Examples include:
Region of Crete
EYD of the OP Crete 2014-2020
7th Ministry of Culture of Crete
University of Crete
Hellenic Mediterranean University
PPC and HEDNO
EIEAD (National Institute of Labor and Human Resources)
Heraklion Prosecutor's Office (regarding the prosecutor's orders to conduct social investigations to investigate cases of domestic violence against minors)
Legal entities and companies of the Municipality (DIKEI, DEPANAL, DEYAI)
Local Communities of Heraklion
Summer A&M Foundations,
NGOs, associations and unions etc.
All employees of the Department are involved in the implementation of the above, depending on the specialty and position of each.
The above mentioned results are respectively benefits for the Municipality of Heraklion.
