How can Living Labs support meaningful engagement with marginalised groups?
Join us for this online session, co-organised by @CommuniCityEU & @LivinginEU, to explore real-life case studies from three cities.
🎯 For city officers, NGOs, researchers & community partners
📍 Online | 💬 Presentations + Panel Discussion
This conference will highlight the project’s key outcomes, learnings and innovative solutions to urban challenges faced by cities. The CommuniCity Final Event will bring together project partners, city representatives, policymakers, researchers and innovators to discuss and shape the future of European cities.
The conference will be held in a hybrid format. Therefore, participants can join either online or in person at Porto Digital premises. Please note that there are a limited number of in-person seats available.
Register now to secure your spot!
10.00 Welcome coffee
10.30 Opening words
10:40 CommuniCity: Paving the Way for Inclusive Cities
10:50 CommuniCity building more inclusive cities – Case examples
11.50 Key learnings and takeaways from the cities
12.40 Deputy Mayor of Porto, Filipe Araújo – Why are more inclusive cities even more important in the future?
12:50 Shaping the Future: A Vision from the Commission / European Commission
13:00 Lunch
14.00 Key learnings and takeaways from the Hosts
14.50 Academic findings and future recommendations
15.10 Empowering European cities: From Living Labs to practical tools
16:10 Closing words – End of the Hybrid conference, workshop will be only local in 3 parrallel sessions
16.20 Workshops on co-creation methodologies
18.00 Drinks and networking
Please note: The programme is subject to minor changes, pending final confirmations.
The CommuniCity Consortium gathered in Amsterdam from June 25th to 28th for a series of internal strategic meetings, a training workshop and insightful field visits. These sessions were a crucial step in preparing for the launch of the project’s third and final open call, scheduled for September 10th 2024.
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The CommuniCity Consortium gathered in Amsterdam from June 25th to 28th for a series of internal strategic meetings, a training workshop and insightful field visits. These sessions were a crucial step in preparing for the launch of the project’s third and final open call, scheduled for September 10th 2024.
Continue reading
InclusiVerse, the groundbreaking virtual reality application developed by CTRL Reality, has successfully completed its pilot phase, marking a significant milestone in the journey towards disability inclusion. Designed to enhance the social and digital skills of individuals with developmental disabilities, InclusiVerse provides a safe and immersive virtual environment where users can engage in social interactions, practice daily routines, and explore new situations. Through real-time collaboration and customizable environments, it empowers users to navigate the complexities of everyday life with confidence and ease. Throughout the pilot phase, CTRL Reality worked with approximately 150 end users, witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of virtual technologies on their lives. From improved social interactions to increased confidence, the results speak volumes about the power of inclusion and accessibility in shaping a more equitable society. CTRL Reality remains committed to expanding the reach of InclusiVerse, to break down barriers, foster understanding, and build a more inclusive world for all.
We are happy to share the upcoming “CommuniCity Info Session” dedicated to cities interested in joining the third round of Open Calls to be held online on the 9th of April 2024 from 14.30 to 16:00 CET.
During the Third Open Call, the CommuniCity project aims to launch over 60 pilot projects across Europe. CommuniCity invites cities to join its Info Session where the project and the third round of Open Calls are discussed in greater detail. Attendees have a valuable opportunity to learn more about the initiative while gaining insights from the experiences of other replicator cities involved in the project. Additionally, participants can explore the potential benefits for their cities by participating in our upcoming round of Calls starting in September.
More Information on the Third Open Call can be found on this page and on this news post.
The agenda of the event can be seen below:
AGENDA
14:30 –Welcome
14:40 –Overview of the CommuniCity project and introduction to the 3rd Open Call
Josephine Di Pino – OASC
15:00 – Learnings from the 1st and 2nd CommuniCity Open Calls
Anne-Mari Sandell & Silja Peltonen – Forum Virium Helsinki
15:15 –Technical framework and Porto’s experience
Adeeb Sidani – Porto Digital
15:30 – Amsterdam’s experience
Machteld Combé – City of Amsterdam
15.45-16.00 – Q&A Session
Click on the button below to registerfor the Info Session:
Does your city or NGO struggle with social or urban challenges? Join the upcoming open call and let the CommuniCity Consortium help you tackle these pressing challenges by utilising innovative technologies. The third CommuniCity Open Call will be launched on 10 September 2024 and it seeks technology-driven solutions to bridge the digital divide and enhance the well-being of marginalised communities.
Building upon the success of the previous rounds, the third CommuniCity Open Call expands its reach by inviting participants from cities and NGOs across Europe. While the initial rounds of open calls focused on a relatively small group of participating cities, this final CommuniCity Open Call fosters a broader and more inclusive initiative. Therefore the CommuniCity consortium calls for NGOs and new cities to present novel challenges and join the open call as “challenge owners”.
The CommuniCity Open Call presents a compelling opportunity for European cities to address pressing social and economic challenges while encouraging digital inclusion. Through a unique collaboration between city representatives, professionals, residents and technology providers, the project fosters the development and co-creation of innovative solutions tailored to each city’s specific needs.
Participating cities gain valuable insights into supporting marginalised communities and improving the services provided by the cities. Additionally, the participating cities have the chance to replicate best practices identified in previous open call rounds, accelerating progress towards more inclusive and resilient cities.
The CommuniCity Consortium warmly welcomes new cities to participate in the upcoming Open Call and is eager to collaborate on tackling urban challenges. Beyond cross-European networks, participating cities and NGOs gain valuable expertise in co-creation methodologies as well as future technologies including Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, the participating cities are supported with step-by-step guidance for successful agile piloting, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.
Throughout the open call phases, dedicated digital tools and support activities are offered to participating cities, ensuring a seamless and effective piloting process. This includes bi-weekly meetings hosted by the CommuniCity project, along with tailored support provided when specific needs arise. Furthermore, cities gain access to a wide range of technical components and tools developed by the project.
The deadline for applications to the third CommuniCity Open Calls is 31 October 2024. Following this, expert juries nominated by participating cities will evaluate the applications. In December, the winning applicants can begin piloting technological solutions in their respective cities and can continue their experiments until May 2025. The CommuniCity project will grant each winning team a minimum of €12,500 Eur grant to support their solution development and pilot implementation efforts.
Missed any of the CommuniCity Info Sessions? Below is the link to the recording of the session held on 4th June 2024. In the video, you can learn how the CommuniCity project works, lessons from past open calls, and how the Third Open Call will unfold.
Tolkie, an innovative AI-powered tool, developed in Amsterdam, is a pilot from CommuniCity first round of Open Calls, aimed at empowering low-literate citizens in Amsterdam. The tool has been designed to enhance reading assistance capabilities by simplifying entire texts for those with low literacy levels. The piloting process involved ideation, testing, and design iterations to refine the tool’s functionality. Key features include the conversion of text to accessible language below Dutch B1 level, presented in a user-friendly bullet-point format with a single button press. This groundbreaking innovation makes texts more accessible without imposing additional time or effort on organizations.
Crucially, co-creation activities were integral to the pilot, ensuring the tool’s effectiveness and usability through testing with the target audience. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with users appreciating the simplicity and effectiveness of Tolkie in bridging literacy gaps.
Tolkie’s efforts are more crucial than ever, particularly with the increasing effects of an aging population, immigration, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. With approximately 16% of the Dutch population reading below the Dutch language B1 level, Tolkie aims to scale the implementation of the tool, continuously refining it based on user feedback, and fostering collaboration for a broader impact in addressing literacy challenges. This development is expected to have a positive impact on society by empowering individuals and enabling them to access information that was previously beyond their reach.
Developed in Porto, the PortoPilot – Digital technologies to decrease loneliness project has successfully tackled elderly loneliness through tailored digital technologies. Seniors were equipped with smartphones and trained in communication and entertainment applications, revealing a surprising preference for cognitive stimulation games. This challenges stereotypes about seniors’ reluctance to engage with digital solutions, highlighting their enthusiasm for technology adoption. Crucially, caregiver participation exceeded expectations, ensuring the sustainability of activities beyond the project’s duration. The project not only emphasises technology’s potential to enhance seniors’ well-being but also underscores the significance of caregiver collaboration for long-term success. As PortoPilot continues, it remains dedicated to evolving solutions that address the evolving needs of elderly individuals, further solidifying its role in alleviating loneliness in this demographic. The initiative stands as a beacon of innovation, showcasing the transformative power of technology when coupled with genuine understanding and collaboration to improve the lives of the elderly in Porto.
Photos: Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS
Text: Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação
We are happy to share the “CommuniCity Info Session” dedicated to the cities interested in joining the third round of Open Calls, held online on 12th March 2024 from 14:30 to 16:00 CET was a notable success.
During the Third Open Call, the CommuniCity project aims to launch over 60 pilot projects across Europe. CommuniCity invited cities to join its Info Session where the project and the third round of Open Calls were discussed in greater detail. Attendees had a valuable opportunity to learn more about the initiative while gaining insights from the experiences of other replicator cities involved in the project. Additionally, participants could explore the potential benefits for their own cities by participating in our upcoming round of Calls starting in September.
The agenda of the event can be seen below:
AGENDA
14:30 – Welcome
14:40 – Overview of the CommuniCity project and introduction to the 3rd Open Call
Josephine Di Pino – OASC
15:00 – Learnings from the 1st and 2nd CommuniCity Open Calls
Anne-Mari Sandell & Silja Peltonen – Forum Virium Helsinki
15:15 – Technical framework and Porto’s experience
Adeeb Sidani – Porto Digital
15:30 – Amsterdam’s experience
Machteld Combé – City of Amsterdam
15.45-16.00 – Q&A Session
The next Info Session will be held on 9th April from 14:30 to 16:00 CET. Don’t miss out! The agenda will be the same as the one in the previous event.