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Abstract
Over the last few years Europe has faced the phenomenon of ‘forced migrations’, which has led to the establishment of reception systems and the implementation of integration policies to host asylum seekers and refugees. In particular, local authorities have sought to address the challenges posed by integration by putting in place innovative measures. By employing the concept of social innovation, this article provides a glimpse of the variety of integration measures developed at the local level. Focusing on labour market inclusion, this article compares socially innovative practices implemented in two European cities: Bologna and Vienna. The article draws on a document analysis, interviews with local officials and NGO practitioners and workshops to examine the institutional, political and social factors that have shaped the implementation of local social innovation to ease the access of refugees and asylum seekers to the labour market. The findings reveal that the scope and incisiveness of the institutional action, the local political culture and the mobilising capacity of civil society influence the development of local socially innovative practices.
Acknowledgements
This article is the result of collective, joint and indivisible work. However, if individual assignments are to be done, Elisabetta Mocca wrote paragraphs 1,2,3,4, 5, 6 and 7, Pamela Pasian wrote paragraphs 3,4,5,6 and 7, Byeongsun Ahn wrote paragraph.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 The project “SIforREF – Integrating Refugees in Society and Labour Market through Social Innovation”, funded by the Program Interreg Central Europe had the objective to enhance and/or to launch refugee integration policies at regional and local level in Berlin, Bologna, Ljubljana, Parma and Vienna, particularly addressing refugees’ transition from reception phases to autonomy.
2 These comprise Communist and Socialist parties.
3 These include primarily the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), Democrats of the Left (DS) and the Democratic Party (PD).
4 In 2002 Italian Government formally established a national system for refugees’ reception (System for Protection of Asylum Seekers and refugees [SPRAR]).
5 The permit for special protection is recognised in case the asylum seeker risks potential violations of basic human rights if you go back to his/her home country and is eligible for conversion to a work permit.
7 Here is available a short video describing the pilot in Bologna https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5KyY0_kVk8
9 Interestingly, Start Wien was awarded the "Best Practice Certificate at the European Public Sector Award" in 2017 (https://www.wien.gv.at/english/social/integration/arriving/start-wien-migrants/).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Elisabetta Mocca
Elisabetta Mocca is an external research fellow at the Department of Sociology, University of Vienna. Her research interests lie in field of urban and territorial politics and post-growth politics.
Pamela Pasian
Pamela Pasian is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Ca'Foscari University of Venice and an Adjunct Professor in the same University and at the University of Padua. Her research interests include migration, gender and family studies, care professions and health.
Byeongsun Ahn
Byeongsun Ahn is a predoctoral researcher at the Research Platform: The Challenges of Urban Future, University of Vienna. His research interests include: citizen participation; governance rescaling; path dependence; program evaluation; and social justice.