Scroll down to read about:
- ECOVILLAGES
- SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
- INCLUSIVE URBAN COMMUNITIES
- OTHER INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES / NETWORKS
- OTHER INCLUSIVE INITIATIVES
ECOVILLAGES
Hallingelille (Denmark)Hallingelille is one of the newer eco-communities in Denmark. In October 2005, their community house was finished and since then, 20 houses have sprung up and a lot of adults, children and animals have moved in. They are developing themselves and their village in numerous sustainable directions – withing building, waste, food and vegetable production as well as within the social dimension, which is central to them.
The commonality in Hallingelille is the wish to live a sustainable, ecological and organic life. The residents' bases and concepts are varied, but they thrive in a community where they are open and endeavour to accept one anothers' different ways of thinking and being – including a broad approach to spirituality without having any particular collective spiritual direction. Hallingelille has an integrated modern seniors' commune, consisting of 6 flats. PHOTO SOURCEMelkys Community (Lithuania)
The ambition of Melkys Community is a lively, creative, diverse and self-supporting community which is characterized by: body and spirit harmony; natural, slow pace of life; national approach; ethical approach to the surrounding environment; creative problem solving; traditional family values.
Most of the families in the community are families with children. That is why there is a primary school in Melkys, that is meant to grow into a secondary school and a center of the community. This place will inspire scientific, cultural, spiritual, ethical, ethnic and business ideas and activities. It will be a place where children and adults can learn and create. Craft workshops, planting and gardening for growing plants and timber, conducted community celebrations and organized seminars, lectures, camps and various events will take place here. After the community made the reconstruction of the building, extracurricular activities have started to take place in the school. |
PHOTO SOURCEKitezh Children's Community (Russia)Since 1993 Kitezh has functioned as a non-government, non-profit home and school for orphaned Russian children in a community of foster families who live together on a large piece of land in a rural area 300km south of Moscow in Kaluga region near Baryatino.
KITEZH is a revolutionary eco-village community, providing a unique form of family-based care for homeless and orphaned children in Russia. Here they find a positive experience of family life which enables them to recover from the trauma of earlier years to become open, loving, valuable and contributing members of society. With the right kind of support, Kitezh is becoming a real and inspiring alternative model to the present state-run child-care institutions. Despite harsh economic conditions, this dedicated group has built a thriving eco-village community in Kaluga Region, 300km south of Moscow. On 90 hectares of land are houses, a school, a church and an organic farm with livestock, poultry and extensive vegetable gardens. The Kitezh School is recognized by the State. In the summer months many Russian and foreign volunteers and students come to Kitezh to help with building, working in the gardens, on the farm and with the children. Kitezhans aim to live in harmony with nature, in an ecologically aware, natural life style. They are warm, open-hearted and believe that by serving others, they will serve themselves. Main activities centre on the children's education, psychological and physical well-being. They are taught life-skills as well as academic subjects. All work with computers, with their local financial system, on the farm and on building projects. The school is officially recognised by the state. The lifestyle at Kitezh is simple. The people are warm, open-hearted and about half speak English. Visitors are always welcome, for just a few days or several weeks or months. |
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Yalla Trappan (Sweden)The work integration social enterprise, Yalla Trappan, is located in the heart of Rosengård, Malmö. Since the start in 2010, the general aim of Yalla Trappan is to provide work for immigrant women who would otherwise have severe difficulties entering the labor market. Organized as a women's cooperative, Yalla Trappan is built on democratic values such as participation, co-determination and solidarity.
Yalla Trappan now employs 15 women in its three commercial branches: café and catering, a cleaning and conference service and a sewing and design studio. Furthermore, it enables labor market introduction for newly arrived immigrant women by providing internship opportunities. What started out in as a project dependent on financial support from the European Social Fund, the City of Malmö and ABF Malmö, has evolved into a self-contained social enterprise utilizing the knowledge and capabilities of its co-workers to run an innovative business characterized by a strong focus on social sustainability. Among several inspiring collaborations, Yalla Trappan has established a partnership with IKEA. Mera Yalla i Skåne is a project financed by The Social Investment Fund in Region Skåne and ABF Malmö aiming to spread Yalla Trappans’ successful working methods to other municipalities in the region of Skåne. The project is expected to result in a growth of knowledge in social enterprising and to facilitate the establishment of new work integration social enterprises inspired by Yalla Trappan. Yallas Ambassadörer - medarbetare inspirerar och informerar om socialt företagande is financed by the European Social Fund. Connected to Mera Yalla i Skåne, it allows for a number of Yalla Trappans' co-workers, who made the journey from social exclusion and unemployment to becoming active citizens taking part in society and working life themselves, to spread their knowledge of social enterprising. |
PHOTO SOURCEEquilibre - Hobukooli Park (Estonia)Hobukooli Park is located in mid Estonia, spanning on a rural area of 20 hectares. The nearby town is Paide and a village called Mäo. The park offers possibilities for horse riding therapy (different forms) and possibilities for building from natural or reused materials. There are large nature pastures, where horses feed, nature tracks for therapy, sheds with various animals and space for learning how to build.
All of the buildings on the property are made of natural and/or reused materials. There is a large clay house, which belongs to the founders of the Park, who live in it with their children. There is a smaller clay house, which is made of a cargo container, and used for retreats; a larger house, which is used for therapy, lectures, seminars and group retreats. All of the facilities have liquid separating dry toilets. There is an open door kitchen with an area for bonfire. Five people work at the Hobukooli Park. The founders are Sven who is leading the building part and Hele, leading the horse-assisted learning and therapy. Other employees are a social worker, who assists in psycho-social and horse therapy (equine assisted therapy), activities facilitator, who leads craft workshops with groups, and a horse therapist, with a background in building. The team also consists of a pedagogue from Tallinn and nearby friends, who have a background in horsemanship and know-how of working with people, are invited to help with the groups if there is a need. The Park has two main focus points, one is animal assisted therapy and the other is life-long learning through building from natural or reused materials. Groups and individuals come to the Park for therapy purposes. One of the employees is a social worker at a local hospital, thus some clients come through the rehabilitation plan, which is assigned to them in the hospital. While other clients come for leisure time and recooperation. All of the clients come to the park voluntarily. Therapy work is done with special needs children and their parents, as well as special needs groups of children and adults. The building and teaching about building with natural and reused materials is done in the Park and elsewhere. Individuals and groups interested are invited to learn and practice in seminars and hands on workshops. In order to accomplish all of this, the owners have established a non-governmental organization (NGO) Equilibre or in simple words Hobukooli Park. “Equilibre” is composed of two Latin words: “aequus” or “equine”, meaning equal, and “libra”, meaning free, embodying their vision and mission. Based on the research conducted within the SIBREC project by students and teachers of the Institute of Social Studies at Tartu University in Estonia. To access the full research, click here. |
INCLUSIVE URBAN COMMUNITIES
Järna - “community of communities” and beyond (Sweden)As a usual small Swedish town in the south of Stockholm, Järna is a place hosting over 60 projects with anthroposophical roots. Many of them are characterized by a strong focus on social inclusion and sustainable development.
Some project examples in Järna:
PHOTO SOURCETartu Kaunase Home (Estonia)The Kaunase Home is located in a flat building in Tartu, Estonia. Kaunase Home is a project which aims to integrate people with disabilities into society. This is done through living in community and supported working.
Tartu Kaunase Home belongs under the umbrella of AS Hoolekandeteenused that provides services for people with psychiatric disabilities. Community work is concerned with empowering residents to participate in society, and the services of Tartu Kaunase Home include supported living and working, and using the services of the city to organize one’s work and personal life. In the city environment, the residents of Tartu Kaunase Home have much better opportunities to get involved in the community, compared to their previous life in institutions. Every member of Tartu Kaunase Home community is working; they have a job they like. Living in cities, clients have increased selection of jobs to choose from – one that the clients would like to do and also would suit their abilities. A lot of it is thanks to cooperation with Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund. Clients can work in the community, and they are valued by their employers for their helpfulness and credence. Persons who live in the Kaunase Home use a variety of public services, such as healthcare services, help with employment, rehabilitation. Clients are encouraged to establish social connections outside of Tartu Kaunase Home to have a social network that supports them. They are also encouraged to search for opportunities to study different skills. Clients are usually young people and learning new skills is essential for them to manage their lives themselves. Free time activities take place at Kaunase Home, which are supervised by workers. Clients can decide themselves which activities they prefer: sport, handicraft, music, science, gardening and so on. The staff in Kaunase Home plays an important role in helping the clients to use public services, helping them integrate into the community and make sure that everyone’s daily life runs smoothly. Based on the research conducted within the SIBREC project by students and teachers of the Institute of Social Studies at Tartu University in Estonia. To access the full research, click here. |
PHOTO SOURCEUžupis (Lithuania)Užupis is a neighborhood, located in Vilnius' old town. The houses left abandoned after Second World War 'were later occupied by marginal elements of society, mainly the homeless and prostitutes. Until Lithuania's declaration of independence in 1990, it was one of the most neglected areas in the city, containing many run-down houses, many without utilities.
The district has been a common haunt of artists and bohemians since Soviet times, and even today many young artists are squatting in abandoned buildings near the Vilnia River'. During creative revitalization of Užupis a lot of actions, driven by artists and activists, were made for local poor people and their inclusion. There were special days, when poor inhabitants could have help and free clothes, services (like dentist), and, what is very important, community care and psychological support. The idea of The Republic of Užupis has been connected to the inclusion of poor people from the very beginning. The hand with a hole — symbol of Užupis — is a symbol of poor and underclass people. Traditions of this 'republic' also help local poor people and include them into local community. Examples: - on a White Tablecloths Day (two days after Easter) people bring everything that was left after their family celebration, to predetermined cafes, so anyone can eat this food for free. - Wood Burning Bazaar is the day, when whole community buys several trucks of firewood, they are dumped in the park, and all who do not have money to buy wood, may pick up these logs. Also, people bring refrigerators, televisions, clothes or other things they want to give, what makes this tradition similar to flea markets. As Užupis used to be a district with high criminality rates, the artistic revitalization wanted to do something with people with criminal records in an inclusive way. The Republic of Užupis created an unofficial local police, which started to prevent crimes, using dialogue, not punishment. During the Crime prevention in the Old Town seminar in November 1999, 'the Užupis Fund and representatives of the Old Town communities took part in discussing the issues with professionals: Centre for Crime Prevention, Old Town Police Office, Public organization Stop the Crime. In July 2000, a seminar entitled The City in Dialogue - Public Participation in Užupis was organized in the City Hall.' |
OTHER INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES / NETWORKS
Camphill communitiesCamphill communities provide opportunities for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other special needs to live, learn and work together with others in an atmosphere of mutual respect and equality.
There are more than 100 Camphill communities in over 20 countries in Europe, North America, southern Africa and India where those with special needs are offered the support they need to develop their potential. Camphill community life is based on Christian ideals and the teaching of the philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). In addition to caring for each other, those who make their lives at Camphill centres care for the land and the environment around them by following organic and biodynamic principles in their gardens and on their farms, recycling and using environmentally-friendly products and services whenever possible. In the Baltic Sea region there are camphill communities in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden. Concrete contacts you can find on the website of Camphill worldwide. Camphill Svetlana (Russia)Camphill Svetlana is a part of the worldwide Camphill Movement. It is a life-sharing community for people with special needs. The main activities are agricultural.
Svetlana community is situated in a rural village close to the Lake Ladoga and 140 km east of St. Petersburg. The village accommodates about 18 adults with special needs, about 20 co-workers and 4 staff children. Community have 4 houses and 57 ha farm and gardens running according to bio-dynamic methods. Dairy produces milk for the village and processes it into yoghurt and cheese. Pig production unit sell up to 50 piglets per year. The vegetable and herb garden supplies for most the village needs and an excess is sold. Bakery produces bread, biscuits and cakes for the village and for sale. Woodworkshop is currently developing to produce toys for sale. During the summer most of activities are in the garden and on the land. In the winter months there are other workshops which vary according to need or availability. All people who volunteer to work and live in the Svetlana community are co-workers. Together they take on the responsibility of caring for the adults, running the house and workshops. There is no hierarchy, manager, etc., so the community decisions are made by groups which are formed to deal with the different aspects of community life. The central decision-making body is the Village Council, comprising the permanent co-workers of the village. A temporary co-worker is someone who joins community for a year or less. A permanent co-worker is someone who commits themselves for more than a year, or have made Camphill their permanent home. They carry more responsibility, ensure continuity of the community. Their financial needs may differ from these of a temporary co-worker. PHOTO SOURCERegional Society Chistye Kluchi (Russia)Camphill village “Chistye Kluchi” is a new community in Russia for adults in need of special understanding opened in 2012. It is extremely important to build and organize such communes especially in Russia, where human rights were suppressed for such a long time.
Still there are hundred thousands people called “invalids”, who live in conditions unworthy and unacceptable for any human being: without work, without any possibilities for further development, without appropriate care, often in unhealthy, unsanitary prison-like institutions. Many of them lack even the possibility to be alone sometimes, or to invite friends or relatives. They rarely meet understanding or personal attention. Often there are not more than 1-2 staff members for 50-70 people, even basic care is on a low level. “Chistye Kluchi” strives to show an alternative, to prove in practice that every human being who comes on Earth is needed for by others. Everyone is a “secret box” we should learn to open, a mysterious fairy tale we are called upon to read. It is a place where we would like to practice truly human and moral ways in dealing with each other, founded on a deep social responsibility. We strive to learn to understand and value each other although we are all so different; to work for the well-being of everyone, and of nature through practicing bio-dynamic agriculture; to create conditions that every person can develop spiritually, can be creative. A place for the "Kluchi” was found in 2007, in a small Peresvetovo village, near the city of Smolensk (400 km west of Moscow). Two hectares of land were bought in 2008, the construction of the first house for six inhabitants started in 2009. “Chistye Kluchi” was opened officially in the summer of 2012. PHOTO SOURCEMaarja Village (Estonia)Maarja Küla is located in South-Estonia, next to the villages of Kiidjärve and Taevaskoja. It offers a home to 38 young adults with learning and / or intellectual disabilities. The inhabitants use community-based services, for example they get educated in the village and work there as well.
Social workers, volunteers and occupational assistants (support workers) help them with their daily lives so that they can be part of the community as active members. Every person living there does this based on their free will. The helpers support the inhabitants in the communities to be active citizens in their place of residence, to maintain contacts with their relatives, neighbours, co-workers and friends. Their support, especially in the field of lifelong learning, housing, careers and integration into social life is very important. In Maarja Küla, inhabitants try to live an active and independent life with the support and friendship of assistants and teachers living and working together with them. The community should develop as many options as possible in order for people with disabilities to be involved in the normal activities. In Maarja Village/ Küla everybody has their activities to do: courses of gardening school, village work that has to be done (in the garden, forest or workshop), taking care of the vegetables and fruit that they grow themselves, preparing lunch and dinner etc. Inhabitants of the community have their own strengths and interests in various areas of life, which they want to implement in many spheres. Each person is the best expert for one’s own life and best understands what one needs. The individual approach allows people with disabilities to take responsibility for their lives. The approach and focus in the village is to pass on a sustainable and economical way of living. As the persons develop, they can become part of the community outside the village and the final step is moving out of the village to another place, being ready to live a more independent, social and fulfilling life. Based on the research conducted within the SIBREC project by students and teachers of the Institute of Social Studies at Tartu University in Estonia. To access the full research, click here. |
L’ArcheL'Arche is an International Federation dedicated to the creation and growth of homes, programs, and support networks with people who have intellectual disabilities. It was founded in 1964 when Jean Vanier, the son of Canadian Governor General Georges Vanier and Pauline Vanier, welcomed two men with disabilities into his home in the town of Trosly-Breuil, France. Today, it is an international organisation operating 147 communities in 35 countries, and on all five continents.
Within the Federation, L’Arche International is piloting fresh ways of including members with intellectual disabilities in decision making processes. The value and the place of people with intellectual disabilities demands recognition across religious and cultural traditions. In this way, the international community can prepare the ground for each person touched by disability to carve out their own unique role in society. Building a community in a new cultural, political, religious, social and economic environment is no easy task. It takes a major and ongoing effort both to understand the identity and mission of the organization, and beyond that, the in-depth knowledge and sensitivity needed in each new community context. At L’Arche International and other levels of the Federation, this openness to diversity demands a good measure of flexibility and creativity. Within the Baltic Sea region there are L’Arche communities in Lithuania and Poland. For more inspiring videos from L'Arche, click here.PHOTO SOURCESocial village Otradnyj sad (Russia)Otradnyj sad is a socio-therapeutic village where young people with multiple disabilities and staff live and work together. It was founded by like-minded parents of youngsters suffering from diseases such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome, developmental delays.
In Otradnyj sad young people with disabilities master work and communication skills. There is a sport complex, biodynamic garden, farm, sauna complex on the territory of the social village. Products at the socio-therapeutic workshops are made from environmentally friendly materials and acquired by kindergartens, schools and local residents. Young people not only work but also actively do sports, go hiking, organize plays and concerts. The young people of Otradnyj sad wake up every morning to the magical sounds of the flute. Then they make a circle with the adults to share positive energy with each other. All these are very important details that create a positive social environment which can work miracles. In Otradnyj sad everyone constantly has something to do. Young people have a variety of possibilities: they can do basket weaving, make beautiful things out of wool, make toys from environmentally friendly natural materials etc. Each of these activities is very useful from a medical point of view as it develops motor skills, especially for patients with cerebral palsy. Furthermore the young people became professionals in their work field which increases their self-esteem. Otradnyj sad regularly organizes seminars in order to share its experience of socio-therapeutic activities. During the seminars participants learn methods of daily care for disabled, technology of herbal medicine etc. The main financing sources for the construction and development of the social village are parent contributions, sponsorship and grants. The social village is actively cooperating with experts and sponsors from abroad. Welfare Society (Lithuania)Members of the society can be people with mental illnesses, their family members, specialists, who work or are willing to work with the people with mental illnesses and anyone, who considers the aims and objectives acceptable.
Aims of Welfare Society: - to represent people with illnesses and strive for their life of full value in the society; - to protect their rights and human dignity, fight against their discrimination; - to try to improve and expand the system of institutions of medical service, rehabilitation and care for the people with mental illnesses; - to try to improve living conditions and the system of social support for the families taking care of people with mental illnesses; - to establish employment institutions for people with mental illnesses in the community; - to establish job places for the people with mental illnesses. Today Welfare Society has 55 branches in 48 municipalities (counting over 2300 members with more then 1600 mentally disabled people among them). Welfare Society organizes seminars and trainings on coordination between municipalities, health institutions and NGO, on the realization of the law of social care in the community and also popularized the experience of mental health centers. In cooperation with the Vilnius Social care center there was founded the social and psychological help service which provide daily activities for disabled people in 6 city districts. Each summer psychosocial - rehabilitation camps are organized for mentally disabled people by the society. In the end of 2003 the Welfare Society was involved into the Council for Affairs of Disabled under the Government of Lithuanian Republic. |
OTHER INCLUSIVE INITIATIVES
Summer working camp for children from disadvantaged families (Russia)The population of the small village Novinka almost completely consists of unemployed people, so the local children are not familiar with any working culture. They see alcoholism, depression, lack of life values and extreme poverty around them. Most of the teenagers participating in this camp grow up in families of alcoholics and suffer not only from material distress, but also from a lack of parental care and emotional support. For this reason they quickly lose interest in life.
The first summer working camp for teenagers from disadvantaged families was organized in 2010 by the village parish aimed to: - involve the poor and homeless adolescents in interesting and useful activities during the summer holidays; - teach young people social and work discipline; - show local social services a new approach of interaction with children based on partnership. The camp lasts for two weeks. During this time adolescents work together with the local priest and local volunteers. They harvest firewood for the elderly in Novinka and surrounding villages, care for the gardens, mend fences, clean local drains from the algae and much more. All activities are based on cooperation and partner interactions with adults. For local teenagers, this is a completely new experience. This style of working increases the level of trust, understanding, motivation and improves the behaviour of young people. Furthermore, it strengthens relations between social services and teenagers throughout the year. Maarjamaa Hariduskolleegium (Estonia)Maarjamaa Hariduskolleegium is administered by the Ministry of Education and Research, a state agency. The school is operating as bilingual primary school. Maarjamaa Hariduskolleegium is for children in need of special education and students with emotional and behavioral disorders.
The school offers special learning and rehabilitation program for each student. The aim is to support the child by offering complex services which are created individually for each student. The school’s mission is to be the school-competence center for students, parents, teachers and partners to support the development of the learner's personality, work and social life, the knowledge, skills and attitudes, using a coordinated way with educational, social and health sector actions. Even though the coherence between the local community (Mäksa vald) and the school is not tight, the teachers see opportunities to cooperate - they have organized football trainings in the local school, they regularly go swinging on the village swing and communicate with the local children and there has been some communication between the teachers and the locals. Another good opportunity for the school is that the teachers are seeing the resources of the local community and they are ready to contribute to strengthen the relations. The teachers realize that communicating and getting involved in the local community would open opportunities also for the students (possibility to socialize, participate in local events, get some work experience etc). The teachers speak respectfully of the students and see them as plenipotentiary citizens which can be seen as the basis for creating possibilities to cooperate with the local community. Based on the research conducted within the SIBREC project by students and teachers of the Institute of Social Studies at Tartu University in Estonia. To access the full research, click here. |
NGO Supilinna Society (Estonia)The aim of Supilinna Society is to be considerate of the historical value of the surroundings, at the same time continuing to improve the environment and taking into account the interests of people living in the district. It also oversees sustainable renovation, so that the district would maintain its historic architectural appearance, and improves the greenery and parks located in the district.
Charities Fund NGO 'Let there be light' (Estonia)The NGO was founded in 1998 by singer Siiri Sisaski. The Fund's objective was the liquidation of schools, classrooms due to low light. 80% of Estonian schools have low light in classrooms and no attention is paid to the problem at a national level.
Children and teachers and their health problems caused by the lack of lighting were thus neglected, the learning environment not being suitable for all those reasons. Diagnoses that arise from the inadequate lighting system are early myopia in children, stress, headaches, dizziness, drowsiness and depression. SVF regularly organized a number of charity concerts all over Estonia with many well-known artists. Currently SVF creates network for people in need, provides after-school and free time activities for children from families in need, organizes meetings with specialists and trips for families. |