In Lisbon there are 67 priority intervention neighborhoods! These are like villages within the city. In each one everybody knows each other! The most important issues faced are: low pensions of seniors, significant school dropout, high rates of illiteracy and nearly non-existent educational development. Our project empowers young community through education, strengthens capacities and civic participation as well as creates regular income for seniors.

In some civic deserts of Lisbon priority intervention areas (Portugal).

Lisbon, like any other urban agglomeration in the world, is unbalanced. There are multiple fractures caused by social, urban or environmental issues. The City Hall identified 67 areas that have not the minimal required levels of cohesion in terms of urban, social economic and environmental conditions, lacking connection between the voices of the local citizens and the local authorities. Our chairman has vast experience in the area of work in civic deserts, with local communities characterized by village-like lifestyle and often marginalized.
Our project aims to empower the local community, to reinforce partnerships, strengthen networks, create income for old people and help these communities to have an active role in the city increasing the population’s direct participation.

Target population’s ages: 6-18 (educational activities) and 60-80 (renovation of 1 or 2 bedrooms/home in order to be rented).
In the last 20 years Lisbon has witnessed increased migration from Brazil, Eastern Europe (particularly Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania) as well as China, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Currently, non-nationals make up around 10% of Lisbon’s total inhabitants. 2nd and 3rd generation migrants make up 9.30% of the city’s population. Elderly people have very low pensions and have no prospects of any additional sources of income, being thus prone to poverty. President of the Republic presented a national strategy for increasing the growth of employment, education, housing and health to hopefully eradicate poverty in Portugal (1/4 of the population in the country).

-Small meetings to create better synergies, identify obstacles
-Train/coach local leaders
-Creation of a platform to facilitate the matching between offers and requests (volunteers, experts, training, money, coaching...) of the partners in this project. Transparency of processes and marketing of the projects that are being supported
-Write together with local partners a regulation for the attribution of minimum €10,000 to 25 micro initiatives led by the population and welcoming international volunteers
-The winners get a financial support + human resources (international volunteers). The idea is to support local projects instead of relieving the population of their part
-Increasing involvement of international partners
-Evaluation with the support of a university and the city hall

Currently a lot of granted projects for the 1st year stop, because they are not allowed to get a new grant for the 2nd year. Our intervention includes investing 10% of the grant (€5,000 in case we get €50,000), to support several educational micro initiatives (reaching minimum 400 children/youngsters) + €15,000 (30% of the grant) in the renovation of flats where old people live (electricity, painting, plumbing reparations and new furniture).
Other indicators: training of 10 local leaders + 1 Crowdfunding operation (minimum €5,000 to be invested in local projects) + minimum 10 volunteers (90 days) and 60 interns (15 days). Support to the development of local partners' social media and advertising, aiming to get 5 interviews (radio), 20 mentions, 5 articles and at least 1 or 2 broadcasts.

The levels of citizens’ participation in political life are, generally, low, which is reflected in the increasingly high level of voting abstention and low education levels among communities. The gap between population and political power widens when the contributions of individuals/communities are not reflected in the political decisions which impact people. Still, Lisbon is divided in 24 Local Elected Councils and each one is governed by a Parish Council, an executive body elected by the members of the Parish Assembly, in turn directly elected by the citizens registered in their territory. This means that the residents of the neighborhoods hold an immense power they could exercise if they were active and informed. 1/3 of the Lisbon inhabitants live in 67 priority intervention areas.

We recognize that taking part in activities which promote good citizenship and community spirit, helps people to have a positive impact on their community and recognize the good within them. We deeply believe that community inhabitants need to realize that they have a power to change their reality and lives and impact positively their neighborhood. Our association is moved by awareness that people need to be active in political decision-making and, thus, influence their own lives. KASA PT will help to develop social skills and community awareness with the support of international volunteers and their sending organizations in our one to one relationship.

Paid by KASA PT: Food Interns/Volunteers 10080; Local Transports Interns/Volunteers 3120; Accommodation Interns/Volunteers 25200; Technical Docum. 100; Communication 600; Human Resources 5000
Paid by CIVIC EUROPE: Ped. material 5000; Printing Ofiice 1200; Honoraires (bookkeeping) 1800; Renovation/Conservation 13000; Bank Costs 120; Tools (to paint) 2000; Office supplies 600; Transports for locals 980; Insurances 300; Human Resources 25000
Paid by INTERN PARTNERS: international transports

It will be important to receive useful feedback from other Project partners, their thoughts on how the Project is being developed, what issues and difficulties they encountered but also what sucesses they can boast of.