European Social Fund for Germany (ESF)
"Sustainable social urban development ESF 2014 to 2020" programme
Sustainable social urban development in subsidised areas of the city of Chemnitz
Since 2014, the Free State of Saxony has been funding the social urban development of neighbourhoods from the European Social Fund (ESF). This funding is primarily aimed at alleviating social disadvantages and sustainably improving neighbourhood support systems and area structures. The funding, based on the ESF guideline "Sustainable Social Urban Development ESF 2014 to 2020", offered the city of Chemnitz the opportunity to initiate social change in selected areas to stabilise and improve the living conditions of the district residents.
Two neighbourhoods with difficult social living conditions for residents, measured by a comparatively high proportion of SGB II recipients, were selected in a partnership process with local initiatives and residents.
On the basis of the area-related integrated action plan adopted by the city council, the "ESF - Chemnitz City Centre" and "ESF - Chemnitz South" funding areas have been actively supported with grants of up to 95% of eligible costs since the beginning of 2016.
The city of Chemnitz had a total of around €3.8 million in funding at its disposal.
The spatial focus was on the city centre, Brühl, Lutherviertel, Reitbahnviertel and Sonnenberg districts as well as the peripheral large housing estate of the former "Fritz Heckert area" with the districts of Helbersdorf, Kappel-Am Flughafen, Makersdorf, Morgenleite and Hutholz.
ESF - Chemnitz city centre
ESF - Chemnitz South
Projects and target groups of sustainable social urban development
The ESF grant was used to finance additional low-threshold and informal district projects in the city of Chemnitz to promote the social integration and employability of people who are socially and labour market disadvantaged. The projects were bundled in the following fields of action:
- informal child and youth education
Family-related programmes, learning aids and qualified leisure activities for children and young people
- civic education / lifelong learning
Support for disadvantaged adults, e.g. the long-term unemployed and those on low incomes, in overcoming specific problems through joint learning and action
- Social inclusion / integration into employment
Counselling and support services for people in difficult life situations, development of neighbourhood support systems and networks for social integration as well as measures for people who are disadvantaged on the labour market, which contribute to maintaining and improving employability through activities outside of traditional gainful employment
- Accompanying measures such as neighbourhood management.
A wide range of projects were funded, most of which were offered and implemented by neighbourhood stakeholders such as clubs and associations. The individual projects are primarily aimed at providing participants with employable qualifications and skills. Some projects mainly focus on the acquisition of artistic, creative and manual skills with socio-educational support for children and young people. The social integration of migrants is becoming increasingly important in individual projects.
Results in the assisted areas
With the help of the ESF grant, a total of 20 additional district projects and two accompanying measures for sustainable and social urban development were realised in the areas.
Just over 3.8 million euros from the European Social Fund and a further 400,000 euros in the form of own funds from the city and the project organisers in various fields of action were used to implement the package of measures.
In line with the integrated approach to action, some social projects were combined with structural investments from the urban development programme or the ERDF fund.
The brochure provides an overview of the projects realised and the results achieved in the "ESF - Chemnitz City Centre" and "ESF - Chemnitz South" funding areas. It shows the positive experiences of citizens and associations, which further motivate the City of Chemnitz to continue using ESF project funding for sustainable social urban development in the future.