Raise awareness on Urban Security of a Territory
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31 August 2022The new “integrated” urban security was designed to focus more on the actors involved, as well as on the multi-governance approach. The key was to be found in the collaboration between different institutional actors and levels, each one of them according to their competences. Equally important is that security needs to be “participated”, this concept is based on the principle of horizontal subsidiarity, and it is focused on an open and shared security, which brings together citizens, volunteer associations, professional associations, schools and universities, economic actors, etc.
The main focus in this project was to promote changes in the governance model of the whole region regarding safety and security, including the engagement and commitment of the local community and promoting a dialog with the local police and increasing coordination across different bodies. The UrbSecurity activities also try to expand previous experiences on citizens participation in the region, such as neighbourhood watch groups, civic assistants or voluntary associations. Security needs to be participated, open and shared based upon the principles of horizontal subsidiarity, solidarity, and participation and every citizen, association, school, economic actor, etc, should be able to contribute.
PILOT COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN
In this project, perhaps what was most visible and publicized was the work done by the communication campaign that worked as an aggregator and complement to the other tasks described in the action plan. This campaign is built on a mascot and a tagline “Tutta mia la città” which means All my City and I belong to this place.
The pilot campaign aimed to raise awareness of urban safety issues in the territory of Romagna Faentina, and to involve citizens in urban safety activities and try to improve their perception of safety. The campaign can also be considered a form of nudging, namely a way in which local authorities can involve different institutional stakeholders to define and share skills and competences in the field of urban security.
Social networks also served as a means to spread the message.
"Any empty space is filled. In fact, it happens that a space abandoned by citizens gradually fills with "insecurity", whether it is a garden, a road or a building. Institutions and citizens must work together so that this does not happen."
"Let's start taking care of what surrounds us: from the porch in front of the house to the garden in the neighborhood. Every little gesture contributes to making the places of our daily life more beautiful and welcoming."
"Try to be curious about people of different cultures or religions you meet at work or school."
"A safe city is a city where kindness and protection of the most fragile prevail. We do not remain indifferent to violence."
"Choose to be part of an association. Volunteering, sports, music, theater or whatever you want. You will discover a new world full of values and relationships that will be precious to you and to the community."
Romagna Faentina has planned several urban security policies characterized by multi-disciplinary actions which aimed at fostering the quality of life and liveability of its citizens. These policies differ from public order policies, as the former are more focused on the social effects of personal insecurity and on those phenomena that feed them at a local level. Insecurity levels do not usually depend on a real rise of crime objective data. Objective security is indeed often detached from the (in)security perception of people: those urban degradation, disorder and deviance phenomena produce high levels of insecurity among the population, but they are often not even listed as crimes.
Romagna Faentina has been dealing with this innovation element by elaborating security policies which are built upon the fundamental contribution of citizens.
The local police still represent a key actor, but they benefit from the support of the people who live Romagna Faentina’s territory: the goal is to contribute to increase the feeling of security among the inhabitants, by engaging them in new activities, such as the elaboration and application of urban security actions.
The 2021 survey promoted by Romagna Faentina reveals that the perception of security is generally positive within the territory. However, it also revealed that some concerns arose among the participants. This data also contributed to the elaboration of the plan and its actions
The Unione della Romagna Faentina as a regional body defined its four thematic areas in his Integrated Action Plan:
1. Local community engagement and commitment
2. Urban and neighbourhood regeneration
3. Use of ICT
4. Governance
1. LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMITMENT
A first useful tool that can support the involving process of citizens is neighbourhood watch. Such prevention system is built upon active participation of those citizens who live in a specific area or neighbourhood of the city and decide to gather in order to highlight any occurrence related to crime, deviance and urban decay. All participants communicate to each other through a smartphone app (“FaTam-Tam”): data collected through this application are referred to the local police directly by the group leader, who is indeed the only one who can legitimately send reports and alerts to the local police.
Objectives : Active citizenship, Social inclusion and Communication and awareness
2. URBAN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD REGENERATION
Urban planning, requalification activities, urban and landscape maintenance affect the perception of security of these areas: situational crime prevention theories state that criminal behaviours are seriously influenced by the environmental context.
ObjectiveS: Urban regeneration, Security by design, Attention to common and public spaces
3. USE OF ICT
Urban security policies make use of several tools in order to improve the perception of security and impact on crime prevention challenges, starting with the role played by the local police.
Objectives: Presence on the territory of the local police, CCTVs, Technological platforms
4. Governance model after URBACT III
The multilevel governance model (on the horizontal and vertical sides) has always characterized the strategy of Romagna Faentina: UrbSecurity represents the chance to formalize the integrated and participated approach. The institutionalization of a permanent worktable will guarantee dialogue with the realities of the territory in the field of urban security.
Urban security is not an autonomous concept: our Urbact Local Group gathers those actors who are actively involved in the field of urban security and who can provide contributes towards more effective urban policies.
Youtube videos
https://youtu.be/BhQe9-AjA2w
https://youtu.be/_YYrWwu9OYQ
https://youtu.be/PF4DsOYdwfg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO-G-6w6W3wXZSZ7X6zH16Q
https://www.romagnafaentina.it
https://www.romagnafaentina.it/Progetti-strategici/Politiche-e-progetti-europei/Tutta-mia-la-citta%20
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