Aarhus Municipality offers a variety of activities at the 37 local centers that match many different needs and interests - exercise teams, Krolf, music etc.
The local centers are part of the services that the municipality has for the citizens, as part of prevention initiatives, rehabilitation and fighting loneliness. The local centers are open to everyone but are especially used by the seniors. “More proximity to citizens” was also part of the vision of the municipality.
In 1982 the first local center was established, and the following years they were established in the whole municipality. The vision was to create “houses for the people” where the citizens could get help and to create proximity and physical environment where citizens could get to know each other and the municipality.
The establishment was ongoing and in 1998 the last area had a local center. The main stakeholders are the citizens and the employees in the municipality. With the local centers the municipality has an infrastructure that makes it easier for the home care staff to reach the citizens. And of course, the citizens have a short distance to the local center.
All citizens can make use of the local center, but it is mostly the senior citizens who use it. Kindergartens and groups for mothers on maternity leave are other target groups that use the local centers.
Resources needed
Most activities are self-driven. Citizens who need assistance can be helped based on guidelines for granting assistance. It is not possible to inform about resources to staff; this depends on participants in the individual activities. The framework is also a resource provided by the municipality.
Evidence of success
For the citizensthe most valuable benefit isthe loneliness prevention and the opportunity to exercise and have other activities in common.
For the employees the most valuable benefit was to get closer to their managers, to get better office accommodation, and a better infrastructure.
The local centers have existed for many years and the municipality assumes that the citizens know what a local center offers. They do not advertise, but you can read about it on the website and in local papers
Difficulties encountered
One of the challenges was to find the right locations – both for the center itself and for the senior accommodations. This required some area. Another challenge was to pay for the area within the budget.
Potential for learning or transfer
Similar centers can be found in other municipalities but in Aarhus is has been done very systematically and structurally. The good practice has definitely a learning or transfer potential – especially to countries with a public sector.
Tags: Services, Social
