MedTOWN Project

MedTOWN is a social innovation project that supports the role and capacities of the SSE actors in fighting poverty, inequality, social exclusion and environmental unsustainability through the research and experimentation of a SSE based co-production model. It aims at improving the legal and regulatory framework of co-production initiatives and at promoting the use of public complementary e-currencies for the provision of social services and financial aid.

Co-producing social policies with Social Solidarity Economy actors to fight poverty, inequality and social exclusion

MedTOWN is a social innovation project based on support the role and the capacities of the Social Solidarity Economy actors in fighting poverty, inequality, social exclusion and environmental unsustainability through the research and experimentation of a co-production model with the use of complementary public e-currencies for the provision of social services and financial aid to the most vulnerable groups in order to increase the socioeconomic impacts and effectiveness of public policies and expenditures at local level.

6 Countries
Spain, Greece, Palestine, Tunisia, Jordan & Portugal

9 Partners
9 Associated Partners

6 Demostrative actions
6 Pilot projects

Total budget 3,4 million
86,5% EU contribution

36 Months duration
(2019-2022)

The 3 pilars of MedTOWN’s activity

Training & Capacity Building Support

MedTOWN will insure specific technical support and training to mentor and accompany the design of private-public partnerships for the provision of social services fully equipped with effective tools and capacities. Training material will be developed for capacity building & facilitation skills.

Social experimentation Action Research Monitoring & Evaluation

The initiative is based on Action Research to support the design of effective public policies on the provision of social services. To that effect a series of experimental actions deploying a co-production model will be undertaken aiming to increase the effectiveness of social services delivery and as test-monitoring of results for policy design.

Policy Dialogue & Networking

MedTOWN will engage the participating through the MedTOWN Community of Practice, which will host group discussion tables among researchers, policy makers and legal experts, online training sessions for facilitators, SSE actors and NGO practitioners’, strategic conferences, study visits and exchanges, synergies and networking with other relative initiatives and projects to elaborate studies, papers, seminars, workshops and policy recommendations, in order to develop a joint framework approach of co-production of social policies in the Mediterranean basin.

Co-Production, a model for fair and sustainable societies

The main objective of MedTOWN is to promote co-production initiatives for municipal policies in collaboration with Social and Solidarity entities in the Mediterranean basin.

Co-production empowers citizens by collaborating in the development,
design and delivery of a specific public policy, together with public authorities.

Co-production generates more resilient and sustainable societies, as participation enables citizens to include their concerns and and social inclusion as it increases their sense of belonging, improves social cohesion and builds social capital. Meanwhile, the process is more cost-effective for the administration, guaranteeing the traceability of public money, verifying the suitability of the expenditure in a fast and constant way, and at the same time simplifying the administrative work, shortening the circuit in time by saving steps in the procedure between the administration and the people using the service.

MedTOWN encourages a sustainable inclusive growth model that will transform public services from unilateral providers to facilitators of more democratic participatory communities.

Multiplier effect Complementary Currencies

The use of these instruments can turn an aid programme into a programme of economic revival.
Local and citizen currencies amplify the economic impact of a subsidy given to citizens, promoting its use in the local commerce and encouraging recirculation in the local economy itself, which increases the multiplier effect of public spending.

Using municipal e-money payment methods to activate local commerce and to ensure that local public aid not only covers the basic needs of the population, but also multiplies the economic impact of public spending thanks to the recirculation of money in the local economic circuit.

These are our partners

Assembly of Cooperation for Peace (ACPP)

NGO, Spain
Lead Beneficiary (BEN)

Tier 1 Technology SL (Tier 1 SL)

Private Economic Operator, Spain
Project Partner (P1)

Scientific Society for Social Cohesion & Development (EPEKSA)

No Profit, Greece
Project Partner (P2)

Agricultural Development Association (PARC)

NGO, Palestine
Project Partner (P3)

Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD)

NGO, Jordan
Project Partner (P4)

Tunisian Center for Social Entrepreneurship (TCSE)

No profit, Tunisia
Project Partner (P5)

Junta de Freguesia de Campolide – Innovation Department (JFC)

Public Administration, Portugal
Project Partner (P6)

Palestinian Hydrology Group for Water & Environmental Resources Development (PHG)

NGO, Palestine
Project Partner (P7)

Regional Government of Balearic Islands, Department of Social Affairs (CAIB)

Public Administration, Spain
Project Partner (P8)

These are our associate partners

Municipality of Seville

Seville, Spain
Associate Partner (ASS1)

Andalusian Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AACID)

Seville, Spain
Associate Partner (ASS2)

Ministry of Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity

Greece
Associate Partner (ASS3)

Ministry of Labour

Palestine
Associate Partner (ASS4)

Ministry of Women, Family, Childhood and Seniors(MFFES)

Tunisia
Associate Partner (ASS5)

Environmental Quality Authority (EQA)

Palestine
Associate Partner (ASS6)

Birzeit University

Palestine
Associate Partner (ASS7)

Ministry of Social Affairs (MSA)

Tunisia
Associate Partner (ASS8)

Ministry of Social Development

Jordan
Associate Partner (ASS9)

Association of Tunisian Women for research on development (AFTURD)

Tunisia
Associate Partner (ASS10)

MedTOWN allies

CKL Comunicaciones Coop

Red de Transición

La Transicionera

WeAll

REAS Red de Redes

Union for the Mediterranean

Ripess

UrbanA

Fundación Musol

Solidar

IESMED

EUROREGIO

Demostrative Actions

PORTUGAL

Help co-producing urban public space regeneration by encouraging active citizen participation in the development of the Campolide Agroforest as a means to promote the social inclusion of vulnerable groups living in low-income neighbourhoods, and to engage with local SSE actors.

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP, SOCIAL CAPITAL, INCREASED GREEN AREAS, INCREASED LOCAL FOOD
CONSUMPTIONPROMOTION OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY

More info

SPAIN

Co-producing the delivery of first aid subsidies of the Municipality of Seville to the low-income population living in Amate district, seeking to produce socio-economic impacts with the use of a public Complementary Currency (CC) for the empowerment and sustainability of local economy.

FIRST AID SUBSIDIES, PROVIDED BY CITY COUNCIL THROUGH A MEANS OF PAYMENT WITH SOCIAL IMPACT (CC)
PROMOTION OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY

More info

TUNISIA

Co-producing social housing for women survivors of gender violence in transition flats belonging to the MFFES and operated by AFTURD, aiming to ensure that the women involved in the program will be actively engaged in improving their capacities, and collectively generate sufficient income to achieve their economic independence, and wellbeing.

INTEGRATION OF WOMEN SURVIVORS OF GENDER VIOLENCE (WVV).
AFTURD TRANSITION FLATS HELP WVV CREATE SSE BUSINESS
MAINTENANCE, PASTRY… PROVIDED BY WVV’S SSE BUSINESSES

GREECE

Co-producing the delivery of Minimum Guaranteed Income of the Municipality of Paggaio with the the support of SSE actors and the use of a digital card. An open circuit registry of local public-private-social enterprises- beneficiaries will take advantage of a series of bonuses and benefits.

MINIMUM GUARANTEED INCOME PROVIDED BY THE MUNICIPALITY THROUGH A DIGITAL CARD WITH SOCIAL IMPACT
SUPPORT OF LOCAL ECONOMY AND PROMOTION OF SELF EMPLOYMENT THROUGH SSE START UPS

PALESTINE

Co-producing a community solid waste management system based on a circular economy model using a CC, with the support of the Municipality Beni Zeid and the local agricultural cooperatives. The local currency will work as an incentive to both encourage waste separation and as a mechanism to increase the economic capacity of vulnerable economic groups.

CLEAN AIR AND CO2 EMISSION REDUCTION
CITIZEN WASTE MANAGEMENT WITH CC AND LOCAL PROCESSORS OF WASTE.

JORDAN

Co-producing services for disabled people through a Social Business Incubator hosted by the Ministry of Social Development and operated by JOHUD.

INTEGRATION OF INMIGRANTS, PWD AND WOMEN. JOHUD BUSINESS INCUBATOR HELPS THEM CREATE SSE BUSINESS
MAINTENANCE, CLEANING, ETC WHICH ARE PROVIDED BY THESE BUSINESSES