REVES

= European network that brings together Local Authorities and Social Economy Actors

In English: European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy

URL = http://www.revesnetwork.eu/

Description

"Reves is a unique European network that brings together Local Authorities and Social Economy Actors in order to create stable partnerships and common policies for a socially sustainable local development and social inclusion. It was officially created in September 1997 as an international non-profit association, by a group of cities such as Östersund (Sweden) and Reggio Calabria (IT) in collaboration with the European Confederation of workers co-operatives, social co-operatives, participative enterprises (CECOP). The Reggio Declaration was written. It became the REVES Charter defining the targets and development lines of local and international co-operation within REVES. In 9 years of REVES' existence, its key concepts - partnership, participation, social cohesion and new quality employment for the creation of a new pluralistic local welfare - have gone through a period of analysis and joint development in different local realities within 13 EU member states, Morocco and Russia.

Since several years, REVES has been developing a multi-disciplinary partnership-based approach for local policy planning and evaluation. This was done by extending the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility of enterprises to a wider concept involving all key actors on a given territory: Territorial Social Responsibility (TSR). TSR has been and still is being further elaborated in the framework of various projects and other activities. Its principles correspond with common objectives of the "European strategy against poverty and social exclusion" such as the mobilisation of all relevant bodies, subsidiarity and the application of a multidimensional approach to foster social inclusion. REVES activities are closely linked to European Union policies, on the one hand, and to processes of local development, on the other. As a relay between different territories as well as between territories and the EU, the network represents a unique laboratory for socio-economic innovation. Today REVES is re-orienting its objectives. This is due to the fast growth of the network within and beyond the EU borders. Concepts linked to new local welfare, social inclusion, local development, employment and participation are re-defined and experimented. This requires a firm commitment from REVES members, i.e. from both local authorities and social economy organisations." (http://www.revesnetwork.eu/)