An innovative concept on inclusive economic participation: The governance of inclusive economic participation sites in Flemish cities

Abstract

Presently, the numerous initiatives within Flanders (Belgium) that focus on an (more) inclusive economic participation are often poorly coordinated and physically dispersed in nature. As such, there exist considerable thresholds for socially deprived urban citizens to actually find, use and benefit from these initiatives. Together with some Flemish cities and social enterprises, a multidisciplinary research team of the University of Antwerp has therefore launched the innovative concept of “inclusive economic participation sites”. In view of the actual use of these inclusive economic participation sites by Flemish policy makers, the research team has started to specify relevant governance items and requirements for the creation, development and exploitation of these inclusive economic participation sites. Inductive inspiration is found within two explorative research projects consisting of 25 inclusive economic participation sites “related” practices and six focus group debates with social and economic policy experts (i.e. inclusive economic participation-Reference-Platforms). As such, the researchers inductively uncover seven strategic and four spatial governance requirements as well as one strategic–spatial interaction governance requirement. All requirements are defined, explained and illustrated within the article.