How can we understand whether an intervention funded by the European Union meets the needs of the people who use it? And how can we gather knowledge that is also useful for evaluating territorial development strategies?

To answer these questions, Monithon worked with the Emilia-Romagna Region and the municipalities of Ferrara and Rimini on a pilot civic monitoring initiative focused on selected interventions within the ATUSS – Transformative Urban Agendas for Sustainable Development.

The initiative involved associations, university students, children and young people in analysing projects, observing the places concerned and engaging with public administrations. The aim is to complement official data and information with the perspectives of people who use the spaces and services, in order to recognise achievements, identify potential problems and propose improvements.

In the longer term, the initiative also aims to contribute to the evaluation of territorial strategies as a whole: the experiences gathered from individual interventions can provide useful insights into how urban transformations respond to community needs and help guide future planning.

In both cities, Monithon supported the participating groups through training and methodological guidance. The work combined the analysis of public data and project documents with site visits, interviews, surveys and discussions with those involved.

Each group examined an intervention in light of its own questions and expertise: from the accessibility of a historic walkway to the use of spaces for cultural activities, and the quality and safety of an area along the seafront.

The observations and proposals are brought together in public reports, designed as tools for building knowledge and dialogue with public administrations and local communities.

In Ferrara, the pilot focused on two interventions within the Look-Up! strategy.

The Ferrara Disability Committee monitored Open Wall, an accessible walkway along the southern section of the city walls. The site visit provided an opportunity to assess the completed work against the experiences of people with disabilities and the recommendations previously made by the Committee during the design phase. The group recognised improvements in how easily the route can be used, while also identifying issues requiring further attention, including safety along certain sections, wayfinding and uninterrupted access.

The Ferrara School of Territorial Development, with the involvement of students, monitored the Creativity Hub, located between the Slavich Cultural Centre and the Bagni Ducali. Through site visits, interviews and a user survey, the group gathered perspectives on the new spaces and their use for cultural activities and social gatherings. The findings highlighted improvements in the quality of the spaces, as well as differing needs relating to access, parking, transporting equipment and comfort.

In Rimini, the Children and Young People’s City Council monitored the intervention in the Parco del Mare area of San Giuliano Mare. Working in groups, the participants examined the project from different perspectives, including accessibility, safety and environmental protection.

The monitoring paints an overall positive picture and recognises protection from coastal risks as one of the benefits. The young participants’ observations offer a perspective on how accessible and usable the seafront is and on the needs of the people who spend time there.

La sperimentazione mostra come il monitoraggio civico possa arricchire la conoscenza degli interventi pubblici attraverso esperienze che non sempre emergono dai documenti amministrativi: la facilità di accesso a un luogo, l’uso quotidiano degli spazi o le esigenze di chi vi organizza attività.

Il confronto tra cittadini, associazioni, studenti, tecnici e amministrazioni aiuta a mettere in relazione punti di vista diversi, a discutere possibili miglioramenti e a rendere più comprensibili sia le opportunità offerte dagli investimenti sia i vincoli che accompagnano la loro realizzazione.

Le indicazioni raccolte a Ferrara e Rimini costituiscono una base per proseguire il dialogo sui singoli progetti e per approfondire il contributo del monitoraggio civico alla valutazione delle strategie territoriali. L’evoluzione delle opere e l’eventuale recepimento delle proposte potranno essere seguiti nel tempo.

• Ferrara – Open Wall: read the Ferrara Disability Committee’s report
• Ferrara – Creativity Hub: read the School of Territorial Development’s report.
• Rimini – Parco del Mare, San Giuliano Mare: read the Children and Young People’s City Council’s report.