Seminar: More Citizen, Less System – What does it Take?
- 22/06/2025 16:00 - 18:30
Talks & insights focusing on the results from relational welfare approaches across the City of Aarhus, Central Region of Denmark and Social Sundhed.
Organisations:
- City of Aarhus, Denmark
- Regional Government of Central Denmark, Denmark
- King Frederiks Centre for Public Leadership at University of Aarhus, Denmark
- Social Sundhed, Aarhus, Denmark
Location: City Hall, Aarhus
Programme
Aarhus Compass
More Citizen, Less System: To sustain the development of their public welfare model, local partners in Aarhus have created a new framework of understanding called ‘the Aarhus Compass.’ The Aarhus Compass describes the kind of municipality and community Aarhus wants to be and is becoming.
What does it Take to Transform an Organisation to Work with the Mindset ‘More Citizen, Less System?’
Next, insights from research-based results by King Frederik Centre for Public Leadership at University of Aarhus will present their research on the transformation process that arises from the ‘Aarhus Compass’ to help improve public services for the benefit of citizens.
The objective of King Frederiks Centre for Public Leadership is to conduct international research at the frontier of knowledge to be applied in and by public organisations. Through research and by educating the public sector leaders of tomorrow, the centre’s researchers aim to improve the public sector for the benefit of citizens and society.
Case Studies Exploring the Value of Working with a Relational Approach
YoungInFocus
UngiFokus is an initiative for young people who need social support, many of whom have a story of substance abuse, are on and off employment and have stopped education. Case workers work with young people through a limited case management and relational welfare approach to support young people into employment and training.
The programme has been evaluated through a randomised controlled trial with 500 young people, which shows initially positive results with young people better engaged in mainstream education and using less social services results as a result of this programme.
Social Sundhed
Social Sundhed is an NGO working to create social equity in health throughout Denmark by bridging the gap between people in vulnerable populations and the healthcare system. They train volunteer healthcare students, who gain skills, knowledge, and insight into the conditions and barriers that create and maintain social inequality in health.
Aarhus Municipality has been partnered with Social Sundhed for a decade, supporting the development of two programmes bridge building health and social care to improve healthcare appointments and physical activities.
Citizen Driven Teams
In March 2023, specialist residential facilities managed by the Central Denmark Region introduced citizens teams, which meant that residents themselves chose which staff members will be part of their team.
The initiative is being monitored and evaluated by a project manager and two project members with autism by the Social Area’s Research and Development Fund.
They will share insights from the evaluation, which illustrates that these teams enhance residents’ sense of autonomy, belonging, competence, and support development as well as job satisfaction, motivation among staff and collaboration between teams. The transition from three leadership teams to 19 individual teams has not been without its challenges, such as the set-up of a structure that can cater for the new arrangements.
Facilitated conversation on take-aways and transfer of knowledge across European delegates.